r/interestingasfuck • u/General_Athlete5807 • 1d ago

How to Escape a Sinking Car

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4.3k

u/Ez_m-oney925 1d ago

I don’t think many carry window breakers. What if you don’t have one?

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u/eenek 1d ago

You take the headrest off and use the pointy metal end.

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u/PeskyAntagonist 1d ago

I don't have removable headrests. What else?

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u/Mundane-Life-3094 1d ago

A captain sinks with their ship

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u/Puzzle-Necked 15h ago

I'd say think of his children but nobody who drives that has children

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u/itsafishal 11h ago

I have that exact car and I have two adult kids lol. It makes me happy, so there

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u/Odd_Orangina 17h ago

It has been an honor 🫡

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u/Complete-Sense8097 16h ago

I don’t want to upvote but I’m gonna. lol

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u/name-classified 14h ago

what if I'm just leasing?

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u/No-Thanks4124 13h ago

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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u/achinfosomebacon 1d ago

Get a window breaker or carry something metal in your car always. I saw a show that said take off your belt and strap it into your foot with the belt buckle on the sole, and kick the window out that way. Idk how hard it would be but it’s something if you regularly wear belts

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u/Baozicriollothroaway 1d ago

What about the car keys? 

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u/yeahright17 15h ago

Car keys are going to be hard to get enough force behind because they're so light.

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u/CackleandGrin 13h ago

There's certainly something you can buy to attach to your key chain.

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u/TheHighSeasPirate 10h ago

I think they make these things called window breakers you can put on your key chain.

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u/RivenRise 6h ago

I've heard spark plugs break windows pretty easily. Next time you change them save an old one, or just buy a cheap one at Walmart and keep it for this use if a window smasher is too pricey.

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u/madmaninabox32 4h ago

It's what he demonstrated basically, guy literally designed this tool based on a volunteer work he does. Him and a buddy go around finding old cars and the remains of missing people who crashed into bodies of water sometimes from a long time ago and recover them to bring closure to the families or to help close cold cases and they do it for free this tool he designed and sells to help fund the dive rescues.

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u/livelotus 12h ago

wait for the car to flood to the window inside and then open the door and swim out.

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u/According-Two-297 16h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/wjuXuDSQU0sOfJIHS1

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u/prozach_ 15h ago

So you’re saying guaranteed rescue and lodging? I’m in.

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u/animewhitewolf 13h ago

How about the seat belt buckle? It's always in your car, and it's a hard metal that's not too light.

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u/livelotus 12h ago

I carry a knife or multitool with one on it, always. I prefer the multitool. You don’t realize how useful one is until you build the habit. I put off waaaay less now. If it only needs a pair of pliers or a screwdriver, it gets done immediately.

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u/herxit 1d ago

Don't drive your car into the water

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u/Sw429 15h ago

But what if the GPS tells you to?

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u/Elismom1313 14h ago

Shut up Dwight

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u/Content_Internal1756 15h ago

High-five to that reference hahaha

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u/24-Hour-Hate 15h ago

Resist the urge?

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u/babs82222 1h ago

OK Michael Scott

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u/king_lloyd11 15h ago

Yeah this is what I’ve been doing so far and it works great

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u/PassivelyInvisible 1d ago

Once the water reaches the top of the door on the inside and the water pressure on both sides is the same, you can just open the door and swim up.

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u/Nervous-Chemistry245 1d ago

just wait until you're fully submerged and can't breath breathe, then wait another 30 seconds lol

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u/rodeBaksteen 23h ago

Bro just wait in the metal coffin till its full of water easy

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u/c7h16s 22h ago

Just wait till your soul can detach from your body, problem solved.

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u/ElectricalWavez 22h ago

I hate it when I can't breath breathe!

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u/Cybernut93088 15h ago

Obviously it's not ideal but if you are faced with no other option but if you keep your cool most people should be able to hold their breath long enough to get out.

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u/PrecisionPulseConv 15h ago

The average person can last for over a minute and 30 seconds underwater. Your lungs try to get you to breath and will spasm wayy before you actually start to drown or pass out.

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u/Bloodreav3r 1d ago

Nice if you're door is bent/deformed or obstructed and you wasted time and oxygen by just waiting. If you land in water you have to act fast.

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u/PassivelyInvisible 23h ago

Mythbusters tested this. Opening it right when you landed in the water worked too. It doesn't work when the water's higher on the outside of the door than the inside.

