Hood ornaments recalled, or why the US is a laughing stock

[CoolBreeze]

Bentley hood ornaments may injure pedestrians in a crash by failing to retract, leading the luxury carmaker to recall 596 vehicles in the U.S.

The metal emblem known as the “flying B” may not fold down in a collision as intended because a mechanism may become corroded, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which posted the recall on its website. Safety regulations led manufacturers to make the decorations retractable so they wouldn’t impale or jab pedestrians in a collision.

The recall covers 2007 to 2009 Arnage, Azure and Brooklands models, the safety agency said. Dealers for the Volkswagen AG brand will replace the retractable “B” mechanism free of charge, the agency said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-2 ... ecall.html

[jag]

Never mind that these vehicles weigh in the neighborhood of 2.5-3 tons (tonnes?). That much substance hitting a pedestrian, even a low speeds, is going to hurt...regardless of a hood ornament.

[AmpedNow]

So this explains why the old school hood ornaments used to bend back and twist around...