Introduction to “Momentum Explained”

Introduction to "Momentum Explained"

Momentum Explained has been honed down into just three simplified parts:
ME01 – Momentum is a quantity….. you have "none" or you have "some"
ME02 – Momentum is gained & lost….. you ‘dial it up’ and you ‘dial it down’
ME03 – Momentum is variable….. you change the mass and/or you change the velocity

ME01 – Momentum is a quantity….. you have "none" or you have "some"
Summary:
– A road user’s journey is made up of being stationary and being moving.

– A vehicle, when stationary, has a quantity of momentum = “none”
– A vehicle, when moving, has a quantity of momentum = “some”

– A vehicle with a momentum = “none”….. cannot cause crash hurt and damage
– A vehicle with a momentum = “some”….. can cause crash hurt and damage
Therefore a driver needs to manage their momentum responsibly….. (drive safely)

ME02 – Momentum is gained & lost….. you ‘dial it up’ and you ‘dial it down’
Summary:
 Introducing a newly coined phrase: You ‘dial it up’ and You ‘dial it down’
* You (the driver) ‘dial it up’.
… A driver is the responsible person to get a vehicle moving:
… It is the driver therefore, that….. ‘dials up’ the momentum (accelerates the vehicle….. safely)
… This makes the driver responsible for the vehicle’s momentum.
* You (the driver) ‘dial it down’.
… A driver is the responsible person to get a vehicle stopped:
… It is the driver therefore, that….. ‘dials down’ the momentum (slows the vehicle….. safely)
… This makes the driver responsible for the vehicle’s momentum.

Do not transfer it
– A driver is responsible for their vehicle’s momentum.
– To stop safely, the driver must “dial down” ALL of it, themselves.
– If in collision with anyone or anything….. momentum between all involved will be transferred between all involved… and so…
Therefore the driver would have failed to “dial down” ALL of their momentum THEMSELVES….. (this is unacceptable….. this is unsafe).

Drivers Momentum Checklist:
1. Dial it up and dial it down….. you are responsible for ALL of it
2. Manage it in between….. you are responsible for ALL of it
3. You have no right to transfer ANY of it, to anyone or anything else.

ME03 – Momentum is variable….. you change the mass and/or you change the velocity
Summary:
* Momentum (p)… is mass (m) [the vehicle and all in it]….. multiplied by….. velocity (v) [the speed in a direction].
therefore:
* p = mass (m) x velocity (v)
therefore:
* p = m.v

* The 'm' bit on our roads…
'm' (mass)….. vehicles on the same road, are a mix of different masses, even if all traveling at the same speed…..
this (mass) is relevant….. if momentum is transfered in a collision.
this (mass) is relevant….. if it helps create an unreasonable perspective of bravado or fear in road users attitudes.
* The 'v' bit on our roads…
'v' (velocity)….. vehicles on the same road, can have a mix of different velocities, even ones of identicle masses…
this (velocity) is relevant….. as each driver is responsible for the vehicle's velocity at any and all times.
this (velocity) is relevant….. as each driver has a duty for safe spacing.
this (velocity) is relevant….. as each driver has a duty for safe speed and direction adjusting

Momentum brings awareness to:
mass, speed and direction….. all are relevant to safe roads.

ME01, ME02, ME03….. That's it.

An understanding?
All three parts should allow an understanding to safe and unsafe momentum….. the driver is responsible for the momentum….. transferring momentum to anyone or anything else, is unacceptable. 

Safe momentum:
* All driven (moving) vehicles have some momentum. This has been ”dialed up”, by the driver….. safely.
* All stopped vehicles no longer have any momentum. This has been “dialed down”, by the driver….. safely.
These 2 situations demand a concentration and responsibility from the driver, to enable safe road use.

Unsafe momentum:
* Crashed vehicles will have “transferred” their momentum out in part through the persons or objects struck…..
* Dangerously driven vehicles will threaten and endanger, to do as said, regarding crashed vehicles…..
These 2 situations demand responsibility awareness, prevention information and perhaps extended punitive tariffs

Both safe and unsafe momentum:
An awareness regarding momentum should enable an extra awareness to what is considered safe or unsafe driving. (both as a driver and as a driver being watched and judged by other road users).

A simple example:
(all at same speed and distance)
* A small car tailgating another small car is a threat to the safety of the small car in front.
* A 4×4 or lorry tailgating a small car is a GREATER threat to the safety of the car in front.
….. the latter have a greater mass, therefore a greater momentum.
….. therefore the greater threat comes from the tailgating drivers (in the event of a collision) transferring greater amounts of their own momentum, to the car in front.
As a driver is fully responsible to 'dial down' their own momentum (to stop)….. any transfer of momentum to another vehicle, is unacceptable….. thus:
A larger massed vehicle (tailgating)….. poses a greater act of driver irresponsibility.

* MOMENTUM is relevant for road safety.
* An awareness of momentum = better road safety.
 
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