How far.......

[ChrisKH]

.....generally does it take to cycle to a point on the horizon? This is a genuine enquiry. I can just see the Dartford suspension bridge struts on a clear day from my office and was wondering how far it was and how long it would take me. Obviously I can look at a map but I wondered if there is any rule of thumb. I keep meaning to tackle this as a ride home but I've chickened out so far. If I can make it to the bridge I can almost certainly drag myself home from there.

 

[Arch]

.....generally does it take to cycle to a point on the horizon? This is a genuine enquiry. I can just see the Dartford suspension bridge struts on a clear day from my office and was wondering how far it was and how long it would take me. Obviously I can look at a map but I wondered if there is any rule of thumb. I keep meaning to tackle this as a ride home but I've chickened out so far. If I can make it to the bridge I can almost certainly drag myself home from there.

Um, you'll never reach the horizon... I don't know if you've heard, but they've pretty much concluded that the earth is a sphere...

The less facetious answer being, I don't know. Are you talking about a completely flat area? How far you can see will be affected by your altitude, how tall those struts are etc... At sea, isn't it meant to be 3 miles or something?

 

[Pete]

I don't know if you've heard, but they've pretty much concluded that the earth is a sphere...

Oh No It Isn't!!!

 

[Tim Bennet.]

If you consult any marine almanac you will find 'Distance to Horizon' tables. You enter your eye height and it will give you the horizon distance.

Obviously as taller objects will peek over the horizon you need to combine their horizon distance to your height of eye and that will give you the distance at which you will just raise them over the horizon (visibility permitting).

Of course on land it all has to be adjusted for relative heights due to the topography. Good luck.

 

[ChrisKH]

Well I'm on the 25th floor so would have to factor that in. But otherwise it's flat (East London/Essex Borders).

 

[Elmer Fudd]

28.76 miles

 

[Hilldodger]

Um, you'll never reach the horizon... I don't know if you've heard, but they've pretty much concluded that the earth is a sphere...

BURN HER!!!

 

[rich p]

.....generally does it take to cycle to a point on the horizon? This is a genuine enquiry. I can just see the Dartford suspension bridge struts on a clear day from my office and was wondering how far it was and how long it would take me. Obviously I can look at a map but I wondered if there is any rule of thumb. I keep meaning to tackle this as a ride home but I've chickened out so far. If I can make it to the bridge I can almost certainly drag myself home from there.

I have some vague recollection that at sea it's something like 12 miles but that's probably bollix.

 

[ChrisKH]

My calculations would make it 25.3 miles if I'm 425 feet above the ground.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

My calc takes into account that you aint no crow so cannot fly as one !
14% (mean average) added as diversion from a straight line.

 

[rich p]

Well, at least you'll be cycling downhill all the way then!

 

[ChrisKH]

Mmmm, map says 18/19 miles.

 

[ChrisKH]

Well there's only one way to find out I suppose. I just need to get a new wireless cycle computer.........

 

[Dayvo]

I have some vague recollection that at sea it's something like 12 miles but that's probably bollix.

Yeah, I heard that if you were standing at the water's edge, and the sea was calm, then the horizon was 11 miles away. But that's probably changed now, what with all this global bollox warming!

 

[rich p]

Yeah, I heard that if you were standing at the water's edge, and the sea was calm, then the horizon was 11 miles away. But that's probably changed now, what with all this global bollox warming!

I must be taller than you Dayvo if I can see 12m but it seems unlikely at 5'7". Maybe the air is denser in Sweden