From: oyalcin@IASTATE.EDU (Onur Yalcin)
Subject: Re: What are some common myths about driving?
Reply-To: oyalcin@IASTATE.EDU (Onur Yalcin)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 17:28:32 GMT

In article <1992Dec24.144208.9227@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>,
bqueiser@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Brian J Queiser) writes:
> oyalcin@iastate.edu (Onur Yalcin) writes:
> 
> >One most common that I know is the belief that the doors should be locked
> >during travel. This is as much wrong a belief as it is widespread.
> >Actually, the doors are recommended to be *unlocked* during travel, so that 
> > 
> >...
> >
> >Some cars actually have a mechanism that pops the door locks open during a
> >crash.
> 
> I think this information is entirely incorrect (but, hey, I've been wrong
> before).
> 
> Reason why is this:
> 
> Car doors *should* be locked during travel for safety reasons.  First safety
> reason is: carjacking, mugging, etc.  Second reason is:  door locks help
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This reason is irrelevant with this discussion. The safety that is mentioned
here is not related with that safety tried to be developed by the car
manufacturers. It is just common sense to lock your door in an area where you
don't feel comfortable, just like locking your house door at nights. This is not
related with "driving safety".

> prevent door from opening during an accident.  Onur has it backwords; some
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eh, no... This is the "common myth" I was criticizing. Locking the car doors
only prevents them to be opened by hand, from the outside door handle. Except
that, locked and unlocked doors would react the same way to physical forces.
Locking the door does NOT reinforce the grip of the door locks; it just
disengages the exterior door handles.

> manufacturers put automatic *locking* mechanisms into doors, so that they
> *lock* during a crash.  In fact, some newer cars have a "feature" that

I have never heard of this feature before. But given what I wrote above, this is
probably meant for cases that you put forward above (carjacking etc...).

> automatically locks the doors when the car is put into gear.  (I call it
> a "feature" because in some cases it is annoying, like in the Acheiva,
> where the doors won't unlock and open when the handle is pulled, forcing
> you to contort your hand to reach for the lock button that is placed in

All the cars that I have driven, with only the exception of a friend's 84 Olds
Caprice Classic (the only american I have driven so far) would let you open the
door as soon as you pull the interior door handles regardless whether they are
locked or not. What kind of a safety feature is this, if it makes you lose time
to evacuate the car?

> an awkward position on the door.)  Third safety reason:  child locks in
> back keep little hands from opening doors.


Child locks act the way normal locks do. Except that child locks prevent the
door to be opened from the *inside* door handle. Much like the normal door
locks, they have no effect on the door's opening during the accident.
Furthermore, they won't help you in cases of carjacking, too. Don't you agree
that this is not really relevant?

> 
> While I agree that it appears to be rather unsafe to be unconscious
> and locked in your car, it is actually the lesser of two evils (vs.
> getting thrown out; studies show that driver/passenger(s) are safer
> in their car during an accident).  The window can be broken by rescue
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I strongly agree with this. But, again, car locks do not improve this chance.


> crews or whoever else comes to the assistance of the car's occupants.
> The glass is tempered so that it shatters into very small, relatively
> harmless pieces (they look a lot like teeny, tiny cubes).
> 
> Also, Mercedes and Volvo (and perhaps some others) beef up their door
> handles so that they can be grabbed and pulled on rather forcefully,
> or so a crow bar can be slipped through, etc.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Brian
> 
> bqueiser@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> I am the engineer, I can choose K.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Department of Engineering Mechanics
> Ohio State University
> Columbus, OH



My Renault 21, All Opels starting from Kadet (same design as pontiac Le Mans in
the US) - that is the Vectra, Omega and the Senator; And Audis equipped with a
pro-con-ten safety package (the one alternative to air bags - where the steering
wheel is retrieved backwards, away from the driver) pop the door locks open in
case of an accident. This is sensed by essentially the same mechanism which
activates the air bag (i.e. as soon as a deflection is sensed in some particular
part in [or under] the hood).

Given the door locking feature that Brian mentioned, I should admit that this
matter is not as straight as I see it. Maybe the locking mechanism on those cars
is different - but I doubt so. 


Have yourselves a Happy X-mas, and a prosperous new year, I wish BMW's to
everyone for the next year.

--
Onur Yalcin 
oyalcin@iastate.edu

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