Crash, then burn

[Welly]

Miserable subject this but bear with me.

There's a main through-route which winds it way past where I live and there's a couple of stretches that keep seeing accidents for no apparent reason a week last Friday two cars had a head-on crash - then caught fire (no-one hurt).

The very next day a car went into a ditch - caught fire (driver trapped )

Then of course was the M5 incident - huge fire.

Why are these cars catching fire so readily? you'd think with modern advances this shouldn't happen.

[steve_earwig]

Unfortunately no matter how flame-retardant you make them cars still have to run on something that burns and, inevitably, if the fuel lines get damaged it gets sprayed everywhere. Also the leads for the starter motor are usually right at the front of the engine and can't be fused because of the amount of current the starter needs. It would help if they stopped selling brake fluid that spontaneously combusts when it gets hot enough though...

[FarmerPug]

is diesel a worry though ive seen my uncle putting it on a fire it keeps it going if the fire is going well but if you put a match to an unlit bonfire with diesel the diesel doesnt light up, wheras petrol is too flamable to use.
but thats the fuels i guess the rest of the car is quite combustable plastic bumpers plastic parts all over carpets seats etc a lot of stuff to go on fire.
i suppose cars should be fitted with a fire extingusher i seen a system where a network
of copper tubes go around the car if flame bursts the tube it sprays the fire to put it out.

[steve_earwig]

Cooking oil's about the same - put a match to it and it goes out, but overheat the chip pan... Diesel sprayed on hot exhaust manifold, add a spark...

The problem with extinguishers is the extra weight and cost. Statistically very few cars end up as fireballs...

[FarmerPug]

would one of them hammers they put in trains and busses to break the glass in an emergency be any good in a car if you get trapped although usually getting trapped in a car can be because of more than a jammed door.

[Welly]

They always used to recommend a glass hammer, seat belt cutter, fire extinguisher and first aid kit for motoring but I don't think anyone bothers.

The hammer would probably live in the glove box, which you can't reach because the seat belt's jammed, which you can't cut with the cutter because you've left it at home in the Kitchen draw

I don't think the extinguishers are even capable of putting out an under-bonnet fire and of course if you lifted the bonnet to have a look you'd make it worse and where'd you start then?

Cheery thread this eh?

[lozz]

Use the B.s.i its big enough to break through the glass,

[FarmerPug]

or just rip the indicator stalk out

[steve_earwig]

Come on guys, these are the two most fragile parts on the car, do you really think they're capable of breaking anything other than themselves?

[FarmerPug]

well the gearstick is the strongest thing in a 406 but not even arnie could remove it

[teamster1975]

http://www.breakglasshammer.co.uk/emerg ... ammer.html

[steve_earwig]

It's cheap enough but, as Welly says, it's in your glovebox which you can't reach, or it was in the door pocket and, now your car's rolled 7 times, it's on it's roof and on fire, where's that damn dodah gone? It really needs some kind of holder to mount under the dash.
Edit: Silly sod

• Supplied with mounting bracket and fixings

[steve_earwig]

Even cheaper?

Wholesale discounts

Wholesale discounts are available however a minimum order quantity of ten off per item is required

Am I talking to myself again? Er yes, I think I am

Made by Draper http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-CAR-EM ... 336905bab5 Hmm, no mention of the bracket Oh lordy, there's loads on ebay - are we the last to know?

I like the idea of ones with torches in them (especially the wind up one - you'd never need to worry about the batteries) but none of them seem to have a mounting bracket, which I reckon is vital.

Btw I can think of another reason to have one within easy reach...

[teamster1975]

Having a built in seat belt cutter is a good idea, I haven't really thought about it until Welly posted this!

[steve_earwig]

Ideally it needs to be double-headed - you don't want to be fussing with it as you grab it & swing it. Also there are some with slide out blades, which is something else I don't think you need to be fiddling about with when you're on fire.