Merv's Politically Incorrect Audio Blog

They do have a manual release. It’s pretty simple for the front doors, just a latch that’s right in front of the window controls. Backs doors are a little trickier, but I assume she was driving

 

Might not have done her any good anyway. Once the doors are under water, it's hard to get them open because of the pressure. What's really needed in that situation is manual window opening.

 

glass breaker - everyone should have them in the car... preferably on their person or in the driver side door cubby (also passenger side). NOT in the glove box, trunk, under a seat, etc...
----edit----
added link to pocket knife glass breakers

 

Even that is really difficult, because the pressure generates friction on the window, it takes a LOT of effort to wind down.

Best plan is to have a dedicated car window break tool. And even then you need the strength and presence of mind to use that and to swim out.......

 

And if you can manage all that, if your car flips it can be hard to orient yourself to swim toward the surface.

 

Like everything else, this is easy, but ONLY if one has presence of mind and doesn’t panic. Just exhale a small bit and watch which way the bubbles go. Follow them.

The hard part: not panicking…

 

I have these in all my cars even though I live in the desert SW with almost no standing water (The 'Rio Grande', "Big River" hardly ever has more than a foot of water where I'm at - that's less than a 1/3 of a meter for you folks in the rest of the world ). I give myself a 50/50 chance of using one effectively if it comes to it, my wife/daughters not that much. If I lived back east where folks drive into water and drown on a regular basis I think I would have a drill once or twice with my wife/daughters on what to do...

 

Another option is a flashlight with a window breaker bezel. Two useful tools in one type of thing. Only thing I've seen people overlook is not making sure the grip of a particular light is "enough" for your own hands to where if you need to use it your grip doesn't just slide forward into the glass.

 

I do have one of those funny hammers in the car, but, if I was really serious about it, I'd have an automatic centre punch. (Here's a Starrett, but you can buy much cheaper). This thing will dent steel with ease, single handed. In fact, when I bought one for my home workshop, someone at work commented, "Ahh, yes, what every handy car radio thief has in their pocket." I once heard that if you have to break a car window, never hit it in the middle: attack it in a corner. The middle has the most flex.

And it isn't just water. A fairly minor accident can jam doors.

Oh, and they are really useful tools too. And great fun: marvel at the fact they even work!

Make some dings in a piece of steel today!

 

that's a great idea... I have a bunch of those in the shop that I can repurpose (I tend to misplace them, buy new, and eventually find them again... so I accumulated a bunch the last time I cleaned out the shop)

 

I have a glass hammer in my glove box. It also has a seat belt cutter, which I might not be able to reach with it being in the glove box, that would suck for sure. Perhaps I will move it. Most vehicles that end up in the water here do so by falling through the ice. I don't take my car ice fishing so if I drown it will probably be in someone else's truck anyway.

 

Lot's of pocket knives with glass breakers too, from $-$$$.

 

Also, ninja rocks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_rocks

Blew my mind the first time I saw it work.

 

Was a favorite toy growing up in East Vancouver...

 

The weird part to me is the locale. Johnson city. Was she lured to a “date” at a nearby winery? No conceivable reason otherwise for someone of her wealth and connections to be in THAT area.

[Edit: read the WSJ article. So I was right, it happened at a resort/winery - that area is stinking full of them. My thought was - confirmed by the article - that it HAD to be very NEAR other people. The only water in that part of Texas is guaran-gawd-dang-teed to be OWNED by a rich rancher or winery. Cause there ain’t OTHER water, unless one is dumb enough to drive into the Pedernales river (relatively nearby), but that doesn’t often have enough water in it… her own ranch. HMMM]

I’m certain the reason she was offed is the same reason McTurtle is stepping back/down. Ultimatum from the masters no doubt.
Read Schweitzers book that just came out yet?

 

typically no, they usually won't work on a windshield (would be tough to swing at a sloped windshield from the inside anyway... too much shite in the way (dash, steering wheel, review mirror, cell phone holder, etc).

They're meant for the corner of a side window

 

I've never tried breaking a car window, from inside or out. Hope I never have to.

In theory, though, I am convinced that the automatic centre punch would be the best thing (next to a bullet?). One would have to practise, just to get the feel. Not necessarily on glass.

But hey, who's ever practised hitting anything with those toy hammers?

I've had car windows broken, both theft and vandalism, a couple of times. Not much hassle getting it fixed: huge hassle finding and cleaning out all the tiny bits of glass. Hmmm... that's all going to go in your face when the water comes in. Even if, no, it's not really sharp.

Hoping this remains strictly hypothetical for all of us!

 

The layer of plastic in the laminated glass is there specifically to keep the window from shattering. The hammer (or punch, or whatever) will certainly crack it, but it will still hold together as it is designed to do. Even a broken windshield has to be removed as one big piece. You might be able to kick it out, but it would be a far better plan to break a side window if you have to.