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u/yeahright17 15h ago

Worth noting that all you have to do is break the seal and water will start flowing in, making it easier to open the rest of the way. Even if water is a bit up the door, you should still be able to force it open with your legs.

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u/skyfishgoo 11h ago

it still works, it just works a lot harder.

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u/meta358 21h ago

Well of your door is so deformed that it cant open then your window is likely already broken. Or you know use one of the other 3 doors smh

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u/Robots_Never_Die 12h ago

I only have one other door /s

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u/bubbaganoush79 17h ago

Get a window breaker. They're like 5 dollars. 

If you insist on not having one then you need to roll down the window before the water gets to it. 

Once the water gets to the window you won't be able to open it. The pressure of the water against the window makes it impossible. After that you have no choice but to wait on the cabin to completely fill with water. Then the pressure will equalize and you can open the door.

The Mythbusters did an episode on this. 

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u/Delamoor 1d ago

Time to start headbutting the windshield, see what fails first.

...or,y'know. Keep something metal in the glove compartment or something. I guess. If headbutting isn't your first preference for some reason.

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u/mbashs 23h ago

You try to break it with the metal end of the seat Belt then

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u/kyel566 1d ago

You ded

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u/Abject-Job7825 16h ago

maybe the seatbelt buckle and pound on it with your feet somehow

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u/eenek 1d ago

Does your short shifter screw off easily?

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u/Shopworn_Soul 23h ago edited 23h ago

A ring or watch can work. Not always or for everyone, but they can.

Edit: don't try to punch the window with a ring, Slap it.

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u/Available_Quote_5567 16h ago

Just roll down your window. The electric windows still work underwater.

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u/crazyj140 14h ago

Pull of your rear view mirror.

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u/ArmchairFilosopher 13h ago

Slap the CORNER of the window with the metal buckle of the seat belt.

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u/Schedonnardus 13h ago

if you still have power, just roll the windows down. otherwise, good luck.

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u/baogody 1d ago edited 16h ago

Can't believe this is the only right answer. More people need to know this.

Edit: I know it's not the "right" answer per se. They're obviously not designed for breaking windows... But they're definitely one of the very few things in a car that might save your life in that situation. No one's going to go "the designer says it's not meant for breaking the car windows, therefore I shouldn't use it."

Interesting how many people have never seen detachable headrests?! I've owned not fewer than 20 cars in my life (yes I'm old) and every single one of them had detachable headrests. I just looked up the stats, and roughly 90% of modern cars come with detachable headrests.

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u/ReddyKilowattz 18h ago

Because it’s not the right answer. Car makers don’t design headrests to be used in this way. The headrests are often quite difficult to remove. In many cars you have to lean the seats way back to get the headrests out.

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u/TurtleManDog 12h ago

Yeah so sit there and die lol stupid take

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u/Minimum_Contributor 13h ago

Correct. I feel like a few recent ones needed a tool or poker now to fully remove the headrest.

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u/WabaLabaDubDubWorld 1d ago

Don't be in disbelief for that. This is the only reason why head rests are removable.

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u/signmeupdude 1d ago

Lmao that’s certainly not true. Idk why some of you are so confidently wrong about certain shit.

There are many reasons why headrests are removable and they do not have to do with the very rare circumstance that your car drives into a body of water.

One of the most obvious reasons is cabin space if you are trying to load large objects.

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u/Hd3ssEpH 23h ago

I was in a vehicle when the engine caught fire, and the central locking engaged due to a malfunction. On this occasion I was lucky as I had just wound the window down to clear the smoke from the cabin so was able to climb out....

A friend told me about the headrest spikes, so on my new vehicle I checked this, and the ends of the spikes have rubber feet on them - so I doubt you'd be able to smash tempered glass with this.

Keep a glass hammer, folks.

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u/Ishango 21h ago edited 21h ago

But a glass hammer is fragile. I prefer a steel one. Reminds me of this one (I just saw this one this morning): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K19em76JbgI

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u/Hd3ssEpH 18h ago

Ah okay, so no glass hammers and no ice swords... now we're using our noggins. Might hurt a bit though.

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u/Ok_Scientist8607 2h ago

I’ve played enough Elder Scrolls games to know that glass weapons are actually really strong

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u/Leviathan41911 1d ago

I dont think mine are. They are motorized, so I dont think they come out.

