Any question answered...

@TW sigma sport if you are waaay out.

misunderstood.

Nice one - It's near enough my local. Thanks.

I got a bad stitch on Friday that I tried to push through, now Monday's here the pain is still quite noticible in my right side just under the ribcage and doesn't appear to be getting better. Should I not be on the bike to let this heal or is it like a normal cramp where a good stretch will help (breathing exercises?).
#htfu

um... could it be appendicitis?
is it constant pain?
a stitch does not last 3 days.
if it continues / gets worse call 111

(but y'know, could also be a muscle ache)
(diagnosis by internet isn't all that useful)

I've already had my appendix removed, this is higher up and feels just like a mild stitch, especially with deep breaths, it certainly doesn't feel critical. I think I need to strengthen my core and eat smaller portions, I've had a few killer stitches this year. Oh and posture apparently, squashing the liver and diaphragm ain't good.

Physics question: How much force would it take to knock a smart car over if you hit it high on the side?

In a slightly unrelated question, how much force can a 17stone (100and something kg) cyclist exert at around 30mph?

(In case you can't read between the lines a smart car pulled out on me and I think I might have been going fast enough to knock it over... Which I would willingly break my shoulder to be part of)

fair enough, you can't get it twice!

And the next time I hear a voice telling me to push through the stitch I'll tell it to piss off!

In my unqualified opinion I think that's totally feasible. Better luck next time.

Lister had his appendix out twice...

Physics question: How much force would it take to knock a smart car over if you hit it high on the side?

The force isn't quite the thing you're after, although you clearly have to exceed some minimum required to lift the car. Looking at the energy, it seem that ~5kJ would be enough to raise the car by tilting until the centre of gravity fell outside the ground contact area. 100kg cyclist at 13m/s has ~8.5kJ of kinetic energy. The problem would be in obtaining a coupling efficiency of 60%, i.e. making sure most of the kinetic energy was converted into gravitational potential energy in the car, rather than being wasted on stuff like work of fracture in your bones. I'd guess, based on a first approximation, that you couldn't tip it over just by crashing into it. On the other hand, you could probably tip it onto its tailgate by lifting the front :-)

Post of the year?

I'm not sure how tall you are but I'm sure a lot of people would be more likely to fly over the car and not make full contact with it.

I hit a VW golf side on at somewhere between 20 and 25 a couple of years ago and managed to go over it leaving my bike on the other side and a decent dent in the drivers door (Fuck yeah for arrospok)

Where are you placing the centre of mass? It must be pretty low down near the wheels.

The engine and transmission are tiny, and glass is surprisingly heavy. I suspect the CoM may be quite high, especially considering the Elk Test.

What's the cycle parking like around St Pancras/Kings Cross? I seem to remember it used to be pretty poor but I don't think I've locked up there since they re-did all the Kings Cross area.

It's still not great. There's a parking area at the back of the new dome bit of Kings Cross which is obviously pretty high traffic so might not be too bad to park at.

If you're parking for longer, you're welcome to come and use our office parking. It's gated and only a 5 minute walk from Kings Cross station...

Not actually that bad, IMO. I wouldn't leave my bike there for any great length of time, but I'm a bit precious about locking up. I'd feel happier locking at Kings Cross these days than somewhere like Peckham. There's a row of sheffield stands just next to the taxi rank between Kings Cross and St Pancras which is very visible for miles around, it's extremely exposed (and predictably oversubscribed). There are also a few toast racks along Kings Boulevard that don't get used much (probably due to being less visible, and being toast racks), but there's a near constant stream of people walking past them. There's been an old road bike locked up there for months now and it hasn't even been cannibalised for parts.

Daytime, mostly fine. You'd be witnessed by hundreds every minute of the day trying anything there. Toast racks in the middle of the road between kings x and st p. Up the back where they park the btp vehicles is probably best bet.

Spontaneous pneumothorax?

#notadoctorbutivehad3thisyear

The complexity of the situation really asks for experimental evaluation. I'll try and tip some over on the way home and see how far I get.

Cycle parking
Platform 9
Platform 8
Platform 0-1

Or

If you're parking for longer, you're welcome to come and use our house's courtyard. It's gated and only a 5 minute walk from Kings Cross station...

Spontaneous pneumothorax?

Unlucky pal, that doesn't sound nice at all. I haven't experienced breathlessness, I commuted as usual on Saturday with minimal discomfort, it's just there with a throb lying in wait for me to over exert again.

Cheers all, sounds like it's improved a bit. Thanks for the offers but only locking up for a few hours