Is the Surf unsafe?

[JamesG]

Only problem is if you hit another Surf.

Surely that would be an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object?? I wouldn't like to be around if that happened!!

I used to watch the banger racing down in Aldershot. Every now and then they would have vans racing. One guy had a old Securicor van. Needless to say, he won every time with getting as much as a scratch!!

[adpsimpson]

People have already touched on this, but the Surf isn't a car, it's a truck, and an old one at that.

There's a fundamental difference, in that a truck is built on a big, heavy chassis. On the whole that makes it stronger, it'll last better, it's cheaper and it's simple to build and maintain. It also means that it'll bounce back better from minor impacts, low speed rolls etc.

However if you do have a serious crash, it doesn't have crumple zones. If it deforms, it will do so catastrophically, in a 'folding-up' kind of way:
http://bridger.us/2002/12/16/CrashTe...perVsFordF150/

In the majority of crashes, all other variables the same, you'd be safer in the (new) mini than the (old) large truck.

[Striker73]

dont think there is that much problem with it really i ran into a back of a car last year due to being blinded by the sun slight front damage to my truck, mess of the car i ran into.
think a few on here have had a crash in theirs also & only suffered slight damage.
i personally think the surf is safe!!!

I ran into the back of a Corsa, i only roled into it at around 5mph it was probably even slower than that..crawling speed! as i was stationary at a junction the person in front hesitated at the junction, so i very gently pressed the corsa.......It needed a whole new tail gate,bumber,lights etc...i could not believe the damage to it...there was a tiny scratch on my bumber and that was it!

It frightened me as i thought "Christ what damge would it do at say a speed of 40mph!!!.......so yes your very safe in these beasts but other drivers of other cars are not!

[stormforce]

I pulled out of a junction and hit a mitsi l200 back in 2007 and i have just had confirmation from my insurers that its now been settled to the sum of just under 7k.
I hit the n/s rear panel just behind the indicators and put a crease in it.Its suprising what some people will claim for these days
I had minor damage to my truck.All i had was where the bullbar hit the bonnet and put a crease in it

[blakarm]

Surf unsafe?

Depends how you look at it. I'd be more worried about running into the back of a van on my motorbike, and the resulting neck breaking headbut, than trying the same stunt with the surf.

[adpsimpson]

It frightened me as i thought "Christ what damge would it do at say a speed of 40mph!!!.......so yes your very safe in these beasts but other drivers of other cars are not!

Are you serious? Do you just not understand the idea of crumple zones?

Excluding the difference of momentum, the corsa driver was safer than you. All the impact of you hitting him was taken gently in his crumple zones in his car, but transmitted straight to your neck in yours.

At 5mph, your neck can take that. At 40 mph, assuming you don't just push him off the road, your neck can't take that.

A car crumpling up in an accident means it is safe, not that it isn't.

Since you obviously missed the link above, here's a picture of what happens when you hit a tree/building/lamp post/stationary car at 40mph in a chassis-built truck and a super mini compact car:



Now tell me if you think you're safer in a Surf than a small car.

And on a side note, this "my car's bigger so I'm safer when I drive into your corsa stationary at a junction" attitude is exactly why 4x4 drivers in general have a bit of a reputation to fight against. Just thought I'd mention it.

[dieselboy]

Are you serious? Do you just not understand the idea of crumple zones?

Excluding the difference of momentum, the corsa driver was safer than you. All the impact of you hitting him was taken gently in his crumple zones in his car, but transmitted straight to your neck in yours.

At 5mph, your neck can take that. At 40 mph, assuming you don't just push him off the road, your neck can't take that.

A car crumpling up in an accident means it is safe, not that it isn't.

Since you obviously missed the link above, here's a picture of what happens when you hit a tree/building/lamp post/stationary car at 40mph in a chassis-built truck and a super mini compact car:



Now tell me if you think you're safer in a Surf than a small car.

And on a side note, this "my car's bigger so I'm safer when I drive into your corsa stationary at a junction" attitude is exactly why 4x4 drivers in general have a bit of a reputation to fight against. Just thought I'd mention it.

Are you just out to scare us all?

[adpsimpson]

Are you just out to scare us all?

Nope, just remind people that driving a 2 ton truck that can crush a mini doesn't, in any real way, make you safer. The "it's bigger, it must be safer" mentality is about as complicated as might be expected from a 4 year old child.

There's good and bad reasons for buying a 4x4. Safety fits firmly in the second category.

[Koi]

Am i missing something here.

I saw a programme a while back that seemed to differ from the previous post
in that.

