This is on a sedan BTW, I don't know if it's the same with coupes. I just noticed this the other day - I was driving home from work on the highway with the driver's window down and it was still pretty hot in my car. So when I reached a stop light, I reached over (damn manual crank windows) and rolled down the passenger side window. When I started driving again there was a lot more air flowing through the car. I know that sounds kinda obvious and you're gonna be like " duh, more windows down = more air getting in". But I got curious. I let my wife drive my car the other day and I sat in the passenger seat. I told her to keep her window up, and I rolled mine down. I noticed that there is a lot more air that comes in the passenger side even if the driver's side window is up, and even more when it's down. Has anyone else noticed this on their 3rd gen sedans? Sorry for the long post BTW, I just thought it was weird.
Thats kinda weird...maybe its the way the air flow of the car is...who knows....or maybe its an evil plan devised by gm to screw the american public...buwahaha...hehe
This is the best post ever , im going to try it today and see what happens
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coriolis effect
1995 Pontiac Sunfire 2Dr.
2.2L 5Spd.
Perhaps if you didn't drive sideways it would be better. Kidding, I think it has to do with
the way the rear glass is shaped that when the pass side window is down the air swirls around the back and gets you more. Just a guess tho as i'm not a weather expert.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
There might have been a slight breeze into the side of your car. Because the wind was coming from the passenger side, it "felt" like there was more wind over there..... Just my 2 cents
most likely it is because the air outside is higher pressure than the inside air sucking it inward. but when both windows are down it creates a flow from high to low. maybe the way everything is designed airflow just tends to go from passenger side window twords drivers side.
Mike1983 wrote:coriolis effect
I'm not sure what that is, but I'm looking it up right now.
jackalope wrote:Perhaps if you didn't drive sideways it would be better. Kidding, I think it has to do with
the way the rear glass is shaped that when the pass side window is down the air swirls around the back and gets you more. Just a guess tho as i'm not a weather expert.
Lol, but even when I sit in the passenger seat, there is more air coming in the passenger side. But if I'm in the passenger seat with the driver's window down I don't feel as much, same as when I'm in the driver's seat with the driver's window down.
InfamousZ wrote:There might have been a slight breeze into the side of your car. Because the wind was coming from the passenger side, it "felt" like there was more wind over there..... Just my 2 cents
I thought that too, but I tried it 4 more times yesterday and once again this morning (my wife thinks i'm a nut) and got the same results.
Shadow Of Obivion wrote:maybe the way everything is designed airflow just tends to go from passenger side window twords drivers side.
Yeah, but It seems odd, since the car looks, and is supposed to be symmetrical.
Damn sideways drivers!!! Good luck figuring this out if you ever do please post and let us know what you found out. I never even thought/cared about it till YOU said something MR. point out stuff man!! now I keep holding my right hand out towards the pass side when I'm driving down the road. Way to go makeing me look like a weirdo.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
^^^LMAO!! Sorry for making you look weirder
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OK, so I've ruled out Coriolis Effect and Trade Winds because I traveled North and South on a highway that runs through my town - same result. This is nuts! It's really screwing with my brain. I wish I had the cash or access to wind-tunnel testing. I'm sure that would show me what's up. F'ing weird.
jackalope wrote:Perhaps if you didn't drive sideways it would be better. Kidding, I think it has to do with
the way the rear glass is shaped that when the pass side window is down the air swirls around the back and gets you more. Just a guess tho as i'm not a weather expert.
This is about as close as the answer is going to get without getting all scientific.
The air coming in through the passenger window gets diverted by the back seat and back glass and will "swirl" towards the driver. If you ran the same test with someone else driving and you in the passenger seat, when they opened the driver's window, it should feel the same as with you in the driver's seat and the passenger window open.
WOW you mean I might have been right?? It was only a guess but it sounded logical.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
maybe the windshield wipers direct the air more that way...
BTW i have no idea as usual
when your driving and have the passenger window down the air "swirls" off of the back window and hits you making it seem like there is more air coming at you than from the drivers side.... when you are in the passenger seat there is another person in the car...a driver... which blocks the wind...which is why it doesnt seem like the drivers side does the same thing when you sit in the passenger seat
unless you have had this happen with your wife in the passenger seat...if thats the case then all i can tell you is this
if im driving to work and im hot in my car... i only put the drivers side window down...
why do i do this? because the wind doesnt mess up my hair...if i put the passenger window down as well tho...the wind hits me better because of the "swirl effect" and it messes up my hair
btw i have a coupe
i like the windshield wiper theory...
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98' Pontiac Sunfire SE
.JeRsEy KiD.* wrote:This is the best post ever , im going to try it today and see what happens .
I think it's because the antenna attracts more air >.>
the windshield wiper theory works too.
Forever a work in Progress
I liked the driving sideways therory.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
The Other Matt wrote: if im driving to work and im hot in my car... i only put the drivers side window down...
I normally put both windows up and turn on the air conditioner.
Click on my sig to check out my CarDomain site. Enjoy!
hmmm... try driving in reverse with the rear windows down and see what the results are
I work on Wall Street, but didn't force you to take out a loan you couldn't afford.
air flows better when it has somewhere to go. blow into a empty soda bottle.... then blow into it again after cutting off the bottom PRESTO!
Mikey (drpdcavi) wrote:hmmm... try driving in reverse with the rear windows down and see what the results are
Oddly enough, I get more air in the driver's side window when I do that!
Gary Smith wrote:air flows better when it has somewhere to go. blow into a empty soda bottle.... then blow into it again after cutting off the bottom PRESTO!
So how does that explain why I get more air in the pass. window with the driver's window up, and less air in the driver's window with the pass. window up?
When the planets align in just the right sequence all the air seems to be attracted to the passenger side of cars, so they must aligned just right. Otherwise the air around a car is neutral and doesn't favor one side over the other. Yeah by the way I got no clue and just felt like posting something stupid.
daryl b wrote:
Gary Smith wrote:air flows better when it has somewhere to go. blow into a empty soda bottle.... then blow into it again after cutting off the bottom PRESTO!
So how does that explain why I get more air in the pass. window with the driver's window up, and less air in the driver's window with the pass. window up?
K. Look at it like this:
The yellow area is the air coming in through the driver's window, the red is the passenger.
What happens is that the air does not come in perpindicular to your car as your driving. The aerodynamics prevent that. So the air will come in at an angle. Now, bringing in wind current laws, when it reaches an object, the wind will be diverted to either reflect back to go the direction from whence it came, or in the case of a car's interior, create a whirlpool effect.
Does this help a little better?
ooh......pictures, now it makes sense to me
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Makes perfect sense. Would it be a similar effect on a sedan with one/both of the rear windows down? Thanks!
