Man and his dog found dead after car malfunctions

palmbeachpost. ^

[BenLurkin]

A U.S. Army veteran and his dog were found dead in his car after an electronic malfunction caused the pair to be trapped inside the man’s Corvette, police say.

...

Michael Flash, owner of Corvette Specialists, told NBC News that Corvettes have "a manual release lever safety feature that is next to the driver’s seat closest to the door, but most people are unaware of this feature."

[the OlLine Rebel]

Yes, now I see.

It’s a poor design. Period.

It is not obvious, especially in a world of cars designed with manual locks IN THE DOOR.

If a video has to go through all that to explain how to get in and out of an unpowered car, that is ridiculous.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Thank you.

I spend most of my time with manuals, incidentally, trying to understand the hieroglyphics used to appease the Mexicans, how to operate the radio system, and what capacities are as well as recommended fluids.

Otherwise, things are usually kind of apparent.

[the OlLine Rebel]

BTW, Joe, you might want this to ping....

[Kickass Conservative]

A 2007 Corvette Coupe has Targa Top.

Unlatch the two Windshield Header clamps and the Rear release and the Top comes right off.

They didn’t indicate which Model Corvette. I think the 2007 Z06 Model has a fixed Roof.

Prayers for the Man and his Puppy.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I DO have the manual in the car at all times, unlike some people.

As was written in the articles, the owner did try looking in the manual for the emergency release.

Regardless, there was nothing but his own blind panic that prevented him from pulling the two levers behind the sun visors and releasing the top.

Design should be about simplicity, and redundancy as much as possible. You can’t tell me they could not simply put a NORMAL lock plainly on the car door as every car door has had for decades. That covers both redundancy AND simplicity (everyone instinctively looks for regular moving locks on doors).

As I wrote previously, the Corvette is not a NORMAL car like a Monte Carlo or Jeep. It is a sophisticated, high-performance sports car that demands respect. Anyone who buys a Corvette expecting it to be just like a Monte Carlo is asking for trouble.

I can understand your not reading every part of a low-performance family car like a Monte Carlo, but wouldn't you familiarize yourself with every part of a modern high-performace car like a Corvette that's capable of 0-60 times under 5 seconds and a top speed of 185mph?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

They didn’t indicate which Model Corvette. I think the 2007 Z06 Model has a fixed Roof.

The fixed-roof coupe design was ended with the C5. (1999-2004)

All C6s have removable roofs. (2005-2013)

[Kickass Conservative]

Nope, the C-6 Z06 Model had a Fixed Roof.

The Chassis couldn’t handle the HP and Torque.

The C-7 Z06 comes with either a Targa Top or Convertible.
I had a 2014 Stingray Coupe and almost went for a 2015 Z06 Convertible.

The new Aluminum Chassis on the C-7 is a strong as they come.

[HeadOn]

See my tagline...

[the OlLine Rebel]

Don’t mock me or my car because I don’t have a Corvette. I love my Monte, a great car, never mind my old Lincoln.

If I’m not going to stupidly drive a car at 185 or jam on the accelerator on a regular road, why would I care? Maybe you can spend time at a special track, but I do not and would not.

As for the “normal car”, yes, it is, and has been for ages until apparently pretty recently? Is it only recently Corvette became special, not just a “family car” of 50 years because it now has unusual locks within the last 10?

Don’t be absurd. You know exactly what I’m talking about.

The kind of car is not the point. It’s a regular production car, not a custom chassis and one-off design.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Otherwise, things are usually kind of apparent.

If you bought a car that was hugely apparent that used electric door locks/latches, wouldn't you find out how to get out in an emergency? I would, but then, I'm not an engineer.

The C6 Corvette doesn't have conventional door latches, inside or out.

It has buttons that you press. How much more apparent does this need to be? Here's what the outside of the door looks like and the door handle sensor you press to open the door:

Here's the electric door latch on the inside of the door. The red arrow pointing left highlights the door release. The red arrow on the right highlights the manual release.

