Emergency handle in the trunk

Manos · 08-01-2009, 03:20 PM

I saw this on a -08 Mustang that I took for a test drive before buying my E91 and thought it was something that Ford put in their cars. We had a laugh about it and that was that.

Now I see the same handle in a BMW posted here on the forum. I assume this is required by law in the US. I just think it's funny

How often does one get locked in a trunk to warrant this type of law? Have any of you guys been locked in a trunk? Should I start a poll?

PS the nice car in the pic belongs to forum member xtac.

VTECaddict · 08-01-2009, 03:41 PM

I'm pretty sure all cars have that now. They dont have it in Europe?

Hatches/wagons/vans wont have them obviously since you can't get locked in the trunk.

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 08-01-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

I'm pretty sure all cars have that now. They dont have it in Europe?

Hatches/wagons/vans wont have them obviously since you can't get locked in the trunk.

There in just about every car.
No suprise here

jpsum · 08-01-2009, 03:54 PM

there were cases where kids were playing hide-and-seek and locked themselves in the trunk. That's why the handle is there.

VTECaddict · 08-01-2009, 04:01 PM

America is just chock full of people with 'questionable intelligence'.

quagmire · 08-01-2009, 04:20 PM

When you get kidnapped and stuffed in the trunk you'll appreciate that little handle to make your handy escape.

Borsig · 08-01-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quagmire

When you get kidnapped and stuffed in the trunk you'll appreciate that little handle to make your handy escape.

mmmm hmmmm

Except the kidnapping kind of guy usually drives like an old econoline van, or an 82 chrysler or something.

Manos · 08-01-2009, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

I'm pretty sure all cars have that now. They dont have it in Europe?

Hatches/wagons/vans wont have them obviously since you can't get locked in the trunk.

No, we don't have this in Europe. And also, my previous car, 323 E46 Sedan, had the handles to flip the back seats in the trunk. I haven't looked at the E90, but I thought that was standard. No locking yourself into the car with those either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borsig

Except the kidnapping kind of guy usually drives like an old econoline van, or an 82 chrysler or something.

I thought kidnappers drove GMC vans like the A-team

Borsig · 08-01-2009, 04:41 PM

Yes - Econolines

A418t81 · 08-01-2009, 04:44 PM

It's a federal mandate for all US cars. Like those damned TPMS also.

Neutrino45 · 08-01-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borsig

mmmm hmmmm

Except the kidnapping kind of guy usually drives like an old econoline van, or an 82 chrysler or something.

Have you heard of car jacking?

Borsig · 08-01-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutrino45

Have you heard of car jacking?

Yep- Its why I carry a USP Tactical in the small of my back every where I go.

Delta0311 · 08-01-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpsum

there were cases where kids were playing hide-and-seek and locked themselves in the trunk. That's why the handle is there.

Yeah we have many really stupid kids here in America.

iheartsole · 08-01-2009, 06:57 PM

never really knew what those were for until now. :LOL!

AWM3 · 08-01-2009, 10:17 PM

There are a lot of carjackings in the US now and if the owner of the car is lucky enough to escape being murdered on the spot, they may end up locked in the trunk. Not all cars have the folding rear seats, some don't have that option. Children locked accidentally in the trunk wouldn't have enough sense to find the release for the folding rear seat, but a fluorescent yellow handle staring them in the face is hard to ignore. It's just a plastic handle with a wire that goes to the trunk latch, which is a few inches away. It doesn't add much to the cost of the car, but it probaby will save some lives.

Kiemyster · 08-01-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by car62

There are a lot of carjackings in the US now and if the owner of the car is lucky enough to escape being murdered on the spot, they may end up locked in the trunk. Not all cars have the folding rear seats, some don't have that option. Children locked accidentally in the trunk wouldn't have enough sense to find the release for the folding rear seat, but a fluorescent yellow handle staring them in the face is hard to ignore. It's just a plastic handle with a wire that goes to the trunk latch, which is a few inches away. It doesn't add much to the cost of the car, but it probaby will save some lives.

i guess the idea is that if its saved one life, then its good enough.

Quasimodem · 08-01-2009, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiemyster

i guess the idea is that if its saved one life, then its good enough.

It's in case you didn't quite finish the job on one of those hookers.

trptdaddy · 08-01-2009, 10:57 PM

It probably happened to one high ranking official's kid and they got some law passed. Sort of like the Privacy Disclosures. Wonder how much we have paid in plastic and wire for the trunks and paper , labor and postage for all those stupid disclosures.

AWM3 · 08-02-2009, 05:13 AM

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...-406/overview/

Beginning in the 2002 model year, all cars began coming with a glow-in-the-dark release handle inside the trunk that allows people to escape from locked trunks. But many cars manufactured before that year still represent a risk.

Every year, some 10 to 20 people die trapped in a car trunk, estimates Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids And Cars, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing injury and death to children in or around motor vehicles. While many victims are kids playing hide-and-seek, many more are adults put in trunks in the course of a crime, says Fennell.

Now that interior release handles are mandatory, most of these incidents now happen in older cars, which aren't equipped with release handles. Only a few models, such as the Ford Taurus, had the handles before they were required.

Some automakers offered kits to retrofit earlier-model vehicles with interior trunk handles, but those kits are no longer available.

jpsum · 08-02-2009, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Yeah we have many really stupid kids here in America.

I couldn't agree more.

waylap · 08-02-2009, 07:32 PM

I thought it was a parachute rip cord. Damn it! Now just don't tell me the button overhead with the protecter cover isn't a seat eject button.

amlebede · 08-02-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

America is just chock full of people with 'questionable intelligence'.

