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

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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

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Starting on page 48

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

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