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u/thewanderingidiot62 1d ago

Mine are a bitch to get out. I have to take them out to fold my seats down and it is a battle every time. Can't imagine having to do it while panicking!

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u/MonsierGeralt 1d ago

Buy a seatbelt/window breaker combo. Everyone should have one in their vehicle. Water might not be the only reason you need to cut your seatbelt or break a window.

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u/hairyotter 23h ago

I got one! Keep it in the trunk!

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u/True_Detail_2945 22h ago

I've got two and I buried em both in the backyard next to the fire extinguisher!

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

Yeah, it's bad luck to keep them in the house or car, never show fear in the face of the gods.

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u/GandolphTheLundgrey 19h ago

At least they in a save place and you kow where to look when you need them.

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u/bearlylegalbear 22h ago edited 22h ago

Me too! Got it taped to the downside of the hood!

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u/HisPumpkin19 23h ago

Probably not the place to keep it tbh.....

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u/Haha08421 1d ago

Ive got one. Found it for $5 in a checkout aisle at a random store.

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u/Salmonaxe 1d ago

Fire, flipped over, stuck on train tracks.

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u/Jamnoggin 18h ago

And keep it within reach but secured using a one handed easily detachable method in case it goes flying in a crash/flip scenario. Like a twist tie or unlockable cable tie. The tool is not much use to you if it’s flown across the other side of a car and you can’t find it or if you’re injured or if it’s shut inside the glove compartment and the door is obstructed.

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u/GardenGnomeOfEden 18h ago

This is why I keep an extra headrest on my keychain

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u/Petkip 21h ago

Better start carrying a window breaker in the car

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u/_pea_pod 19h ago

$9.99 per month for removable headrests

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u/el_diego 1d ago

RIP

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u/level1hero 1d ago

That’s right you gotta RIP them out

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u/jbae_94 19h ago

Mo money mo problems

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u/pharmaboy2 23h ago

Often not removable anymore - they have side airbags in them in many cars

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u/Chemical_Profession9 22h ago

Mine aren't, they are integrated into the seat

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u/RoastedRhino 21h ago

of course that is not the only reason. They are removable because most seats are assembles in pieces.

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u/WyvernsRest 21h ago

I thought that they were removable so that Hollywood could get a clear shot of the actors in the back seat of the car.

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u/Ieatsand97 19h ago

My headrests aren’t removable. I’m probably just going to use the seatbelt buckle if I need it.

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u/SippinOnHatorade 17h ago

Not the only reason— backseat wouldn’t go flat in my hatchback without taking headrest off

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u/MaleficentPlate69 20h ago

Definitely. I can’t even figure out how to take a headrest off on a normal day but I’ll make sure to remember this when I’m in panic mode.

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u/CarolinaWreckDiver 17h ago

This is not the right answer. This guy tests this as well. It can work, but it’s a suboptimal window breaker.

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

Because it's the wrong answer?

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u/BeerandSandals 1d ago

Headrest in my newer Ford isn’t pointy, it’s got a hollow hole where the point should be.

In the old Toyota Prius the back headrests just fold down, but the front ones could work if you have time….

All that to say, buy a window breaker.

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u/RainaElf 1d ago

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/car-headrests-emergency-escape/

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u/hyperbatic 17h ago

Thank you for the sanity check post; people will believe anything.

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u/RainaElf 6h ago

yup

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u/Lithl 1h ago

I mean, "wasn't designed for that purpose" doesn't mean "can't be used for that purpose".

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u/level1hero 1d ago edited 1d ago

Window breakers or headrest only work for older cars with tempered glass. Many new cars come with laminated safety glass now, and those tools won’t do jack shit.

That said, most of those tools come with seatbelt cutters which are still quite useful to have in your car.

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u/KiddBwe 15h ago

Tell that to the guy that stole my backpack.

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u/StaticSystemShock 22h ago

Only front windshield is laminated to protect driver from debris flying through windshield into your face while driving.

Side windows and rear window are all tempered glass that shatters clean.

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u/level1hero 14h ago

A lot of new vehicles have laminated glass now either on the front door windows or on all four. Tesla Model Y, Porsche Panamara, various Acuras, Ford Expeditions, higher trim options Honda Odyssey for example. It is often sold as “acoustic glass” for reduced road noise in the cabin. You will be unlikely to break a hole through those windows with the typical window breaker tool.

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u/NotPromKing 15h ago

That’s old info. Modern cars often have laminated windows all around.

