Final answer:
The safest way to ride over rocks is to use your legs as natural suspension, much like a kangaroo cushions the shock of hopping. For vehicles, driving slowly, with a high clearance and robust suspension, is vital to navigate rocky terrain safely. Testing a car's durability on different road types, such as smooth versus gravel, can show the impact of rocks on the vehicle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The safest way to ride over rocks is similar to how a kangaroo cushions the impact of hopping by bending its hind legs. When traversing rocky terrain on a bicycle or similar vehicle, it's important to absorb the shocks by using your legs as natural suspension. This involves bending your legs slightly and allowing them to flex as you ride over uneven surfaces. This method increases the time over which force acts and significantly reduces the impact on your body. This technique is beneficial because it can reduce the force exerted on the body by a factor of 100, as opposed to taking the impact with stiff legs, which could result in much greater force and potential injury.
When driving a car over rocks, it's also advisable to proceed slowly and carefully to avoid damage to the vehicle. The car should ideally have a high clearance and robust suspension to handle the rough terrain, as exemplified by the notion that 'it'd take a tank to navigate' a rocky path unless you knew the way. Comparing the damage sustained by a car when driven on a smooth road versus a gravel road can offer insights into the effects of rocky conditions on a vehicle.