nisiry’

eed ececene nen voesa cer naapseserendsecessegese:

Shaun
Conlin

siquals

CHANGING the laws
of physics is, barring an
act of God or the inter-
vention by Star ‘T'rek’s
omnipotent character
“Q,” an impossibility.

However, it appears the
Ministry of Transportation
and Highways can be added
to this elite, or so MoTH
spokesman Brenda Jones
would have us believe.

In reference to the shoddy,
bumpy “new” road surface
over the Second Narrows
Bridge, Brenda maintains that
the lumpy ride is ail part of 2
grander scheme.

News* reporter fan Noble
wrote in the August 28 issue
that spokesman Brenda
informed us that “a new iech-
nique (was) used on the
bridge (which) helps reduce
skidding in poor weather...”

Huh? Whar did they do,
mix Fairy Dust in with the
cement? Place tire-grabbing
gremlins in the lumps and
bumps? Perhaps they just gave
old “Q” a call.

Here’s the physics of it
folks: Friction is the resistance
to motion between nwo
objects in contact with cach
other, When talking about

your car, this resistance pro
dices the traction needed in
order te keep your tires stick
ing to the road.

With a maximum friction
factor being P, smooth asphalt
ranks as the best road surface
at 0.9, Lee is at the other end
of the scaie at 05, Concrete
ranks at 0.7.

When wet, asphalt ranks a
respectable 0.6, whereas con-
crete’s friction factor is a myea-
ger Ot when wet. Concrete is
More SuPpery, its use cannot
reduce skidding.

A bumpy road reduces each
of these friction factors greatly
because in such a case tires
make intormittenc contact with
the road surface. This is why
the Indy Car races are always
on smooth asphalt, such as
Vancouver's Pacific Boulevard,
and not “ribbed,” uneven or
concrete roadways.

Instead of boasting about
MoTH’s new type of Shinola,
spokesman Brenda may have
been berter off expounding, the
true merits of concrete, such as
its durability and Jongeviry.

The Lions Gate Causeway is
made out of concrete because
that narrow access is a fright
pain to resurface. However, the
Causeway is sineeth, which
means it still allows for a fair
amount of traction.

On the other hand, per-
haps it was the contractors in
charge of the bridge's revamp-
ing, who sold this poorly edit-
ed piece of science-fiction to
spokesman Brenda, who in
turn sold it to us,

Keep in mind that while
Second Narrows was under
going its restoration there were

95 per ‘month

incl. unlimited messages

Pacific Cellular

Vancouver-1199 West Pender St.
N.Vancouver-1830 Marine Drive
Surrey-9660 King Georae Hwy.
Victoria-1950 Government St.
Victoria-3388 Douglas St.
Nariaimo-Woodgrove Centre

662-393}
983-3335
584-5000
385-8000
475-1912
390-3169

NEWS photo Terry Peters

COLUMNIST Shaun Conlin wenders about the
Ministry of Transportation and Highways’ role in the
repaving job of the Second Narrows Crassing

(abcve).

huge delays thereabouts, as
most drivers will recall. Those
delays caused some serious agi-
tation, not to mention ~ signif-
icant disruption to commerce.
So in the ¢nd, it’s lumpy,
but it’s done. The laws o!
physics were not changed,
somebody got a bonus for

going home early, the smoke
sercens are no longer emanat-
ing from traffic lineups, and
Spokesman Brenda got 3
chance to speak.

But there’s stili ao such
thing as Fairy Dust. There’s
no Easter Bunny either.

Be safe.

The North Shore's

Automotive
Author

We test?
drive theé
sexy new

tover Second Narrows
Bridge repairs

The largest selection of |
. North Shore used. cars
able anywkere.

Friday Auta Section

Starting on page 48

Friday, September 20, 1996 — North Shore News ~ 49

We'll make your vehicle
100k like few again!

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