Mitch McConnell’s billionaire sister-in-law Angela Chao made panicked last call before dying in ‘completely submerged’ Tesla on Texas ranch: report - eviltoast
  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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    8 months ago

    Wow, he referenced her death in his retirement statement, but I just assumed it was age related because… well… look at them.

    Always remember, if your car goes in the water, you CAN’T open your door until the pressure equalizes. You have pounds of water pushing against the door, keeping it closed.

    Mythbusters went over this… Undo your seat belt and let the water IN. When there’s enough water inside, open the door.

    • Everythingispenguins@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Shortly after Mythbusters did that bit. They were directly credited with saving a trucker’s life. He crashed into a lake. His window didn’t work but he had a manual roof vent, which he was able to open to equalize the pressure. He said he would have never done that if he hadn’t seen the episode because of how scary it was to watch the water pour into his cab.

      Spelling

      • IMongoose@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Adam Savage has said that that was the most terrifying myth they’ve tested, and I’m pretty sure even with all of their divers and support crew he thought he was going to die.

        • Cort@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          I think part of it was the fact that they used an old smoker’s car. I remember him talking about the nicotine burning his eyes and all the smoke and nicotine clouded up the water making seeing anything even more difficult.

    • the16bitgamer@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      This is a Tesla right? Those door handles are electric, so you need to hope the cars electrics hold and not short. Or you can find the emergency release in the door pocket.

      • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        you can find the emergency release in the door pocket.

        Not without some training first. They are inexplicably hidden. I imagine Elon laughing aloud when he reads of people drowning in Teslas, frantically trying to figure out how to escape.

      • lobut@lemmy.ca
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        8 months ago

        I’ve heard they have some manual door latch backups? do you know if they’d be affected as well?

        • Bezier@suppo.fi
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          8 months ago

          If the backups aren’t the door handles themselves, where are they located, and how many owners and passengers know about them?

        • the16bitgamer@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Ah I was confusing the front and rear doors. From this video it looks like it’s in the door arm rests, while the rear door is burred in the rear door pocket under a flap. Both appear to operate the latch manually so no electricity required.

        • Uvine_Umbra@discuss.tchncs.de
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          8 months ago

          They’re completely manual. There’s a manual door latch literally right below the button you’d press inside to open it.

          Pull that up & the door unlatches to open.

          They’re literally designed in for emergencies.

          It’s the same in the model 3, Y, & S.

          • AnAngryAlpaca@feddit.de
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            8 months ago

            I just watched the video above. I’d say it’s a criminally bad design, because the emergency open is completely hidden from the casual observer and completely blending in with the other colors and shapes of the armrest. This makes it useless in an emergency.

            There is a reason why Fire extinguishers, seatbelt release buttons, emergency exit signs, emergency brakes in trains etc. are all designed in bright, red stand-out colors with big letters on them.

    • skeptomatic@lemmy.ca
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      8 months ago

      Helicopter Egress Training they actually have you keep your seat belt(s) on until the cabin is filled with water, pressure equalized, AND door/window opened. The reason is, to push a door or window open you need a solid “foundation” and if you’re unstrapped floating in water you may only push your body away.
      A road vehicle has a smaller cabin and more hand/foot holds, but I thought it worth mentioning.

      • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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        8 months ago

        I think the reason they mention it is, in a car full of water, it would be an easy thing to forget, then if you get the door open, you panic because you still can’t get out.

    • robdor@lemmynsfw.com
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      8 months ago

      Top gear also did this and their results were pretty much just get out of the car as soon as you know you’re going in the water.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Yes. There are three phases to going into the water. Getting out before pressure builds, waiting for pressure equalization or creating it, and getting out after pressure equalizes.

        There’s a lot of situations where you will not have time to get the door open, like busting a turn rail and flying into the water. Obviously if you’re going in slowly and can’t stop it, (Like a slick boat ramp pulling a truck in.), just get out early.

      • perestroika@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        Smash anything but a windshield. I’ve needed to violently remove a windshield when replacing it (time was running out and tool shops were closed). Wearing protective glasses and pushing with both legs is what it took to somewhat loosen it, but not immediately remove it. Windshields are a multilayer structure of plastic and glass. Side windows are just glass.