1 00:00:04,417 --> 00:00:06,167 - [Henry] Did you know that there was a time 2 00:00:06,167 --> 00:00:09,125 when the most dangerous car on the road 3 00:00:09,125 --> 00:00:12,208 became the most dangerous car in the air? 4 00:00:12,208 --> 00:00:15,292 - As long as you don't get rear-ended in the sky, 5 00:00:15,292 --> 00:00:17,083 what could be more convenient? 6 00:00:18,208 --> 00:00:20,625 - Do you remember when you could play with fire 7 00:00:20,625 --> 00:00:22,292 while doing 80? 8 00:00:22,292 --> 00:00:25,500 - 1800 degrees, that is hotter than lava, 9 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:27,500 and that is right there in your dashboard. 10 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:31,958 - Or when having three wheels was a true triple threat? 11 00:00:31,958 --> 00:00:35,042 - The whole thing fell on me and broke two ribs right here. 12 00:00:35,042 --> 00:00:37,083 But they look so cool, man. 13 00:00:37,083 --> 00:00:39,667 - These are the things we used to do 14 00:00:39,667 --> 00:00:40,875 for fun, 15 00:00:40,875 --> 00:00:42,208 for money, 16 00:00:42,208 --> 00:00:44,208 or maybe out of boredom 17 00:00:44,208 --> 00:00:46,792 that we'll never see again. 18 00:00:46,792 --> 00:00:48,333 Were they dangerous? 19 00:00:48,333 --> 00:00:49,542 Certainly. 20 00:00:49,542 --> 00:00:50,500 Deadly? 21 00:00:50,500 --> 00:00:51,417 Occasionally. 22 00:00:51,417 --> 00:00:54,042 But boy, wasn't it exciting. 23 00:00:54,042 --> 00:00:56,750 [intense music] 24 00:01:01,042 --> 00:01:04,458 [curious music] 25 00:01:04,458 --> 00:01:06,708 - [Henry] Remember when the best seat of the car 26 00:01:06,708 --> 00:01:08,750 was the one facing backwards 27 00:01:08,750 --> 00:01:11,667 in the way, way back of the family station wagon? 28 00:01:11,667 --> 00:01:15,583 You were blissfully unsupervised, unbuckled, 29 00:01:15,583 --> 00:01:18,625 and as it turns out, completely unsafe. 30 00:01:20,125 --> 00:01:21,500 - Right after World War II, 31 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:24,208 America goes through a baby boom. 32 00:01:24,208 --> 00:01:27,375 It is the biggest population surge ever. 33 00:01:27,375 --> 00:01:30,833 - The cars at the time were just not built for families. 34 00:01:30,833 --> 00:01:34,208 They were built for couples at best, maybe with one kid. 35 00:01:34,208 --> 00:01:35,958 - [Natalia] There are toddlers in the front seat, 36 00:01:35,958 --> 00:01:37,458 their baby's on mom's lap. 37 00:01:37,458 --> 00:01:39,042 There are a few kids in the back 38 00:01:39,042 --> 00:01:40,833 crawling all over each other. 39 00:01:40,833 --> 00:01:42,208 - There's no rules 40 00:01:42,208 --> 00:01:43,458 about how many kids you shove into your car. 41 00:01:43,458 --> 00:01:44,833 Really what you do is you just start 42 00:01:44,833 --> 00:01:46,583 to pack them in like sardines, 43 00:01:46,583 --> 00:01:49,042 and automakers realize they need to have a larger car 44 00:01:49,042 --> 00:01:50,458 to serve large families. 45 00:01:51,708 --> 00:01:53,625 - [Jason] So what they come up with takes its name 46 00:01:53,625 --> 00:01:55,000 from the old wood wagons 47 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000 that used to take people to and from the train stations, 48 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,917 and they end up calling this, 49 00:01:59,917 --> 00:02:01,583 the station wagon. 50 00:02:01,583 --> 00:02:04,042 - [Natalia] It even has fake wood paneling on the sides 51 00:02:04,042 --> 00:02:06,292 to evoke those old wooden wagons. 52 00:02:07,375 --> 00:02:09,750 - At first, the station wagon was just roomier. 53 00:02:09,750 --> 00:02:14,458 But in 1957, the automakers have a eureka moment. 54 00:02:14,458 --> 00:02:16,458 - [Natalia] Sure, it can hold five or six people now, 55 00:02:16,458 --> 00:02:18,667 but they realize that with a little more ingenuity, 56 00:02:18,667 --> 00:02:21,125 you can cram even more people into the car. 57 00:02:21,125 --> 00:02:22,375 - [Jason] Auto manufacturers realized 58 00:02:22,375 --> 00:02:24,208 that the sloping curve of the car's rear 59 00:02:24,208 --> 00:02:26,375 actually has enough leg room and head room 60 00:02:26,375 --> 00:02:28,125 for another row of seats, 61 00:02:28,125 --> 00:02:31,250 but only if they turn those seats backwards. 62 00:02:34,042 --> 00:02:35,625 - [Henry] Parents like the third row 63 00:02:35,625 --> 00:02:38,125 because they can stash more kids back there 64 00:02:38,125 --> 00:02:40,208 where they can't be seen or heard. 65 00:02:41,625 --> 00:02:43,542 - [Jason] Your parents would fold the seat down and you'd 66 00:02:43,542 --> 00:02:45,000 jump in, 67 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,333 unless you were a little too enthusiastic and you'd jump in 68 00:02:46,333 --> 00:02:47,792 and the seat would get folded down on you. 69 00:02:47,792 --> 00:02:49,833 That was just a normal day in the life. 70 00:02:49,833 --> 00:02:52,250 - A lot of times we didn't use the back door, 71 00:02:52,250 --> 00:02:53,833 you would just climb over the seat, 72 00:02:53,833 --> 00:02:55,875 so it felt like a little bit of an adventure 73 00:02:55,875 --> 00:02:57,250 just to get back there. 74 00:02:57,250 --> 00:02:59,417 - [Jason] The back area of the station wagon 75 00:02:59,417 --> 00:03:01,542 was a bit like the wild west. 76 00:03:01,542 --> 00:03:04,875 You were away from any kind of parental oversight. 77 00:03:04,875 --> 00:03:07,875 - [Hakeem] To a kid, it's not the rear-facing third row, 78 00:03:07,875 --> 00:03:09,667 it's the way, way back, 79 00:03:09,667 --> 00:03:12,792 and it's the coolest place to be in the car. 80 00:03:12,792 --> 00:03:14,792 - [Rutledge] Now, yes, you were moving backwards, 81 00:03:14,792 --> 00:03:17,292 so some kids, they would get car sick. 82 00:03:17,292 --> 00:03:19,333 They weren't cut out for that life, 83 00:03:19,333 --> 00:03:20,875 and I feel terrible for them. 84 00:03:20,875 --> 00:03:24,417 - [Hakeem] Eventually, station wagons are so popular 85 00:03:24,417 --> 00:03:26,875 that they are one out of every 10 cars 86 00:03:26,875 --> 00:03:28,542 sold in the United States. 87 00:03:28,542 --> 00:03:30,625 - [Natalia] In the movies of the '70s and '80s, 88 00:03:30,625 --> 00:03:33,458 the station wagon is the iconic family vehicle. 89 00:03:33,458 --> 00:03:36,667 "National Lampoon's Vacation" is the ultimate example 90 00:03:36,667 --> 00:03:38,708 of the family trip in the station wagon. 91 00:03:39,917 --> 00:03:41,333 - [Henry] In the way back, 92 00:03:41,333 --> 00:03:44,500 kids have a great view out the back windshield, 93 00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:48,375 and a front row seat to the dangers that lurk from behind. 