The Red Bull Lorry Jump
Functions & Equations
A mountain biker jumps his bike through a closing gap between two moving trucks, with less than a second to spare.
Where this idea comes from
Start here — this is the source that inspired this exploration.
Introduction
From the description: At the Scania truck test grounds in Sweden, mountain biker Matt Jones attempts to jump his bike between two moving trucks, through an impossible gap that exists for less than a second. The vehicles are autonomously controlled by @Scania_UK technology, driving in opposite directions with precision to create the tiny window for Matt to jump through 🚛
Guiding Questions
- Matt Jones has to clear the gap between two trucks that are driving apart from each other. What determines whether he lands safely on the far truck rather than in the gap?
- Model the jump as projectile motion from the ramp: given his takeoff speed and angle, predict how far he travels and how long he's in the air.
- The two trucks are moving apart during the jump. How does their combined speed change the width of the gap he actually has to clear, compared with if they were standing still?
- How much timing or speed error can the stunt tolerate before the gap becomes too wide or too narrow? Find the safe window.
- Scale the stunt up or down: how would the safe window change for a slower rider, a longer gap, or trucks moving faster?