Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What to do if your car is submerged in water

wsj.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 67 posts

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#31

Post by HarryHirsch »

NovemberWhiskey wrote: post #18

The whole thing about laminated glass is interesting. Historically speaking, side and rear windows were made from tempered glass that would explode into many small, not-so-sharp fragments when damaged. Laminated glass does not do this; it breaks, but the inner layer(s) between the glass layers holds the window together. If you want to get through a car windshield, this is why you end up needing a saw rather than a ha…

ejected from vehicles during crashes

A substantial number of people still are not wearing seatbelts? For those of us who are wearing seatbelts the risk of ending up in a pond or canal is immeasurably higher than the risk of ejection.

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#32

Post by OJFord »

throwanem wrote: post #29

I've never understood why automatic center punches aren't sold for this use case. I have to think that's a much more reliable option than a goofy little hammer with a point on the end - water notwithstanding, who's going to be able to develop enough force trying to swing that while seated in a car?

They are, they're just not called 'automatic centre punches' when marketed for this use case (and probably generally a bigger punch diameter?)

See 'window breaker', 'car escape tool' etc. on Amazon for example.

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#34

Post by NovemberWhiskey »

HarryHirsch wrote: post #31
NovemberWhiskey wrote: post #18

The whole thing about laminated glass is interesting. Historically speaking, side and rear windows were made from tempered glass that would explode into many small, not-so-sharp fragments when damaged. Laminated glass does not do this; it breaks, but the inner layer(s) between the glass layers holds the window together. If you want to get through a car windshield, this is why you end up needing a saw rather than a ha…

ejected from vehicles during crashes A substantial number of people still are not wearing seatbelts? For those of us who are wearing seatbelts the risk of ending up in a pond or canal is immeasurably higher than the risk of ejection.

Total ejection does almost always occur due to not wearing seatbelts, but partial ejection (often due to a rollover) does occur frequently even for people wearing seatbelts.

And, yes, a substantial number of people are still not wearing seatbelts.

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#35

Post by bloopernova »

throwanem wrote: post #29

I've never understood why automatic center punches aren't sold for this use case. I have to think that's a much more reliable option than a goofy little hammer with a point on the end - water notwithstanding, who's going to be able to develop enough force trying to swing that while seated in a car?

search for "resqme" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=resqme

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#36

Post by pasttense01 »

rdl wrote: post #24

My current plan (obviously open windows if possible, don't drive into lakes, etc.) is to use the resqme spring-loaded glass breaker (my work gives them out as branded swag at conferences, but I gave away hundreds in Iraq/Afghanistan when I worked there too) or glowrhino carbide tip I keep with me. That doesn't work very well on laminated glass (but I'm often in a rental, so I don't know which cars have/don't have it)…

What kind of gun do you carry in your car? Is this the same one you carry on your person?

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#38

Post by bloopernova »

pdabbadabba wrote: post #23
bckr wrote: post #8

My next Amazon shipment is going to have a couple of those window breaker + seatbelt cutter combos

...and it won't do you any good if you have a newer car with laminated glass!

hm. So a rechargeable angle grinder in the glove compartment?

The woman who died in the Tesla must have had a horrific death, that shit is utterly terrifying.

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#39

Post by tomcam »

rdl wrote: post #24

My current plan (obviously open windows if possible, don't drive into lakes, etc.) is to use the resqme spring-loaded glass breaker (my work gives them out as branded swag at conferences, but I gave away hundreds in Iraq/Afghanistan when I worked there too) or glowrhino carbide tip I keep with me. That doesn't work very well on laminated glass (but I'm often in a rental, so I don't know which cars have/don't have it)…

I’m dying to find out the circumstances that found you shooting out of a car

Re: What to do if your car is submerged in water

#40

Post by r0ckarong »

eemil wrote: post #37

Given the sensors in modern cars, would it be possible to detect submersion and roll down windows automatically?

Crack as in shatter? Possibly but I bet this would never be implemented because nobody wants the recall when suddenly every the car wash makes all of your expensive glass explode.
Post reply on HN