I'vealways wondered if it's illegal in Germany to have a large dog loose inside the vehicle when driving. Anything of course ...engines back there being hauled ...transmissions .. anything with any heft is a possible lethal hazard. Somehow though ...we don't read about many deaths from loose objects inside the vehicle .. and for sure I'd say the common motorist never gives it a thought .. like say a medium size dog on the dash board of a big RV , lol.
On 12/17/2012 8:09 PM, Don Hanson wrote: > On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 5:36 PM, Robert Stevens <mtbiker62@gmail.com> wrote: > >>> Several extinguishers are great but might be a hazard in a crash if >>> mounted behind legs/feet with typical extinguisher mounts. Behind the >> seat >>> pedestals should much better. >>> > Extinguishers are a proven hazard if they aren't mounted securely. Now > in a Vanagon, there are often a lot of other potential 'loose > objects'....at least in many of the vans I see. People simply do not > think about stuff 'flying around' inside as much as they really should. I > know I take chances (understatement) in my vanagon when I often use it as > a work vehicle (to make my fuel costs not exceed my earnings (Ha!) in the > housing trade) and carry tools around.......But in case of a freeway or > highway speed rollover or other high speed accident....loose items inside > the vehicle DO become lethal.... I would probably be in serious trouble in > the event of a rollover in my van with my work stuff aboard. > > One of the cardinal rules of High Performance driving events and races is > that nothing loose or potentially loose is ever ever allowed inside a > vehicle. In one of our first participations in those Open Road high speed > events, a driver in a Mercedes small sedan went off the course and rolled. > He was killed by his fire extinguisher, which came loose and hit him in the > back during multiple rolls at about 130mph. His helmet was also cracked, > but he died from an internal injury caused by the flying fire bottle...His > mount was improperly installed... > > Those inexpensive household extinguisher mounts, plastic or a wall > hook/bracket with some kinda tear away strap?...Not safe for use in a > moving vehicle. There are inexpensive but secure, quick release > vehicle-specific mounts that are appropriate... > > Think about that, next time you toss your 50lb tool box or a hydraulic > jack behind the rear bench and fly off down the interstate.... > > .Next time you see a clothes dryer in operation....imagine yourself as > firmly mounted inside (like with your seatbelt in your van) while > everything that is loose behaves like all those clothes...Not a pleasant > thought, contemplating a rollover accident, but they do happen and if you > can minimize flying objects inside in case it does happen....you should do. > > Don Hanson > |
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