Manual windows

[ChasingOurTrunks]

Electric everything is great until the power goes out i.e. water ingress, accident etc.
Are you or your passengers confident smashing tempered glass when the car is sinking?
It's something that causes me to stop and think.
My cars range from sliding window in the series Landy to manual windows in 3 1960s cars to occasionally faulty electric windows in
cars that have experienced "moisture".
On a side note , if I'm sinking I shall use the safari windows for egress. Unless I'm upside down.

I think these (not necessarily this exact brand, but this idea) is essential in a 4x4 that plays near the water; more critical with electric windows but the belt cutter part is also very handy.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B087PV7LXQ/?tag=globalgrena0b-20

EDIT: @bemax and I were posting at the same time!

 

[emax]

30 years ago I was hired for an IBM job on the CeBIT fair in Hannover.

One morning, I found my car (BMW 325i) broken into and the car radio stolen. The police explained me how they did this: They used a spark plug to crack the window: They break the porcelain insulator and just tap the broken part on the window glass. It breaks immediately and without a big bang.

Same principle as an emergency hammer but less noisy.

EDIT: typo

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

30 years ago I was hired for an IBM job on the CeBIT fair in Hannover.

One morning, I found my car (BMW 325i) broken into and the car radio stolen. The police explained me how the did this: They used a spark plug to crack the window: They break the porcelain insulator and just tap the broken part on the window glass. It breaks immediately and without a big bang.

Same principle as an emergency hammer but less noisy.

Takes a long time to cut a seatbelt with a sparkplug though

(Kidding of course - I always have a knife on me so the spark plug is not a bad idea. I like the punch/cutter combos as they often come with clips that are easy to permanently mount near the driver and thus fairly easy to grab in an emergency)

 

[emax]

For theft, a spark plug is a less suspicious item than an emergency hammer, I guess. ;-)

But I agree and have already thought about an emergency hammer for my car. It got however forgotten and I have just written down a note to order such a thing.

EDIT: typo.

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

For theft, a spark plug is a less suspicious item than an emergency hammer, I guess. ;-)

But I agree and have already thought about an emergency hammer for my car. I got however forgotten and I have just written down a note to order such a thing.

"I swear officer, the hammer is just for when I take Ubers and taxis because I find they often don't have one and I like to be prepared" likely wouldn't hold up well enough to dismiss 'reasonable suspicion' I suppose!

 

[bemax]

If you want a tool like this you should have a look at the reqme tool one page back. You just push it against the window and streches adoring with it. After the trigger point is reached the spring accelerates a small steel tip towards the Glas and brakes it. It works very good and is handy

 

[emax]

That's how automatic center punches work. They are comfortable but counteract their own purpose: precision.

Which is of course not required for breaking a glass. ;-)

 

[bemax]

Precision? They do precisely what they are made for. And a save belt knife is included as well

 

[emax]

Did you read the entire post? ;-)

 

[bemax]

Did you read the entire post? ;-)

Yes but as you did I just wanted to write a little more

 

[cheswick]

If you want a tool like this you should have a look at the reqme tool one page back. You just push it against the window and streches adoring with it. After the trigger point is reached the spring accelerates a small steel tip towards the Glas and brakes it. It works very good and is handy

There’s also this one from 5.11. It’s a bit larger which would probably make it less fiddly in an accident and also has a clip if you can find a good spot (maybe on the visor)

 

[ChasingOurTrunks]

There’s also this one from 5.11. It’s a bit larger which would probably make it less fiddly in an accident and also has a clip if you can find a good spot (maybe on the visor)

That is a good one to know about, thanks Chej. 5.11 is a bit to "Tacti-Cool" for my tastes in clothing and gear; as a military aged male with a beard I'm very conscious of using much military-style gear when I travel; no matter how robust and utilitarian it may be, it can draw the wrong kind of attention. But there's no question that they make exceptionally good quality stuff. For an emergency tool like this, you don't want to reach for it when you need to find that the seatbelt cutter wouldn't even work on Brie cheese, or that the handle breaks before the window does, or whatever else might happen with a cheaper model like the one I linked. These aren't exactly cheap to test, either, so there's confidence in buying from a reputable brand.

 

[Shaky]

If you really want to stand out from the crowd just wear the ceramic part from a Grolsch bottle top on a leather lace round your neck. A mid 90’s fashion must have becomes an instant car window smasher with its own built in handle.

About 4000 car thieves can’t be wrong !!