Mini Cooper Catches Fire and you won't believe what CAUSED IT!!!
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
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#10
True Story.
I wish I were joking. And would be happy to lend my car to Myth Busters, since I live in the Bay Area where they film their show.
1. The sun must be low enough in the sky to reflect off the concave cover of the speedometer. (It has only happened in Fall and Winter)
2. The car and driver must me motionless. (First few times were waiting for my wife at the store. The last time was at a red light)
3. The car must be heading due north. (I don't know why. But that has been the case every time)
4. It may be most flammable with dark colors. It has burned a black jacket, navy sweatshirt, and as you saw in the video - a grey piece of paper.
The first time I thought I was crazy for seeing smoke. The next time I thought someone threw a cigarette in my car. The third time I went back to the scene to figure this mystery out. The fourth time we just laughed and said - there she goes again.
1. The sun must be low enough in the sky to reflect off the concave cover of the speedometer. (It has only happened in Fall and Winter)
2. The car and driver must me motionless. (First few times were waiting for my wife at the store. The last time was at a red light)
3. The car must be heading due north. (I don't know why. But that has been the case every time)
4. It may be most flammable with dark colors. It has burned a black jacket, navy sweatshirt, and as you saw in the video - a grey piece of paper.
The first time I thought I was crazy for seeing smoke. The next time I thought someone threw a cigarette in my car. The third time I went back to the scene to figure this mystery out. The fourth time we just laughed and said - there she goes again.
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#15
I believe it. There are documented cases of sunlight reflecting and being focused by normal household objects much smaller in diameter than the 2nd Gen "pizza pan" speedo face (e.g. a vanity mirror) sufficiently to cause combustion.
I appreciate the OP's interesting and informative video. A valuable wintertime motoring tip.
I appreciate the OP's interesting and informative video. A valuable wintertime motoring tip.
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#21
I believe it. There are documented cases of sunlight reflecting and being focused by normal household objects much smaller in diameter than the 2nd Gen "pizza pan" speedo face (e.g. a vanity mirror) sufficiently to cause combustion.
I appreciate the OP's interesting and informative video. A valuable wintertime motoring tip.
I appreciate the OP's interesting and informative video. A valuable wintertime motoring tip.
Again, that is a magnifying convex vanity mirror in your link Gil-galad.....
The only way this could have been done is using a magnifying glass on an articulated arm attached to the glass with rear view mirror behind it to reflect the sun behind him and produce a focused beam......
And then there are his laundry list of factors required to make it all happen making it virtually impossible for anyone else to replicate.....a virtual "perfect storm" if you will. And he has had four of them...really ?
My BS meter is pinned....
#22
Again, that is a magnifying convex vanity mirror in your link Gil-galad.....
The only way this could have been done is using a magnifying glass on an articulated arm attached to the glass with rear view mirror behind it to reflect the sun behind him and produce a focused beam......
And then there are his laundry list of factors required to make it all happen making it virtually impossible for anyone else to replicate.....a virtual "perfect storm" if you will. And he has had four of them...really ?
My BS meter is pinned....
The only way this could have been done is using a magnifying glass on an articulated arm attached to the glass with rear view mirror behind it to reflect the sun behind him and produce a focused beam......
And then there are his laundry list of factors required to make it all happen making it virtually impossible for anyone else to replicate.....a virtual "perfect storm" if you will. And he has had four of them...really ?
My BS meter is pinned....
It seems everything about this "accident" was researched, planned, filmed......sounds like a project to me....planned down smallest detail....I wonder how many places the vid has been cross posted than ..maybe I am a cynic...but most folks imo, would have said "what the..$%#@..." ....and the long list of requirents would never have happened again it it is to be believed.....
You provide a list of VERY specific conditions that you say MUST BE MET....funny...I think you must have tried for a very long time to get the list.....to identify such items so fast...I think you missed your calling as an accident investigator.... I would expect it took a proffestional team weeks to piece together the list of things that are needed....
Film school project? Did you see the story about cars catching fire or melting from the reflected heat/light from the side of a building a few months ago?
As noted above, reflected light is different than light that passes through a lens...
Hope you got an A.
#23
This is the issue with the speedo.
I'll admit however, its like a one in a million type scenario. And it could be fixed EASILY with some type of slightly diffused coating on the lens of the speedo.
I wish the OP in the video had a better shot of his speedo in the video. There could be a chance that yes, some type of extra reflective coating was added to the speedo cover. But still, it seems plausible.
Last edited by danjreed; 01-26-2014 at 10:02 AM.
#24
It completely starts out as B.S. And then unfolds from there.
The sensationalization of the title, shows what YOU sir are/were looking for:
Mini Cooper Catches Fire and you won't believe what CAUSED IT!!!
The MINI Cooper didn't/doesn't catch fire.
IF and I state that with a huge tongue in cheek, anything caught fire, it most assuredly wasn't the car!
And then being the ONE most unlucky human on planet earth to actually find the correct vortex of the sun, coupled with facing the absolute due north direction, all the while sitting completely motionless in your car long enough to have this happen to YOU, not once, but FOUR times!!!!!
And then to be able to actually replicate it again for film, I'm not sure if we should all pray for YOUR safety or send YOU our money to play the ponies!
Either way, I call B.S. And would be glad to hear that MINI has sued YOU for false claims about one of their cars catching fire!
Good Day.
The sensationalization of the title, shows what YOU sir are/were looking for:
Mini Cooper Catches Fire and you won't believe what CAUSED IT!!!
The MINI Cooper didn't/doesn't catch fire.
IF and I state that with a huge tongue in cheek, anything caught fire, it most assuredly wasn't the car!
And then being the ONE most unlucky human on planet earth to actually find the correct vortex of the sun, coupled with facing the absolute due north direction, all the while sitting completely motionless in your car long enough to have this happen to YOU, not once, but FOUR times!!!!!
And then to be able to actually replicate it again for film, I'm not sure if we should all pray for YOUR safety or send YOU our money to play the ponies!
Either way, I call B.S. And would be glad to hear that MINI has sued YOU for false claims about one of their cars catching fire!
Good Day.
#25
I appreciate your doubting. I myself tend to first disbelieve ANYTHING I see online, so I do not fault the doubters. Also, thank you for believing that I am so smart as to make this up. I do attempt to be clever, but a friend of mine "Thanks Matt" wrote the headline for my video. And everything about it is true, although one could question the definition of fire (since you can only see the smoke)
I will both try to post a video response that shows there is no funny business - as well as post Mini's official response once the issue has been resolved.
When this happened the last time, I Googled it and could not find anyone else online that had had the issue, and a friend of mine recommended that I post it on this forum - since you would be more likely than anyone to know if it was a common problem.
I am glad to hear that this is not a common problem. But "hand to God", the sun reflecting off the speedometer in my Mini Cooper has burned my Jacket, my Sweatshirt, and that little piece of paper. Maybe I will try a cigarette next.
I will both try to post a video response that shows there is no funny business - as well as post Mini's official response once the issue has been resolved.
When this happened the last time, I Googled it and could not find anyone else online that had had the issue, and a friend of mine recommended that I post it on this forum - since you would be more likely than anyone to know if it was a common problem.
I am glad to hear that this is not a common problem. But "hand to God", the sun reflecting off the speedometer in my Mini Cooper has burned my Jacket, my Sweatshirt, and that little piece of paper. Maybe I will try a cigarette next.