94 00:03:49,208 --> 00:03:50,792 - [Jason] Starting in the 1960s, 95 00:03:50,792 --> 00:03:53,542 regulators start cracking down on automotive safety, 96 00:03:53,542 --> 00:03:56,375 but most of the focus is on the welfare of the driver. 97 00:03:56,375 --> 00:03:57,708 - If you look at the innovations 98 00:03:57,708 --> 00:03:59,583 that were happening in the automotive industry, 99 00:03:59,583 --> 00:04:02,875 seat belts, airbags, all of this different technology, 100 00:04:02,875 --> 00:04:06,375 nothing was being thought of for the back. 101 00:04:06,375 --> 00:04:07,875 - [Lance] The way that cars are built, 102 00:04:07,875 --> 00:04:09,458 especially if you're gonna get hit from behind, 103 00:04:09,458 --> 00:04:10,875 is that the back is going to crumple, 104 00:04:10,875 --> 00:04:13,375 and that's to absorb the energy of the impact 105 00:04:13,375 --> 00:04:15,792 so it doesn't affect the front of the car. 106 00:04:15,792 --> 00:04:18,542 - [Jason] The federal government doesn't run a single 107 00:04:18,542 --> 00:04:20,042 crash test for third row safety, 108 00:04:20,042 --> 00:04:24,292 nor do they require automakers to run any of those tests. 109 00:04:24,292 --> 00:04:25,875 - [Hakeem] No testing. 110 00:04:25,875 --> 00:04:27,208 This is where the car makers 111 00:04:27,208 --> 00:04:28,958 are telling people to put their kids, 112 00:04:28,958 --> 00:04:31,500 and it's not like getting rear-ended is rare. 113 00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:33,875 It happens all the time. 114 00:04:33,875 --> 00:04:35,458 And it's the type of crash 115 00:04:35,458 --> 00:04:37,583 that is hardest for the driver to avoid. 116 00:04:38,708 --> 00:04:40,708 - Cars were basically rolling playgrounds. 117 00:04:40,708 --> 00:04:43,542 We didn't wear seat belts. Nobody did at the time. 118 00:04:43,542 --> 00:04:46,667 - [Natalia] Not only are kids in the potential crumple zone, 119 00:04:46,667 --> 00:04:49,167 they're not strapped in, in any way that'll protect them 120 00:04:49,167 --> 00:04:50,875 in the case of an accident. 121 00:04:50,875 --> 00:04:52,417 - [Rutledge] If you got hit from behind, 122 00:04:52,417 --> 00:04:54,917 a lot of times it was just launching the kids 123 00:04:54,917 --> 00:04:58,125 that were back there at like 15 or 20 miles an hour. 124 00:04:58,125 --> 00:05:01,000 It's like getting thrown out of a second-storey window. 125 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,875 - So it's possible for the kids in the backseat of that car 126 00:05:03,875 --> 00:05:06,750 to get completely pancaked if they get in an accident 127 00:05:06,750 --> 00:05:08,750 and the back end actually does crumble. 128 00:05:09,875 --> 00:05:11,667 - [Henry] But it's not safety concerns 129 00:05:11,667 --> 00:05:14,208 that does the station wagon in. 130 00:05:14,208 --> 00:05:17,625 - [Lance] By the late 1970s, fuel standards make it more 131 00:05:17,625 --> 00:05:19,542 expensive for automakers to make station wagons, 132 00:05:19,542 --> 00:05:21,375 and so for purely economic reasons, 133 00:05:21,375 --> 00:05:23,083 they shift focus from station wagons 134 00:05:23,083 --> 00:05:27,167 to a cheaper and less regulated minivans and trucks. 135 00:05:27,167 --> 00:05:29,208 - [Jason] Instead of trying to improve the station wagon, 136 00:05:29,208 --> 00:05:30,917 they just really turned all their focus 137 00:05:30,917 --> 00:05:33,542 toward the minivan and the SUVs that followed 138 00:05:33,542 --> 00:05:36,542 to make those cars as safe as they can be 139 00:05:36,542 --> 00:05:38,625 and to make them the modern safe equivalent 140 00:05:38,625 --> 00:05:41,375 of the classic station wagon. 141 00:05:41,375 --> 00:05:42,958 - [Natalia] Now, they don't really exist 142 00:05:42,958 --> 00:05:45,583 and my kids do not wanna be in the third row. 143 00:05:45,583 --> 00:05:47,250 But to them, it's just the third row 144 00:05:47,250 --> 00:05:50,208 because it's forward-facing, less leg space. 145 00:05:50,208 --> 00:05:51,708 Nothing cool about it. 146 00:05:51,708 --> 00:05:54,917 - It was a happier car trip back then, truly. 147 00:05:56,792 --> 00:05:59,042 - Squeezing too many people into cars 148 00:05:59,042 --> 00:06:00,875 used to be totally normal. 149 00:06:00,875 --> 00:06:02,625 And back in the 1920s, 150 00:06:02,625 --> 00:06:05,250 automakers came up with another innovation 151 00:06:05,250 --> 00:06:08,375 that turned the back of the car into the most thrilling 152 00:06:08,375 --> 00:06:11,417 and bone rattling seat in the joint. 153 00:06:12,292 --> 00:06:13,875 - By the roaring '20s, 154 00:06:13,875 --> 00:06:18,208 cars have gone from curiosity to mainstream transportation. 155 00:06:18,208 --> 00:06:20,583 And for a lot of young people with money, 156 00:06:20,583 --> 00:06:22,625 that car is a coupe. 157 00:06:22,625 --> 00:06:25,792 - The coupe is sleek, it's fast, it's zippy, 158 00:06:25,792 --> 00:06:27,875 it's everything that you want. 159 00:06:27,875 --> 00:06:29,375 But the problem with one of those 160 00:06:29,375 --> 00:06:31,583 is there's only two or three seats 161 00:06:31,583 --> 00:06:33,250 on the bench in the front. 162 00:06:33,250 --> 00:06:34,667 What if you wanna take your pals? 163 00:06:34,667 --> 00:06:36,500 What if you want to go on a double date? 164 00:06:36,500 --> 00:06:38,542 You're gonna need more room. 165 00:06:38,542 --> 00:06:40,292 - [Don] But in the 1920s, 166 00:06:40,292 --> 00:06:42,583 coupes come with a little bit of a secret. 167 00:06:42,583 --> 00:06:45,542 When you walk around the back, you pull a handle, 168 00:06:45,542 --> 00:06:48,292 and suddenly, two extra seats appear. 169 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:52,542 - [Austin] It's genius when it's just you and your sweetheart, 170 00:06:52,542 --> 00:06:54,708 the car looks sleek and low. 171 00:06:54,708 --> 00:06:56,375 But when you got your buddies with you, 172 00:06:56,375 --> 00:06:58,042 you open it up and boom! 173 00:06:59,167 --> 00:07:00,542 Extra seating. 174 00:07:00,667 --> 00:07:03,375 - Sitting in the seat could be a whole lot of fun. 175 00:07:03,375 --> 00:07:06,625 You feel every bump, the wind in your hair. 176 00:07:06,625 --> 00:07:10,208 - [Henry] The foldout seat starts as a luxury item. 177 00:07:10,208 --> 00:07:11,958 But by 1929, 178 00:07:11,958 --> 00:07:15,625 the best-selling Ford Model A, comes with one. 179 00:07:16,833 --> 00:07:20,042 But that convenience comes with a compromise. 180 00:07:20,042 --> 00:07:21,875 - These aren't exactly the most comfortable seats though. 