# Rescuer shoots out car window underwater to save trapped children **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 6, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661 "2012-01-06T20:55:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/21 "2012-01-07T14:57:24Z")
He’s just lucky the window didn’t take the gun away from him and use it on him. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/22 "2012-01-07T15:18:33Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > He’s just lucky the window didn’t take the gun away from him and use it on him. Or worse, it could’ve shot the kids, mistaking them for intruders instead of passengers. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/23 "2012-01-07T23:39:09Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Or worse, it could’ve shot the kids, mistaking them for intruders instead of passengers. The “conveance doctrine” would proctect him legally. Its big in Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/24 "2012-01-08T02:59:10Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > He’s just lucky the window didn’t take the gun away from him and use it on him. > [@ExTank](#): > > Or worse, it could’ve shot the kids, mistaking them for intruders instead of passengers. Laugh now, but just wait until they install AIs in cars! When junkie cars are driving around on their own robbing gas stations at gunpoint to fuel their petrochemical addiction, it’ll be _all your fault!_ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/25 "2012-01-08T06:18:28Z")
I thought the car was supposed to be on fire? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/26 "2012-01-08T18:47:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Laugh now, but just wait until they install AIs in cars! When junkie cars are driving around on their own robbing gas stations at gunpoint to fuel their petrochemical addiction, it’ll be _all your fault!_ [I’m surprisingly comfortable with the idea.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Wars) ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/27 "2012-01-10T04:01:14Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I thought the car was supposed to be on fire? I don’t think they planned that far ahead… ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/28 "2012-01-10T04:18:29Z")
I think anybody that adds anything to the fact that this guy was a hero, or made disclaimers about proper gun handling, in this situation, needs to be pistol whipped with his .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun. hh ---
**Author:** ![wei\_ji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wei\_ji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wei_ji)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/29 "2012-01-17T23:18:46Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I’m a big believer in not second guessing people in crisis situations. Especially when the outcome works out. He was there, made a call and took action to save lives. It wouldn’t be an issue if a majority of the jurors who sometimes consider such cases gone bad saw it as clearly as you do. I agree with you–though in a few cases well-meaning “rescuers” lose it, act like idiots, and settle the issue the wrong way. Those are harder examples, though your point is still well-taken. I want you on my jury. I wanted to see the range of opinion on this particular case and it did turn out to be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/30 "2012-01-18T10:39:26Z")
Out of interest, how far would the bullet travel under water (or more pertinently, remain at a ‘dangerous’ speed)? The drag would be far greater than in air. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_Nothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f04885/32.png) [@I\_Know\_Nothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Know_Nothing)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/31 "2012-01-18T11:06:44Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Actually, my understanding is that breaking a car window is really easy IF 1) you have a sharply pointed object, and 2) you know what you’re doing. Very few people outside of firefighters and the like are going to have much experience breaking windows with randomly available pointed objects, however. Even emergency personnel are going to mostly have experience with tools explicitly designed for the job. Now I’m curious. Is there some fireman’s technique to breaking out car windows with pointy objects? ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/32 "2012-01-18T12:16:09Z")
Out of curiosity (I don’t know much at all about guns), how special is a handgun that functions underwater? Does a handgun have to be specifically designed so that it will fire underwater? Or will any quality gun suffice? ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/33 "2012-01-18T12:34:49Z")
> [@I\_Know\_Nothing](#): > > Now I’m curious. Is there some fireman’s technique to breaking out car windows with pointy objects? Yes. Hit the window with a pointed tool, making sure you are out of the water. :rolleyes: A center punch will work underwater, and roughly a third of my former colleagues carried one in their turnout gear because it took less room than a rescue knife witha hardened nib. I carry a rescue knife. Any gun that uses a metallic cartridge will fire underwater, at least in an indeterminate short term. Once water infiltrates the cartridge, game over for that shot. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/34 "2012-01-18T21:21:46Z")
> [@I\_Know\_Nothing](#): > > Now I’m curious. Is there some fireman’s technique to breaking out car windows with pointy objects? Fireman training these days is restricted to using fresh fruit, no pointy objects. Dude in the story did good. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/35 "2012-01-18T22:19:04Z")
Was the car wearing an orange vest at all? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661/36 "2012-01-18T22:32:39Z")
Orange vest, banana vest…they’re all dangerous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescuer-shoots-out-car-window-underwater-to-save-trapped-children/608661.md?page=1)