Chao, the billionaire former CEO of dry bulk shipping giant Foremost Group, tragically died at the age of 50 on Feb. 10 after accidentally backing her car into the pond making a three-point turn.
Could she not have opened the door or rolled down the window? The article made sure we knew that she went to Harvard and described the event she was attending, but no mention of why she was unable to exit the vehicle. Did she not know how to swim? Was their some obstruction? Did something malfunction? Was she so used to having other people do things for her that it just never occurred to her to do anything for herself?
People can be dumb, like really dumb. Now imagine being rich enough that you never have to learn anything and you think getting a Tesla is a good idea.
Depends. You have to wait for the pressure to equalize to open the door. So once the car is filled up fully will you be able to open it. The problem is if you drove a car into a body of water, you might be panicking and not thinking through your actions
My reference is a video on Mythbusters so it should apply to most ICE cars. One thing to note is that even if you’re in an EV and the weight is at the bottom, the battery, motors are not perfectly 50/50 front/back or even 50/50 left and right. Also, its not like the car was gently entered the water. Any pitch or roll while entering the water will dramatically alter your car’s position. Another factor is the water current.
Let’s all agree that we all need a window breaking device inside our cars.
HAHAHA, I just bought it too. I bought one that has a flashlight built into it.
I remember that Adam Savage words when he simulated a car going into the water and how he described it as the worst thing that has ever happened to him. He said he was blind because his eyes stung when he opened his eyes underwater because the water was super dirty from how dirty the interior of the car was. Even when he could open them up, it was very dark. So that’s why I’m thinking a flashlight would be a good idea too.
The windows here are designed to be indestructible though. I have no idea if they would actually withstand that, but they are not designed to break like regular car windows.
I think that all cars should be required to have an easily accessible and identifiable emergency escape tool though. One that can cut your seat belt and break the glass. I don’t know why that hasn’t been mandated, though we should make an exception if your networth is high enough.
Wasn’t there controversy about the Tesla shutting down when submerged and how you couldn’t open the windows or unlock the doors because they hadn’t built in emergency safety releases? Or was that a different earlier model that has been fixed by now?
See, now that is the type of information that would have been useful in the article. I don’t care that the property “included horse stables, a swimming pool and a 10-bedroom guesthouse”. I care how somebody got trapped in their car.
My recollection of the controversy was that there weren’t mechanical emergency window or door releases for the early models of Teslas, which became a huge safety concern especially with fires and submersion due to the battery either dying or being cut off. Had that changed, and/or is this specific model different?
And this is why you carry a window breaker in your car if you live anywhere this might potentially happen. Equalizing pressure by breaking the shit out of your window (preferably the windshield so you have a larger area of escape) is not IDEAL, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Could she not have opened the door or rolled down the window? The article made sure we knew that she went to Harvard and described the event she was attending, but no mention of why she was unable to exit the vehicle. Did she not know how to swim? Was their some obstruction? Did something malfunction? Was she so used to having other people do things for her that it just never occurred to her to do anything for herself?
It’s pretty much impossible to open a car door underwater. You’d need superhuman strength.
As to why the windows didn’t roll down, I can only speculate.
People can be dumb, like really dumb. Now imagine being rich enough that you never have to learn anything and you think getting a Tesla is a good idea.
Depends. You have to wait for the pressure to equalize to open the door. So once the car is filled up fully will you be able to open it. The problem is if you drove a car into a body of water, you might be panicking and not thinking through your actions
Not just that, the car starts turning upside down and it’s completely dark with no air.
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My reference is a video on Mythbusters so it should apply to most ICE cars. One thing to note is that even if you’re in an EV and the weight is at the bottom, the battery, motors are not perfectly 50/50 front/back or even 50/50 left and right. Also, its not like the car was gently entered the water. Any pitch or roll while entering the water will dramatically alter your car’s position. Another factor is the water current.
Let’s all agree that we all need a window breaking device inside our cars.
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HAHAHA, I just bought it too. I bought one that has a flashlight built into it.
I remember that Adam Savage words when he simulated a car going into the water and how he described it as the worst thing that has ever happened to him. He said he was blind because his eyes stung when he opened his eyes underwater because the water was super dirty from how dirty the interior of the car was. Even when he could open them up, it was very dark. So that’s why I’m thinking a flashlight would be a good idea too.
I bought this one. Its in Taiwan, but I’m sure you can find this somewhere on amazon. https://shopee.tw/倍思汽車安全錘迷你安全錘-Pro-650mAh-緊急玻璃破碎器窗戶安全帶切割器救生逃生錘刀片工具-i.1168298290.23563972335?xptdk=b478e6e6-3f53-40ac-95d5-1faf867227bd
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Easy to say when you know this and aren’t in a sinking car.
That is literally the last sentence of my point.
Easy to say when you’ve already said it once in a comment above this one
Easy to say that when it’s been 6 hours under water in your CAR
It’s why us OGs learned how to crack auto glass with a spark plug stashed in the glove compartment. Just, don’t tell any billionaires. 🤓
You can get a seat belt cutter with a ceramic tip for pretty cheap too
The windows here are designed to be indestructible though. I have no idea if they would actually withstand that, but they are not designed to break like regular car windows.
I think that all cars should be required to have an easily accessible and identifiable emergency escape tool though. One that can cut your seat belt and break the glass. I don’t know why that hasn’t been mandated, though we should make an exception if your networth is high enough.
Wasn’t there controversy about the Tesla shutting down when submerged and how you couldn’t open the windows or unlock the doors because they hadn’t built in emergency safety releases? Or was that a different earlier model that has been fixed by now?
See, now that is the type of information that would have been useful in the article. I don’t care that the property “included horse stables, a swimming pool and a 10-bedroom guesthouse”. I care how somebody got trapped in their car.
Thanks for sharing.
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because your net worth determines your value as a living being, silly!
The emergency opening on both front doors are purely mechanical though.
My recollection of the controversy was that there weren’t mechanical emergency window or door releases for the early models of Teslas, which became a huge safety concern especially with fires and submersion due to the battery either dying or being cut off. Had that changed, and/or is this specific model different?
Front doors have always had mechanical latch releases. Rear doors on some models do not have mechanical releases.
And this is why you carry a window breaker in your car if you live anywhere this might potentially happen. Equalizing pressure by breaking the shit out of your window (preferably the windshield so you have a larger area of escape) is not IDEAL, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Do not try to go through Front the windshield, it’s super specialized layered glass with a thick plastic center.