Man and dog die after being trapped in Corvette

[lxskllr]

Just wait until you get elderly, you'll be surprised how how the most mundane and basic tasks become obstacles.

I've carried a knife every day of my life since I was ~12, and I expect they'll find one on my body when I'm dead. Moral of the story? Quit being a useless fuck, carry a knife, and break the window when you get stuck in your Vette. You'll also be useful for a change when you need to perform every day tasks, instead of standing there with your thumb up your ass.

 

[SP33Demon]

At that age I'd be surprised if I could bend/lean forward enough to even see the floor/the lever while seated in the driver's seat.

Bullshit.
https://youtu.be/DrIKeFh_8dg

https://youtu.be/C82kqOr23-Q

https://youtu.be/0zjhSlJN-Qw

All of these men and women could kick out a car window at 70+.

 

[Kelvrick]

Bullshit.
https://youtu.be/DrIKeFh_8dg

https://youtu.be/C82kqOr23-Q

https://youtu.be/0zjhSlJN-Qw

All of these men and women could kick out a car window at 70+.

He was talking about himself.

 

[mrjminer]

So, he's an asshole, basically. If he wasn't, at least one window would have been partially down for the dog. Fuck him. RIP dog.

 

[Merad]

I have lots of sympathy for the guy. 3 years ago I was on a long shopping trip when all the electronics in my car died*. No AC, no fan, no windows. Had to drive about 30 minutes home in 90 degree July heat. Can't remember the last time I sweated that intensely.

* The clutch for the AC compressor was burned out or something and blew the fuse for the dash and interior electronics.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

If your car had a lever on the floor, wouldn't you pull it just to see what it did? Hard to believe he didn't know how to release the door, unless he bought the car moments before it happened.

I would, but not everyone is as curious as me. If this poor guy started to panic I could easily imagine him not finding that release, which is why I consider it an unsafe design.

 

[Childs]

I would, but not everyone is as curious as me. If this poor guy started to panic I could easily imagine him not finding that release, which is why I consider it an unsafe design.

Usually a lever on the floor is for something like the trunk or gas door. I assume this faulty switch stopped all the locking mechanisms from working, like the trunk and passenger door?

 

[blankslate]

http://www.firesupplydepot.com/emer...-belt-cutter&gclid=CI74hZvZiMYCFRBafgodMJUAXw

Window Hammer and seat-belt cutter in one.

Probably a must for any driver.

Sure it would be embarrassing when someone showed him how the latch worked after he busted out the door window but he'd be alive.


...

 

[jlee]

They need to take that POS vette and execute it by crushing it in a scrap yard, then burn it until it turns to slag in a blast furnace, then ship it to GM headquarters along with a giant lawsuit.

Anyone who buys a buggy GM product deserves the broken down crap they get, but this is going too far with poor design like hiding the damn door handle and not placing it in an obvious place in an emergency so a first responder can't even find it.[.b]

Because first responders routinely open locked cars by using the obviously located externally-accessible lock bypass switches? :awe:

 

[brianmanahan]

seriously though, why the crap didn't he find it? it's right there by his feet! why wouldn't he try pulling at every last switch and lever?

it seems like he must have had some mental problem.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wow what a terrible way to go. I'm sure there had to be some easy way to get out, but for someone his age, not so easy to find. You would think that they would put a manual unlock in a normal location and that it would truly be manual. If it's on the floor I have a feeling it's still electronic so it could have failed too.

Breaking a car window is also harder than it sounds like, even a younger fit adult would have trouble without a good tool.

You'd think someone would have noticed before it was too late though but guess this happened pretty fast. Even here in the north a hot car is brutal, I can't imagine how bad it is in Texas. You know it's bad when you can practically get a 1st degree burn on the seat belt clip.

 

[michal1980]

Poor dog.

KT

My first thought as well.

Sad story whatever the cause though.

Seriously?

A person died and you two are sad about a DOG?

WTF is wrong with you two?

 

[vailr]

Bring back manually operated car windows as a purchase option for new cars.
Someone needs to design an EMP (electromagnetic pulse)-proof passenger car.
That is: using modern components, not some leftover 1950's era car design.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Bring back manually operated car windows.
Someone needs to design an EMP (electromagnetic pulse)-proof passenger car.
That is: using modern components, not some leftover 1950's era car design.

If anything there should be an override crank handle for driver side. This should be a safety requirement. If you plunge a car into water and have power windows, you are screwed. With crank windows you have a fighting chance. In a situation like this one he could have also opened the window at very least to get air or crawl out if physically able.

Though, what I'm more confused about is the concept of a sports car in a place that never rains that is not a convertible. What's up with that!

 

[Brian Stirling]

Breaking car glass can be really difficult even for healthy young men let alone a man in his seventies. A younger man may have been able to position himself to kick the glass but that would be much harder for a man this age in a sports car. And, even using your feet a young man may still find it difficult to break the glass.

It does seem that the manual opening method is not intuitive and unless he'd looked for this before he might not have known. The manual lever on the floor may not have been visible to him as again, this is a sports car and he being 70, is unlikely to be so flexible to see it.