Here's what the manual door release looks like.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Don’t mock me or my car because I don’t have a Corvette. I love my Monte, a great car, never mind my old Lincoln.

In addition to the Corvette, I also own a Buick Regal, Pontiac Bonneville and Saturn. But I do not make the mistake of thinking that these other cars are anything like the Corvette just because they have 4 wheels, doors, an engine and places for people to sit.

The Corvette has never been a 'normal' car on the lines of a family sedan. While the feds sought to strangle performance out of all cars and succeeded with Corvette until 1982, starting in 1984 GM sought to build the Corvette to compete with the world's best sports cars and has been doing so ever since.

The kind of car is not the point. It’s a regular production car, not a custom chassis and one-off design.

No, that's entirely the point. It's not in the same realm of family cars any more than is a Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini. While it is a production car, it is still a sophisticated, high-performance sports car. The Corvette has more in common with these cars than it does with the average family sedan.

[the OlLine Rebel]

That’s nice.

The point is, it is not a design people are accustomed to, as even alluded to in the article where the Corvette guy mentions the very same.

That says, right there, it is a poor design. If it’s not normal for production cars (and it IS a production car), it should be stressed between agent/seller and buyer.

Would you suggest I should read my manual to discover where the ignition switch is? Has the Corvette yet upgraded that to the shifter console, or is it still “normal”? Perhaps they went back to the crank rod? ;-)

You do get my point? Without being defensive about your car?

Because I like Corvettes. But I do not approve of that design. Just because I don’t doesn’t meant I’m attacking Corvettes generally or hate them.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

The point is, it is not a design people are accustomed to, as even alluded to in the article where the Corvette guy mentions the very same.

I understand your point. And my point is that because it's a design that your aren't accustomed to, wouldn't you want to find out how to get out in an emergency?

Would you suggest I should read my manual to discover where the ignition switch is? Has the Corvette yet upgraded that to the shifter console, or is it still “normal”? Perhaps they went back to the crank rod? ;-)

Sure. I think you'd better. ;^)

The C6 is a completely keyless design. Not only is there no ignition switch, there's no ignition key.

In the C5 they moved the ignition switch from the steering column to the dashboard. In the C6 they eliminated it altogether.

Like I've been saying, the modern Corvette is not a normal car

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Because I like Corvettes. But I do not approve of that design. Just because I don’t doesn’t meant I’m attacking Corvettes generally or hate them

I should add that I didn't think you hated Corvettes.

But, you're attacking the design of the doors because it doesn't conform to your definition of 'normal' with regard to where they're located and how you believe they should operate.

It's almost like you're saying that since cars used to have a floor switch for the starter, or a floor switch for the brights, then all cars that moved these to the steering column are poor designs because they aren't where you'd expect them to be.

Believe me, the first time you got into and out of a C6, you'd notice that it doesn't use conventional mechanical door latches.

Until today, I didn't know it it was a keyless vehicle and that it used electric latches, either. But now I know and also know how to get into and out of the car.

[Hulka]

Hey. . .why should I read the article and violate the honored FR tradition of commenting before reading?

Never. . . . ;-)

[Joe 6-pack]

WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

[Salamander]

My junker Yukon and Taurus wagon have lug wrenches in the back, in compartments under the floor of the cargo area.

I *will* be getting out.

Won’t even have to read the manual.

Yay for “unsophisticated” vehicles.

:)

[Vigilantcitizen]

I hate electric windows.

[PistolPaknMama]

What is the tool called?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I can see that, but it still defies the principle of “simple” design. Simple in this case including what the population is used to. If you’re going to change things, change them gradually - especially for something that is not visually obvious (e.g. gull-wing or swivel-up doors) and is not used every day (e.g., transmission shift buttons on dashboards in ‘50s at least got used every day).

BTW, I have a dash-mount ignition on the Monte, but it is still *near* the steering column, so pretty obvious! (Never mind I know this was common on old cars.)

Husband found other complaints for these cars - comments are good as well as article.

http://jalopnik.com/5791811/corvette-zr1-owner-calls-911-after-locking-himself-in-car#