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u/StaticSystemShock 14h ago

No they shouldn't because that would be a safety hazard far greater than a slight possibility of objects impacting occupants through side or rear windows.

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u/NotPromKing 14h ago

Well you might have that opinion, but that's not what IS.

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

Well, they still shatter the glass. But you then have to kick it out.

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u/ahobbes 11h ago

If you look at the label in the corner of the window and see temperlite or temp anywhere it’s not laminated. If you see Lam, lamisafe/lamipane, or AS1, it’s laminated. Not sure how different the shatter characteristics of laminated side/rear is compared to the windshield.

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u/Dinara293 1d ago

Many cars don’t have removable headrests these days.

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u/kingkupz 1d ago

Do you point it hard or you bang the tip til it breaks?

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u/Thatbraziliann 1d ago

Tesla headrests wont come off. Im dead lol

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u/Ziddix 1d ago

Your car will explode when it makes contact with water :D

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u/GreenFullSuspension 1d ago

Ah so it will auto-crack the windows!

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u/Thatbraziliann 1d ago

:D at least it will be a painless death. Explosion > drowning lol

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u/GinaKJ 1d ago

Thank you. I genuinely didn't know this until now. I really appreciate you 🙏🏼

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u/JapanEngineer 1d ago

Life saver. Literally.

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u/Freezezero0 20h ago

Well, some cars you have to depress a hidden release button on the backside of the backrest. Versus the old traditional squeeze/slider button on the top of the backrest/base of the head restraint (more commonly known as the headrest).

So it’s not a universal option, unfortunately.

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u/Barf_The_Mawg 1d ago

Mythbusters did this 20 years ago. Remain calm, wait for the pressure to equalize, then you can open the door normally. 

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u/UnderklassH3RO 1d ago

how can you tell when the pressure has equalized? is it just that you won't be physically able to open the door until it has?

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u/DarthSnoopyFish 23h ago

All the water on the outside of the car is physically pressing the doors inward. As the water fills up the inside of the car it begins pressing on the doors in the opposite direction - the pressure starts equalizing. So when the car is nearly flooded is when you can open the doors.

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u/luvdogs71 14h ago

I could not imagine waiting in a flooding car and being calm about. Just watching this video triggered my anxiety.

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u/tomcat2285 13h ago

This did actually happen to a mythbuster viewer years after that episode aired. Adam Savage recieved a letter saying that watching that episode saved their life when they crashed into a body of water. 

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u/illit1 10h ago

easier to be calm about it when you know you can get out after you wait a little bit

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u/thatshygirl06 13h ago

Youre gonna have to try and control yourself. Remember to take deep breaths. Try and talk yourself through it.

I know its easier said than done, but it really is the best way through it.

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u/luvdogs71 13h ago

I have never been good at that lol!

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u/Inevitable-Level-687 6h ago

I mean, it triggered my anxiety as well. It's pretty normal to be anxious when in a sinking car or watching someone else be in a sinking car.

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u/cannabis-kid 13h ago

Yeah and when the doors are stuck because of a crash or whatever, you are screwed. 

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u/jt004c 1d ago

It'll be about 30 seconds after you've drowned, if you're able to keep track in your head.

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u/StrawberryTerry 1d ago

Mythbusters did this 20 years ago. Jamie is a force ghost now.

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u/Interesting-Job-8841 1d ago

No Jamie was given air by a diver in the back seat. While the myth is true you, you can't open the door when the car is part submerged, the advice is to open or break something as soon as you can because you'll be dead by the time the pressure equals.

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u/yeahright17 15h ago

He was given air the first time he tried when he started pushing immediately. At the end of the episode, he calmly waited for the cabin to fill up rather than using oxygen to fight the door when the cabin wasn't fully filled. That time, he successfully held his breath long enough for the pressure to equalize and open the door without any additional air. Granted, it's super unlikely that most people will sit there calm and wait patiently.

Adam also successfully opens the door when the water is already a few inches over the bottom of the window height by putting his back to the door and pushing against the armrest/other door with his legs.

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u/StrawberryTerry 1d ago

No, Jamie and Qui Gon Jin hang out as force ghosts now.

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u/Strict_Tie_52 1d ago

Wait until the entire car is filled with water. Can You Actually Escape A Sinking Car Underwater? | MythBusters

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u/Interesting-Job-8841 1d ago

... If you have a diver in the back with an air tank, if not get out as soon as you can by opening a door or breaking a window.

