The force of a 32 oz. bottle of sports drink falling 10 stories?

[Jsnyd]

I would say that a 32oz bottle from 10 stories would possibly kill you if it hit you in the head. You going 8-10mph, though you weren’t going directly towards it, still adds more force. The bottle probably nearing top speed from the pull of gravity depending if the coward threw it, or just let it drop. Which would have to be around 50mph. I think the only reason it wouldn’t kill you would be due to where exactly it hit you and how flexible the bottle is. Imagine someone (who has played a few years of baseball) throwing it at the back of your head as hard as they could from 5 feet away. That’s about how hard it would hit you. You would certainly be knocked out, with a concussion and maybe bleeding around your brain.

[CCrew]

10 stories up it’d probably hit terminal velocity, which give or take a bit is 120mph. So Jsnyd’s pretty much spot on for potential damage. regardless, it would certainly screw up your day. Sounds to me like you followed it up well.

[KLizotte]

Thanks so much for the head’s up (no pun intended) about the incident. I live in Pentagon City and will certainly keep an eye when I’m passing through there now.

I had a very similar incident happen to me when I was a high schooler attending an outdoor political rally in Boston. A full wine bottle bottle was dropped from a high up balcony off of an apartment building onto the sidewalk right in front of me. Glass (and wine) went everywhere. Fortunately I had fairly heavy clothes on and was spared from injury from the glass shards (though I was picking them out of my coat for weeks). It freaked me out so much that I refused to attend any more rallies for years. I don’t think it was an accident since it was way too cold to be sitting outside on a balcony for the fun of it.

[creadinger]

Damn… my wife and I live right near there on 23rd Street. We ride in that area to get groceries and she’s been out on that empty road a few times practicing with her new clipless pedals.

We’ll definitely keep our eyes and ears open.

[RESTONTODC]

Now, Do I have to look up while riding my bike? I really need more than 2 eyes.

Life is tough sometimes.

[RESTONTODC]

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

[brendan]

@RESTONTODC 5213 wrote:

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

Gnats.

Brendan

[PotomacCyclist]

@RESTONTODC 5213 wrote:

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

Meteors, volcanoes and killer tornadoes.

I’ve ridden past the Concord many times and never had problems before. I’ll continue to ride there. But I’ll definitely look up before passing the building from now on.

Hopefully any negative publicity from this incident will help to deter that individual or copycats. If they throw bottles frequently, they’ll get caught sooner or later. I’m hoping sooner, and before anyone gets injured.

[GreyBear]

@RESTONTODC 5213 wrote:

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

Several years ago, I was biking across Roosevelt Bridge, where there is a very narrow bike/ped section, I was almost on the Virgina side, when suddenly, a runner climbs over the side of the bridge (from the water side) and jumps onto the bike/ped section, nearly colliding with me. I was just shocked. I have no idea where he came from or how he managed to be on the outside of the bridge. I just rode as fast I could to get away from him.

[KLizotte]

@brendan 5214 wrote:

Gnats.

Brendan

I’m all in favor of pressuring government officials to start breeding and releasing copious amounts of bats in our area to eat all of the gnats. I understand bats eat mosquitoes too so we can get a 2-for-1 deal.

Of course the bat idea would have to be abandoned if they eat fireflies. You simply gotta love a bug that comes with its own blinky

[Author]

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