# The physics of Knight Rider **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351 "2000-07-12T20:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/21 "2000-07-13T02:54:52Z")
Oh, and winky99: 155 is how much distance would be required to gove from 61 mph to 0 mph. The car is question, however, is going from 61 mph to 60 mph. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/22 "2000-07-13T04:43:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by winky99 \* > \*\*_I’m not a physicist_ > > When the rear wheels make contact, they will be applying a force on the ramp to keep the car moving at 61MPH. Using [this site’s](http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/crstp.html) calculator, I get a stopping distance of 155ft. That’s a **real** long truck. > > \*\* Yes, but that would be assuming that the car almost instantly accelerated to 60 mph _relative to the truck_ at the moment the drive wheels made contact with the ramp. The car is only moving at 1 mph relative to the truck, and even if the driver is flooring the gas it will take time for the car to speed up beyond that (what’s the 0-60 time?). There might be a lot of blue tire smoke, but I don’t think flying through the front wall of the rig’s trailer is all that much of a concern. While I’m rambling - I seriously doubt that the TV show did the stunts at anywhere near 60 mph. 15-20 is my guess. It’s kind of the like the obviously-sped-up “footage” of Kitt travelling over a windy, bumpy dirt road at 160 mph… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/23 "2000-07-13T05:22:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*All I know is that they used something like 7 scrap yard Trans Ams per episode to film all those “realistic jumps” 😃 > > I loved Knight Rider at first. But we all know when it went horribly wrong. > > All together now: **Super Pursuit Mode**. \*\* Never saw Super Pusuit Mode Clue Me In. Does Kitt’s floor drop out and Hasselhof have to run furiously boosting Kitt’s traction a la` Fred Flintstone? What happens? ---
**Author:** ![winky99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/71c47a/32.png) [@winky99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/winky99)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/24 "2000-07-13T05:29:25Z")
_The Ryan said_ > [@](#): > > Oh, and winky99: 155 is how much distance would be required to gove from 61 mph to 0 mph. The car is question, however, is going from 61 mph to 60 mph. So KITT is going 60MPH **in** the truck? I don’t think so. KITT is going 0MPH in the truck, the truck is traveling 60MPH. _brad\_d said_ > [@](#): > > Yes, but that would be assuming that the car almost instantly accelerated to 60 mph relative to the truck at the moment the drive wheels made contact with the ramp. Good point. I guess if you locked the wheels rather quickly you would be fine, but if you waited even a half second the car could travel 44ft (assuming no slippage or blue smoke). My physics may be a bit off but I still think that a car travelling that fast is best to stay on the pavement, I don’t care if Hasselhoff is driving or not. Does anyone know Devin, so we can get a definitive answer? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/25 "2000-07-13T10:39:25Z")
Is there anything you can’t find on the Internet? [Knight Rider Super Pursuit Mode!](http://www.knightrideronline.com/atoz/s.html) ---
**Author:** ![ponch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@ponch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ponch)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/26 "2000-07-13T12:29:04Z")
how about “turbo Boost” which would propel KITT into the air, over vehicles, obstacles, etc…no ramp… were there four “turbo” jets? two under the nose, lifting the nose, and two coming out the back pushing the vehicle into the air? this is all so very confusing…I must find KITT’s schematics. Bear\_Nenno? Can you now explain women to me? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/27 "2000-07-13T12:50:01Z")
The drive wheels/tires (either front or rear) will spin-out when they hit the ramps. They’ll have much less friction than when they were on the road. So they provide much less thrust. The driver (KITT, stuntman) allows the spin-out to continue long enough to move up the ramp a bit, then releases the gas. Without added power, the wheels will quickly lose speed and then regain traction on the ramp. The driver must then provide enough thrust to keep the car’s momentum going forward relative to the ramp. Not impossible. The stunts of this being filmed are probably done at much slower speeds (20-30 mph) just in case something goes untoward. Most camera angles used give the impression of greater speed. If the camera angle makes the slow speed obvious, they just speed up the playback. I remember a documentary about stunts and stunt men. With this stunt, there is an audible screech as the drive tires hit the ramp. With a good stunt driver, this is not very long. Even so, they remove the sound track and put on whatever action music is needed for mood. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/28 "2000-07-13T13:15:16Z")
From [The Knight Rider A to Z](http://www.knightrideronline.com/atoz/): > [@](#): > > Turbo Boost: Turbo Boost’s primary purpose is to provide KITT with the ability to gain vertical momentum and send him “jumping” through the air. Another ability of the turbo boosts is to provide a dramatic increase in purely horizontal speed for a short duration. However, the latter feature is almost never used, especially because Pursuit Mode achieves the same purpose. Explanations in the series of the Turbo Boost’s function range from near-instantaneous volume increase in the tires to thrusters placed in the back. > Turbo Boosts are usually controlled by on-board computers to provide the maximum height and precise landing spot needed. By the way, AWB: I think they left the tyre sounds intact in Knight Rider. I seem to recall a little squeal everytime Kitt entered or left the driving truck. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/29 "2000-07-13T13:33:48Z")
Coldfire, I wouldn’t know, cuz I never watched the show. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ponch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@ponch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ponch)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/30 "2000-07-13T13:47:22Z")
