Mad Max is driving his car at .87c. (g = (1-.872)-1/2 = 2.0) He is approaching a stationary garage. The proper length of Max's car is 18 ft. The proper length of the garage is 14 ft and the garage door is open. The garage attendent is charged with the task of quickly closing the door once the car is entirely within the garage. Since he measures the car's length to be 18 ft / 2 = 9 ft, the attendent see's no problem with doing this. Of course, he realizes that Mad Max will go crashing out the back of the garage about 20 nanoseconds later. Nevertheless, the car will be enclosed during that time and he will have done his job.
However, from Max's point of view, the garage is only 14 ft /2 = 7 ft. He claims that the attendant will not be able shut the door while the car is entirely within the garage.
Who is correct? Explain you answer.
(Hint: Carefully define the "events" important to answering this question.)
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