Testing Shows Automotive Glassbreakers Can't Break Modern Automotive Glass : hackernews

[-] Devial@discuss.online 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 14 points 6 months ago

Counting on a tool that isn't going to work is a major downside. Especially in the life and death situations that cause you to need one.

[-] Devial@discuss.online 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Except now you have spent money on something that doesn't work. It's not "no different", it's a waste of resources.

[-] Devial@discuss.online 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

Better than nothing but, according to the research, as useful as nothing. If you know in advance it will work on a particular car's glass then that's a different story. But if you give it as a gift or buy one without knowing and it turns out to be useless it grants a false sense of security. Someone may repeatedly try using it in an emergency instead of trying a different strategy.

[-] Devial@discuss.online 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago

I don't know yet. But now that we know alternatives to these tools are needed we can let some experts in the field figure that out. Because we now know that these are useless on laminated glass and, per the article, a third of the tools sampled didn't even work on non-laminated glass.

The article also points out how useless the seatbelt cutter is. And after hanging upside-down in my truck last December I can attest from first hand experience that the cutter would have definitely done more harm than good in my particular case.

[-] Devial@discuss.online 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

[removed by mod]

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago

I'm still confused as to why people are defending a tool that doesn't work. Why they want people to depend on something that doesn't do what it says it does and how that's a good thing. You acknowledge it's a rare situation (one in a million) but then think a tool with a one in a million chance of doing what it advertises is going to be helpful. That's a one in a trillion chance of it actually being helpful.

I would never recommend a tool that doesn't do its job to someone and feel like I made the ethical move. Especially for a life situation. A false set of security is not security.

[-] Arcka@midwest.social 2 points 5 months ago

according to the research

You say that like it's settled fact. Was the "research" peer-reviewed and published in a reputable journal? Has it been replicated?

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

Did you read the article? It's the entire reason this post exists. There are two citations that will answer your questions.

[-] Arcka@midwest.social 2 points 5 months ago

Yes I read the blog post and the linked "research". There is no indication that it has been replicated or even academically reviewed.

The linked PDF is even missing sections 8 & 9 listed in its TOC.

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

There, you answered your own questions. Now we know that you are just one replication study away from either feeling justified or changing your mind.

[-] ech@lemmy.ca 13 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

there’s literally zero downside to having them in your car. Literal worst case scenario is that they simply do nothing.

That IS a major downside. Relying on something that won't work in a life-or-death situation wastes precious time. Knowing they don't work is important so better alternatives can be prepared and planned for.

[-] velindora@lemmy.cafe 11 points 6 months ago

It’s probably AI generated click bait

[-] Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 6 months ago

Every day I grow to hate the internet just a little more for the lack of care that goes into the content

[-] velindora@lemmy.cafe 9 points 6 months ago

I feel this way about humanity in general and their lack of caring… In general. I welcome the apocalypse

[-] RunJun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 6 months ago

Reject the shareholder Internet, that’s never what we enjoyed about the Internet anyways.

[-] Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 months ago

You're not wrong

[-] BigTrout75@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

Such a genius tool to make money. Bought by many, just in case. Mostly used by thieves.

[-] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 5 months ago

Firefighter EMT here. Over 15 years. Glass breaking happens pretty often and we have plenty of ways with doing that. Almost none of us carry a dedicated seatbelt cutter at the ready. If I can't get to the buckle very easily, I still just use a knife. Also works great for cutting the side airbags out of the way, which a seatbelt cutter can't do. For the seatbelts I'm just very careful with the knife, and for the airbags I cut reaching in and with the knife facing outwards and away from the patient. Trying to carry and use a seatbelt cutter just simply isn't worth the limited space I have to carry things that are quickly accessible. Too much of a one trick pony.

[-] BigPotato@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

I just have, like, six leftover CIF issued cutters. Easier to just strap them into the car.

The one time I rolled my car, I just unbuckled the belt.

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

You might like this Morakniv. I got it to cut rope on the water and in case of emergency. It would zip through a seat belt. Cheap, weighs nothing.

[-] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 6 points 6 months ago

An automatic centerpunch is a better tool for this by a long shot.

[-] OshaqHennessey@midwest.social 4 points 5 months ago

It would certainly be effective once you brought it into action. The problem I had when testing this was that it's kind of small and difficult to find in a hurry with your eyes closed. It's also easy to confuse a pen or similarly shaped object for it. The escape tool is very easy to find. I've never actually tested breaking glass with either, but I've seen enough videos about car thieves to be convinced of the effectiveness of both.

[-] RePsyche@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

That actually sounds like a good suggestion. I’ve always thought I’d use the ‘turn on my back, grab steering wheel on my right and seat with my left arm, put both feet up to side window, pull back and kick the window out with both feet. Of course I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure it would work. Especially if I did the center punch first. ;-)

[-] Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 6 months ago

The bot summary claiming the market is worth $500 this year is hilarious

[-] monk@lemmy.unboiled.info 4 points 5 months ago

is valued at $500 this year

LMAO, preview

[-] citizensongbird@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

Have just been researching this while looking for stocking stuffers. One alternative I've seen is to smash an old sparkplug, the pieces of ceramic are oddly effective at smashing out car windows.

[-] ech@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago

That was the case when these tools were effective. Has your research shown it still holds true? I would assume the same changes that made the glassbreakers ineffective would do the same for those ceramic shards.

[-] hefty4871@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 months ago

How often does a crash result in not being able to undo your seatbelt but be able to reach for and use a seatbelt cutter?

[-] Landless2029@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Since Tesla cars became a thing... Too often

Hacker News