OFF: Speed of Light

[M Holmes]

Don't Hawkwind have a track called that?

Is being on-topic OK if the thread is marked OFF?


Christian Mumford writes:

> > >If you drive your car at the speed of light, and then turn on
> > your lights, would they do any good? >
>
> No.

Ummmm, isn't it a principle of Special Relativity that the Speed of
Light is constants *whatever* speed you're travelling at? Remember
Michelson and Morley.

As far as the driver was concerned, the headlights would be working as
normal. As far as any pedestrian in front was concerned, they'd be fried
by hard x-rays just before being in the mother of all hit & run's.

Of course the car couldn't *quite* reach the speed of light. That'd be
illegal (*)

> Christian

FoFP

(*) A phycisist friend of mine used to have a poster on his wall featuring
    Einstein dressed in a California Highway Patrol uniform and sitting
    astride a motorbike. Underneath was the legend:

    "186,000 Miles per Second: It's not just a good idea, it's the Law."