>> Safer? Wanna go head on with a 49 Packard?
> Why is it so hard to debunk the myth that big solid
>hunks of steel are safe?
It's the major selling point of SUVs!! LOL!
The SUV saftey argument is easily debunked.
According to the National Highway traffic Saftey Administration
(http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov) the majority of accidents are single vehicle
crashes. That right there is enough to remove the last shread of pluses
going for SUVs. And if you still insist that SUVs are safer because at least
you will survive in multiple vehicle crashes, just know you will have to
live with the fact that you probably killed the other guy maybe driving a
spridget. Not cool.
49 packard vs. immovable object. Heavier the vehicle the more gs the
passengers are going to take. If I were to actually go head on with a 49
Packard. 30mph head on in something with shoulder+lap belts and having
approx same mass as a packard. I would probably walk away, Guy driving the
Packard would ..umm... not walk away.
My internal organs would have more time to slow down as the bumper
collapses, the sheet metal folds, "crumple zones" crumple, seat belt slow my
deceleration, padded\plastic dash crushes, organs gently press against
ribs\steering wheel, brain sloshes forward gently and compresses against
skull. Maybe a concussion, some bruises and a lot of whineing.
Guy in the Packard is still moving at 30 mph in his 0mph Packard until he
comes into contact with something. Let's say the metal dash. Organs slam
against rib\cage bruise against the dash, arteries\veins will tare, heart
artery will unattach from heart due to huge deceleration Gs as his heart
slams against the rib cage, skull goes from 30 mph to zero
cracking\fracturing skull against metal dash, brain compresses\crunches
forward against skull fragments\metal dash causing frontal brain damage,
fluids in the rear of skull cavitate causing gas to come out of fluid
creating air bubbles and subsequently brain damage in rear of brain. Not
fun.
A friend of mine was the passenger in a 70 510 datsun involved in a 6 car
pileup. The driver hadn't installed a shoulder belt on the passenger side
yet. My buddy broke his jaw\ribs\teeth\face and big time internal bleeding
when his upper body came into contact with metal dash\windshield. He's still
recovering and will be for awhile. I will be promptly installing shoulder
belts to supplement the lap belts in the land cruiser :P The sprite already
has em! (I like their design too) Too bad the padded dash looks nasty.
(IMHO!!)
Toby
|