Ghost Car Explanation

I could have (probably should have) constructed a much better, more relevant mathematical example, but I threw this together in about 5 minutes and I think the numbers I gave serve their purpose well enough -- to give some sense of the proportions of forces being dealt with.

Oh yeah, I forgot to make this point as well: there's no mystery within the police department, either. They all know exactly what happened. This is a TV show - a couple of them went along with it and said "oh yeah we're baffled" for the sake of the show and the entertainment factor. Duh.

Here are the notes I sketched in 60 seconds prior to putting the video together:

2 strong men can pull back a fence enough for a third person to crawl underneath
let it go, and it shakes significantly for only about 2 seconds
a) 4,000 lbs x 40 mph
b) distance between posts
c) mesh is on opposite side of posts
d) shaking fence
car went through essentially center of space between posts,
pushed through mesh, bottom half of connecting links to posts
gave way, allowing the car to force the mesh out and back
enough for it to pass/slide underneath, mesh quickly snapped back
against the posts, fence shakes for a couple of seconds as the
vibrational energy very quickly dissipates. shaking is masked by
time/distance, dust, and strobing lights.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ghost
• car
• explained
• explanation
• mystery

[Oneebeta775]

I'm not saying what happened in the video was supernatural, but the fence would be shaking WAY more if the car went through it like you described. yes, 2 strong men pulling a fence so a third can slip under results in very little shaking, but a car with the force of 153 sprinting men and at least 3 times taller than 1 ducking under the fence going through would make the fence obviously visibly shaking, even with the poor picture quality. It's a decent attempt, but the mystery is NOT explained.

[AcidRain64]

@Oneebeta775 I don't have the math/physics to back this up, but I don't think so... I think the "shakiness" length (time) increases asymptotically. 1 person pulling and letting go will make it shake a TON compared to the wind; 2 people can make it shake a bit longer; 10 people can't make it shake much longer than 2 people can; a car can't make it shake much longer than 10 people can. 1 person could make it shake for, say, 5 seconds; 2 people, 8 seconds; 10 people, 10 seconds...

[AcidRain64]

Along these same lines, the initial shakes dissipate faster and faster. The first wobble from a car might be HUGE, but the second will be about the same as 10 people pulling and letting go, and the third will be the same as 2 people, fourth wave and you're already back to very little shaking. Not *exactly*, these are just examples, but I think that concept holds true. When you bounce a bouncy ball on the ground, the high bounces are few.. the most bounces occur when it's almost done.

[DanielRinerMusic]

I noticed that the people that are shown in the uploader comments, excluding the uploader, are in a way calling the uploader and idiot and they can't spell shit. Thank you for making my day, MrWheels26 and fleiva30.

[AcidRain64]

@DanielRinerMusic Funny how often that seems to be the case, isn't it? Appreciate the support.

[belladonna4577]

i'm not exactly sure where i stand on the issue of the alleged "ghost car," but i have to say that this explanation is absurd. i have a very difficult time believing that a roughly 4,000lb. vehicle possibly traveling at speeds of anywhere up to 60-90mph. went under and/or over the fence & the fence remains completely unscathed, with the exception of it "shaking" slightly... WHAT THE FUCK?! really?! complete fucking bullshit...

[belladonna4577]

cops *stop at fence* "well, we've done all we can do..." LOL

[akeez47]

shit video take it down

[TheChill0ut]

It's the bat-cave end of story..now we all know he's real

[therealhustler210]

it iz fake not only iz it shaking itz also that therez an openin in tha fence

[demon6228]

to bad there is no road on the other side of the fence on a forest so explain that

[noel14111]

Haven't u ever seen movies where the criminal has friends hide the car during a chase they lowered the fence for him and raised it for the pigs. Doesn't take a genius he wont be on americas dumbest criminals at least.

[PancakePal1324]

It's real and u made no sense and he woudnt be able to drive over it the fence would break it.

[yteka99]

it looks to me right before 1:49 the top bar of the fence is broken and hanging down on the left side. anyone else see that?