# Murphy Bed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833 "2006-01-07T01:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pacifist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@pacifist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pacifist)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/1 "2006-01-07T01:29:22Z")
Okay. Serious question here. Has anyone ever been killed or at least severely injured as a result of a turn in a [Murphy Bed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy_bed)? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/2 "2006-01-07T05:39:33Z")
I will not claim that it has never happened, but I have lived in apartments with Murphy beds on two occasions and neither of mine could have been dangerous (at least from the perspective of folding anyone into a wall). My first bed simply pivoted (sideways) by hand, so the worst injury I could receive would have been to have it fall on my foot or against my leg. The second bed was more elaborate, folding up in the manner of those in the movies, but the spring was just about taut enough to help overcome the weight of the bed. Even exceesive bedclothes (extra poillows or quilt) made it difficult to lift the bed, so the idea that the spring would snap a 100+ pound (45.36+ kg) human up into the wall was absurd. I suppose other models _might_ have been different. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/3 "2006-01-07T05:42:19Z")
(I suppose that a spring breaking and letting the bed fall out into the room could be dangerous, but the bed also had a flattened edge on the pivot so that when the bed was upright, it would not simply fall away from the wall, even if the spring was off.) Again, other models may have been different and less safe.) ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/4 "2006-01-07T05:46:17Z")
I’m a longtime Murphy bed user. It’s just about impossible to get folded up in my bed like they do in the movies. The only real potential danger is getting klonked or bowled over by the bed as you pull it down from the vertical position. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/5 "2006-01-07T05:57:32Z")
> [@stuyguy](#): > > I’m a longtime Murphy bed user. It’s just about impossible to get folded up in my bed like they do in the movies. I thought so. I always had my doubts about that as a child when I saw them in American films or television shows. As a separate question - are they purely an American phenomen? I’ve never seen one here. ---
**Author:** ![Stentor\_2.5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Stentor\_2.5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor_2.5)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/6 "2006-01-07T11:06:02Z")
My SWAG is that every once in a great while a person is injured by a malfunctioning Murphy bed. But then again, people are also injured by regular beds, too. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murphy-bed/338833/7 "2006-01-07T19:24:48Z")
I did hear of a [case](http://www.worldofmi.com/thegames/monkey3/index.php) where someone was catapulted through a wall with one, but I’m pretty sure they were dead to begin with. 😃