# Cars vs high wind speeds **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100 "2010-10-14T06:06:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/1 "2010-10-14T06:06:51Z")
Inspired by tonight’s Mythbusters involving tornado proof vehicles. They pitted ordinary cars as a control against a jet engine, and they pretty much always lost their hoods after 150mph winds and the whole car would float away by 250mph. But most cars can get close to 150mph in driving conditions (not even counting headwinds), and quite a few can even get up to 250mph. But they don’t seem to be in any danger of losing their hoods, or going out of control from the windspeed. Why is a blast of wind aimed at a car somehow more dangerous than the wind thrown at a car from it’s driving speed? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/2 "2010-10-14T07:33:24Z")
Was the jet aimed at the side of the car or the front? Were the cars the type of cars that can drive at 150 mph? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/3 "2010-10-14T07:49:25Z")
If the jets were aimed at the front of the vehicles there may have been more air going under the hood then over it. The hood may be dependent on a close to equal (or greater) amount going over as under the hood. The pressure over the top should work with the latch to help keep the hood down. In a real world application I’m guessing this is the case. I’d guess that the exhaust from a jet engine is fairly concentrated and if they were trying to flip the cars they probably had it directed downward. Furthermore, there’s a difference between cars that CAN go 150 and cars that can “get close to 150.” Cars that can go 150 (and are designed to go that fast) may not have this problem with the hood (think about race cars). And just because they can go 150 doesn’t mean they’re going to survive it (for any length of time). ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/4 "2010-10-14T08:39:13Z")
Assuming the cars that are _meant_ or marketed to go superfast, what precautions do they take? ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/5 "2010-10-14T08:42:26Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Why is a blast of wind aimed at a car somehow more dangerous than the wind thrown at a car from it’s driving speed? Because when the cars are driving fast the wind is only coming from one direction. In a tornado it comes from everywhere, sides, top, from underneath. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/6 "2010-10-14T09:00:48Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > But most cars can get close to 150mph in driving conditions (not even counting headwinds), and quite a few can even get up to 250mph. You might want to double check that. The Bugatti Veyron can get into the 240s, I think, but that’s about it. I think something came out recently that bettered the Veyron, and then Bugatti tweaked it a bit and took the record back, but I still don’t know if they’ve cracked 250. Why, yes, I have been watching old episodes of _Top Gear_ online lately. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/7 "2010-10-14T09:14:24Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Because when the cars are driving fast the wind is only coming from one direction. In a tornado it comes from everywhere, sides, top, from underneath. Exactly - and furthermore, cars (at least high-performance ones) are designed so that the air flowing over them at high speed produces downforce which keeps them on the road. But only if you’re driving forwards. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/8 "2010-10-14T11:41:15Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Assuming the cars that are _meant_ or marketed to go superfast, what precautions do they take? They make sure the hood won’t fly off.😃 But seriously, I’m sure one some of the testing they do (again, think race cars) involves making sure body panels won’t rip off. One of the other important tests they do would be to make sure the air over the top of the car creates enough downward force to keep the car on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/9 "2010-10-14T13:54:51Z")
What I learned from this episode of Mythbusters is that being unprotected in a tornado sure would suck. Which I guess means that a tornado is something that both sucks and blows. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/10 "2010-10-14T14:07:51Z")
I think one of the the unusual situations of the _Mythbusters_ test was that the flow from the jet engines would be highly turbulent. This differs significantly from driving thru calm air. Lots of bouncing and shaking forces were exerted. And even a tiny sideways push can have drastic effects. It doesn’t take much of a sideways wind gust to make a car really dance around. It is interesting how for both car hoods, they started to fold up before blowing off. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/11 "2010-10-14T14:21:47Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Why is a blast of wind aimed at a car somehow more dangerous than the wind thrown at a car from it’s driving speed? Just to clarify this one point, straight wind coming head-on to a car at _x_ MPH is equivalent to the car driving into still air at _x_ MPH. That is the principle that allows vehicle companies to test their designs in a wind tunnel. I didn’t see the MythBusters episode, so I don’t know how what they did is different than head-on straight wind. A tornado is not head-on straight wind. ---
**Author:** ![FasterThanMeerkats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@FasterThanMeerkats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FasterThanMeerkats)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/12 "2010-10-14T15:28:24Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I didn’t see the MythBusters episode, so I don’t know how what they did is different than head-on straight wind. A tornado is not head-on straight wind. Didn’t see it either, but a tornado is in aggregate circular in motion (hence the spiral), and at a single point on the circle, the direction of the wind is tangential so an argument can be made that testing in a single direction does not produce worthless data. And yes, for completeness sake, you should probably add in some directional variability and test from all sides. (or at least front and back if you assume you’ll pass through one side and then the other) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/13 "2010-10-14T16:05:31Z")
The “tornado” used on the show were the engines on a 747. Depending on the distance from the engine and the thrust setting, they were running tests up to around 180 mph with the capability of going to 250 mph, IIRC. Hence my earlier comment on the turbulence from the engines. It’s not going to be all that uniform of a wind. But definitely in tornado range in terms of mph. They of course could not generate a spiraling wind or an updraft with this. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/14 "2010-10-14T18:07:00Z")
Was this a new episode? I’m assuming it must have been. Last time I saw them do car VS jet engine, they were trying to find out, specifically if a jet engine could flip a car. The myth coming from some airports shutting down roads perpendicular to the runway when certain airplanes take off for fear of flipping cars over. ---
**Author:** ![hende](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/aca169/32.png) [@hende](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hende)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/15 "2010-10-14T18:27:06Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > > [@jackdavinci](#): > > > > But most cars can get close to 150mph in driving conditions (not even counting headwinds), and quite a few can even get up to 250mph. > > You might want to double check that. The Bugatti Veyron can get into the 240s, I think, but that’s about it. I think something came out recently that bettered the Veyron, and then Bugatti tweaked it a bit and took the record back, but I still don’t know if they’ve cracked 250. > > Why, yes, I have been watching old episodes of _Top Gear_ online lately. The 2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport tops out at 268 mph. [Cite](http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110999/the-new-bugatti-waiting-for-superman-no-more?mod=family-autos) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/16 "2010-10-14T18:43:42Z")
This episode was freakin’ _awesome_! Jamie and Adam designed and built a man-portable shelter that allows a person to withstand a 180 mph wind. They first tested it with Buster, and then Jamie, who has balls of steel. After the test (which was punctuated with flying chunks of ice as well as high winds), the usually phlegmatic and unperturbable Jamie was jumping up and down and hollering like Adam after something blows up. It was seriously cool. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/17 "2010-10-14T19:04:06Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > They make sure the hood won’t fly off.😃 Lots of these cars are built so the hood won’t fly off at all. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/18 "2010-10-14T20:25:27Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > But most cars can get close to 150mph in driving conditions (not even counting headwinds), and quite a few can even get up to 250mph. But they don’t seem to be in any danger of losing their hoods, or going out of control from the windspeed. Most can’t get to 150 and a very small number (2 or 3) can hit 250. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/19 "2010-10-14T20:38:06Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > . . . Were the cars the type of cars that can drive at 150 mph? I really doubt it. They looked like little family-style cars. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100/20 "2010-10-14T20:44:50Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Because when the cars are driving fast the wind is only coming from one direction. In a tornado it comes from everywhere, sides, top, from underneath. We can ignore tornadoes in this case. The test was a jet engine pointed at the front of the car. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cars-vs-high-wind-speeds/557100.md?page=2)