08-01-2009, 03:20 PM	#1
Manos Private 11 Rep 95 Posts Drives: E91 330xi Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330xi (E91) [0.00]	Emergency handle in the trunk I saw this on a -08 Mustang that I took for a test drive before buying my E91 and thought it was something that Ford put in their cars. We had a laugh about it and that was that. Now I see the same handle in a BMW posted here on the forum. I assume this is required by law in the US. I just think it's funny How often does one get locked in a trunk to warrant this type of law? Have any of you guys been locked in a trunk? Should I start a poll? PS the nice car in the pic belongs to forum member xtac. Attached Images __________________
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08-01-2009, 03:41 PM	#2
VTECaddict Where'd my VTEC go? 481 Rep 6,067 Posts Drives: 06 330i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (4)	I'm pretty sure all cars have that now. They dont have it in Europe? Hatches/wagons/vans wont have them obviously since you can't get locked in the trunk. __________________ AW/Terra \| ZSP \| ZPP \| ZCW \| iDrive \| CA Mods: BC BR coilovers \| Blacklines \| M-tech rear \| dual exhaust \| M3 steering wheel \| BMW SSK \| ZHP shift knob \| High-kick CF spoiler \| NBT Retrofit M3 front control arms \| M3 rear guide rods \| Manzo rear toe and camber links \| Monroe rear shock mounts \| Varrstoen ES1 19x9.5+20 Front, 19x11+25 rear
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08-01-2009, 03:54 PM	#4
jpsum Major 274 Rep 1,088 Posts Drives: 2010 TSX Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New Haven area iTrader: (4)	there were cases where kids were playing hide-and-seek and locked themselves in the trunk. That's why the handle is there.
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08-01-2009, 04:01 PM	#5
VTECaddict Where'd my VTEC go? 481 Rep 6,067 Posts Drives: 06 330i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (4)	America is just chock full of people with 'questionable intelligence'. __________________ AW/Terra \| ZSP \| ZPP \| ZCW \| iDrive \| CA Mods: BC BR coilovers \| Blacklines \| M-tech rear \| dual exhaust \| M3 steering wheel \| BMW SSK \| ZHP shift knob \| High-kick CF spoiler \| NBT Retrofit M3 front control arms \| M3 rear guide rods \| Manzo rear toe and camber links \| Monroe rear shock mounts \| Varrstoen ES1 19x9.5+20 Front, 19x11+25 rear
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08-01-2009, 04:20 PM	#6
quagmire I am Gundam 186 Rep 1,211 Posts Drives: 2017 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	When you get kidnapped and stuffed in the trunk you'll appreciate that little handle to make your handy escape.
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08-01-2009, 04:41 PM	#9
Borsig Captain 52 Rep 883 Posts Drives: '09 335i ///M-Sport Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC iTrader: (3)	Yes - Econolines Attached Images Last edited by Borsig; 08-01-2009 at 04:58 PM..
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08-01-2009, 04:44 PM	#10
A418t81 Lieutenant Colonel 296 Rep 1,515 Posts Drives: Ever changing fleet Join Date: May 2007 Location: Alabama iTrader: (1) Garage List 2013 335is [0.00]	It's a federal mandate for all US cars. Like those damned TPMS also. __________________ 23 iX M60, 24 GT3 RS Weissach, 22 Rivian R1T, 23 RS3, 13 E92 M3 Competition: Akra Evo, KW V3, etc
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08-01-2009, 06:57 PM	#14
iheartsole Brigadier General 85 Rep 4,929 Posts Drives: 08 335i coupe Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Diego iTrader: (2)	never really knew what those were for until now. :LOL!
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08-01-2009, 10:17 PM	#15
AWM3 BMW Fan 11 Rep 553 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3, Alpine White Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Georgia, USA iTrader: (0)	There are a lot of carjackings in the US now and if the owner of the car is lucky enough to escape being murdered on the spot, they may end up locked in the trunk. Not all cars have the folding rear seats, some don't have that option. Children locked accidentally in the trunk wouldn't have enough sense to find the release for the folding rear seat, but a fluorescent yellow handle staring them in the face is hard to ignore. It's just a plastic handle with a wire that goes to the trunk latch, which is a few inches away. It doesn't add much to the cost of the car, but it probaby will save some lives.
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08-01-2009, 10:57 PM	#18
trptdaddy New Member 0 Rep 11 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	It probably happened to one high ranking official's kid and they got some law passed. Sort of like the Privacy Disclosures. Wonder how much we have paid in plastic and wire for the trunks and paper , labor and postage for all those stupid disclosures.
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08-02-2009, 05:13 AM	#19
AWM3 BMW Fan 11 Rep 553 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3, Alpine White Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Georgia, USA iTrader: (0)	http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...-406/overview/ Beginning in the 2002 model year, all cars began coming with a glow-in-the-dark release handle inside the trunk that allows people to escape from locked trunks. But many cars manufactured before that year still represent a risk. Every year, some 10 to 20 people die trapped in a car trunk, estimates Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids And Cars, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing injury and death to children in or around motor vehicles. While many victims are kids playing hide-and-seek, many more are adults put in trunks in the course of a crime, says Fennell. Now that interior release handles are mandatory, most of these incidents now happen in older cars, which aren't equipped with release handles. Only a few models, such as the Ford Taurus, had the handles before they were required. Some automakers offered kits to retrofit earlier-model vehicles with interior trunk handles, but those kits are no longer available.
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08-02-2009, 07:32 PM	#21
waylap Private 5 Rep 67 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: S. Florida iTrader: (0)	I thought it was a parachute rip cord. Damn it! Now just don't tell me the button overhead with the protecter cover isn't a seat eject button. __________________ 2006 330i Titanium Silver
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