Question for the maths able..

[deptfordmarmoset]

Both to the occupants of the vehicles & anyone standing were they will meet.

Wouldn't anyone standing were they will meet see them coming together at the same speed as the other observer saw them moving apart? Assuming speed limits are not enforced in theoretical space, that is.

 

[classic33]

So if we lower the speed, to road limits.
Two cars moving away from a fixed spot, at the same time & speed, but in opposite directions are not moving at the same speed as indicated. But only at a slightly increased rate as seen from the start point, not the actual speed relative to each others speed & direction of travel.

 

[Thomk]

So if we lower the speed, to road limits.
Two cars moving away from a fixed spot, at the same time & speed, but in opposite directions are not moving at the same speed as indicated. But only at a slightly increased rate as seen from the start point, not the actual speed relative to each others speed & direction of travel.

Again I'm not certain I understand what you just said but think you may be right. Marinyork said earlier "The confusion really arises because the Newtonian is an approximation to (Special Relativity) for low speeds". So although there will be a difference between what the person in the middle observes and what the drivers observe in terms of velocity it will not in practice be significant or even measurable.

 

[PaulSecteur]

2 cars both travelling at 0.6 the speed of light...

Question - which one is trying to beat a cyclist to a pinch point?

Answer - The twunt in a black Corsa, always a twunt in a black Corsa.

 

[thom]

if 2 cars travel in opposite directions at .6 the speed of light, are thay traveling at 1.2 the speed of light from each other?

Here's a visualisation of a tram travelling at constant speed past you in a relativistic world where light travels at a few meters per second.
More artistic representations here.

 

[Archie_tect]

Again I'm not certain I understand what you just said but think you may be right. Marinyork said earlier "The confusion really arises because the Newtonian is an approximation to (Special Relativity) for low speeds". So although there will be a difference between what the person in the middle observes and what the drivers observe in terms of velocity it will not in practice be significant or even measurable.

For my simple brain...
2 cars moving away from each other in a straight line at constant 50kph: the diverging velocity is 100kph. An observer standing on the line would see 2 cars driving along at 50kph.
2 cars moving towards each other in a straight line at constant 50kph: the converging velocity is 100kph. An observer standing on the line would see 2 cars driving along at 50kph.
Is my world about to implode.... or are you discussing the perception of movement in light?

 

[Thomk]

Is my world about to implode.... or are you discussing the perception of movement in light?

Both!