Small cars are death machines

So are the BIG cars that hit you when you're in the cross walk.....

The nice thing about the newer small cars is that you have all those pillows to cushion your lifeless bod during the viewing, before they drop it in the hole....

So, what are ya gonna do? Outlaw all big cars? outlaw all small cars? And what about those big trucks that carry everything you need from food to toilet paper? Want to shrink those? If you do, watch you prices rise because it takes more to move the stuff.

As I recall, San Francisco already requires the loads >Or, why they'll bury you WITH your smart car.

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

Gad what fools these morons be.... Children are obscene but should not be heard Give me a peperoni pizza... or give me a calzone!

I think the point was that accidents in small cars are generally worse than accidents in big cars. Having been recently involved in an accident in a compact car ('63 Falcon) I have decided I'm done with small cars, for now at least. I'm back to driving my '68 Galaxie. No question about safety in that car. If I were driving the Galaxie and got into the same accident I would have walked away from it with no damage. I actually almost drove the Galaxie that day, but since it was threatening to rain I drove the Falcon. Ironically it turned out to be a nice sunny day. So instead my two front teeth are snapped in half and one was nearly knocked out, still not sure if I'm gonna keep it. All the other teeth on my upper jaw were loose. My kneed impacted the dash pretty damned hard, so only now after a few weeks am I able to get around alright. Also had to have a bunch of staples in my head as I had a good sized gash there. Well at least I didn't go through the windshield... Thankfully the steering wheel broke my momentum. LOL

If you wanna see pics and such check it out in one of the Falcon forums at:

Well, with the money I got as compensation for the damage to my car I'll probably be buying a ~1980 F-150 4x4 stepside shortbox, with a 302 and toploader. :) Should be a fun daily driver and parts hauler. Gonna go check it out more closely and take it for a test drive tomorrow and if I like it I'll take it home with me.

Cory

I got creamed in my 61 Galaxie by a Tercel. The bonehead who was looking at herself in the mirror instead of watching the road hit me from behind at about 50. She had airbags and walked away. I had no seat belts and low bench seats. I got whiplash and chest injuries from the steering wheel. The Galaxie was almost intact, the Tercel was crushed flat almost to the windshield.

Good observation.... the Tercel absorbs the impact in an attempt to isolate the passengers from the trauma.... Early 60s Detroit iron is hardly a shining star of impact absorbtion and will transfer the full impact of the event to the passengers. While I would prefer to be seen cruising top down in a 64 Sunliner, I would feel much safer in a smaller, more modern car.

It's not about "solid"... it is all about survivability.

That's why mine is getting mods.... 3 pt seatbelts, high back buckets, padded steering wheel, and working on a collapsible column. Not too much I can do about the bumpers, etc. Probably the best thing I can do is only drive when totally drunk. (just kidding) because I've investigated so many accidents where the drunk walks away no matter what kind of car. Oh, and for good measure, it's probably a good idea to put it in my will that I be buried in the Mustang. Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

BINGO.

Brad

Impact energy and heat energy are very similar. The larger object will absorb both better, and be less likely to "radiate" that energy into whatever is in or near them. So small cars are inherently less safe than large cars, you can violate the laws of physics. However, if a small car has things to protect to occupants that a large car doesn't have, it can be safer. So, a new small car "may" be safer than a 1970s LTD, but I'm not conceding that it is. All things equal, you are much more likely to live though or not sustain injuries in a larger car.

-Rich

Good passenger restraints can give the benefit of preventing passenger compartment intrusion and not impacting things inside the car. Plus maybe the car will survive too.

Yes, I understand crumple zones and such, but sometimes (sides) there isn't much distance to crumple.

Especially when an 18 wheeler rolls over ya.... Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video. http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg

AND therein lies the answer. It really comes down to the mass differential between the colliding objects.

Funny you mention that. My '75 maverick was hit in the door by a semi. That's where real steel structure matters. It held. Those cars had huge door beams by modern standards. Like a frame rail. The door skin was formed around the beam. The side was pressed in only about an inch.

"mass differential"... kinda sounds like someone gettin' ready for church.... But you're right in many ways.... it's like ..........where the rubber meets the toad..... Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video. http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg