Rear End Danger

[Tdave]

Anyone else scared of rear ending a school bus? It scares me to death. And many trucks are similar. Why aren't there regulations on bumper height?

 

[vfx]

Here is the reason we don't want bumper laws.

Before

After

 

[Tdave]

I just want trucks to have front and rear bumpers that are low enough to match with the typical car. That would at least give the Tesla and that Lamborghini a chance.

As it is now, imagine me rear ending that school bus. First contact would be my windshield with the bus rear bumper. The whole front of the car would go under the bus unscathed at first. The bus bumper wouldn't stop its desctruction until it hit the Roadster roll bar.

 

[Doug_G]

Good point... I'm gonna keep my distance from school buses.

Speaking of back end... personally I find backing the Roadster out of a parking spot to be a pretty hairy proposition. Especially when you're parked beside some really tall vehicle like, say, a Ford Focus. :tongue:

After a very close call the first week I had the car, I now always back-in or drive-through if I can.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I just want trucks to have front and rear bumpers that are low enough to match with the typical car. That would at least give the Tesla and that Lamborghini a chance.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/deadline-nears-for-suv-crash-compliance/

There's a program already for SUVs and pickup trucks in terms of bumper compatibility. I think buses are rare enough (and generally have very low accident rates) that it is unlikely they will try to do the same for them.

 

[TEG]

Beware of the wedgie...

 

[Tdave]

Beware of the wedgie...

Well those situations are relatively safe. The vehicles hit are light enough to be lifted by the sports car, as we've already seen in a similar crash photo with a Tesla.

In fact, I wonder whether those crashes pictured are actually safer than a crash where the bumpers meet more equally and the crumple zones come into action. In those wedgie photos, the rear car was able to slow down over a longer distance, with more overlap of the vehicles, thereby reducing the g-forces involved.

Again, I'm talking about trucks and buses with my original posting. There's no way a Tesla windshield will be able to lift a semi truck or bus as it goes underneath.

 

[TEG]

Yeah, bad idea to rear end something heavy with high bumpers...

Even a hummer can squish under a school bus bumper.

 

[mpt]

I think buses are rare enough (and generally have very low accident rates) that it is unlikely they will try to do the same for them.

I'm safe from going under the back of the local school buses in Warren NJ; yes, I'm naming you, you with the flashing light on top; you who were in front of me this morning but fortunately for me my car simply wasn't fast enough to keep up with you as you zoomed off into the torrential downpour with our towns children on board... grr. 40 means 40 in the dry not 50 in the wet... Urrgh.

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