Straight-line test

The hallway opened into an unobstructed stretch of polished timber. I aligned my front axle with the grain line and calculated the trajectory toward the base of the cabinet. Full throttle. The surface friction was minimal, allowing clean acceleration until a sudden cable crossed the path at a forty-degree angle. I eased the angle, clipped over the rise cleanly, and decelerated to a full stop exactly two inches before the skirting board. The entire run took just over three seconds.