Posted on 06/28/2010 9:20:54 AM PDT by GregB
With todays cars and not many manual window cranks what do we do if we go in the water?
If the forces of evil continue to prevail in November that I would set the best bet is to just go ahead and drown.
I’m guessing the water presses hard enough agaisnt the window to cause it to bind against its weather stripping.
Being a liquid, liquid water exhibits no "coefficient of static friction."
And the "skin friction" between a glass window and water would be very small, indeed.
Regards,
Great thing about the LifeHammer is it also has a seat belt cutter on it.
Just push the pointed end on the window surface and it will do the rest after overcoming the spring detent.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/General-Tools-Steel-Automatic-Center-Punch-79/14299493?wmlspartner=GPA&sourceid=44444444440251542959
AAA says it’s about 300 a year annually. Most of the time when dealing with water the killer is panic, the car is too deep into the water when the person tries to open it so they can’t, then they freak out and use all their energy fighting the pressure. By the time the pressure is almost equalized (ie there’s very little air left in the cabin) they’re too amped up on adrenaline to hold their breath properly, they probably drown less than 30 seconds before the door could be opened.
A big rule to survival in any situation is when in doubt stay calm. The human species has gotten where it is because we have this brain that’s good at solving puzzles, the second you panic you turn off most of your brain and lose your biggest advantage.
Admit it. You’re FReeping from the bottom of a lake, aren’t you?
That’s what I don’t get about Chappaquiddick. The car was equipped with an airbag.
It was already inflated when the car went in the water.
When tested on myth busters, the electric windows continued to function long enough to lower the window in the water.
That failing, I carry a large stainless steel handled folding knife in my pocket. Sharp enough to cut straps, stout enough to bust out a window.
ted kennedy’s olds had roll down windows
and that didn’t do his lady any good.
I have and do carry a big hammer uder the front seat and another on on the passenger side, live in the way south of Ms and lots of water along roadbeds...
Teddy? Is it really true? Do they really have PC's in heaven? (or at least Purgatory???)
But when you are up to your ass in aligators, it's hard to remember your job was to drain the swamp. lol
We always carry SCUBA tanks in our SUVs for just that very purpose . . . . . . . or did we replace them with spring-loaded punches to destroy the window so that we could swim out?? Also, in case your seat belt jams, you want a knife handy that you can use to cut the belt.
Finally, just in case the vehicle ends up in water, we carry a smaller vehicle in the back that we can use to take use someplace dry!!!
(Okay, I made that last part up!!)
Which I didn't exactly state. However I will make it more clear:
The coefficient of static friction between wet burlap on glass is much higher than the friction of water on glass.
Other than that, since you are in apparent agreement with my analysis in principle, if not my lazy grammar, when you watch the Mythbusters episode described you'll see what I mean.
Drive one of these
Sorry if my agrument came across as hostile, ElkGroveDan.
The observation made by another poster that it's the pressure of the water pressing the windows against their weather stripping - thus, the friction between the glass and the inside stripping - which prevents their being rolled down (either by cranking manually or by using the power windows) makes everything clear to me. Using burlap would only exacerbate the problem.
Regards,
When your car is on the ground, the air pressure outside your car is equal to the air pressure inside your car. You or the electric motor only has to handle the weight of the window. Nothing else.
In 30 feet of water, the water pressure outside your car is much higher than the air pressure inside your car. The weight of the water presses in against the window, creating friction on the rubber seals. Now you have to overcome not just the small weight of the window, but the high friction force pressing your window against the rubber seals.
It takes a lot more force that you and your window motor are not able to supply.
Air pressure is about 15 psi. On ground, there is no push on your windows.
Only 10 feet under water, the pressure is about 5 psi more than inside your car.
How big is your driver’s window? Maybe 10” by 15”. that is 150 square inches.
150 square inches x 5 pounds/square inch = 750 pounds.
Go slide your plastic cutting board across your kitchen floor.
Now put 750 pounds on the cutting board and try to slide it across the kitchen floor.
This is why you can’t roll down your window when you are sitting in 10-feet of water. The weight of the water pressing on the window, crushing it up against the window frame, is so strong, you don’t have the strength to roll it down, and your electric window motor does not have the strength to roll it down. Assuming it isn’t immediately flooded with water and shorted out.
The best thing to do if you drive into water is to open your door IMMEDIATELY.
So
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