Air Bags 523i - Do They Work When Stationary?

[mikethemechanic]

Hi

Can anyone help ? My car is a 523i built in 2000.

I was involved in a collision recently. Narrow country lane, came round a corner. Saw other vehicle. I stopped my car but the other guy fail to stop (I think he thought he could squeeze past).

So - I need to prove (to county court) that I was stationary and I wondered whether the air bags only work if you are moving?? If so, the fact they didn't work may be proof that I was stationary??

The other thing is that the collision was quite gentle - the other guy was doing less than 10mph.

cheers
Mike

[thekid]

Originally posted by mikethemechanic@Mar 15 2005, 03:09 PM
Hi

Can anyone help ? My car is a 523i built in 2000.

I was involved in a collision recently. Narrow country lane, came round a corner. Saw other vehicle. I stopped my car but the other guy fail to stop (I think he thought he could squeeze past).

So - I need to prove (to county court) that I was stationary and I wondered whether the air bags only work if you are moving?? If so, the fact they didn't work may be proof that I was stationary??

The other thing is that the collision was quite gentle - the other guy was doing less than 10mph.

cheers
Mike

[snapback]312075[/snapback]

As far as I know, whether you were moving or not, they would not have gone off at such a low speed.

[RealBMW 02]

^^^agree, usually you need to be traveling at 15 mph to make them release. And they are just sensors that measure forces exerted, so makes no difference weather you are moving or not

[rsn48]

Ask a master mechanic at a BMW dealership/service department; if he agrees with you pay him $50 to write you a letter and get it notorized - if the case is that important to you - and use this letter in court.

[Hoppy's535i]

they would deploy at a given force. not speed. the force put out by being hit by a F350 at 10 mph and a geo metro at 10 mph is greatly differant, especialy in this circumstance that being you think the other guy tried to squeeze through, he would have been aplying power INTO and Through the collision. exerting more force than if he had rolled into you at a stop sign.

[thekid]

Originally posted by Hoppy's535i@Mar 28 2005, 08:17 PM
they would deploy at a given force. not speed. the force put out by being hit by a F350 at 10 mph and a geo metro at 10 mph is greatly differant, especialy in this circumstance that being you think the other guy tried to squeeze through, he would have been aplying power INTO and Through the collision. exerting more force than if he had rolled into you at a stop sign.

[snapback]320425[/snapback]

that is what is implied by they would not have gone off at those speeds. As far as the rest I am not sure how that would be the case. If he thought he could squeeze past it would have been a very mild collision especially at 10mph with the BMW stationairy. The truck should have only hit the very side of the car, so at worst a very offset frontal colision (force wise) or at worst for body damage, scraping down the side of the car damaging fender door ect. It couldn't have been a hard hit the way it was described.