• Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de
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    9 months ago

    It’s pretty much impossible to open a car door underwater. You’d need superhuman strength.

    As to why the windows didn’t roll down, I can only speculate.

    • ThunderingJerboa@kbin.social
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      9 months ago

      Depends. You have to wait for the pressure to equalize to open the door. So once the car is filled up fully will you be able to open it. The problem is if you drove a car into a body of water, you might be panicking and not thinking through your actions

      • jaschen@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        Not just that, the car starts turning upside down and it’s completely dark with no air.

          • jaschen@lemm.ee
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            9 months ago

            My reference is a video on Mythbusters so it should apply to most ICE cars. One thing to note is that even if you’re in an EV and the weight is at the bottom, the battery, motors are not perfectly 50/50 front/back or even 50/50 left and right. Also, its not like the car was gently entered the water. Any pitch or roll while entering the water will dramatically alter your car’s position. Another factor is the water current.

            Let’s all agree that we all need a window breaking device inside our cars.

            • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              Let’s all agree that we all need a window breaking device inside our cars.

              Agreed! I bought a 3 pack for like $10 on Amazon and put one in my car, my wife’s car, and my son’s car. Now whether any of us will remember where that thing is, and remember to use it in an emergency, without any training, is an entirely different topic.

              • jaschen@lemm.ee
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                9 months ago

                HAHAHA, I just bought it too. I bought one that has a flashlight built into it.

                I remember that Adam Savage words when he simulated a car going into the water and how he described it as the worst thing that has ever happened to him. He said he was blind because his eyes stung when he opened his eyes underwater because the water was super dirty from how dirty the interior of the car was. Even when he could open them up, it was very dark. So that’s why I’m thinking a flashlight would be a good idea too.

                I bought this one. Its in Taiwan, but I’m sure you can find this somewhere on amazon. https://shopee.tw/倍思汽車安全錘迷你安全錘-Pro-650mAh-緊急玻璃破碎器窗戶安全帶切割器救生逃生錘刀片工具-i.1168298290.23563972335?xptdk=b478e6e6-3f53-40ac-95d5-1faf867227bd

                • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  Ideally you want to break the window before the water has filled the cabin. The more time you have to get out, the more likely you are to survive. Going into deep water in the middle of winter is probably a death sentence, even if you get out, unless you’re close to somewhere you can warm up.

                  • jaschen@lemm.ee
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                    9 months ago

                    Ideally you roll down the window as soon as you can before the car’s electrics shut down. Then you move to break the window. Then you wait until the car is depressurized to open the door.

                    If you go into the water and upside down and hanging from your seatbelt, this might be extra difficult.

                    Maybe someone can invent a product that detects if your car has been submerged and your door unlocks and windows automatically open instantly using waterproof backup batteries. Someone would become a thousandaire.