than think again. I was diving in this lake in PA where many different vehicles are sunk so divers can have fun. Most of them have operational parts such as doors, stering wheels, seats but no glass. I was practicing my skills and screwing around (those two go sometimes hand in hand) and tried entry into vehicles closing the door and trying to get out. It was hard. The water was preventing me from opening the door easily and that's with interior being flooded. I can only imagine how much harder would that be with a window rolled up and/or air space in the interior. Now add to it a fear/panic factor which casues you to use up air more and you are one step away from drowning. I also tried to make a dent in a sheet metal underwater simulating window breaking but again it would be so freaking hard due to water density. It would probably be easier to do it from the inside when there is still the air pocket left or using your legs which are much stronger if vehicle is flooded.

Just my 2 cents.

Dress me in a wet suit wearing a snorkel and fins, and strap a large tank on my back, and I'd having trouble getting out of my fullsize truck ... on land!

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Great pictures!!

Diving at Dutch Springs ? <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> You need to head east a little and do some wreck dives. Think it's hard getting out of a car how about getting out of a 400' long WWI crusier sunk in a 110' of water. Ah, what fun. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Adam

Several years ago I watched a segment on one of the junk news shows about this very problem. They said to roll down the windows as soon as possible (to equalize inside / outside water pressure), then go out the door - or window if you couldn't get it open. Their advice was to keep a center punch in your car so you could break out your window, the thinking being that electric windows were likely to fail in the water.

Since then, I've kept a spring-loaded punch clipped to my visor. The Authorities in my area, however, do not take kindly to people going around banging out windows for practice, so my punch remains untested.

P.S. - Not the most flattering picture of you in the mask and mouthpiece.

I've been diving along the coast of LI this summer but everytime I go out of Lido Beach freaking weather is killing me man.

Hahahahhahahahha. Try testing your punch in a junk yard when noones looking. Thanks for the comment on the pic. It was my impression of blowfish that I'm still working on...

Keep in mind that if you hit something, or are stuck from behind, anything in the cabin that's not bolted down is going to go flying. The visor may not be the best place for a pointy chunk of metal.

Yeah I know the feeling. Somtimes it just best to call the dive at the dock. The ocean will still there and the wrecks will still be around for quite some time.

Adam

I think maybe we saw the same TV segment. Dateline or some similar show. They had some "expert" tell the viewers how to get out. Maybe I'm getting the order mixed up, but I recall that the first action to take wasn't to roll down the windows or bust them out with the center punch. I think the first action suggested was to unbuckle your seat belt because once the water starts rushing in, people panic, forget that they have their seat belt on, and drown because they get tangled and trapped.

I remember hearing a long time ago that the Dutch often drive with their seatbelts off when driving on the levees for this very reason. Perhaps some of our Dutch members can correct me if I'm wrong about that. Not that I would necessarily recommend it. If you're knocked unconcious or seriously injured before you even hit the water, you're in even more serious trouble than if you were wearing your belt in the first place.

Matt, nice photos. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You must according to law always where your seatbelt, also if you have to drive along one of the many waterways.

I'm not sure, but there are a few exceptions, like pregnant women and taxi drivers and drivers of oldtimers, where seatbelts were not standard.

But as everywhere, not everybody obay's the law. But I gues it's a minority who doesn't where their seatbelts overhere.