181 00:07:21,875 --> 00:07:24,625 The seat is right on top of the rear axle, 182 00:07:24,625 --> 00:07:25,875 and it's the 1920s, 183 00:07:26,042 --> 00:07:28,542 there's not exactly a lot of shock absorption. 184 00:07:28,542 --> 00:07:31,625 - [Henry] All that jostling earns the a nickname, 185 00:07:31,625 --> 00:07:33,208 the rumble seat. 186 00:07:33,208 --> 00:07:36,708 But when your seat is basically outside the car, 187 00:07:36,708 --> 00:07:40,417 a pain in the butt is the least of your problems. 188 00:07:41,750 --> 00:07:43,208 - [Adam] Well, the rumble seat 189 00:07:43,208 --> 00:07:45,542 isn't actually in the cockpit of the car at all. 190 00:07:45,542 --> 00:07:47,375 It's sort of by the trunk. 191 00:07:47,375 --> 00:07:49,667 It's outside, more or less. 192 00:07:49,667 --> 00:07:54,333 - There are few, if any, speed limits or drunk driving laws. 193 00:07:54,333 --> 00:07:56,042 It's anarchy out there. 194 00:07:56,042 --> 00:07:59,500 Now, imagine that you're hurdling down a highway 195 00:07:59,500 --> 00:08:01,875 at 57 miles an hour, 196 00:08:01,875 --> 00:08:05,500 if the car crashes and you're in the rumble seat, 197 00:08:05,500 --> 00:08:07,667 you're gonna get ejected. [tires screeching] 198 00:08:07,667 --> 00:08:08,792 And if the car flips, 199 00:08:08,792 --> 00:08:10,792 do the math. [car clatters] 200 00:08:10,792 --> 00:08:13,083 That car is going to fall on top of you. 201 00:08:14,792 --> 00:08:18,208 - [Adam] The rumble seat acquires a pretty funny 202 00:08:18,208 --> 00:08:21,208 and slightly sardonic nickname, the mother-in-law seat. 203 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:25,375 "Oh, you want your mom to come with us? 204 00:08:25,375 --> 00:08:28,542 Please allow her to sit in this open air, 205 00:08:28,542 --> 00:08:31,792 death trap, 2 feet above the road 206 00:08:31,792 --> 00:08:34,667 where she can be exposed to all the elements. 207 00:08:34,667 --> 00:08:36,542 It's safe." 208 00:08:36,542 --> 00:08:38,208 - [Henry] Grizzly newspaper headlines, 209 00:08:38,208 --> 00:08:41,083 about rumble seat accidents, are very common, 210 00:08:41,083 --> 00:08:43,708 but the automotive industry and the public 211 00:08:43,708 --> 00:08:45,083 take them in stride. 212 00:08:46,167 --> 00:08:48,125 - [Don] Despite all the well-known risks, 213 00:08:48,125 --> 00:08:50,875 the rumble seat sticks around into the 1950s. 214 00:08:50,875 --> 00:08:54,333 The classic 1957 Ford Thunderbird 215 00:08:54,333 --> 00:08:55,833 actually has a flip up backseat 216 00:08:55,833 --> 00:08:58,000 that's called the "Bird's Nest." 217 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,542 - [Austin] By the late '60s regulation 218 00:09:00,542 --> 00:09:03,792 and just pure common sense catches up with us 219 00:09:03,792 --> 00:09:06,042 and the rumble seat goes the way of the dodo. 220 00:09:07,292 --> 00:09:11,125 - Some cars still feature fold-out seats today, 221 00:09:11,125 --> 00:09:12,917 but they're inside the car. 222 00:09:17,083 --> 00:09:19,042 - [Henry] Cars these days must pass inspections every year 223 00:09:19,042 --> 00:09:22,458 to ensure that they're not spewing toxic emissions. 224 00:09:22,458 --> 00:09:24,250 But that was not always the case. 225 00:09:24,250 --> 00:09:25,875 In fact, there was a time 226 00:09:25,875 --> 00:09:28,875 when the most polluted air in America 227 00:09:28,875 --> 00:09:31,750 could be found right inside your automobile. 228 00:09:33,333 --> 00:09:34,625 - In the mid 1950s, 229 00:09:34,625 --> 00:09:37,500 Americans are united around smoking. 230 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:40,208 Nearly half of American adults smoke. 231 00:09:40,208 --> 00:09:41,542 - [Brian] Everybody smokes. 232 00:09:41,542 --> 00:09:43,833 It's a smoky land full of smoking people. 233 00:09:43,833 --> 00:09:47,208 Everybody, at work, teachers, doctors. 234 00:09:47,208 --> 00:09:49,125 I mean, everybody smokes. 235 00:09:49,125 --> 00:09:51,083 - [Hakeem] As people spend more time in their cars, 236 00:09:51,083 --> 00:09:52,875 eating burgers, going to drive-ins, 237 00:09:52,875 --> 00:09:54,625 taking long road trips, 238 00:09:54,625 --> 00:09:57,667 of course, they're smoking in their cars too, 239 00:09:57,667 --> 00:09:59,500 and nobody wants to have to pull over 240 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:01,208 just to light up a cigarette. 241 00:10:01,208 --> 00:10:02,625 - [Natalia] Ideally, what do you do? 242 00:10:02,625 --> 00:10:04,417 You wanna reach for that convenient, 243 00:10:04,417 --> 00:10:05,917 built-in cigarette lighter. 244 00:10:07,083 --> 00:10:09,583 - [Hakeem] The first car lighters are luxury items, 245 00:10:09,583 --> 00:10:12,875 and they're designed for cigars, not cigarettes. 246 00:10:12,875 --> 00:10:16,208 That's why the size of it is much bigger than a cigarette. 247 00:10:16,208 --> 00:10:17,750 - The way that this works 248 00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:19,917 is you've got a socket with a knob sitting in it. 249 00:10:19,917 --> 00:10:21,708 To engage the cigarette lighter, 250 00:10:21,708 --> 00:10:23,083 you push in on the knob 251 00:10:23,083 --> 00:10:25,833 that allows electricity to flow into it, 252 00:10:25,833 --> 00:10:29,167 it allows the element inside to begin heating up. 253 00:10:29,167 --> 00:10:32,042 - [Hakeem] After a few seconds of heating, the insert pops up, 254 00:10:32,042 --> 00:10:34,042 and you touch the glowing orange end 255 00:10:34,042 --> 00:10:37,208 to your cigar or cigarette, and that lights it up, 256 00:10:37,208 --> 00:10:38,542 and you take a drag. 257 00:10:38,708 --> 00:10:41,083 And it's so convenient that you can do it all with one hand 258 00:10:41,083 --> 00:10:43,833 while keeping your other hand on the steering wheel. 259 00:10:44,708 --> 00:10:46,167 - [Henry] By the 1950s, 260 00:10:46,167 --> 00:10:49,667 cigarette lighters are a standard feature in all cars, 261 00:10:49,667 --> 00:10:52,417 as common as windshield wipers, and radios. 262 00:10:52,417 --> 00:10:53,792 - Light? 263 00:10:53,792 --> 00:10:55,708 This lighter is always ready. 264 00:10:55,708 --> 00:10:57,375 - [Lance] Cars are made for smoking. 265 00:10:57,375 --> 00:10:59,417 There's gonna be an ashtray either in your dash 266 00:10:59,417 --> 00:11:00,542 or it's gonna be in your door. 267 00:11:00,542 --> 00:11:02,000 And the car was really built 268 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:03,875 so that you could smoke and drive. 