The Parachute Brake

Cruising down from the thick encyclopedia ramp at full velocity proved that high-speed transit demands immediate decelerative force! Golly, friction alone wasn't halting my soapbox roadster before the armchair leg loom! I raided a nearby wastepaper bin and extracted a square of crinkly white tissue paper along with four lengths of sewing thread. Knotting each strand to a corner and anchoring the harness to my rear axle, I climbed back into the cockpit. Shoving off with both bare heels, the car zoomed downward—and WHOOSH! The tissue canopy flared wide, billowing with air resistance. The roadster smoothly slowed, stopping two inches shy of impact!