[greg737]

Sometimes the calculations and mathematics of physics are just not practical or necessary for normal everyday use.

Is there a particular time of the day/month/year when physics takes a holiday? Or do I just chant the magic words, "this is normal everyday use" and the physical laws know to look the other way for a while?

I wasn't being anything when I was trying to say you are over-analyzing this.

Textbook passive-aggressive: When somebody states facts you don't want to hear, accuse them of "over-analyzing."

They will however feel a difference in traction, grip, and cushion.

Can I have traction without grip? Or grip without traction?

And what's cushion? Yes, a bigger more balloon-like tire will absorb more bump at a given air pressure, but it's higher weight (more mass = more inertia) will cause it to work less efficiently with the suspension (It's called "unsprung weight" and keeping unsprung weight to a minimum is one of a vehicle engineer's main goals). So in the end the "cushion" factor may actually favor the slightly smaller but lighter tire that works better with the suspension design.

Sometimes the calculations and mathematics of physics are just not practical or necessary for normal everyday use. In this case we are talking about a factor that is negligible compared to the benefits. You roll in with a report explaining the science of something most won't ever notice in use. Therefore it just really isn't practical or needed.

If you were explaining this to a group of engineers or physicists to discuss the fractions of a second difference in performance of this tire vs that tire in a scientific or racing environment that would be different. But in this case that information is not really going to mean much to anyone for practical everyday purposes.

To sum up these two paragraphs: "People are stupid and have really short attention spans" and "if you add weight in small amounts you'll never notice."

The latter goes a long way to explaining the obesity epidemic (although it actually runs counter to the "goatee factor" because if guys aren't actually aware of their weight then how do they know exactly when to grow the full goatee that suggests, "I did this to my body on purpose"?)