Man dies after locking himself inside car

[Batman]

A 72-year-old man in Texas, along with his dog, died of heat exhaustion after locking himself inside his 2007 Corvette.
Apparently, the battery cable came loose and disabled the power locks and horn, and he didn't know the manual door lock is on the floorboard.
Is this a Darwin Award winner, or a potentially juicy lawsuit? I mean, how in the hell is there not a door lock or handle on the actual door? Or at least somewhere where it's easier to find?

Texas man, dog die after being trapped in Corvette

 

[Dick Whitman]

Why wouldn't you break the window?

 

[Riptide]

Did he forget how to kick out a window, too?

 

[LongTimeListener]

 

[Steak Snabler]

He was 72. He might not have been strong or limber enough to break the window. Maybe he tried.

So yes, I think his family is going to collect some serious coin from GM.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Maybe GM can file for bankruptcy again and then claim that the GM that built that car is the OLD GM and this is the NEW GM.

 

[swingline]

Did he die doing what he loved?

 

[Ace]

It says responders finally broke the window but it was too late. I seriously wonder that if it wasn't a new Corvette if the window would have been smashed a lot earlier.

 

[Neutral Corner]

Many C6 Corvettes have removable tops as well.

 

[The Big Ragu]

1) Definitely not Darwin Award stuff to my mind. Darwin awards are for people doing stupid things. He was just an old guy in his car.
2) Is there a lawsuit here? I mean, everything is a lawsuit, but reasonably did GM do anything negligent or that you can argue made the car inherently unsafe? There is a mechanical release lever. He didn't know about it. But if it's in the car and its in the owners manual, SHOULD GM be held responsible?

 

[Ace]

1) Definitely not Darwin Award stuff to my mind. Darwin awards are for people doing stupid things. He was just an old guy in his car.
2) Is there a lawsuit here? I mean, everything is a lawsuit, but reasonably did GM do anything negligent or that you can argue made the car inherently unsafe? There is a mechanical release lever. He didn't know about it. But if it's in the car and its in the owners manual, SHOULD GM be held responsible?

I think you could argue that hiding the door release in the floor isn't the safest or most obvious place when you need to get out of the car in an emergency. And he apparently he was trying to find the info in the owner's manual.

You ever try to find what you need in one of those? That's worth a lawsuit right there.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

When you panic you can do stupid stuff. Even back in the roll-up window era people drowned in submerged cars because they lost their **** and forgot how to escape.

 

[ifilus]

1) Definitely not Darwin Award stuff to my mind. Darwin awards are for people stupid things. He was just an old guy in his car.

The old guy sat in a Waffle House for almost four hours. He went out periodically to check on the welfare of the dog he'd left confined in his hot car. It was during one of those visits that he became locked inside, presumably when he attempted to start the engine to turn on the air conditioning.

I think that should at least earn a nomination for Darwin honors.

 

[Key]

Maybe GM can file for bankruptcy again and then claim that the GM that built that car is the OLD GM and this is the NEW GM.

Sounds like a good business decision.

 

[Vombatus]

When you panic you can do stupid stuff. Even back in the roll-up window era people drowned in submerged cars because they lost their **** and forgot how to escape.

That sounds like a Ted Kennedy flashback.

 

[BDC99]

He was 72. He might not have been strong or limber enough to break the window. Maybe he tried.

So yes, I think his family is going to collect some serious coin from GM.

Yeah, it's not so easy to break a car window, either. I think the family would have a decent case, but it doesn't sound like GM was really negligent. Tough call. And not Darwin material to me.

 

[Vombatus]

I agree, tragic, not Darwinian. And I would expect a lawsuit.

Regarding finding something in an Owner's Manual, the damn things do have an index in the back. And usually a table of contents too, although the index is more useful.

 

[JC]

Murica, where I am too stupid, I should sue.

 

[Vombatus]

Sadly, yes. I knew the country was ****ed when that hot coffee case against McDonalds won an exorbitant amount years ago.

 

[JC]

The Baron way