1. Two crumple zoned cars = Very Good
2. Two non crumpled zoned cars = bad
3. One crumple zone, one non crumple zone = Pretty Good (for non crumpled zone car)

1. As they both crumple cushioning the impact.
2. No crumple zones like hitting a wall, body will take a fair amount of punishment
3. This was the intresting thing the programme highlighted.
In your non crumple zoned car you will simply use the crumple zoned car to soften a very high percentage of your impact. So much so you are more likely to survive than the person in the crumple zoned car.
Reason was that crumple zone against crumple zone both cars cushion the impact against each other.
Non crumple zone against crumple zone, simple you use the crumple zones of the other car to soften the impact but because you have no crumple zone you simply push the crumple zones of the other car past their limits which impacts on the drivers cell and beyond.
They demonstrated this on a small hatchback and the non crumple zone car more or less flattened the small hatchback. On board camera's showed both the dummies which represented the passengers / drivers. Those in the non crumple zone car faired better than those in the crumple zone car.

Programme summary.

If you drive a car with crumple zones and you going to have an accident have it with another car with crumple zone.

If you drive a car with no crumple zones and your going to have an accident have it with a car with crumple zones. Just avoid static objects like walls and trees and other vehs with no crumple zones.

[TonyN]

Are you just out to scare us all?

LOL, nah I don't think so, its just the truth. People get carried away.

[europa88]

Am i missing something here.

I saw a programme a while back that seemed to differ from the previous post
in that.

1. Two crumple zoned cars = Very Good
2. Two non crumpled zoned cars = bad
3. One crumple zone, one non crumple zone = Pretty Good (for non crumpled zone car)

1. As they both crumple cushioning the impact.
2. No crumple zones like hitting a wall, body will take a fair amount of punishment
3. This was the intresting thing the programme highlighted.
In your non crumple zoned car you will simply use the crumple zoned car to soften a very high percentage of your impact. So much so you are more likely to survive than the person in the crumple zoned car.
Reason was that crumple zone against crumple zone both cars cushion the impact against each other.
Non crumple zone against crumple zone, simple you use the crumple zones of the other car to soften the impact but because you have no crumple zone you simply push the crumple zones of the other car past their limits which impacts on the drivers cell and beyond.
They demonstrated this on a small hatchback and the non crumple zone car more or less flattened the small hatchback. On board camera's showed both the dummies which represented the passengers / drivers. Those in the non crumple zone car faired better than those in the crumple zone car.

Programme summary.

If you drive a car with crumple zones and you going to have an accident have it with another car with crumple zone.

If you drive a car with no crumple zones and your going to have an accident have it with a car with crumple zones. Just avoid static objects like walls and trees and other vehs with no crumple zones.

What he said!

BTW there's never a crumple zone when you need one is there?

[dieselboy]

I like Koi's post...



Watch out people, I'm not stopping.


I'll just make sure I don't hit another surf..

Or a tree. Saying that, the tree's seem to congregate around green lanes

[dieselboy]

What he said!

BTW there's never a crumple zone when you need one is there?

And then two turn up at once!

[Spoggle]

Seem to recall aT.V program some time ago, think it may have been Top Gear, when they were on about M.P.V.s. They asked the question, 'Would you sit your kids in a crumple zone'. Think they were refering to the rear end of some of those 7 seater van things. I think the answer is, dont crash!
Spoggle

[blackpoolsparks]

Am i missing something here.

I saw a programme a while back that seemed to differ from the previous post
in that.

1. Two crumple zoned cars = Very Good
2. Two non crumpled zoned cars = bad
3. One crumple zone, one non crumple zone = Pretty Good (for non crumpled zone car)

1. As they both crumple cushioning the impact.
2. No crumple zones like hitting a wall, body will take a fair amount of punishment
3. This was the intresting thing the programme highlighted.
In your non crumple zoned car you will simply use the crumple zoned car to soften a very high percentage of your impact. So much so you are more likely to survive than the person in the crumple zoned car.
Reason was that crumple zone against crumple zone both cars cushion the impact against each other.
Non crumple zone against crumple zone, simple you use the crumple zones of the other car to soften the impact but because you have no crumple zone you simply push the crumple zones of the other car past their limits which impacts on the drivers cell and beyond.
They demonstrated this on a small hatchback and the non crumple zone car more or less flattened the small hatchback. On board camera's showed both the dummies which represented the passengers / drivers. Those in the non crumple zone car faired better than those in the crumple zone car.

Programme summary.

If you drive a car with crumple zones and you going to have an accident have it with another car with crumple zone.

If you drive a car with no crumple zones and your going to have an accident have it with a car with crumple zones. Just avoid static objects like walls and trees and other vehs with no crumple zones.

Wow you said crumple(d) 25 times