Monday, January 19, 2015

News You Can Use: "How To Escape From A Moving Car"

From Mr. Porter:
By Mr Adam Kirley – stuntman for Kingsman and one-time body double for Mr Daniel Craig

At 17 I ran away to the circus, which sounds like a cliché but it’s true. I worked on a travelling stunts show as a human cannon, and with monster trucks. Then I got qualified on the British Stunt Register and started working in film and television. My big break (no pun intended) was on Casino Royale as Daniel Craig’s stunt double – I did the famous crane jumping scene, and the Aston Martin crash.

I’ve had 16 years’ experience doing stunts such as this, and have had to use my skills in real-life situations. I was once riding my mountain bike pretty fast down a hill and a car pulled out. I put my brakes on, slid on my front wheel and hit the back of the vehicle. I managed to jump off the bike and land on my feet on his roof. My bike ended up smashing through his back window.

Obviously the best way to survive these situations is to avoid them completely, but you might one day find yourself in a car that experiences a brake failure. Or be in the back of a dodgy cab where you think, Sweet Jesus, I may never see my loved ones again. A quick calculation reveals that an unconventional exit is your best option. How to do it?

If I were in a runaway taxi, I’d probably try to throw the taxi driver out, but if you absolutely have to make an exit try your hardest to slow down the vehicle. Slamming on the handbrake is a bad move – it will cause the car to slide and increase the risk of you getting run over when you disembark. Distract the driver to slow his speed, and make your move when he least expects it....MUCH MORE