If you're reading this too fast, the text will be purple...

[[b]]

So I'm on my way to school this morning and I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me that read, "If this sticker is blue, you're driving too fast."

The sticker was red with white lettering.

As I started to contemplate the sticker I realized that either a) I'm very stupid or b) The sticker was very stupid.

My problems with the sticker are as follows 1) Since it's on the back of the car the only way I'd be able to read it would be if the car was in front of me. And the only way the car would be in front of me is if it were going the same speed or faster than I was. So, if the sticker where to appear blue then it should actually read, "If this sticker is blue, we're driving too fast."

2) If the car were parked on the side of the road and I were to approach it at a speed that would make the sticker appear blue, I'd probably be driving too fast to tell what the hell the sticker said. I'd probably not even be able to tell I'd passed a car. I'd probably be dead and molded to the inside of my driver's seat. Which brings me to

3) How fast would I have to go for something red to appear blue? Is this even possible? I began to wonder if blue light waves travel faster than red light waves. But wouldn't all light travel at the speed of light? I just couldn't figure it out.

Maybe it's one of those "intellectual" bumper stickers that only people like Marilyn vos Savant understand. Hmm, maybe I should ask her to explain it.

Or maybe that was just a stupid bumper sticker.

 

[Gato_Solo]

It has to do with the wave-length of light as you approach the speed of light. Unfortunately, in that application, it doesn't apply. Not just for your observation either. The mass-to-energy conversion rate to get a common automobile up to that speed is too great for todays technology.

 

[Nixy]

ie. it's a joke for geeks?

*feels sad cause she wasn't geeky enough to get it*

 

[[b]]

It has to do with the wave-length of light as you approach the speed of light.

That's what I was thinking. I know that blue light has a narrower wave-length than red light but it still seemed like a pretty stupid bumper sticker.

 

[HeXp£Øi±]

The blueshift would only accur if you were gaining on the car. If you maintained the same speed there would be no shift. Don't get me wrong i love the electromagnetic spectrum, but that is one dumb bumper sticker.

 

[PT]

]

It has to do with the wave-length of light as you approach the speed of light.

That's what I was thinking. I know that blue light has a narrower wave-length than red light but it still seemed like a pretty stupid bumper sticker.

It is.

 

[[b]]

Well next time I see that car I'm gonna stop who ever is driving it and tell them we all voted and it's dumb.

 

[PT]

You do that, can you get lorrimar to videotape it?

 

[Gato_Solo]

The blueshift would only accur if you were gaining on the car. If you maintained the same speed there would be no shift. Don't get me wrong i love the electromagnetic spectrum, but that is one dumb bumper sticker.

Actually, as you approach the car, it would go purple before it went blue. It's not an abrupt shift...

 

[HeXp£Øi±]

Actually it would probably make a billion other shifts first depending on just how sensative the device you were measuring it with. But no it would not be an abrupt shift. Realistically at only a few mph the change would mearly be in nanometers or fractions of a nanomater. IF you want to be neurotic about it.

 

[PT]

IF you want to be neurotic about it.

Actually, if you were neurotic about it, you probably wouldn't have much choice other than TO be neurotic about it, would you?

 

[Psycho]

I would laugh my ass off if I had a bumper sticker like that, I'd know for sure it makes people think about it

 

[Gato_Solo]

All in all...it really is a stupid bumper sticker...

 

[ipmoof]

I am so ashamed that I realised the incredibly geeky meaning of that sticker immediately.

 

[Shadowfax]

that makes 2 of us.

 

[Psycho]

Count me in as well

 

[Gato_Solo]

D'OH...I just got it, now that I looked at what the sticker said as opposed to what people were saying about it.

 

[HeXp£Øi±]

I don't get it. Does that mean i'm a geek and an idiot?

 

[Gato_Solo]

Niether. It means that you read too much into it...same as I did.

 

[[b]]

I don't get it. Does that mean i'm a geek and an idiot?

So, what? Does that mean it's not about colors shifting as you approach the speed of light?

If that's the case then somebody please explain it to me, cuz I've gone Special Ed. on it.