# Man bends car door to save man from burning car. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183 "2014-07-02T11:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/1 "2014-07-02T11:54:56Z")
A man saved a driver from a burning car by bending the door with his bare hands, say police, describing his feat of “superhuman strength”. Bob Renning, 52, pulled up on a freeway in Minnesota to help another vehicle that was filling with smoke. Police officer Zachary Hill was first to the scene and full of praise for Mr Renning’s “extraordinary” heroics. “He did an extraordinary deed, bending a locked car door in half, of a burning car, to extricate a trapped person,” said Hill. BBC [link.](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28121446) Johannes couldn’t get the door open after the locks and power windows failed. Realizing he had to work fast, Renning gripped the top of the door frame with his fingertips, braced his foot against the door — and pulled. **The door then bent in half and the glass shattered** , the State Patrol said. Star Tribune [link.](http://www.startribune.com/local/east/265224991.html#yoeOBMXW2WJSa6DD.97) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/2 "2014-07-02T12:07:18Z")
From the Star Tribune link. > [@](#): > > “He bent the door in half,” the astonished trooper said Monday. “I don’t think I could take a crowbar and fold the door like he did,” Hill said, adding that the feat took “superhuman strength.” Yet[the picture](http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_140418276320873.jpg)only shows the upper door frame bent. The door does not look like it was bent in half. The near victim was pulled through the window opening. Still freaking impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/3 "2014-07-02T13:51:33Z")
Yeah, that’s pretty extraordinary but it isn’t “bending the door in half”. I mean, I sure couldn’t have done it. I’m not sure I could have done it with a crowbar even. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/4 "2014-07-02T14:06:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > From the Star Tribune link. > > Yet[the picture](http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/ows_140418276320873.jpg)only shows the upper door frame bent. The door does not look like it was bent in half. The near victim was pulled through the window opening. > > Still freaking impressive. Yes, I noticed that. That is why I linked StarTibune article also. But mighty impressive. I remember earlier threads here about “parent lifting car to save a kid” hoax. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/5 "2014-07-02T19:15:45Z")
It may be unusual for a human, but it’s [fairly common for bears](https://www.google.com/images?q=bear+clouting+car+yosemite). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/6 "2014-07-02T20:03:30Z")
Then we need to have bears stationed at intervals along roads (perhaps one at each call box) to rescue occupants from the death-trap vehicles that our automotive industry had decided to foist upon us all. Need to get from Point A to Point B? Fine. Walk or bike or buy one of our Latest Model Automotive Death Trap Vehicles! ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/7 "2014-07-02T20:12:55Z")
A friend at work who used to work at an auto plant pointed out that in reality, that portion of the car door isnt so terribly strong. Its just 2 sheets of sheet metal welded together without much structural support so its quite easy really to bend it out if you can get your fingers in for a good grip. As was pointed out above, bears do it all the time. Luckily most car thieves havent figured it out yet. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/8 "2014-07-02T20:19:40Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Then we need to have bears stationed at intervals along roads (perhaps one at each call box) to rescue occupants from the death-trap vehicles that our automotive industry had decided to foist upon us all. “Death-trap vehicles”? You mean the miracles of engineering that can whack into each other or guard rails at highway speeds and more often than not disgorge living passengers? I’d kind of like to hear more about your death-trap vehicles and why you think that the billions of dollars in engineering effort that has gone into making vehicles safer has all gone for naught. ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/9 "2014-07-02T20:47:04Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > “Death-trap vehicles”? You mean the miracles of engineering that can whack into each other or guard rails at highway speeds and more often than not disgorge living passengers? > > I’d kind of like to hear more about your death-trap vehicles and why you think that the billions of dollars in engineering effort that has gone into making vehicles safer has all gone for naught. That’s it…now you’re in charge of making sure the bears mate to fill in the numbers. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/10 "2014-07-02T21:04:34Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > “Death-trap vehicles”? You mean the miracles of engineering that can whack into each other or guard rails at highway speeds and more often than not disgorge living passengers? > > I’d kind of like to hear more about your death-trap vehicles and why you think that the billions of dollars in engineering effort that has gone into making vehicles safer has all gone for naught. I presume Senegoid was referring to the decision to value security over safety, such that some car doors and windows are impossible to open from inside once the vehicle is locked even when it’s working perfectly, let alone when the electrical system is inoperable. (This came up in the thread about children dying in hot parked cars – one example was of a girl who had been left to nap in a car locked by her brother.) ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/11 "2014-07-02T23:15:20Z")
Maybe his secret identity is that he’s a bear? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/12 "2014-07-03T00:14:46Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > A friend at work who used to work at an auto plant pointed out that in reality, that portion of the car door isnt so terribly strong. Its just 2 sheets of sheet metal welded together without much structural support so its quite easy really to bend it out if you can get your fingers in for a good grip. As was pointed out above, bears do it all the time. > > Luckily most car thieves havent figured it out yet. Whether it’s relevant or not, I don’t know, but the metal was also under heat at the time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/13 "2014-07-03T00:34:07Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Whether it’s relevant or not, I don’t know, but the metal was also under heat at the time. Was there nanothermite? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/14 "2014-07-03T02:02:57Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > A friend at work who used to work at an auto plant pointed out that in reality, that portion of the car door isnt so terribly strong. Its just 2 sheets of sheet metal welded together without much structural support so its quite easy really to bend it out if you can get your fingers in for a good grip. As was pointed out above, bears do it all the time. > > Luckily most car thieves havent figured it out yet. Yes, the thing then is getting that grip in the first place, if you can only squeeze your fingertips in between the frame and the door it must take fingers like steel. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/15 "2014-07-03T03:32:37Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Was there nanothermite? The title of the thread is: Man bends car door to save man from **burning** car. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/16 "2014-07-03T03:55:46Z")
While the story was unnecessarily overblown, I still give the guy a lot of credit. I couldn’t have done it on a good day and he saved a life. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-bends-car-door-to-save-man-from-burning-car/692183/17 "2014-07-03T04:51:37Z")
Did the man claim that or did the media make it up? Do you need two guesses?