Dave Gordon and I were just talking about collapsible columns.... I had a vision of t boning a spinning car (or maybe it's me into a K wall) and being strapped in with a 5 point harness -- with a steering column impaling me.... UGH
The new cars are built with impact planned in... crush zones and all that good stuff... my old Mustang has none of that. I do - however - have a fire bottle with nozzles in the engine compartment as well as inside.... I'm wearing a full driver suit - shoes - gloves - helmet - and if in the Lotus - a HANS device and arm restraints. Both cars have electric shut offs exposed and marked... and have removable steering wheels for easier exit if required.
What's my point?? You wad up the front end of the car -- and you catch fire -- and now you can't get out because the wheel has you pinned in... or you back the car into something and it's leaking fuel and you're slumped over with a back injury or a busted arm... and you can't turn off the electrical system... or you get all crossed up and go sideways off into the dirt and catch and roll... upside-down and pinned in cause the door won't open... and fuel is dumping out the trunk because why? Because you aren't running a fuel cell..
This isn't a scare tactic discussion -- I'm just saying that these are the things that not only can - but DO happen... I think about this stuff. I look around my car and make sure that I'm familiar with some of the scenarios I might be in. A collapsible column is the very next "speed part" going in the car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396
Incidents like this is why most of these "street cars" have no business being on the road course going the speeds they're going. The late model cars you have a fighting chance of being ok... the vintage cars... not so much. I guess we'll just wait until we injure someone severely or worse before we require roll cages, fire systems, and other proper safety equipment.
|