  In the rod and hole paradox as described by Rindler (1961 Am. J. Phys. 29
365-6), a rigid rod moves at high speed over a table towards a hole of the same
size. Observations from the inertial frames of the rod and slot are widely
different. Rindler explains these differences by the concept of differing
perceptions in rigidity. Gron and Johannesen (1993 Eur. J. Phys. 14 97-100)
confirmed this aspect by computer simulation where the shapes of the rods are
different as observed from the co-moving frames of the rod and slot. Lintel and
Gruber (2005 Eur. J. Phys. 26 19-23) presented an approach based on retardation
due to speed of stress propagation. In this paper we consider the situation
when two parallel rods collide while approaching each other along a line at an
inclination with their axis. The collisions of the top and bottom ends are
reversed in time order as observed from the two co-moving frames. This result
is explained by the concept of extended present derived from the principle of
relativity of simultaneity.