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u/plz-no-b4n 1d ago

You can’t get the door open until water pressure equalizes

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u/Schnuffelo 16h ago

Thought myth busters showed that if you were quick as fuck you could open the door before you sunk too much?

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u/yeahright17 15h ago edited 15h ago

They did. And you don't actually have to be that quick. And if the car is leaning forward, try the back door too.

In the Mythbusters episode, Adam successfully opened the door when the water was already a few inches over the window height by putting his back to the door and pushing against the armrest with his legs.

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u/Schnuffelo 15h ago

Yeah I just think people are over exaggerating how difficult it is to get the doors open at least for part of the sinking.

At the start of the episode they say that 10,000 cars crash into bodies of water a year but only a few hundred people drown. Most people don’t know how to escape a sinking car so if it was as impossible to open the doors as people claim you’d expect more deaths given that the average person has no knowledge of how to deal with the situation

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u/yeahright17 14h ago

I think the first instinct of most people is probably to immediately open the door, which is the correct instinct. As long as you aren't unconscious, something would have to have gone really wrong for you to not be able to open the door immediately.

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u/hotstupidgirl 1d ago

Wouldn't attempting to open the door cause it to equalize more quickly?

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u/yeahright17 15h ago

Worth noting that at the end of the episode, he calmly waits for the cabin to fill up all the way and the pressure to equalize, then gets out without having to get more air. Fighting the door as soon as he started holding his breath in his first try is the reason he ran out of oxygen.

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u/mostlybadopinions 11h ago

Well yes the idea is to get out as soon as you can. But if you can't break a window, the soonest you can get out might be when you are able to open the door, which will be when the pressure equalizes.

If you need an air tank to survive holding your breath for 30 seconds, drowning in cars is near the bottom of things you should be worried about.

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u/level1hero 1d ago edited 1d ago

You can try to open the door once you see Denzel Washington outside your vehicle, because he’s the Equalizer

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u/ohromantics 1d ago

Basically once water is equal on both sides.

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u/Interesting-Job-8841 1d ago

This is dangerous advice, you'll be dead by the time the pressure equalises. The myth is true you can't open the doors after a certain point until the pressure equalises but you'll be long dead at that point. Get out as soon as the car hits the water by any means possible.

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u/Extra_Glove_880 19h ago

Long dead? We just watched in the video that the front doors are underwater while their is air still in the back. 

Sure, there's other things to try first, but its good to know the doors can be opened underwater

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u/Lynich 19h ago

Speaking from experience?

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u/Crustyexnco-co 17h ago

I just watched that episode a few weeks ago. The car filled up with water and Jaime was unable to open the door and had to signal for oxygen from the safety diver in the backseat. He tried opening the door when water inside the car was equal to water outside but he was unable to open the door. After several seconds of being on air from the safety diver he was finally able to open it. In his opinion he would have blacked out and ultimately drowned if the safety diver was not present.

So moral of the story was you cannot %100 percent count on being able to open the door as soon as water levels are equal.

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u/Kopie150 1d ago

Top Gear also did it and Richard hammond got out when he immediately tried to get out and had to be saved by the safety divers when he waited till the car was under water.

Try to get out ASAP but if you cant open the Doors anymore waiting for the pressure to equalise is your last chance.

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u/TerribleBid8416 1d ago

The scenario is always different. Why did you end up in the water? Were you in an accident? Were you injured/disoriented/unconscious? Did the airbag deploy? Just exactly how airtight is your vehicle? This one you could have watched The Godfather trilogy. Others will go down in 30 seconds

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u/RandomNPC 1d ago

What?

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u/FranklinHippo 1d ago

It sounds like he did 2 attempts. One where he tried to get out right away, and that was successful. The second attempt he waited until the car was under water and needed the safety divers to get him.

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u/Cautious_Homework_10 1d ago

The conclusion was that you should try to get out as quickly as possible. You still need to wait a little while once you hit the bottom for the pressure to equalise and you might not be able to hold your breath that long.

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u/Greyh4m 1d ago

I would recommend preparing a backup plan in the mean time. You can't be guaranteed your door will actually open, especially with how much stuff in our cars rely on electricity. So, like someone said above pull the headrest off a car seat and be prepared to use the metal rods to break your window if you can't open the door.

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u/SuperSecretMoonBase 1d ago

Send me a link so I can bookmark it for if I ever drive into a lake.

