From Autoexpress:
"Don't bother polishing your car - it wastes fuel! Scientists have discovered that rough surfaces can be more aerodynamic than shiny ones by helping vehicles slip through the air more efficiently. If the bumps are the size and shape of tiny cylinders, they keep the air flowing around the car. "This goes against conventional thinking," said Swedish researcher Jens Fransson."
Not 1st April!
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True.
Thats why golf balls have dimples.
Mind you, not sure you want your car to fly for 200 yards...
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I thought golf ball dimples were to keep the golf ball flying in a straight line, not to make it fly further?
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I thought golf ball dimples were to keep the golf ball flying in a straight line, not to make it fly further?
>>
A bit of both actually :)
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After fastidious reserch I have proved that the dimples on a golf ball do not work. A dimpled ball doesn't travel very far and never goes where you aim it, always swerving wildly off to left or right. They also seem prone to causing the bell to land in sand or water.
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>>A dimpled ball doesn't travel very far and never goes where you aim it,>>
Get the local pro to work on your swing....
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Yawn yawn boundary layer mutter mutter we are talking seriously high speeds here mumble doubt very much if roughening the surface of yr road projectile will make it go any faster...
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There was certainly an experiment done some years ago which involved applying a finely ribbed membrane to the surface of an aircraft, in an attempt to reduce skin friction. Judging by the mirror finish polish applied to the aircraft that race at Reno I would say that either shiny is good or the pilots at Reno are a bit behind the times - I suspect the former to be true!
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People use to (and I believe still do) wet and dry the hulls of racing sailing dinghy's, reason being is that the water droplets fill the rough surface and the others just slip past, where as they stick to a smooth surface so causing a rough finish - never quite sure if it really made that much difference but it made a good looking boat look like carp!!! I assume this is the same type of principle.
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