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Try Defy-ing Grav-ity…in Your Car!
- Sherry Ickes
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
The above image is from Uncovering PA's post on the same hill, while the following imagery and videos are my own.
Up for an adventure that costs nothing to do? Then check this out! But, I do issue a word of caution: please be safe if you choose to conduct your own experiment at the same location. Because it is a public road, there are times throughout the day where it has high levels of traffic, AND...I don’t want anyone to get hurt. But when the proper amount of safety is taken, Gravity Hill in Lewisberry, Pa is a fun, quick, and easy thing to do on a lazy afternoon or if you're in the mood for a drive in the evening.
Now, this hill is not the only one of its kind. Gravity hills are actually located in many different countries, and in numerous places within the United States. Pennsylvania supposedly has three such spots alone, though Lewisberry is reportedly the best one.
How Did I Find Out About This in the First Place?
A short time back, I felt like doing something out of the ordinary. So I googled up "unique spots in PA," and found this interesting, and admittedly odd, experience to try.
My daughter and I actually did this on two separate occasions at two different times of the day; once at night and once during the day (we preferred being there at night, due to the fact that coming traffic is easier to see with their headlights). Between the two trials, we used different vehicles (both automatics) and different drivers to see if the results stayed the same or differed at all.
What Do You Do To See If It Works?
Find Pleasant View road in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, and face Hwy 177 in your vehicle. Stop at the stop sign, put your vehicle in neutral...even though you’re facing downhill...and watch in surprise as your vehicle will begin to seemingly roll up the hill , in reverse, on its own!
Wondering if a ball would do the same thing, we drove back a second time where I got out and placed a large, plastic ball on the ground. But it rolled forward, and down the hill, instead of moving in reverse. Oh, and don't worry - I picked it up and took the ball home with me after the experiment (I don't like littering as much as the next person).
By placing this ball on the road, it rolled forward...and down the hill...as expected.
We also found out that if you guide the car, based on our combined seven attempts in total, keeping the vehicle in the proper lane while moving backwards, it speeds up without the driver touching any pedals!
Why Does This Happen Here?
One possible explanation is rooted in the local lore of an accident where children were killed on a bus at that location. The force pushing you away from Hwy 177 is told to be their ghosts, trying to protect you from meeting the same grisly fate...but there's no proof of this "accident" to back up such a claim. Another explanation is the kenetic theory of gravity; which is a scientific explanation that should be taught by someone much more familiar with its inter-workings than I am. No matter the explanation, even if it's simply chalked up to optical illusions, there's no denying the really cool factor of rolling uphill and defy-ing grav-ity.
Interested in seeing a video comparison?
Watch a recording my daughter put side by side into the following video. On the left, you will see our vehicle moving up the hill in reverse. While on the right, you can see the ball moving in the opposite direction, and going down the hill. What do you think attributes to this road's uniqueness? (Make sure to put your answer in the comments below.)
Sidenote: The ball's video has been slowed down so it can be viewed at the same time.
Thanks for taking the time to discover one of my home state's peculiar spots, and I hope to be able to share another one with you all real soon!
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