# Momentum defying busses...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671 "2001-09-04T14:35:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ali0r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@ali0r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ali0r)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/1 "2001-09-04T14:35:26Z")

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I live in Scotland…now as you’re probably aware, we have a fair few double decker busses buzzing in and around town. Now these things would be id say at least 2.5 metres wide, between 5 and 6 metres high and around 10/12 metres long. Now these vehicles manage to corner 45-90 degree bends at speeds varying between 20-40 mph. When doing this, you can clearly see them leaning (quite substantially I would say) but never to my knowledge has one toppled. I have been informed that this is due to its low centre of gravity, but have always wondered what gives it this low centre of gravity? Can anyone shed some light plz? 🙂

ali…

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**Author:** ![bryanmaguire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bryanmaguire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bryanmaguire)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/2 "2001-09-04T14:48:17Z")

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Quite simply all the heavy bits (engine, wheels, suspension etc) are at the bottom. The top is just a shell made from relatively light metal.

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**Author:** ![puk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea5d25/32.png) [@puk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puk)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/3 "2001-09-04T14:53:39Z")

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also, the chasis is close to the ground compared to ‘normal’ busses.

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**Author:** ![ali0r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@ali0r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ali0r)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/4 "2001-09-04T14:58:53Z")

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That simple eh? 🙂  
Aw well, there goes my super heavy metal base theory :p…

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**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/5 "2001-09-04T15:51:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ali0r \*  
> \*\*Aw well, there goes my super heavy metal base theory :p… \*\*

Alloy base are along the bus?  
_waits patiently…_

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/6 "2001-09-04T16:14:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Olentzero \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by ali0r \*  
> > \*\*Aw well, there goes my super heavy metal base theory :p… \*\*
> 
> Alloy base are along the bus?  
> _waits patiently…_ \*\*

All you bus are long to us?

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**Author:** ![ali0r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@ali0r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ali0r)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/7 "2001-09-04T16:20:50Z")

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Olentzero: Im afraid I don’t know as I have to as of yet, look under one :)…

Philster: LOL 😃

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**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Gazoo)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/8 "2001-09-04T17:31:12Z")

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Richard Harris was on Letterman a long time ago with the story of why he is banned for life from driving in Scotland.

I don’t remember the whole story, but part of it involved a double-decker falling over.

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**Author:** ![ali0r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@ali0r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ali0r)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/momentum-defying-busses/79671/9 "2001-09-04T17:50:10Z")

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YEY!!

Knew one had to have sometime ! :\>  
hope no one was injured… 😑