
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995                   TAG: 9507270067
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SOMETIMES IT HELPS TO BE OLD

Q: I have a 1966 vehicle, and I've been told that if I have tags dated that year I can take them to DMV and have them registered. Is this correct, and would it change the rules for the state inspection and city decal? What are the limitations about how often and where you can drive?

M.S., Roanoke

A: Antique plates can be registered two ways.

A collector's vehicle with the antique plates can be logged into the DMV's computer (unless the number's already in use) for $6.50. The car can be driven to shows, in parades, and to the repair shop, but not to work or the store.

Vehicles with plates matching the model year also can be registered for general use. The fee is $26.50, same as a standard plate. There are no restrictions on when or where the car's driven. The DMV's year-and-month decals get attached to the old plates.

The plates, and vehicle, have to be at least 25 years old.

DMV also issues antique-vehicle plates of its own design for people who can't locate a set of originals at a flea market or show.

Regarding inspections, collectors' antique vehicles are exempt, but those driven in general use must carry an inspection sticker.

In Roanoke, the city decal costs $5 the first year you register an antique vehicle, and renewals are free.

The personal property tax probably will be the minimum, $3.45. All vehicles that old are assessed at $100 value - even if the car's a $200,000 classic.|

Screwball effect

Q: Since baseball is growing in popularity in Australia, is the Coriolis effect strong enough to make fly balls hit by Aussie power hitters behave differently? Will they tend to curve more to the left instead of right? What about screwballs, curves, spitters, etc.?

T.M., Roanoke

A: Weird question.

First, most readers are wondering about the Coriolis effect. It comes from the Earth's rotation and causes missiles to miss their mark unless the rocket scientist allows some windage in his trajectory, because the target is moving ever so slightly while the missile's in flight.

Coriolis also is credited with causing hurricanes to spin counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and incorrectly with causing water to swirl to the left as it goes down a drain.

The Coriolis effect is overrated. It will not turn a 400-foot home run into a foul ball, or vice versa. Physics professors at places like MIT and LSU agree Coriolis is just too weak.

Unless, of course, those Aussie power hitters are in a league with the guys in sports-drink commercials. You may have seen that one where Ken Griffey sends a ball into orbit, only to have it snagged by an outfielder with springs in his legs.

But Coriolis doesn't help pitchers; only spin does.

Baseballs curve in response to gravity and to vacuums created by spin.

Which brings us back to the screwball, or the conclusion thereof.

Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.

by CNB