OT- One Of Several Reasons Why I Dislike Cars Dependent On Electronic Key Fob
minnow
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http://www.corvetteforum.com/articles/ma… Fellas (and lopaw)- if you buy one of those cars dependent on an electric key fob (i.e. has touchpad instead of door handle, and a push button only start) I implore you to ascertain from dealer (or owner) the alternate means for entereing/exiting vehicle should either the car battery, or the key fob battery dies. The 2007 Corvette in question had alternate means for both entry/exit, but the 72 year new owner wasn't familiar with them. He was a car buff, but his prior experience was on older Firebirds, and a 1996 Corvette. All this electric crap first came on the 2005 year model. There are door release pull up handles located between both seats, and the door panel on the floor. Forum readers also noted that he could have unlatched the targa top, but the internal temperatures were such that even that would be an arduous affair. Read this and weep. If you have such a car, regularly practice locating and operating appropriate handles/switches for alternate entry/exit. Fyi, I was never trapped in the Vette that I had, but had to use alternate entry on several occasions (6 or more) of dead battery syndrome. Fortunately at home, and able to get a jump start.
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Break the windows. Not that hard to do by pushing on them. A cut up hand is better than dying.
Tony Soprano had all the room in the world to swing his baseball bat, has anyone tried it within the confines of a Vette ? So, warhawks, please tell us about the time you broke a car window by pushing on it. Not so easy for a 72 yo diabetic probably suffering from heat exhaustion by then. Also please tell us how long you waited in ER to get hand stitched and what the bill was. Someone on another site needed to be stitched and got a bill for $700.
Yeah, breaking windows with something is an option, but that's not the point. Point being that people need to be aware of what the hell is going on with some of these newer cars. An extra 5-10 minutes reviewing the unique features of car with dealer(or owner/seller as the case may be) can be worthwhile- even worth a man and his dogs life. (I could also say read the owners manual, but they're not always user friendly, or logical. I've found 5-10 minutes hands on to be worth 1-2 hours of reading manual). We can blame the engineers, manufacturer until the cows come home. If the TX man had just thought to ask during demo ride "hey this electronic stuff is neat, but can you show me how to get in and out of the car if the battery dies", one man and his dog would be alive today.