So, yesturday I ran my engine so the guy in the business next door could hear it... again. Like it was a hassle. After I let her go for about 15 minutes, I shut her down. I see something on the ground and go to pick it up and my arm barely touched one of the header tubes. Yea, lesson on fire and heat revisited. Once I quit cursing, I wondered if I would be liabel if some kid or adult at a cruise in or something got into one. Thoughts?
something to think about..but what about all the Motorcycle shows? none of those pipes are protected..too much of a letigious (sp) society these days..i say if your stupid enough to grab an exhaust pipe, you will probably not be that stupid twice. maybe
I've wondered that too, ...after scorching my palm on the headers of a hotrod . Same scenario, late at night and drowzy, dropped my keys, bent down to pick them up without thinking placed my hand on header. Ya, retarded mistake I know. Motorcycles and other vehicles could pose the same danger. I imagine someone could try and sue over injuring themselves. Doesn't make alot of sense to me though, since they would have to be touching someone elses property to injure themselves with it. Gotta watch kids around those open pipes.
i watched a guy put his hand into a chevy small block fan without a shroud, pointing out the fact there was no fan shroud on this car with zoomies he had to know it was running just by the noise and heat standing next to it, but noooo he put his hand right into the fan,,
There is a possibility that you could be held liable for injuries suffered by a spectator or even a passer-by. They could make a good case for a lawsuit. Even though you could also probably counter their arguments, sometimes in law even if you win you lose. By the time you pay court fee, lawyer fees...you might as well just settle to make the whole thing go away. Does that mean that you shouldn't have your headers the way they are? No, not necessarily. But just realize that there is a remote risk that something like this happening.
Gotta agree with you on that. Although those folks that win the Darwin award might do it several times in a row. I really don't think it would be a successful lawsuit if it were to happen anyways. Of course society in general is stupid, so I could see how a normal idiot would walk around assuming that all the cars, motorcycles, etc.. have been sitting for awhile and are cold. They naturally assume it's ok to touch and lean on your car at a show anyways. But back to the point: I've seen people do stupid things, but I don't think they would win in a lawsuit over getting burnt by an exhaust pipe.
If you're real worried about it, thermal coat em. You'll reduce the surface temps when running and thus they'll cool to a safe temperature faster.
I was trying to remember the name of the english race car driver who burnt his leg on his cars exhaust in the 1930's....and died . Burns are something you must take seriuosly but here in OZ they will force you to make sheilds that cover the exhaust so pedestrians don't get burnt ..duh,they get close enough to get burnt on side headers then they have probably been under the wheels already.... what about bikes? same thing i guess.
Insane as it sounds, you are liable, and in a lawsuit, you would have to pay. One of the most dumb assed things I ever heard was in the Law and Ethics exam for membership in the Ontario Technologists association.---A man has tigers in a cage on his property. He keeps them in a cage, and posts signs all around the cage saying "Danger--Tigers" He puts up a chainlink fence around his property, with warning signs all around the fence perimeter, saying 'Danger---Tigers Inside---Do Not Enter". A kid gets a ladder, climbs over the fence, and proceeds to tease the tiger. The tiger bites off his arm. The owner is held liable, because he knowingly kept an animal that was dangerous on his property. Given a situation like that, the next time you go to a cruise night and some kid reaches to touch your headers, give him a God damned good swat!!! The dollar cost of the penalty will be less than the lawsuit against you for burning the kids hand!!!
What happend to the days when if a kid did something like that the parents would smack them, call them an idiot and then make them apologize for touching your car?
jesus. I long for the day the ONLY retalianion would have been "That's what you get for finger fucking something that ain't yours." What ever happened to "If it ain't yours, keep your grubby dick beaters off of it."? and if someone accidentally walked into a hot header...well, those are called accidents, right? Not exactly the Tiger scenario, but (fortunately) none of us are Gay tiger trainers from Vegas. I wonder how 'ol roy is feelin these days. Betcha he doesn't much feel like fucking with the tigers anymore.
Exactly... the bottom line is that no one has any business touching your car period...The car owner has as much right to bitch that you were touching his car as the dumbass who touched it has a right to bitch they got burnt. Besides... if they get burnt, they won't touch it again.
