Do You Lift Your Legs Before a Collision?

Saggs

I've been driving my '67 for almost 20 years and am always thinking what should I do in the advent of an unavoidable front impact. I always joke about lifting my legs and leaping into the rear camper area!! Seriously though any ideas? Anyone put a crashbar around the inside of their cab(near the feet)?
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pyrOman · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:06 am Post subject:

Sorry, I don't DO collisions! Shocked

First, unless the "situation" is happening in super "slowmo", you prolly won't have time to even think about it. Think

Second, wouldn't lifting your legs effectively or better said, ineffectively keep your foot off the brakes? Confused

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Saggs · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:23 am Post subject:

Yes it would be hard to hit the brakes with your feet in the air. I guess instinct would keep your foot mashed on the brakes. Just could'nt help wondering if anyone else has considered this. A bus driver is pretty much a human sacrifice when compared to the driver of an Excursion.
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"One man can make a difference...Jesus did."

britrock · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:28 am Post subject:

I keep thinking that it would be awsome to put a bar in. Like a two inch wide bar, that goes just above the headlights. It would make my wife feel a lot safer, thats fore sure.

Has anyone ever seen something like this for a bus?

Lind · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:31 am Post subject:

swerve really hard so your passenger is the one that has to worry about that.

I have seen dozens of front end collision buses in junkyards and the cab area seems to hold up pretty well. I think that seatbelts and headrests are a much better place to focus on for collision survivability.
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britrock · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:36 am Post subject:

Well, I agree with you about the seat belts. Speaking of which I should really get some soon.

I was planning on getting the plain ol' two points from ww. A buddy at work keeps trying to convince me that I should get some four point (basicly cheap versions of the racing belts). He's got em in his 55 chevy, and says they are really easy to put on, and make him feel safer. I'm not sure if I could drive a bus with em on though. I mean, driving a normal car sure, but driving a bus is a full contact sport. You need to be able to move around a bit.

I would have no idea how to install head rests either...

pyrOman · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:43 am Post subject:

In keeping with the "I was wondering" subject I had this personal experience. Was driving at rush hour on a five lane road where the middle lane is used for east or west travel depending on the time of day so there are no barriers! Shocked

I'm in this middle lane and the uncoming traffic is a mere 12 inches away. As with you, a thought came to my mind: if the guy to my right, for whatever reason decides to come into my lane, we ARE going to tangle because I am not about the hit anyone head on. As God is my witness just about 2 seconds after I thought of that, somebody cuts into the guy next to me and his reflex was to veer left! Surprised

He realized quickly I was there and held ground on his lane. Though we didn't get to touch I just held straight and slowed down but didn't budge an inch! Eh?

I did have another witness, a coworker, since we where coming home from work. After he swallowed his heart back I told him: "That was wierd, I just had thought of that a second or 2 before it happened!" Confused

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Some people are so busy being clever they don't have time enough to be wise.

Saggs · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:38 am Post subject:

I would have been thinking "Excrement" (not.." excellent") just before I filled my pants, if I was the coworker and had no control over that situation. If everyone drove a spilt bus the roads would be much safer albeit a tad slower.
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"One man can make a difference...Jesus did."

Saggs · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:38 am Post subject:

I would have been thinking "Excrement" (not.." excellent") just before I filled my pants, if I was the coworker and had no control over that situation. If everyone drove a spilt bus the roads would be much safer albeit a tad slower.
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"One man can make a difference...Jesus did."

Bryan S. · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:06 am Post subject:

Swerve hard, hit the brakes or if worst comes to worst just put your head between your legs and say good bye. That is if your hauling some ass.

BryanM · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 8:21 am Post subject:

I wrecked my bay singlecab a few years ago. Someone pulled out in front of the van in front of me. She stopped alot quicker than i could and i slowed from around 45-50 mph to somewhere around 30-35 before i hit her, Its a good thing she was already rolling but I did destroy the rear of her Venture. My truck was totaled, It bent the A pillars and compressed the doors into the B pillars pretty much ruining the cab. But hey, I walked away with just a sore wrist. Its weird watching the rear window of another van exploding all over your windshield.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Motorwagen LLC
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Andrew · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:00 am Post subject:

Lind · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 10:27 am Post subject:

jeremyrockjock · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:23 pm Post subject:

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Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!!

Saggs · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject:

Jeremy, that's brutal looking. Any info on the driver or situation of the collision? I wonder how his knees are doing?
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"One man can make a difference...Jesus did."

KamperKitJay · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:11 pm Post subject:

Not to freak anybody out, but I was talking to this old timer awhile back and he told me that collisions with buses were a big problem in the sixties....he told me that lots of people that were getting in front end collisions survived the crash alright, but they got their legs caught in the sheet metal and could not get out...If the bus was also rearended in the crash they would catch fire and the person or persons could not get out.....scary stuff...I don't know how often this happened but I am sure it has.....yikes!!!! Shocked

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NorCalWeekender · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:21 pm Post subject:

Given the two images we've seen so far in this thread, one looks like an old man without teeth and the other looks like it's trying to talk to us. Kinda Sid & Marty Krofft there....

-Taylor
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"Eventually, we sold to a guy for $500 who towed it away to live in it in his parents' driveway. We didn't think it would ever avoid the junk heap on that day." -The 3rd Owner, 1995

Tribalbus · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:49 pm Post subject:

welcome to bus ownership:
rule #1 DO NOT UNDER ANY CICUMSTANCES,TAILGATE!!!
i have been driving buses for a long time and i have noticed that my driving habits change drastically from a bus to a typical passsebger car.i am a lot less agressive in my bus.i like to leave about a mile in front of me on the freeway.{which is hard in so-cal}single circuit drum brakes+a windshield and front end 4 inches from your face=instant disaster.know the vehicle you are driving.sorry for sounding so harsh,but i have witnessed someone lose their life in a bus,and i don't want to see anyone/or any bus suffering the same fate..........take care out there...Louis

Amskeptic · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:07 pm Post subject:

There are a couple of good reasons to lift your legs out of the way. One: you might get to keep them. Two: it prevents nose-dive so the frame rails can help you out some. This is particularly true of the '73 and later buses with soft suspension and some effective crash protection at the frame rail area. I think the best thing to do is to yank the steering wheel hard and make it a glancing blow. These cars roll well. I am just under a half a million miles in my bus, in a quarter century of driving this car in the avatar, I've only hit a plastic trash can while backing up. Even with all the cell-phone distracted and moronic drivers out there, you are the very most important safety feature of your bus. I cannot stress this enough. Your attention and focus is the key.
Colin

Fatcat · Samba Member Joined: March 25, 2004 Posts: 6

Here's one to get the bug folks going. I lost a good friend in a 68 bug when a State Trooper hit him head on at 60. He survived the impact but burned to death.

I've seriously considered reinforcing the front of my 66.


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Do You Lift Your Legs Before a Collision?
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