[QUOTE=TimeWinder]
I’ve been told (no cite) that the half-down window is actually more dangerous than a fully down one; the glass edge acting somewhat like a guillotine in a side impact accident, and that as such you should never have a window down partway.
True?
[/QUOTE]
I doubt it. If the window is in a position to act as a guillotine, you have bigger things to worry about. Also, the window will break more easily if it’s halfway down, because it will act as a cantilever instead of as a simply supported beam. If my head is what’s going to be breaking the window, I’d want it partially down, personally.
[QUOTE=Balthisar]
There are a large number of cars out there that have child protection locks on the rear doors, i.e., like police cars, they can only be opened from the outside.
[/QUOTE]
True, but those have a switch inside the door jam that allows you to turn it off.
[QUOTE=Balthisar]
There are a large number of cars out there that have child protection locks on the rear doors, i.e., like police cars, they can only be opened from the outside.
[/QUOTE]
I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road.
[QUOTE=vetbridge]
I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road.
[/QUOTE]
Heh, that’s actually pretty common now (the child locks, not the hitchhiker part!)
[QUOTE=vetbridge]
I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road.
[/QUOTE]
To be fair, that coil of rope and roll of duct tape in your hands would have made me nervous, too.
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil]
Back in the day when cars were a lot more rectangular, back windows DID go all the way down, but I suppose with the newer shapes of cars that benefit from “cab forward” designs, as well as front wheel drive and aerodynamics in general have caused this design it be prevalent.
[/QUOTE]
I remember cars whose rear windows went completely into the door, circa 1974. It’s probably not a coincidence that the current practice started around the time when manufacturers started taking fuel economy seriously.
The rear windows on my 08 Mazdaspeed3 go all the way down, I actually checked on this fact before purchasing one. I wonder if the manufacturers realize this is a selling point for some people?
It is a selling point for me. It’s obviously not as important as price or mileage or other stuff on the car, but I won’t buy a car that I can’t roll the back windows down.
[QUOTE=MrBelding]
It is a selling point for me. It’s obviously not as important as price or mileage or other stuff on the car, but I won’t buy a car that I can’t roll the back windows down.
[/QUOTE]
But, but, what about the children?