RE: liposuction

["KOHLBRENNER,MICHAEL (A-hsgAndover,ex1)" <michael_kohlbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx>]

- -----Original Message-----
From: tedcrum@domain.elided

> My e12 528i was definitely saved by its extendo-bumpers
> when I was rear-ended by a jeep cherokee, an accident
> that put major hurt on the SUV and left me with a little
> scratch. I experienced very little shock, and the bad
> disks in my neck felt no worse than usual.

This must not have been a 50+ mph hit...

> I'm very gratefull for that bumper. I would think that
> in non-extendo models they put the energy absorption
> somewhere else;

What happened as far as I understand it is that the U.S.
federal government did away with the "5 mph bumper"
requirement over a decade ago.  The following is from the
current law, found at:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_01/49cfr581_01.html


  TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
  PART 581--BUMPER STANDARD
  ...
  Sec. 581.2  Purpose.
    The purpose of this standard is to reduce physical
    damage to the front and rear ends of a passenger
    motor vehicle from low speed collisions.

Basically, there are various hits by a pendulum and into
a fixed barrier at 1.5 and 2.5 mph and the only requirement
is that the lights, hood and trunk still work and nothing
falls off or leaks.  It says nothing about protecting the
occupants.

Check out the huge estimated insurance costs quoted by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.iihs.org)
in their 5 mph bumper tests.

Now, we get things like styrofoam filled plastic shells
that do an admirable job of absorbing energy in a crash,
but $acrifice them$elve$ to the cau$e, if you get my drift.

> with bottomed cyliners there wouldn't any place for the
> energy to go.

The energy will be absorbed by the rest of the body, which
is exactly what will happen with non-collapsed cylinders
after the first x percent of the total energy has been
absorbed by the cylinders.  That was my only point.  The
5 mph bumpers are very effective in low speed hits, but
won't make a huge difference in a high speed hit.

Regards,
Mike Kohlbrenner

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