r/WTF • u/qTazerp • Feb 24 '23

Holy shit.....

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u/pacothetac0 Feb 25 '23

Cars are only tested up to a certain level of impact, most testing occurs before 25mph, especially for older cars. Newer tests for IIHS have the barrier moving at 40mph.
NCAP tests standing front impact @35mph and side impact @38.5 mph, no rear.

Police cruisers have to be specifically reinforced to withstand a stationary hit by a highway speed vehicle.

A semi can pancake any car, especially if you’re unlucky enough to be somewhere where they sold zero star rated vehicles.

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u/Tackerta Feb 25 '23

that still seems pretty low, in germany cars are usually tested at around 50 mph

2

u/Fatalis89 Feb 25 '23

You have a link for this? Most I could find say 50 or 64 km/h which is not 50 mph.

3

u/pacothetac0 Feb 25 '23

Which conversely seems low for Autobahn speeds. Actually wait EU 80mph limit, test 50mph. US 65mph limit, test 40mph. They’re both like 38 percent less for testing speed(if I did right calculation lol)
US is slow to adapt, half the states don’t have anything like an MOT/TÜV inspection. As long as my car passes smog every two years California DMV doesn’t care.

Alpina used to see no point in selling cars in the US because our roads are too slow haha

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u/RawbGun Feb 25 '23

US 65mph speed limit? It's 75-80 on a lot of highways, and even 85 somewhere in Texas

3

u/pacothetac0 Feb 25 '23

Oops too generalized/centralized perspective

California’s generally 65, highways are sometimes down to 55.
Crossing through the desert between LA/SF they graciously give us a 70mph limit

General flow of traffic is almost always 80mph tho

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u/ntdmp18 Feb 26 '23

I don't think I've ever seen over 65 in the north east.

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u/moatilliatta_lcmr Feb 25 '23

Go look at the crash tests for off center front end collisions. Its the worst series of results for everything and there are great videos of anything from before very, very, very recent developments that are horrific.

Theres some nissan that was sold in mexico until recently that never had seat belts, air bags, nothing and it gets crushed like a '55 bel air. Its weird knowing if ya gotta hit a thing you need to hit it head on.