269 00:11:03,875 --> 00:11:06,333 They understood the connection between the two. 270 00:11:06,333 --> 00:11:08,208 - [Brian] As a kid, I would just sit there and press it 271 00:11:08,208 --> 00:11:09,625 and let it pop out. 272 00:11:09,625 --> 00:11:11,167 And then I'd get fascinated and I'd look at it 273 00:11:11,167 --> 00:11:14,958 'cause the little coils inside would get red hot 274 00:11:14,958 --> 00:11:16,958 and I'd watch it cool from red to... 275 00:11:16,958 --> 00:11:19,125 It was like a little science experiment in my car. 276 00:11:19,125 --> 00:11:20,583 - [Henry] Although it's convenient, 277 00:11:20,583 --> 00:11:23,875 the cigarette lighter does have a downside. 278 00:11:23,875 --> 00:11:25,208 - [Hakeem] What's crazy, is how the lighter 279 00:11:25,208 --> 00:11:27,875 is actually much hotter than it needs to be. 280 00:11:27,875 --> 00:11:31,167 You only need 600 degrees to light a cigarette. 281 00:11:31,167 --> 00:11:33,500 But the car makers want to make sure 282 00:11:33,500 --> 00:11:35,542 that it likes your cigarette fast 283 00:11:35,542 --> 00:11:38,042 and consistently every time. 284 00:11:38,042 --> 00:11:40,708 - [Lance] That's gonna heat up to a ridiculous temperature, 285 00:11:40,708 --> 00:11:42,417 1800 degrees. 286 00:11:43,542 --> 00:11:45,042 That is hotter than lava, 287 00:11:45,042 --> 00:11:47,208 and that is right there in your dashboard. 288 00:11:47,958 --> 00:11:49,333 - [Natalia] Some parents, 289 00:11:49,333 --> 00:11:51,708 before the days of seat belts and car seats, 290 00:11:51,708 --> 00:11:53,292 wanted their kid right next to them 291 00:11:53,292 --> 00:11:54,333 to keep an eye on them. 292 00:11:55,917 --> 00:11:57,417 - [Martin] I was not just allowed to play with the 293 00:11:57,417 --> 00:11:59,750 cigarette lighter, but I was encouraged to play with it 294 00:11:59,750 --> 00:12:01,667 because it was the babysitter. 295 00:12:01,667 --> 00:12:03,958 The way that parents might use an iPad today 296 00:12:03,958 --> 00:12:07,333 to sort of occupy the child during a long, boring car trip, 297 00:12:07,333 --> 00:12:10,000 I was told, "Hey, play with the cigarette lighter." 298 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,708 - [Brian] I do remember the time I was like, 299 00:12:11,708 --> 00:12:13,542 "Well, how hot can it be?" 300 00:12:13,542 --> 00:12:17,667 And I touched it with my hand and oh, the sizzle, the burn! 301 00:12:17,667 --> 00:12:19,792 I remember the white dot on my fingerprint 302 00:12:19,792 --> 00:12:22,333 and just crying and crying and crying. 303 00:12:22,333 --> 00:12:25,208 You know, these are lessons that you have to learn. 304 00:12:25,208 --> 00:12:26,833 - [Henry] Pediatricians of the era, 305 00:12:26,833 --> 00:12:30,583 learn to recognize the telltale coil-shaped burns 306 00:12:30,583 --> 00:12:32,875 of the car cigarette lighter. 307 00:12:32,875 --> 00:12:34,042 - [Lance] It's bizarre. 308 00:12:34,042 --> 00:12:35,958 The little handheld butane lighter, 309 00:12:35,958 --> 00:12:38,875 that by law, has to have child protection. 310 00:12:38,875 --> 00:12:42,500 But this 1800-degree lighter in the car, no rules. 311 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:44,083 No rules. 312 00:12:44,083 --> 00:12:45,875 - [Henry] Car makers eventually stomp out 313 00:12:45,875 --> 00:12:47,958 the dashboard cigarette lighter, 314 00:12:47,958 --> 00:12:51,167 but it's not because they are forced to. 315 00:12:51,167 --> 00:12:54,417 - [Natalia] By the late '90s, much fewer people are smoking. 316 00:12:54,417 --> 00:12:57,375 So that little socket still exists in a lot of cars, 317 00:12:57,375 --> 00:12:59,750 but it's really used for small appliances, 318 00:12:59,750 --> 00:13:01,583 not for cigarette lighters. 319 00:13:01,583 --> 00:13:04,792 - I still drive a car that has a cigarette lighter in it, 320 00:13:04,792 --> 00:13:06,208 and I'm not a smoker. 321 00:13:06,208 --> 00:13:09,250 Because there's something to it on a survival basis 322 00:13:09,250 --> 00:13:13,417 where I'm just like, "One day I might need fire." 323 00:13:13,417 --> 00:13:15,542 It's almost like a Swiss Army Boy Scout thing 324 00:13:15,542 --> 00:13:18,750 where I'm just like, "I have fire here in my car." 325 00:13:19,958 --> 00:13:21,375 - When you buy a car, 326 00:13:21,375 --> 00:13:24,542 you expect it to come with certain basic features, 327 00:13:24,542 --> 00:13:28,458 headlights, rear-view mirrors, a windshield. 328 00:13:28,458 --> 00:13:32,208 But believe it or not, in the early days of automobiles, 329 00:13:32,208 --> 00:13:34,417 none of those were standard, 330 00:13:34,417 --> 00:13:35,875 not even windshields. 331 00:13:36,708 --> 00:13:38,208 - [Adam] Originally, 332 00:13:38,208 --> 00:13:41,375 cars were a little more than sort of like a fuselage, 333 00:13:41,375 --> 00:13:43,625 an engine tires, 334 00:13:43,625 --> 00:13:46,375 maybe some fenders and some seats. 335 00:13:46,375 --> 00:13:49,375 People used to have to wear driving caps, driving gloves, 336 00:13:49,375 --> 00:13:51,667 and driving goggles. 337 00:13:51,667 --> 00:13:53,708 - The early cars of the late 1800s 338 00:13:53,708 --> 00:13:55,792 were exposed to every element. 339 00:13:55,792 --> 00:13:58,917 You were exposed to wind, insects, rain, 340 00:13:58,917 --> 00:14:01,083 everything that you can think of. 341 00:14:01,083 --> 00:14:05,250 - [Don] By 1905, auto racing has led to a boom in engine power. 342 00:14:05,250 --> 00:14:07,917 Now there are cars going 70 miles per hour 343 00:14:07,917 --> 00:14:10,667 where they were topping out at 15 miles per hour, 344 00:14:10,667 --> 00:14:12,375 just a decade before. 345 00:14:12,375 --> 00:14:15,042 - [Nicole] Anything that hits you at 70 miles an hour 346 00:14:15,042 --> 00:14:17,500 is going to really, really injure you. 347 00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:18,875 - [Don] To solve this problem, 348 00:14:18,875 --> 00:14:21,083 automakers basically take the idea of goggles 349 00:14:21,083 --> 00:14:23,542 and put it on the car itself. 350 00:14:23,542 --> 00:14:25,042 The windshield is born. 351 00:14:25,042 --> 00:14:26,792 - [Henry] A simple pane of glass 352 00:14:26,792 --> 00:14:29,042 fitted into the body of the car, 353 00:14:29,042 --> 00:14:31,333 completely transforms driving. 354 00:14:31,333 --> 00:14:34,875 - [Austin] People used to only drive in good weather. 355 00:14:34,875 --> 00:14:38,083 Now, you've got an enclosed car with a windshield. 356 00:14:38,083 --> 00:14:40,125 Older people can now drive year-round, 357 00:14:40,125 --> 00:14:42,208 and poorer people can drive 358 00:14:42,208 --> 00:14:44,958 without the aid of a professional driver 359 00:14:44,958 --> 00:14:47,417 out there in the elements with the goggles on. 360 00:14:47,417 --> 00:14:49,375 - [Henry] Windshields are so useful 361 00:14:49,375 --> 00:14:53,375 that some automakers make them standard by 1915. 