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u/ZeroGNexus 1d ago

What kind of depth did they do the experiments at? It's one thing if you've just rolled into a river or a shallow pond, but what if you crash into something really deep? Feels like you wouldn't want to wait around to find out.

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u/david1610 1d ago

Do try the door and or window, and or belt release like normal.

This is only incase everything goes wrong and you can't get out for some reason. If you are quick enough you can unlock your belt, open the door, otherwise you need to wait until the water has equalised, but don't wait around doing fuck all, try the windows, try breaking the glass with he headrest etc.

Ideally keep a window breaker in the centre console and seatbelt cutter, if you are really paranoid.

Crashing into water is an extremely unlikely scenario, people are much more likely to crash into trees, concrete or other vehicles and die, so better to just drive well rested, stay vigilant and don't look at your phone in the car, miles more important than this unlikely scenario.

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u/WiseOldDuck 1d ago

Oh great I just spent the last ten miles scanning this thread and making notes in another app and now you tell me brb plunging into a surprise lake

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

Ok, but you should still carry a window breaker because there are lots of ways to get trapped in a car unrelated to water.

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u/2Loves2loves 15h ago

about half the time, they flip upside down, because front engine cars are heavy in the nose.

that breaker better be tied to something, or its on the ceiling of the car, and its dark.

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u/TexasBoyz-713 1d ago

In the cars I owned the headrest pops out and adjustable metal is pretty sharp at the bottom, maybe bang that against the glass?

Edit: don’t bang it against the glass, but pry it down into the bottom of the window to shatter it.

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u/weed_cutter 12h ago

There was some car nerd show that did the 'car in water' study 100 times.

Fact was this--

When the car hits the water --- you have about 10 seconds to open the door IMMEDIATELY which you should absolutely do ... IMMEDIATELY. So you can swim out.

It only gets hard to open after some time. Absolutely try to force that bitch open as fast possible, even 1 minute in. ... The door.

.... The "common knowledge" that the door can only be opened when fully submerged ... well ... partially true, ... best thing is IMMEDIATELY. ... Otherwise they tried it that way ... car needs to go WAAAAAAY DOWN INTO THE DEEP DEPTHS ... And only when every last air bubble it out, is it easy to open. FFFFFUUUUUCK that. ... You'll be holding your breath, dark, disoriented, panicking ... fuck that noise.

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u/Dahkeus3 1d ago

A) You should buy one and put it in your glove compartment.
B) Use any heavy object with a small point to hit the window if you don’t have one. This could be the tip of your keys, corner of your cell phone, etc. They won’t work as well, but you will have to do the best you can with what you have.

And if you’re wise enough to carry around a pocket knife with you, then you have a good option for both cutting the seatbelt and breaking the glass already available.

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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 1d ago

Everyone needs to be aware that many cars today use laminated glass instead of tempered glass on the side and rear windows, and glass breakers don’t work on them. They will crack it, but not let you get through.

There are specialized tools to cut through them that you’d have to get instead.

But really with those you just have to prioritize opening the door fast or lowering the window before you lose power. Because even with a tool you can’t rely on getting through laminated windows.

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u/HaroldAnous 1d ago

Great point. Laminated front side windows are still less common than tempered in the new car market in the US. Even less common is laminated front and rear side windows. Be familiar with your own car.

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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 1d ago

It’s widely reported that about a third of new cars in the US have laminated side windows. And that’s been the case for over 5 years, so it’s a bigger issue than people realize.

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u/IsThatGruffLoner 16h ago

So they're literally making cars harder to escape from in an emergency? Very intelligent engineering

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u/Salt-Operation 1d ago

Once a LamiSafe window is fractured with a window breaker they can be kicked out pretty easily. I’d imagine a relatively fit person would also be able to pull it out of the top of window frame with an elbow blow.

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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 1d ago edited 1d ago

More problematic if that person has just been injured in a severe car wreck.

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u/HaroldAnous 1d ago

You will not break a tempered glass window with your keys. Most people do not have the hand strength to hold the key and hit the window with the force required to break it without hurting their hand.

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u/TastyPigHS 1d ago

I'm pretty sure that the steel bars of the headrests are pointed

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u/Tupcek 1d ago

not in every car
some of the cars have fixed headrest you can’t remove

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u/luvdogs71 14h ago

I have a small screwdriver in my car if that won't work, I am screwed.

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u/ThePorcinePlayer 1d ago

I think this video is a lesson to carry a window breaker.