wow, this thread is bringing up all sorts of questions… another is: How did Michael Knight keep from perspiring while fighting crime in southern california and in the desert, all while wearing his snazzy black member only jacket? ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/31 "2000-07-13T14:11:07Z")
and how come no one asks these questions about the mach 5? and the even more unbelievable stunts performed by the ‘car acrobatic team’? ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/32 "2000-07-13T15:06:56Z")
Wow, I better go have myself checked for radiation poisoning or something. I had my picture taken in KITT when I was in third grade. I was living in California at the time at the heighth of Knight Rider’s and the A-Team’s popularity. I didn’t like Knight Rider but my father did. He forced me to sit in that stupid car and ask it questions. The buttons all looked fake and you couldn’t push them down. The actor said they were in lock mode. How stupid. Lock mode. “Sorry Micheal, you can’t press that button, it is locked.” I really wanted to be put in the autoeject so I wouldn’t have to sit in it. I got better pictures with Conan and friend (not the Arnold Conan but the one at Universal Studios where all of this took place). He reaked of roast beef. It made me gag. HUGS! Sqrl ---
**Author:** ![Koffing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Koffing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koffing)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/33 "2000-07-13T15:27:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*All I know is that they used something like 7 scrap yard Trans Ams per episode to film all those “realistic jumps” 😃 > > I loved Knight Rider at first. But we all know when it went horribly wrong. > > All together now: **Super Pursuit Mode**. \*\* Aaargh! You’re right, you’re right. Oh, the pain… ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/34 "2000-07-13T21:28:08Z")
Ponch asks: “another is: How did Michael Knight keep from perspiring while fighting crime in southern california and in the desert, all while wearing his snazzy black member only jacket?” See, the Black jacket is the key. He never took it off because it was like a high-tech flight suit. More like an astronauts suit. It could regulate his temperature through small tubes of fluid running through it. When it was hot out, the jacket would circulate cold water through the tubes and coils in the jacket, thus cooling him down. When it got too cold, the jacket would heat up and keep him warm, like a heating blanket. It was also equipment with three small fans to keep a little breeze going under there. What you never saw was while he was driving, he had the jacket plugged into the cigarette lighter socket to keep the jacket’s battery charged. ---
**Author:** ![winky99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/71c47a/32.png) [@winky99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/winky99)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/35 "2000-07-13T21:31:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bear\_Nenno \* > \*\*Ponch asks: > What you never saw was while he was driving, he had the jacket plugged into the cigarette lighter socket to keep the jacket’s battery charged. > \*\* All that high-tech crap and he’s using a cigarette lighter??? How disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/36 "2000-07-14T03:29:50Z")
Germans LOVE David Hasselhoff! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/37 "2000-07-14T05:18:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by winky99 \* > \*\*_The Ryan said_ > > > [@](#): > > > > Oh, and winky99: 155 is how much distance would be required to gove from 61 mph to 0 mph. The car is question, however, is going from 61 mph to 60 mph. > > So KITT is going 60MPH **in** the truck? I don’t think so. KITT is going 0MPH in the truck, the truck is traveling 60MPH. > \*\* If the car is in the truck, and it’s at rest with respect to the truck, and the truck is going 60 mph, then yes, KITT is going 60 mph. If you have a car going 60 mph, it doesn’t suddenly stop just because you put a truck around it. If a cop pulls you over for speeding, would you say to him “What do you mean, speeding? I was going 0 mph in my car!”? ---
**Author:** ![winky99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/71c47a/32.png) [@winky99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/winky99)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/38 "2000-07-14T12:52:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*If the car is in the truck, and it’s at rest with respect to the truck, and the truck is going 60 mph, then yes, KITT is going 60 mph. If you have a car going 60 mph, it doesn’t suddenly stop just because you put a truck around it. If a cop pulls you over for speeding, would you say to him “What do you mean, speeding? I was going 0 mph in my car!”? \*\* But MY point is, that KITT most stop its engines from trying to push the car at 61MPH, if KITT doesn’t do that, then Devin becomes a hood ornament. I know that from the frame of reference of say an armadillo on the road, that KITT only slows 1MPH, but the force being exerted by the bullet-proof tires has to become nill. ---
**Author:** ![ponch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@ponch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ponch)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/39 "2000-07-14T14:13:52Z")
keeping in mind that KITT does not have any conventional weaponry… who would win a battle between KITT and Airwolf? KITT can disable Airwolf, but airwolf is capable of shooting at KITT, but airwolf can fly up to the stratosphere (never mind that the air is too thin to support a helicopter)…KITT does have superpursuit, and can eaeily move towards civilian areas, making the missiles a poor choice. I think KITT would win, with a little help from KARR. ---
**Author:** ![Kerinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@Kerinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kerinsky)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2000, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351/40 "2000-07-14T14:28:17Z")
No, Airwolf has much better music and in these battles of titans the one with better music _always_ wins. Trust me, this is the basic principle that both James Bond and Mission Impossible operatives work on. Now where did I put that mp3… Kerinsky [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-physics-of-knight-rider/25351.md?page=3)