To Pull or Push, that is the question.

[brianjw47]

So you have checked your caravan and car are suitably loaded and road legal, you hook up and off you go.
But are you pulling the caravan, or are you actually pushing it along?

Will there be differance of opinion?

Brianjw47. :huh:

 

[Phillipcharnwoodforest]

Brian, I don't understand the question.

 

[Dustydog]

So you have checked your caravan and car are suitably loaded and road legal, you hook up and off you go.
But are you pulling the caravan, or are you actually pushing it along?

Will there be differance of opinion?

Brianjw47. :huh:

Sir Brian
Have you been on the Woosie Juice?

 

[Gagakev]

So you have checked your caravan and car are suitably loaded and road legal, you hook up and off you go.
But are you pulling the caravan, or are you actually pushing it along?

Will there be differance of opinion?

Brianjw47. :huh:

Sir Brian
Have you been on the Woosie Juice?

Just wait until he tries the home brew at Wheatalot :lol:

 

[Damian]

Step away from that bottle !!!!!

 

[Gozza]

Reminds me of an electrician friend who claims that operating a light switch "turns the darkness off".

So in that spirit I will say you are "negatively pushing" your caravan.

 

[Gafferbill]

Sir Brian.....I have often thought of checking my caravan.

What two colours have you used .......I would do mine black and white as I am an F1 fan?

I may put off the job though, if all that work makes you hallucinate and uncertain which end of the tow car to attach the caravan

 

[colin-yorkshire]

Sir Brian.....I have often thought of checking my caravan.

What two colours have you used .......I would do mine black and white as I am an F1 fan?

I may put off the job though, if all that work makes you hallucinate and uncertain which end of the tow car to attach the caravan

quite right Sir Baldrick, but in my case it would have to be Ferrari Red, however if the last couple of seasons is anything to go by the answer to the question would pushing the van as most of the time one would be going backwards!!!!!.

 

[brianjw47]

Sir Dustydog,

Apologies to you and all other forum readers for my sudden departure last night but Lady G issued a command to shut off PC, Tablet and phone and spend some quality time with her watching TV? Do the two go together?

I have not been on the Woosie juice yet but hope to quaff some at The Woosie Fest in September.

Anyway, on to the subject I posted, I have been wrestling with a couple of problems for a few days and suddenly into my mind sprung the question I posted. (I really must get out more)

We all say "We tow /pull / drag / etc" the caravan to our destination. But do we, or are we actually pushing it.

A bit like when a horse is placed into a trap; when it sets off, it is actually pushing the trap along and not pulling it as is naturally assumed, by virtue of its pushing against the harness, etc..

I know it is immaterial, but always worth bandying around to get various views.

Brianjw47 B) ps, i need a brolly over my sunglasses face, it is tipping it down.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Neither, I only push the accelerator, teh car does the rest!

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Sir Brian, despite the protestations, if it's not the 'woosie' juice it must be the 'wacky baccy?'

 

[chrisbee1]

So you have checked your caravan and car are suitably loaded and road legal, you hook up and off you go.
But are you pulling the caravan, or are you actually pushing it along?

Will there be differance of opinion?

Brianjw47. :huh:

Depends on your definition of push. You could say the front of the tow ball is pushing the front of the tow hitch but equally you would normally say the car is pulling the caravan.

 

[brianjw47]

Now we are getting to the nub of the matter, the towball is "pushing" against the front of the towhitch, so therefore from a purely physics perspective, the car is indeed "pushing" the caravan along.
But towing does sound much better.
Strange that it took me 35 years of dragging my tin tent before this little titbit came into my grey cells.

The men in the white coats are coming tomorrow!

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Quote - "the towball is "pushing" against the front of the towhitch," - no it's not - surely it's 'pulling' against the front of the tow hitch, if it was being reversed it would be pushing against the rear of the tow hitch?

 

[Dustydog]

I was right first time.
Definitely too much Woosie Juice and pushing the wackie baccy.

 

[foggydave]

This was the very question posed by Theograpilis in his thesis on quantum forces within a sub exstatic particle. He extrapolated the theory that the existence of a bi lateral force when opposed by a sub contratained external diaform proved that its the motive force that determines the direction of the motion ie pushing or pulling.

Simples

 

[brianjw47]

Nearly Right.

The towball exerts a lateral force against the vertical face of the towhitch socket.
Therefore it must be, in the physics level, be pushing the towhitch.
The towhitch, being a integral part of the caravan will move in the direction of the "push" be it backward or forward.
Therefore the caravan cannot be "pulled" in the conventional sense.

I am off on my hols now, complete with caravan on car and all I worry about is getting there safe and sound.

I hope to be back on the Forum as often as possible but best wishes to all while I am away.

Sir Brian of Stevenage (and Wifey) B)

 

[Dustydog]

This was the very question posed by Theograpilis in his thesis on quantum forces within a sub exstatic particle. He extrapolated the theory that the existence of a bi lateral force when opposed by a sub contratained external diaform proved that its the motive force that determines the direction of the motion ie pushing or pulling.

Simples

Foggy
Are you related to our Prof?

 

[foggydave]

This is basically an argument on semantics and pragmatics. This in turn is a subfield of linguistics and semiotics.
Simply put it is down to terminology
Now get your partner / friend / passer by and put your finger up their nose and apply a force on that finger forcing the person towards you. Now it can be said that whatever you put up the partner / friend / passer by's nose to apply pressure be it your finger, or a stick (If that person has a cold) will be pushing the inside of the nose but the motive force is the arm which is pulling.
OR The term pulling and pushing relate to the direction the item is going in relation to the item that is applying the force to move them
Now get a handkerchief to wipe your finger and have a cup of tea.

No Dustydog just an 'Ology' in bull***t! The only Theograpilis I know owns the fish and chip shop in the village. I just like big words.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Foggy
Are you related to our Prof?

I was just about to check my family tree But then I realised he must come from Dudley :S .

 

[Dustydog]

Foggy
Are you related to our Prof?

I was just about to check my family tree But then I realised he must come from Dudley :S .

Thanks for that Prof.
That explains the Double Dutch.

 

[DaveA1]

:woohoo: WOW :woohoo: :silly:

 

[Parksy]

Foggy
Are you related to our Prof?

I was just about to check my family tree But then I realised he must come from Dudley :S .

I'm going to Dudley in the next hour but I have to say that I haven't noticed many physicists standing about outside the fast food joints, payday loan shops or bookies which now dominate the once proud capital of the Black Country.
I'll keep my ears open when I push open the doors of Wilkinsons (or am I pulling? I'm confused now) but the clue is in the name of the town, Dudley.
I hope that Sir Brian is enjoying his holiday, he definitely needs it :cheer:

 

[brianjw47]

Hi Each,
sitting here in Bailey comfort; feet up pecking away on phone. 1st 3 night stop Rudding Park near Harrogate.

Lady G did first class meal so very content. Did not think "To Pull or Push" would be discussed in so much depth, thank you all.

What is the next discussion topic?

Hope the sun continues to shine.

Best Wishes to all.

Sir Brian & Lady G. B)