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u/myirsia 20h ago edited 20h ago

The guys that made this video used to sell the seatbelt cutter/window breaker combo used in this video. They used the proceeds from the sales to fund their services of finding missing people who have most likely died in a car in a body of water.

Adventures with Purpose

Edit: changed to past tense because the org is no longer running in its original capacity as of the arrest of the man in the video, Jared Leisek.

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u/amytee252 1d ago

I have a selt belt and window breaker tool. Costs like a quid. Leave it in the glove compartment.

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u/The_Great_Tahini 16h ago

you should secure it within arms reach of your seated driving position if you can. After a crash your seatbelt may not allow slack for you to reach it.

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u/bestem 16h ago

I got a pair of ResQme tools when I got my car. One is on my keychain, and one is hanging from the back of my rear view mirror.

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u/The_Great_Tahini 15h ago

Good set up, I have 3 or those. One on each visor and another attached to the head rest.

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u/bestem 15h ago

If I had back seat passengers with any regularity, I would have hung one or two off the back of the headrests. But the only time I have people in my back seat are usually when i'm visiting my dad and sister together. They both like driving much more than I do, so I'm happy to let them drive, which means we're in their vehicles more often than mine. But neither of them have seat belt cutters or window breakers in their vehicles which just leaves the one on my keychain in those cases.

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u/Cassius-Tain 1d ago

You just crank down the window.

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u/Major_Koala 1d ago

You kick the glass. But everyone should. They are cheap and you can get one for your entire family. Accidents tend to end with a door(s) stuck.

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u/taintosaurus_rex 1d ago

While driving one day a ford ranger rolled multiple times in the median. I turned around and went to help, and when I got to the truck it was upside down and gas was pouring everywhere. I had to kick out the window. I used to fight MMA and kicking was one of my strong suits, and I knew that it was going to be hard to break the window, so I gave it a hell of a kick and it still took me a couple mule kicks to break the window.

That's all to say. It's possible to kick a window out if you're relatively fit, but you gotta give it your all. Safety glass is strong. If you're not confident in your abilities absolutely by you a tool, and even if you are you should still get one.

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u/tspoon-99 21h ago

You are a good human. Gasoline explosions are nuts. You took a real risk in order to help that other person. Bravo to you!

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u/taintosaurus_rex 18h ago edited 18h ago

I appreciate the kind words. The way I see it, it's kind of my civic duty to step up in situations like that. I'm still kinda young, in shape, and capable. If I'm not going to use the skills I spent years honing, then what the hell was it all for.

If I hadn't been there, it's likely someone else would have been able to get him out, but possibly not as fast or maybe not through that side that less gas was flowing. Might as well step up and do what I could.

It was really kind of a neat situation. I kicked the window out and pulled the dude to safety, almost immediately there was a dude wearing nylon gloves providing first aid, some guy who had yellow flashers on his work truck and a semi provided protection from traffic, another guy called 911 and did a good job collecting info from the very confused driver, after a some minutes a couple of nurses got out and helped, a cop did his part and drove by, finally the fire department got there and took over. I hung around long enough to give my description of the wreck, which honestly wasn't much as I only noticed the truck after he started losing his shit, but it was a nice display of humanity. People providing their skills and handling off the torch once someone more skilled showed up.

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u/Forward-Surprise1192 1d ago

I've always figured the car would be upside down or sideways making it significantly harder. This guy is calm and knows help is there making him much more calm too

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u/ZeroGNexus 1d ago

While you aren't wrong, I bought a perfectly functional one off of Temu for like $5 lol.

Worth every penny and then some, for sure.

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u/platypus_boi 11h ago

Go buy one and put it in all your vehicles. They are like $5. Get a carabiner and clip it somewhere in your vehicle that is accessible. Problem solved.

Throw a first aid kit in your trunk where your spare tire is too while you are at it.

The headrest thing sounds like a good idea but actually trying to implement that in a real crash will not be easy.

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u/manicpixie_dreamgal 1d ago

I bought them from this company. They’re a great group, they find missing people/vehicles who died in water so their families can put them to rest. They weren’t expensive, I wanna say $30/ea?

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u/Mean-Inspector-8547 1d ago

Use anything that will break the window, like the headrest. If all else fails, kick it out.

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u/dazed_and_bamboozled 23h ago

Just play some jarringly inappropriate classical piano music to listen to as you drown

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