Nobody should touch your car. Okay, I'll go along with that. Now, all you guys that have "cruise nights" where the unwashed public come out to admire your cars, ---How many of you are holding these things in the WalMart parking lot, or some other "Public Place". How many of you are aware that hot header pipes can give a really nasty burn???---My guess is that barring severe brain damage, you are all aware of that. Now, can you see standing up in a courtroom, and listening to the plaintiffs lawyer saying "And Mr Hotrodder, knowing full well that the exposed header pipes can cause a severe burn, did choose to display said vehicle in a public place with no guarding or warning signs to that effect---Yada Yada Yada"----Back to the old tiger scenario. Scary shit indeed!!!
It's the same situation as if some one is breaking into your house, and they get hurt, they can sue you. And win. How fucked up is that?
Generally, headers cool down pretty fast. Make a point to hang out with the car until they are just warm to the touch. 10-15 minutes should do it.
I saw a guy park his roadster with lakes style headers and full body length pipes. His buddy's toddler daughter started wandering over to the car and came within inches of touching that exhaust before dad snatched her up. Could've been really bad.
Adults I would have no sympathy for BUT if a small child was toddling by your car and accidental fell onto said headers/pipes, I know I would feel terrible. Not the child's fault, sad accident. I agree with C9, hanging by your car for 10-15 minutes is a good idea. and yes, I have burned my leg getting outta a boyfriends car with hot sidepipes. Everytime after that he reminded me they were there. When it's your car it's one thing, when you have passengers you MUST remind them each time cuz they forget
I burned my leg on side pipes once it took almost a year to heal, I have wondered about lake headers and the public. If they are on the car when you send the photo's to the insurance company for insurance, does that mean they accept the liability? It may be a good idea to send a copy of your application/photo's to yourself cetified mail and keep it unopened,
Yeah, those hot pipes are dangerous. My wife got a little burn on her leg on my sidepipes right after I told her, "Watch out for the hot pipes". I guess if they're not glowing red hot, people don't think they're really hot enough to worry about. I get kind of paranoid at car shows and stand guard for about 10 or 15 minutes warning everybody to watch out for the hot pipes.
I can't help but think of the Dumb law suit on Mc Donalds about the Hot Coffee. Sounds like this would fall under the same program. It shouldn't be right but I think we would be held Liable. I have exposed exhaust on my 32 that will be Jet coated. Guess I'll just half to stand Guard for my own good. Who'da Thought? The Wizzard
If I remember correctly, I'm pretty damned sure that there is a law on the books that makes it illegal to run a car without a hood. I don't remember it ever being enforced, but back in the day, when I was a member of the Road Angels, we had a local cop come to one of our club meetings and give a "safety talk". He went on about how most of our cars were illegal, because we were running coupes and roadsters with half hoods and/or no hoods. He did a big song and dance about how dangerous it was to the public to have exposed exhaust headers/manifolds, and how people could "reach right in and lose a hand in the fan", and blah, blah, blah. After he left we all sat around and decided that A----The fucker must be crazy, and B--We wouldn't have anymore cops come by to give us "safety talks".
You gonna tell me that if you got third degree burns from a 170+degree cup of COFFEE, and spent 8 days in the hospital, that you would blame yourself? I would NEVER hand somebody a 170+degree paper cup full of anything. That's just careless. I have small children, and they are very well behaved, but if they got severely injured just from being curious about a cool car? Ya, I'd probably sue you too.
At one of the cruise nights we go to, the dj makes an announcement about staying by your car until it cools down. One of the "tourists" must've gotten burned.
was at some local farm watchin go cart races this summer,,and a muffler fell off....so this 7 yr old kid picks it up ouch......so shit does and will happen
Its crazy how fast medical costs can add up too. A decent sized burn needs to be seen immediately, thats an ER or urgent care visit. Then they'll want to change the dressing on it and inspect it pretty much daily for a week or so. Each of those repeat visits add up FAST. If the person didn't keep on top of the burn and it gets infected, well that can even be worse and more expensive in the long run. If someone burned themselves, sued for medical bills on top of what ever other expenses their lawyer could come up with it could add up to a few thousand in medical bills alone real quick. Thats just for a burned hand, arm or leg. Scary thought.
The duals on my panhead get really hot and it seems that the candy-apple red paint and chrome skull stickshift knob attract little kids like a magnet. I'm always terrified that a 3-year old will try to climb up on it to play. I watch it close because the only thing that would make me get rid of that bike is if it caused an innocent kid harm.
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