Road Campaigners Slam 'Killer Pillars'

[Bob]

Safety-conscious car designs could actually be causing accidents.

That's the message from campaigners who claim the increasing size of windscreen pillars - which usually house curtain airbags - are creating major blindspots.

Worst affected by this are cyclists and motorbike riders. Paul Smith, from the Safe Speed initiative has joined forces with motorbike and cycling organisations to highlight the problem.


However, a solution could be just around the corner. The unique see-through A-pillars seen on the Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) at the Detroit Motor Show are being evaluated and may go into full production.

[Jackrat]

Yep,if you turn your head in my wifes RAV4 you see a grand total of nothing.
Really poor design that.

[Motu]

Oh no,are they going to 'reinvent' the wrap round screen - bring back the PA Vauxhall!

[Blakamin]

volvo drivers' blindspot starts at the end of their nose. what do they need see-thru pillars for???

[Zapf]

Its quite true.... example being on my 02 Honda Jazz. The thick think A pillar blocks a fair bit of view and I have had a few times not been able to see even a car hiding behind it, so now I have to move around the seat to see whats behind it.

[wkid_one]

Tried the new Primera - christ talk about no side vision. Also - the new Lamborgini is a pain in the arse to reverse! Mind you in that - I don't think you would have to bother too much with what it beside you

[Jackrat]

Oh no,are they going to 'reinvent' the wrap round screen - bring back the PA Vauxhall!

Hell I'm only just geting over the knee damage from getting in an out of mine.
Was a cool car but.

[Motu]

Heh,heh - I think I did some major damage to my neck after standing up when picking something up off the floor...I think Velox needs to know these things....about wrap rounds that is....

[scumdog]

You are dead right, in some cars the Queen Mary could hide behind the pillars, the PA and PAX Vauxhall were not so bad in that respect eh?
Safety is one thing as far as occupant safety goes but what about the rest of us?
If I don't make much sense it is because I have just got home from "Southie" and haven't had tea yet!!!

[merv]

Way back our family had a '57 Plymouth and then a '58 Dodge (the joys of flathead sixes) and the wrap round was interesting but it wouldn't be the same without the fins on the back - so do we need to bring them back too?

However, no matter where the pillar is, there is still a blind spot. The other thing these days is the side mirrors getting in the way especially on 4x4's. Look that way and you see behind you, not the motorbike coming across your bow.

[Motu]

The mirrors on my Pajero are not too bad,they sit low - but I've had big west coast mirrors on a couple of pick ups,man they were dangerous,totaly blocking my vision.

Funny how design goes back and forth,dictated by fashion,not safety.Cars are getting much thicker rear pillars and rising belt lines to the rear - check out those new Bluebirds and others like them,visability to the rear is very restricted,kids sitting in the back seat can't even see out the windows!I haven't noticed front pillars being a problem myself,but they are putting the screen way out there,not just in people movers like Previas,but ordinary sedans have a dash about half a meter deep.

[James Deuce]

Oh no,are they going to 'reinvent' the wrap round screen - bring back the PA Vauxhall!

Back when Dad was a rich jockey (before my time, worse luck), he bought a new PA Vauxhall, and utterly destroyed it on the then new Nth Western Motorway in Auckland, seeing what it "could do", whilst a little bit tipsy. They mounted the mangled remains on a plinth and used to mount it on top of Petrol Stations as a graphic anti-drunk driving campaign.

The last time we spotted it was on top of a garage in Glen Innes when I was about 10years old.