How would daily life change if the speed of light was lowered to 20m/s?

[Jlinc]

I'm doing an essay for a Relativity course on the relativistic effects which would occur in daily life if the speed of light was somehow...lowered to a number such as 20m/s.

My question is: "How would relativity affect motion though a liquid (such as swimming through a pool) at speeds such as 10m/s or 15m/s (1/2c to 3/4c).

 

[bcrowell]

This kind of low-c exercise can be a lot of fun. I have my students do in-class presentations on them when I teach special relativity.

Since this is a school exercise, you should give us your thoughts first and then we can give you feedback. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to do your assignment for you.

 

[Jlinc]

Alrighty I'll outline the effects I am writing about and what I think will happen.

Taillights of a car moving away from me (Im at rest)
---> Lights will be red-shifted
Headlights of a car moving toward from me (Im at rest)
---> lights will be blue-shifted
Holding a coffee cup in mid-air while I pour some morning joe' in it
--->misjudge the weight of the incoming liquid (due to the liquid's velocity)
Wash breakfast dishes
---> Notice how the water's thickness increases (Im unsure about this...)
See some joggers run by as I look out the window
---> See their body contort toward the direction of motion, as their legs are unproportionally small compared to their torso.

In a car:
Complain about how its seemingly impossible to travel past 72km/h (c=20m/s)
Arriving to work "irrationally" early due to time contraction from the velocity.

Hows it all look?