How am I supposed to get out of my car .....

[Arnfinn Madsen]

...when it is under water?

This just struck me one day while driving. When I took my drivers' license I learned to close all hatchets if driving off the road into a lake or the ocean. Then wait for the car to almost fill up with water and then wind down the window using the handle and swim out to the surface.

What do you do with a modern car where everything is electric? Wait for the car to almost fill up and then open the door? It makes me a bit sceptical since hitting the bottom might destroy the door....

[Morpheus]

couldn't help but laugh at this post. Why are you thinking about this ? You must live in california because they are the only ones who would think like this.

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Yeah, most advice is to let water pressure equalize on both sides and just open the door. I don't think an accident that puts you in water will mess up the door enough to make it inoperable. I don't see why it would be impossible to kick the window out, but I imagine it'd be extremely difficult.

Solution: Don't drive into any bodies of water.

[jakethebake]

break the window.

edit: i'm pretty sure this is correct, but ask Ted Kennedy to be sure.

[cardcounter0]

There is a small after market device that fits under your front seat now. It is a spiked device that can be used to easily break out your window. You are correct about the door being damanged or being unable to operate an electric window. If you drive where you have the chance of ending up in water, you might check for it, or carry a hammer.

[Morpheus]

if you really want to be safe, there is a special tool you can buy that when hit against a window will shatter almost any window very easily. It looks like a chisel. Keep it in your glove box.

[LeatherFace]

This is why I always put on my scuba gear before driving.

[PokerCat69]

I couldn't imagine buying an emergency 'pick' or hammer for this type of situation. WTF buddy? Grow a sac.
...and I used to live on an Island for christ sakes.

[lu_hawk]

come on, at least 4 times a year there is a special on 60 minutes, 20/20, or dateline that talks about this exact topic and tells you what to do.

what you need is a special tool that you keep on your dashboard that is basically a spring loaded piece of metal, i forget what it is called. you hold it up to your window and release it and it will shatter your window allowing you to get out of your car. without this tool you won't be able to open your door until your car is already full of water and the pressures are equal.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
When I took my drivers' license I learned to close all hatchets if driving off the road into a lake or the ocean.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, you should keep the hatchets open and use one to break out the windows. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]