362 00:14:53,375 --> 00:14:56,375 But while they help make driving more civilized, 363 00:14:56,375 --> 00:14:59,708 they can also make it more dangerous. 364 00:14:59,708 --> 00:15:01,875 - [Austin] These early windshields 365 00:15:01,875 --> 00:15:05,250 are made of plate glass, window glass. 366 00:15:05,250 --> 00:15:08,042 - [Don] If you've ever had a rock hit your windshield today, 367 00:15:08,042 --> 00:15:09,917 it doesn't come through, it doesn't penetrate. 368 00:15:09,917 --> 00:15:12,583 It just leaves this spiderweb looking hole. 369 00:15:12,583 --> 00:15:14,042 Back then, 370 00:15:14,042 --> 00:15:15,417 that rock could not only go through the windshield, 371 00:15:15,417 --> 00:15:16,250 hit you in the head, 372 00:15:16,250 --> 00:15:17,667 it could shatter the whole thing. 373 00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:19,375 It's like a rock going through a window at home, 374 00:15:19,375 --> 00:15:21,417 but you're driving at 70 miles per hour. 375 00:15:22,833 --> 00:15:25,083 - [Adam] Things get really ugly. 376 00:15:25,083 --> 00:15:26,625 There are no seat belts. 377 00:15:26,625 --> 00:15:28,167 So in a head on collision, 378 00:15:28,167 --> 00:15:33,167 people are flying headfirst with so much regularity, 379 00:15:33,167 --> 00:15:35,375 that the glass windshield 380 00:15:35,375 --> 00:15:38,167 ultimately gets the macabre nickname, 381 00:15:39,208 --> 00:15:40,917 the glass necklace. 382 00:15:42,292 --> 00:15:46,208 - [Henry] By 1925, there are 17 million cars on the road. 383 00:15:46,208 --> 00:15:49,042 And more cars, mean more injuries, 384 00:15:49,042 --> 00:15:53,208 most of which are caused by shattered glass. 385 00:15:53,208 --> 00:15:55,875 - [Austin] Automakers invent the windshield to help 386 00:15:55,875 --> 00:15:58,125 protect drivers. 387 00:15:58,125 --> 00:16:01,333 But instead, as they shatter and burst, 388 00:16:01,333 --> 00:16:04,208 they're driving up injuries and deaths. 389 00:16:04,208 --> 00:16:07,958 - [Don] In 1927, automakers come up with a new type of 390 00:16:07,958 --> 00:16:10,042 windshield, it sandwiches two panes of glass 391 00:16:10,042 --> 00:16:12,375 around a thin layer of celluloid, 392 00:16:12,375 --> 00:16:14,708 same plastic they use in movie film. 393 00:16:14,708 --> 00:16:17,667 Automakers are so confident of this new product 394 00:16:17,667 --> 00:16:19,958 that they call it, safety glass, 395 00:16:19,958 --> 00:16:22,375 and they market it as shatterproof. 396 00:16:22,375 --> 00:16:24,208 - [Austin] The problem with it being shatterproof, 397 00:16:24,208 --> 00:16:27,708 is it's only shatterproof in one direction, 398 00:16:27,708 --> 00:16:29,333 the impact side. 399 00:16:29,333 --> 00:16:30,708 - [Don] It can stop a flying rock 400 00:16:30,708 --> 00:16:33,125 from exploding the windshield from the outside. 401 00:16:33,125 --> 00:16:34,708 But if you're a human head, 402 00:16:34,708 --> 00:16:37,875 it's not strong enough to stop you from busting through 403 00:16:37,875 --> 00:16:39,625 and giving you the glass necklace. 404 00:16:39,625 --> 00:16:43,375 Also, the celluloid gets blurry and foggy with age, 405 00:16:43,375 --> 00:16:47,000 preventing the windshield from doing its primary job, 406 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,167 which is allowing you to see the road clearly 407 00:16:49,167 --> 00:16:50,833 so you don't crash. 408 00:16:50,833 --> 00:16:52,667 - Finally, in 1937, 409 00:16:52,667 --> 00:16:57,750 after a six year multi-million dollar collaboration 410 00:16:59,167 --> 00:17:00,750 between the five largest chemical companies at that time, 411 00:17:00,750 --> 00:17:04,458 they think they found a solution to windshield safety, 412 00:17:04,458 --> 00:17:06,292 laminated glass. 413 00:17:06,292 --> 00:17:09,875 - Laminated glass is created by sandwiching a clear resin 414 00:17:09,875 --> 00:17:13,208 between two pieces of glass. 415 00:17:13,208 --> 00:17:15,250 It now sticks together, 416 00:17:15,250 --> 00:17:18,667 rendering the windshield pretty much shatterproof. 417 00:17:18,667 --> 00:17:21,458 - [Adam] In fact, it proves such a good solution 418 00:17:21,458 --> 00:17:24,167 that today, almost 90 years later, 419 00:17:24,167 --> 00:17:27,125 even though we use different materials to do it, 420 00:17:27,125 --> 00:17:30,625 we're still making windshields out of laminated glass. 421 00:17:30,625 --> 00:17:33,292 - So the next time something hits your windshield, 422 00:17:33,292 --> 00:17:36,500 be thankful it's keeping the bad stuff out 423 00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:39,042 and the good stuff, like you and your family, 424 00:17:39,042 --> 00:17:40,542 inside safely. 425 00:17:44,667 --> 00:17:46,667 - [Henry] Car buyers can be tough to please, 426 00:17:46,667 --> 00:17:47,958 and what they want is always changing. 427 00:17:47,958 --> 00:17:50,500 But one thing that hasn't changed, 428 00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:54,375 is a desire for your new car not to explode. 429 00:17:54,375 --> 00:17:56,625 And for one car in the 1970s, 430 00:17:56,625 --> 00:17:58,667 that was just a little too much to ask. 431 00:18:00,292 --> 00:18:02,958 - [Jason] By the late '60s, American car manufacturers, 432 00:18:02,958 --> 00:18:04,375 they're really starting to worry. 433 00:18:04,375 --> 00:18:05,708 Gas prices are going up. 434 00:18:05,708 --> 00:18:08,333 They're losing a generation of consumers 435 00:18:08,333 --> 00:18:11,250 to these smaller foreign cars. 436 00:18:11,250 --> 00:18:13,125 But Ford, all they're offering right now 437 00:18:13,125 --> 00:18:15,042 are these heavy muscle cars, 438 00:18:15,042 --> 00:18:17,208 and so they come up with a solution. 439 00:18:18,208 --> 00:18:22,042 - [Don] In 1970, after two years of RandD, 440 00:18:22,042 --> 00:18:24,250 when it normally takes twice as much time 441 00:18:24,250 --> 00:18:25,542 to develop a new car, 442 00:18:25,542 --> 00:18:27,250 Ford rolls out a new model 443 00:18:27,250 --> 00:18:29,500 unlike anything they've ever made before. 444 00:18:30,875 --> 00:18:33,875 - [Announcer] Pinto, the new little carefree car from Ford. 445 00:18:35,542 --> 00:18:37,917 - [Jason] The Pinto is here to save Ford from the invasive 446 00:18:37,917 --> 00:18:39,542 VW bug. 447 00:18:39,542 --> 00:18:43,875 It's marketed as a low-cost, low-fuel American made car. 448 00:18:43,875 --> 00:18:45,167 Everything about the Pinto 449 00:18:45,167 --> 00:18:47,583 is designed to be easy on the wallet. 450 00:18:47,583 --> 00:18:51,125 - Ford does a crazy amount of promoting for the Pinto. 