If this man has surviving relatives I expect a lawsuit and I expect they'll win...


Brian

 

[MongGrel]

Perhaps the car was also quite hot to begin with. It wouldn't take long for it to become disorienting.

If anything there should be an override crank handle for driver side. This should be a safety requirement. If you plunge a car into water and have power windows, you are screwed. With crank windows you have a fighting chance. In a situation like this one he could have also opened the window at very least to get air or crawl out if physically able.

Though, what I'm more confused about is the concept of a sports car in a place that never rains that is not a convertible. What's up with that!

Something seems odd about this one all over, but got me.

Did he have the dog inside Waffle House ? I doubt it, guy comes out of waffle house after he goes to check on it, finds dead dog he killed and gets depressed and just say's screw it and does the same thing to himself perhaps ...

Does appear maybe he had the manual out, if it was mentioned I guess perhaps.

 

[balloonshark]

I've carried a knife every day of my life since I was ~12, and I expect they'll find one on my body when I'm dead. Moral of the story? Quit being a useless fuck, carry a knife, and break the window when you get stuck in your Vette. You'll also be useful for a change when you need to perform every day tasks, instead of standing there with your thumb up your ass.

Agreed! 50% of the reason I carry a pocket knife is to bust the side or back windows and/or cut seat belts in case of an emergency.

 

[KeithTalent]

Seriously?

A person died and you two are sad about a DOG?

WTF is wrong with you two?

The dog had no control over his situation, so yes, of course I feel bad for the poor little guy.

KT

 

[RampantAndroid]

FWIW, my car is worse. I've got a B8.5 Audi A4. When locked from the outside, the inside handles deadlock. They don't function at all, and the ONLY way out is a lifehammer or similar. So if I run in to a store leaving my fiance in the car, and out of habit lock the door as I run in...she's stuck. (I mean, you can drop the back seat, make it into the trunk assuming it's empty and pull the release there...)

I get wanting security, but wtf? Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[andylawcc]

Bullshit.
https://youtu.be/DrIKeFh_8dg

https://youtu.be/C82kqOr23-Q

https://youtu.be/0zjhSlJN-Qw

All of these men and women could kick out a car window at 70+.

urrrr.... good job at cherry picking your sample size.

now go find a normal 70 years old.

 

[Ns1]

FWIW, my car is worse. I've got a B8.5 Audi A4. When locked from the outside, the inside handles deadlock. They don't function at all, and the ONLY way out is a lifehammer or similar. So if I run in to a store leaving my fiance in the car, and out of habit lock the door as I run in...she's stuck. (I mean, you can drop the back seat, make it into the trunk assuming it's empty and pull the release there...)

I get wanting security, but wtf? Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

WTF


caps

 

[andylawcc]

So, he's an asshole, basically. If he wasn't, at least one window would have been partially down for the dog. Fuck him. RIP dog.

the dog most likely wasn't in the car to begin with. The dog went inside with the old man.

 

[RampantAndroid]

WTF


caps

From my manual:

Do not leave anyone (especially children) in the car if it is locked from the outside and the deadlock mechanism is activated: the doors and windows cannot then be opened from the inside. Locked doors could delay assistance in an emergency, potentially putting lives at risk.

 

[bradley]

I've carried a knife every day of my life since I was ~12, and I expect they'll find one on my body when I'm dead. Moral of the story? Quit being a useless fuck, carry a knife, and break the window when you get stuck in your Vette. You'll also be useful for a change when you need to perform every day tasks, instead of standing there with your thumb up your ass.

Either you have limited exposure to the elderly or just don't give a crap to process basic information. At his age I intend to still be strong and agile, but also realize that sometimes life and health gets in the way.

A gun or crowbar makes more sense in that situation anyway, something to replace the explosive action of a once vigorous body... a knife would likely have done little.

Bullshit.
https://youtu.be/DrIKeFh_8dg

https://youtu.be/C82kqOr23-Q

https://youtu.be/0zjhSlJN-Qw

All of these men and women could kick out a car window at 70+.

To every rule there is always an exception. Some young ATOTers in their prime aren't nearly as fit as your elderly examples. Heck, at a body fat of less than 10%, I likely represent less than 1% of the entire US male population, sad but true.

Corvettes are also low to the ground and probably difficult to get enough leverage in the driver's seat, while being blocked by the steering column, to kick out the window with limited space.


For those who didn't bother reading the story or watching the accompanying video, there are many people not aware of the safety lock, including locksmiths and first responders.

In fact, one of the first responders to the scene from Autoaid (who I can only assume is a seasoned and experienced professional) stated.....

"I went back to the vehicle and as soon as I saw it I knew wasn't getting back into it. I tried, but didn't make it and told the fire department to take the glass... There is a way to get into them, but it's not common knowledge. I realize there's a whole bunch of people that reported into your website - the armchair geniuses - "well they got a button here" or "I could have gotten it open with a slimjim." No you couldn't!"

This 72-year-old gentleman's car was parked right next to the yellow based utility pole. I'd imagine the surrounding busy highway isolated any attempts at alerting others.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.938..._PNRERAJnpuEVXQ2Lg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

 

[Ns1]

From my manual:

:awe: