Los Angeles County, 22 eastbound freeway in Gardena today. A lady was rear ended in her Chrysler Sebring. The car caught fire and she was unable to unlatch her retraint system. SEVERAL motorists stopped. Two produced fire extinquishers which had little effect on the blaze. They were all screaming " anybody got a knife? " Nobody had a knife. A motorcycle officer arrived. He had a knife. They were able to cut the belts and literally pull her out with burning hair as the tank finally popped.

Most people don't carry a knife..it's a shame IMO.

or enough water, warm clothing, fire starters.....

This isn't the first time this has happened. A couple of years ago, my uncle was telling me about almost an identical situation. Only I don't remember if the person in that one lived. Won't be the last time it happens either.

I think most people don't carry knives , especialy women . Knives , like guns , have become evil , scary objects to the flocks of PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. . The times I've produced a pocket knife , to sharpen a pencil , cut a piece of string or whatever , the reactions I've gotten have been sort of funny and sad . They have been shocked , surprised , their eyes widen , and some seem fascinated by the knife like it was some alien object , they want to see it , touch it . And , HOLY CRAP !!! , if I use an assisted open knife , the reactions are worse - " are you crazy ? what are you doing with a switch blade ? that knife is illegal ".

I used to do a lot of computer service work and had my first no name multitool. I pulled it out a few times to use the knife to open boxes containing the parts I was about to replace in the pc or printer and once got a reaction "Thats a knife!!". I tried to ask her how else I would cut the tape sealing the box her part was shipped in but she was far enough away she didn't even hear me by that time.

In The Netherlands they want to make a law that says every new car that is sold must have a life-hammer in it. (with a build-in seatbelt-cutter)

(THOSE are good laws )

How severe where the injuries of the woman?

Let them touch it...then you can show them your FAK to...

Hello,

One or two years ago, something similar happened here in Belgium, but the outcome was much worse.

A father on road with his two toddlers had an accident. The car got on fire. He could not open the belts of the kids seats in the backseat, because they were jammed. He repeatedly tried to free them until the heat/fire spread to far. There was nothing he could do. He was not as lucky as the lady in the above-mentioned accident. It must have been terrible for the him, not being able to do something.

A knife could have made all the difference.
A knife is a basic tool no one should be without.

This reminds me I was planning to put a knife in my wife's car. She's not very much into preparedness, but I will convince her to have at least one in the car (and hopefully start carrying one). Thanks for the article/reminder!

Vince.

I've given at least three girls I've dated, at their request, some sort of knife. Usually pocket knives, although the girl I'm dating now got a small mora. Nothing spreads the word about how important it is to have a knife like having one and carrying it.