451 00:18:51,125 --> 00:18:53,000 They've got it in TV ads. 452 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,500 Henry Ford II 453 00:18:54,500 --> 00:18:57,125 is driving it around everywhere through Detroit, 454 00:18:57,125 --> 00:18:58,875 really, really building a brand. 455 00:19:00,292 --> 00:19:01,667 - [Jason] This thing also, 456 00:19:01,667 --> 00:19:03,833 is only half the weight of their normal cars, 457 00:19:03,833 --> 00:19:05,292 which means it's gonna get better gas mileage. 458 00:19:05,292 --> 00:19:07,000 It's also very affordable. 459 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,500 It's $2,000 brand new, 460 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:12,458 which is about $16,000 in today's money. 461 00:19:12,458 --> 00:19:14,708 - [Henry] The affordable, fuel efficient Pinto 462 00:19:14,708 --> 00:19:17,333 is the perfect car for the early '70s, 463 00:19:17,333 --> 00:19:21,625 and 800,000 are sold in the first two years. 464 00:19:21,625 --> 00:19:25,208 - [Don] In 1973, due to the oil crisis, 465 00:19:25,208 --> 00:19:27,708 gas prices in America quadruple overnight, 466 00:19:27,708 --> 00:19:31,292 and as a result, sales of Pintos skyrocket. 467 00:19:31,292 --> 00:19:32,458 - [Henry] But the plucky Pinto, 468 00:19:32,458 --> 00:19:35,333 also has a hot, little secret. 469 00:19:36,583 --> 00:19:40,875 - [Nicole] Lily Gray is driving her Pinto in May of 1972, 470 00:19:40,875 --> 00:19:42,458 and it kinda stalls out, 471 00:19:43,792 --> 00:19:47,292 so she's trying to get out of the way and is rear-ended, 472 00:19:47,292 --> 00:19:48,333 [cars thud] 473 00:19:48,333 --> 00:19:50,417 and her car burst into flames. 474 00:19:51,708 --> 00:19:53,208 - It should have just been a fender bender, 475 00:19:53,208 --> 00:19:56,292 but on contact... [imitates explosion booms] 476 00:19:56,292 --> 00:19:58,250 - [Jason] This is actually the first of many incidents 477 00:19:58,250 --> 00:20:00,375 involving Pintos getting hit from behind 478 00:20:00,375 --> 00:20:01,708 in low-speed impacts, 479 00:20:01,708 --> 00:20:03,792 and bursting into flame like blow torches. 480 00:20:03,792 --> 00:20:06,208 So people are thinking, "What's going on? 481 00:20:06,208 --> 00:20:08,333 Something's not right here." 482 00:20:08,333 --> 00:20:10,208 - [Negin] It turns out, because they wanted 483 00:20:10,208 --> 00:20:13,375 to make the car small and light, 484 00:20:13,375 --> 00:20:14,875 during the design phase, 485 00:20:14,875 --> 00:20:18,917 the rear of the Pinto shrunk to far more than what's normal. 486 00:20:18,917 --> 00:20:23,417 Shrinking any part of a car should be really done with care. 487 00:20:23,417 --> 00:20:24,667 [intense music] [cars clattering] 488 00:20:24,667 --> 00:20:26,667 - [Brian] The problem is the gas tank 489 00:20:26,667 --> 00:20:29,042 was right next to the back bumper with 490 00:20:29,042 --> 00:20:30,708 almost no protection. 491 00:20:30,708 --> 00:20:31,958 - [Jason] So even in a fender bender, 492 00:20:31,958 --> 00:20:34,208 sharp metal points ripped the gas tank open 493 00:20:34,208 --> 00:20:35,417 like a can opener. 494 00:20:35,417 --> 00:20:37,208 Fuels spills everywhere. 495 00:20:37,208 --> 00:20:40,583 One spark, and it's like the 4th of July. 496 00:20:40,583 --> 00:20:42,292 - [Henry] By the late 1970s, 497 00:20:42,292 --> 00:20:44,333 over 100 lawsuits are filed 498 00:20:44,333 --> 00:20:48,208 by victims of fiery Pinto crashes. 499 00:20:48,208 --> 00:20:49,333 - [Negin] News story after news story 500 00:20:49,333 --> 00:20:51,125 about these explosions come out, 501 00:20:51,125 --> 00:20:53,792 and it becomes a national punchline. 502 00:20:53,792 --> 00:20:55,083 It's in late night. 503 00:20:55,083 --> 00:20:57,250 It's in cartoons. 504 00:20:57,250 --> 00:21:00,125 - [Brian] It was kind of one of the first examples that I 505 00:21:00,125 --> 00:21:02,292 remember of a nationwide joke. 506 00:21:02,292 --> 00:21:04,125 But for something to gain 507 00:21:04,125 --> 00:21:08,042 that level of notoriety and failure, 508 00:21:08,042 --> 00:21:09,792 it had to really suck. 509 00:21:10,958 --> 00:21:13,917 It became the standard bearer for what a flop was. 510 00:21:15,208 --> 00:21:19,833 - [Jason] In 1978, 1.5 million Pintos are actually recalled. 511 00:21:20,708 --> 00:21:22,417 Crazy thing is, like 1979, 1980, 512 00:21:22,417 --> 00:21:25,083 they still sell almost 200,000 Pintos, 513 00:21:25,083 --> 00:21:26,583 which goes to show you, 514 00:21:26,583 --> 00:21:28,542 people are willing to maybe compromise on safety 515 00:21:28,542 --> 00:21:30,375 if they can save a buck. 516 00:21:31,542 --> 00:21:34,208 - The Pinto was a fireball waiting to happen, 517 00:21:34,208 --> 00:21:36,375 but that wasn't the end of the story. 518 00:21:36,375 --> 00:21:39,292 The Pinto saga went beyond road safety. 519 00:21:39,292 --> 00:21:42,708 In fact, it went beyond roads entirely. 520 00:21:43,958 --> 00:21:46,250 - [Martin] Henry Smolinski is an aeronautical engineer 521 00:21:46,250 --> 00:21:47,583 living in California, 522 00:21:47,708 --> 00:21:52,458 and in 1970, he has the idea of putting a flying car 523 00:21:53,083 --> 00:21:53,958 in everyone's life. 524 00:21:55,292 --> 00:21:57,708 - He doesn't wanna start building from the ground up. 525 00:21:57,708 --> 00:22:00,958 So instead of creating a whole new flying car, 526 00:22:00,958 --> 00:22:02,708 he kinda wants to put wings 527 00:22:02,708 --> 00:22:06,292 on an existing mass-marketed vehicle. 528 00:22:06,292 --> 00:22:08,542 - The vehicle that Smolinski chooses 529 00:22:08,542 --> 00:22:10,333 for this vision of the future, 530 00:22:11,333 --> 00:22:12,500 is the Ford Pinto. 531 00:22:14,167 --> 00:22:16,667 - [Austin] He needs a car to take to the skies, 532 00:22:16,667 --> 00:22:19,708 and the Ford Pinto is affordable, 533 00:22:19,708 --> 00:22:21,375 and most of all, it's light. 534 00:22:21,375 --> 00:22:23,083 It's less than 2,000 pounds. 535 00:22:24,083 --> 00:22:25,542 - Smolinski's prototype 536 00:22:25,542 --> 00:22:29,167 combines the wings and propeller of a Cessna Skymaster 537 00:22:29,167 --> 00:22:31,208 with the body of a Ford Pinto. 538 00:22:31,208 --> 00:22:33,917 He names his creation, the Mizar, 539 00:22:33,917 --> 00:22:36,667 after a star in the Big Dipper constellation. 540 00:22:38,333 --> 00:22:39,667 - [Austin] Who wouldn't want this? 541 00:22:39,667 --> 00:22:42,833 As long as you don't get rear-ended in the sky, 542 00:22:42,833 --> 00:22:44,750 what could be more convenient? 543 00:22:44,750 --> 00:22:47,208 - [Henry] Before the Mizar has even been tested, 544 00:22:47,208 --> 00:22:49,875 Smolinski has 35 pre sales. 545 00:22:49,875 --> 00:22:52,542 Not bad for a Pinto with wings. 