Dan Resler wrote:
>
> If while driving you place a envelope or piece of paper on an empty
> passenger seat in your Vanagon, does it end up on the floor after a
> few miles? I've noticed this phenomena in my van.
>
> So I've done some tests. If I place a standard legal-size envelope at
> the back of the seat, it will fall off the front after 18-20 miles of
> Interstate driving. And this will happen with just about anything
> relatively light.
>
> But why? I mean the seat is slanted such that these objects are
> actually defying gravity. And what is it about the vibrations of a
> vanagon that causes the movement to always be towards the front of the
> van? It's not braking/acceleration - this phenomena happens even if
> you maintain a constant speed.
>
> Enquiring minds want to know.
>
> dan
> --
> Dan Resler                         email: dresler@vcu.edu
> Dept. of Mathematical Sciences
> Virginia Commonwealth University
> Richmond, VA 23284-2014 USA

Don't forget your seat os in front of the front wheels.  More bounce for
your buck.  Yes the grain of the velour is the biggie here as my old 71
bus leatherette seat nothing would come off of the (esp. my legs whist
wearing shorts in the summer <g>.