[Bottom Torque]

"The car was newly bought and there couldn't be any major problem with it,'' a family member told TOI. So, it must be the face-lifted Swift

[1100D]

How difficult it is to kick the front or the rear windscreen out? They are just pasted using adhesive and a hard kick could pop them out. Just asking?

[TaurusAl]

Even if I lock all doors centrally, I can still open the door individually manually by the knob next to the door handle from inside in my Ritz. So I don't think power failure should affect the opening of doors in emergency.

I feel he must have lost the presence of mind open to open it manually in the event of power failure and car getting engulfed in flames. Poor guy, what an age to rest in peace. My heart goes out to his family.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by shimoo

The new Fiesta, Polo and Vento can never be locked from inside. If you lock the car, the the doors won't open from the outside, but will open from the inside, unless the child lock is engaged. I think apart from these there are other cars that have a similar safety mechanism. If someone knows of any other such cars, please state here for the knowledge of the forum's members. Probably such a mechanism could have saved this man's life. May his soul rest in peace.

Even Figo and i20 doesn't lock from inside unless the child lock is engaged. Swift/Dzire/Ritz has a separate knob on each door which can be used to unlock the door manually. I have seen this knob in sunny as well.

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by 1100D

How difficult it is to kick the front or the rear windscreen out? They are just pasted using adhesive and a hard kick could pop them out. Just asking?

No. Don't even try the front windshield; it's made to be unbreakable (safety glass) and even if you did manage to shatter it (unlikely in the time you have), the stickiness of safety glass can make it hard to get through.

Side and rear windows are the best options for escape. If you have no tools or heavy objects to break the window with, use your feet. If you have detachable headrests, they would make a great tool for window breaking, as already suggested by a few members. If you have high heels, these might work when placed at the center of the window. Otherwise aim to kick near the front of the window or along the hinges. Be aware that it's very hard to break a window by kicking, so find these breakpoints.

Kicking should be the last resort. Kicking the front windscreen out happens only in the movies. If you try that, you are likely to break your ankles, before you break the glass.

Rajan

[hrman]

Very Sad incident. What a way to die. May his soul rest in Peace and may the family have the courage to bear and overcome this shock.

This brings me to these thoughts:-

1. Is the sunfilm ban a blessing in disguise? Sunfilm is plastic and at the time of rescue by smashing the glass, the sunfilm makes it difficult to penetrate the glass and pull out the victim to safety, especially from inside.
2. The contention that this happens mostly in Ventos, Rapid or Nanos doesnt hold much water anymore. If this can happen to Maruti's best seller, what can we think about other cars.
3. Why isnt there a manual override to central locking, and if it is there, why does this not work?
4. I haven't seen most of the manufacturers coming out with a thorough analysis of why this happens and taking steps to make cars more safe? Shouldnt the government put pressure on them to make cars safer rather than increasing fuel prices left right and center?

Boy.. When will they take action, so many innocent lives gone by burning in cars.

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by 1100D

How difficult it is to kick the front or the rear windscreen out? They are just pasted using adhesive and a hard kick could pop them out. Just asking?

The driver's manual of my Palio MJD says that the occupants should break the window glasses in case of emergency because they are weaker than front and rear windshields.

However, when an occupant spots the fire, panic takes away the presence of mind from the equation. The more one takes time to get out, the more panicky she/he becomes, and does something stupid. The only way one can overcome panic is by training.

Remember the people jumping out of burning buildings even though there is more hope in hanging on?

[1100D]

This is what a google search revealed.

How to Escape From a Burning Car | eHow.com

[shashank.nk]

Is there a chance of Carbon Monoxide poisoning inside the cabin when a car catches fire ?

If so, it may leave the occupants unconscious and may even impair their ability to think. Carrying a hammer or using headrests is the safest way i guess, unless your a kick-boxing champ

[CRtorquefan]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

Even if I lock all doors centrally, I can still open the door individually manually by the knob next to the door handle from inside in my Ritz. So I don't think power failure should affect the opening of doors in emergency.

I feel he must have lost the presence of mind open to open it manually in the event of power failure and car getting engulfed in flames. Poor guy, what an age to rest in peace. My heart goes out to his family.

Presence of CO(Carbon Monoxide) inside the car, Impairs the thinking & reaction capabilities. And If fire crops up from Inside(as it was happened in Vento in Mumbai) then there'll be an Immediate action of CO on persons inside the car & If the fire has cropped up in engine bay, then CO may seep in from AC of the car(as there must be always a l'll bit of air leakage in Blower system).
Even the same thing happened in Chandigarh last year, when a young couple died in an Accent with AC running due to CO poisoning, which have seeped in via its HVAC system).

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Even Figo and i20 doesn't lock from inside unless the child lock is engaged. Swift/Dzire/Ritz has a separate knob on each door which can be used to unlock the door manually. I have seen this knob in sunny as well.

Central locking system uses Electrical trigger mechanism to operate the Locks both Inside & Outside. So, Wire-operated Mechanical system(as in M800, Alto, etc) are usually absent in such cars, except in base variants of some cars which comes without Central locking(Swift, Ritz, Dzire L-variants).
So, In variants with Electrical central locking, with failure in Electrical system of a car, Central locking operation becomes Ineffective, making Internal lock fobs non-functional which ultimately leads to Driver/passengers being trapped inside.

Originally Posted by shashank.nk

Is there a chance of Carbon Monoxide poisoning inside the cabin when a car catches fire ?

If so, it may leave the occupants unconscious and may even impair their ability to think. Carrying a hammer or using headrests is the safest way i guess, unless your a kick-boxing champ

Yes, it can happen in more than 1 way, as explained above.
There's very l'll reaction time in Gas poisoning cases, even that can happen in a very severe traffic jam too.
So, thorough knowledge & proper training makes one bit more aware to tackle such kind of situation, if Unfortunately anyone comes across it.

[nandans2005]

Originally Posted by Y@SH

Why cant cars have a basic feature of auto unlock when there is a fire?

Necessity is the mother of invention!! Hope somebody will do it sometime soon.

But the way this incident has occured is too difficult to digest.

[tanwaramit]

read this in todays Hindustan too.

http://www.livehindustan.com/news/lo...catiopnvalue=1

the guy called PCR and fire brigade too, but couldnt save himself.

I have kept pliers in the glovebox as a precaution, cant understand why the door locks fail on such occasions, while it should be opposite.

[lifeat100k]

Very unfortunate incident, very sad that some one can be so unlucky. My heart goes out to his family and friends. May his Soul Rest in Peace.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Just request folks to give a deep thought with regards to safety while buying an automobile.

So what do you suggest to buy for safety? I have seen fire incidents with all manufacturer's cars Maruti to Hyundai, Honda to Skoda, Bimmers to Mercs, everything from Nanos to Ferraris have caught fire in past. Fresh incidents for Vento and Rapid were reported some time back.

Whats famous and popular is not everytime the most safest.

What makes you believe that sales duds are safer?

BTW the car being talked about here was not a new car(going by the registration number published in the newspaper).

[ethan3686]

Its done now. I have decided to keep hammars below my car seat. In each car of mine. Hammers are better anyday over a plier or a spanner.