546 00:22:52,542 --> 00:22:56,417 But the big question is, will the Mizar fly? 547 00:22:57,792 --> 00:23:00,708 - [Martin] In August 1973, the test flight is conducted. 548 00:23:00,708 --> 00:23:04,042 Smolinski's Mizar is being operated by a test pilot. 549 00:23:04,042 --> 00:23:06,542 The vehicle gets to the appropriate takeoff speed. 550 00:23:06,542 --> 00:23:09,208 The pilot pulls back on the control column, 551 00:23:09,208 --> 00:23:10,792 and the Mizar rises to the air 552 00:23:10,792 --> 00:23:14,125 and reaches an altitude of 120 feet. 553 00:23:14,125 --> 00:23:17,167 - [Hakeem] Then that's where things go wrong. 554 00:23:17,167 --> 00:23:20,042 That's when one of the struts holding the wing gives way. 555 00:23:20,042 --> 00:23:22,792 And so the pilot has to make an emergency landing, 556 00:23:22,792 --> 00:23:26,042 and he does so safely in a bean field. 557 00:23:26,042 --> 00:23:28,542 - [Austin] Smolinski isn't giving up, he makes some tweaks. 558 00:23:28,542 --> 00:23:30,708 He improves his experiment. 559 00:23:30,708 --> 00:23:33,333 But this time, for the next test flight, 560 00:23:33,333 --> 00:23:35,208 his pilot's not available. 561 00:23:35,208 --> 00:23:39,667 So Smolinski figures, "I'll take the reins." 562 00:23:39,667 --> 00:23:42,708 - [Henry] On a clear September morning in 1973, 563 00:23:42,708 --> 00:23:46,833 Smolinski and his business partner take off for test two. 564 00:23:47,833 --> 00:23:49,708 - [Martin] Smolinski gets the car in the air, 565 00:23:49,708 --> 00:23:51,750 and everything seems to be going just fine. 566 00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:53,792 He climbs to 400 feet. 567 00:23:53,792 --> 00:23:55,667 And while he's at an altitude of 400 feet 568 00:23:55,667 --> 00:23:57,000 under controlled flight, 569 00:23:58,542 --> 00:24:00,583 the same wing strut fails. 570 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:03,250 - [Austin] Smolinski attempts to regain control, but it's 571 00:24:03,250 --> 00:24:04,875 too late. 572 00:24:04,875 --> 00:24:07,083 The Mizar plunges into the ground, 573 00:24:07,083 --> 00:24:10,042 and he and his co-pilot are killed instantly. 574 00:24:10,958 --> 00:24:12,917 - [Hakeem] An investigation later reveals 575 00:24:12,917 --> 00:24:15,625 that even though they used a lightweight Pinto, 576 00:24:15,625 --> 00:24:17,625 it was still way too heavy. 577 00:24:17,625 --> 00:24:20,542 And the strut that broke on the first test, 578 00:24:20,542 --> 00:24:22,500 was never properly repaired. 579 00:24:23,375 --> 00:24:24,958 So with Smolinski's death, 580 00:24:24,958 --> 00:24:28,375 the dream of the flying Pinto is gone. 581 00:24:28,375 --> 00:24:29,625 - [Austin] You're wondering 582 00:24:29,625 --> 00:24:32,542 if the notoriously exploding Pinto gas tank 583 00:24:32,542 --> 00:24:34,708 had anything to do with the crash? 584 00:24:34,708 --> 00:24:37,958 We'll never know, but it definitely couldn't have helped. 585 00:24:39,375 --> 00:24:43,958 - The good news is the Jetsons takes place in the year 2062. 586 00:24:43,958 --> 00:24:45,917 So we still have a few decades 587 00:24:45,917 --> 00:24:48,625 to figure out how to build a better flying car. 588 00:24:52,708 --> 00:24:54,375 - [Henry] For many drivers, 589 00:24:54,375 --> 00:24:56,667 it's not enough just to get from point A to point B. 590 00:24:56,667 --> 00:24:59,167 You wanna look good while doing it. 591 00:24:59,167 --> 00:25:00,750 Well, in the early '60s, 592 00:25:00,750 --> 00:25:04,667 an innovation came out that was so strange, so eye-catching, 593 00:25:04,667 --> 00:25:07,750 it caused mayhem in the streets. 594 00:25:07,750 --> 00:25:09,208 - [Jason] Cars in the '60s, 595 00:25:09,208 --> 00:25:11,292 they're breaking all sorts of performance records. 596 00:25:11,292 --> 00:25:14,042 Everything about them is better, stronger, faster, 597 00:25:14,042 --> 00:25:16,208 and yet there is one part of the car 598 00:25:16,208 --> 00:25:18,417 that seems to remain unchanged, 599 00:25:18,417 --> 00:25:20,708 the humbled tire. [tires screeching] 600 00:25:20,708 --> 00:25:22,917 - In 1961, Goodyear has this brilliant idea 601 00:25:22,917 --> 00:25:24,292 that we would make a tire differently 602 00:25:24,292 --> 00:25:25,708 than we ever made it before 603 00:25:25,708 --> 00:25:28,458 with a a moldable plastic that's called, neothane. 604 00:25:28,458 --> 00:25:31,875 And you can just inject it and create the shape of the tire. 605 00:25:31,875 --> 00:25:33,083 - [Henry] And neothane 606 00:25:33,083 --> 00:25:36,542 turns out to have a surprising upside. 607 00:25:36,542 --> 00:25:38,208 - [Rutledge] What's so cool about neothane 608 00:25:38,208 --> 00:25:41,875 is that you can actually dye it to be a different color, 609 00:25:41,875 --> 00:25:44,750 which means you could have red tires or green tires. 610 00:25:44,750 --> 00:25:46,333 And because it's a plastic, 611 00:25:46,333 --> 00:25:48,208 you can actually illuminate it 612 00:25:48,208 --> 00:25:51,625 by running a light on the inside of the tire 613 00:25:51,625 --> 00:25:53,042 to make this thing glow. 614 00:25:53,875 --> 00:25:56,625 I mean, that's so cool. 615 00:25:56,625 --> 00:25:58,125 - Tires are literally 616 00:25:58,125 --> 00:26:00,000 the most boring purchase I could possibly imagine. 617 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,125 So why not bedeck them with bright lights? 618 00:26:03,125 --> 00:26:04,417 Seems like a great idea. 619 00:26:04,417 --> 00:26:08,250 - [Negin] The '60s were a glamorous time in America. 620 00:26:08,250 --> 00:26:12,083 Everything was colorful and design-focused, 621 00:26:12,083 --> 00:26:14,792 so Americans were really going for it, 622 00:26:14,792 --> 00:26:17,750 which is where this tire comes in. 623 00:26:17,750 --> 00:26:19,042 - [Natalia] It kind of reminds me 624 00:26:19,042 --> 00:26:20,875 of when those iMacs came out in the '90s, 625 00:26:20,875 --> 00:26:23,167 and they were in every color of the rainbow, 626 00:26:23,167 --> 00:26:25,875 it really had that kind of feel of technology 627 00:26:25,875 --> 00:26:27,417 that's highly functional, 628 00:26:27,417 --> 00:26:29,792 but being marketed as fashion. 629 00:26:29,792 --> 00:26:32,500 - [Henry] While neothane tires sound great in theory, 630 00:26:32,500 --> 00:26:34,083 things don't go so well 631 00:26:34,083 --> 00:26:37,833 when the imitation rubber meets the road. 632 00:26:37,833 --> 00:26:39,292 - [Jason] So, you know how the movies, 633 00:26:39,292 --> 00:26:41,833 when the beautiful lead actress walks into a room 634 00:26:41,833 --> 00:26:44,750 and the entire room stops and everybody turns to stare? 635 00:26:44,750 --> 00:26:46,875 That's kinda what these tires are like. 636 00:26:48,208 --> 00:26:50,792 - Pedestrians could stop in the middle of a crosswalk 637 00:26:50,792 --> 00:26:53,250 just to ogle these bright tires. 638 00:26:53,250 --> 00:26:56,208 Other motorists could drift into an intersection 639 00:26:56,208 --> 00:26:57,417 'cause they're distracted. 640 00:26:57,417 --> 00:26:58,958 Or a driver could be blinded 641 00:26:58,958 --> 00:27:01,583 as these four sets of like brightened lights 642 00:27:01,583 --> 00:27:03,750 whiz toward them on a dark night. 643 00:27:03,750 --> 00:27:06,250 These are definitely eye-catching tires, 644 00:27:06,250 --> 00:27:08,042 but they're also a menace. 645 00:27:08,042 --> 00:27:10,250 - [Henry] Neothane tires grab attention, 646 00:27:10,250 --> 00:27:13,292 but that's about the only thing they have a firm grip on. 647 00:27:14,458 --> 00:27:17,250 - [Lance] Neothane is essentially just plastic. 648 00:27:18,042 --> 00:27:20,375 - [Rutledge] It doesn't do great in rain. 649 00:27:20,375 --> 00:27:21,708 That's a bit of an issue 650 00:27:21,708 --> 00:27:23,667 for almost anyone that owns a vehicle. 651 00:27:23,667 --> 00:27:26,208 - [Jason] If you start or stop quickly, that creates heat, 652 00:27:26,208 --> 00:27:29,292 and it literally causes the tires to start melting. 653 00:27:29,292 --> 00:27:32,792 Pretty soon, you're driving in for undercooked donuts. 654 00:27:33,875 --> 00:27:36,208 - [Henry] Soon, the company realizes, 655 00:27:36,208 --> 00:27:39,583 illuminated tires aren't the future after all, 656 00:27:39,583 --> 00:27:41,917 and the product is shelved. 657 00:27:41,917 --> 00:27:44,542 - I mean, look, today, if you wanna match your tires, 658 00:27:44,542 --> 00:27:46,208 just wear black. 659 00:27:46,208 --> 00:27:49,708 Biker dudes, they're always matching tires. 660 00:27:49,708 --> 00:27:51,917 [engine revving] 661 00:27:51,917 --> 00:27:55,042 - Dazzling tires turned out to be a bad look. 662 00:27:55,042 --> 00:27:58,292 But the true jewel of a mid-century car 663 00:27:58,292 --> 00:28:00,333 was the dashboard. 664 00:28:00,333 --> 00:28:01,833 In the 1950s, 665 00:28:01,833 --> 00:28:05,583 they were a blend of high tech and high style. 666 00:28:05,583 --> 00:28:08,125 But sometimes the result wasn't so pretty. 667 00:28:09,208 --> 00:28:11,833 - [Kavitha] Today, most dashboards are kinda boring. 668 00:28:11,833 --> 00:28:14,917 They're mostly black foam and purely functional. 669 00:28:14,917 --> 00:28:18,208 But in the 1950s, they are command central. 670 00:28:18,208 --> 00:28:20,542 - [Natalia] There's knobs for raising the antennas. 671 00:28:20,542 --> 00:28:22,042 There's knobs for fuel. 672 00:28:22,042 --> 00:28:24,708 You know, there's knobs for your radio. 673 00:28:24,708 --> 00:28:27,083 There's shifters on the dash back then. 674 00:28:27,083 --> 00:28:30,292 So, there's literally a knob for everything. 675 00:28:30,292 --> 00:28:35,292 - A car is physical, a car is buttons, a car chrome, 676 00:28:36,208 --> 00:28:38,375 dashboard was your instrument pal. 677 00:28:38,375 --> 00:28:40,625 This was your domain and it was gorgeous. 678 00:28:40,625 --> 00:28:42,500 Ah, it was the best. 679 00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:44,042 It's a lost American art. 680 00:28:44,042 --> 00:28:46,167 - [Austin] Some automakers utilize the dashboard 681 00:28:46,167 --> 00:28:49,833 for some pretty, over the top concepts. 682 00:28:49,833 --> 00:28:53,917 One car maker makes the Highway Hi-Fi, 683 00:28:53,917 --> 00:28:56,083 take a record player on the road. 684 00:28:56,083 --> 00:28:59,833 - In the 1950s, one company even sells a coffee maker 685 00:28:59,833 --> 00:29:01,208 for a Volkswagen Beetle, 686 00:29:01,208 --> 00:29:03,167 pouring yourself a nice cup of coffee 687 00:29:03,167 --> 00:29:04,833 with a hot plate by your side 688 00:29:04,833 --> 00:29:06,875 while speeding down the highway. 689 00:29:06,875 --> 00:29:08,958 This is not gonna end well. 690 00:29:08,958 --> 00:29:11,083 - [Austin] Another automaker takes advantage 691 00:29:11,083 --> 00:29:14,667 of very lax drinking and driving laws and just says, 692 00:29:14,667 --> 00:29:17,833 "Hey, let's just put a bar in the car." 693 00:29:17,833 --> 00:29:19,542 That's right, fold out your dashboard 694 00:29:19,542 --> 00:29:21,958 and you've got your whiskey and your glasses. 695 00:29:21,958 --> 00:29:23,542 - Some dashboards had a bar in them, 696 00:29:23,542 --> 00:29:26,375 like sure you wish that the driver wasn't taking use of it, 697 00:29:26,375 --> 00:29:29,125 but man, this is when Americans knew how to party. 698 00:29:29,125 --> 00:29:31,708 - Steering wheels are a lot fancier too. 699 00:29:31,708 --> 00:29:33,958 Back in the days before power steering, 700 00:29:33,958 --> 00:29:35,208 they would come with this chrome knob 701 00:29:35,208 --> 00:29:37,583 that made turning the wheel a lot easier. 702 00:29:37,583 --> 00:29:39,167 - Steering wheels now are like, 703 00:29:39,167 --> 00:29:41,125 "Oh, I can control the air conditioning. 704 00:29:41,125 --> 00:29:43,042 Oh, I could put the volume up and down." 705 00:29:43,042 --> 00:29:45,375 How about when a steering wheel was a steering wheel, 706 00:29:45,375 --> 00:29:48,500 big with a beautiful emblem in the middle of it 707 00:29:48,500 --> 00:29:50,583 and like it was some American pride in that. 708 00:29:50,583 --> 00:29:53,708 "This is an American car. I could drive with this." 709 00:29:53,708 --> 00:29:54,792 - [Don] They thought of everything 710 00:29:54,792 --> 00:29:56,708 with these awesome design elements 711 00:29:56,708 --> 00:29:59,042 except for one little thing. 712 00:29:59,042 --> 00:30:00,625 - [Kavitha] Cars are getting faster, 713 00:30:00,625 --> 00:30:03,042 and now you have all of these decorative, pointy, 714 00:30:03,042 --> 00:30:04,875 sharp elements in your car. 715 00:30:04,875 --> 00:30:07,000 So you could imagine if there's a collision, 716 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:08,833 it's a recipe for disaster. 717 00:30:10,042 --> 00:30:11,083 - [Brian] Now these people would be driving around 718 00:30:11,083 --> 00:30:13,042 with the steering knob on. 719 00:30:13,042 --> 00:30:14,875 They get to an accident, [tires screeching] 720 00:30:14,875 --> 00:30:17,375 they would hit their head, they would die. 721 00:30:17,375 --> 00:30:20,500 They call these things the suicide knobs. 722 00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:22,750 - [Nicole] All of these little flashy knobs and buttons 723 00:30:22,750 --> 00:30:24,792 are now actually little knives 724 00:30:24,792 --> 00:30:27,833 via an accident coming at you. 725 00:30:27,833 --> 00:30:31,208 - [Brian] You can get a switch in your cheek or a knob in your 726 00:30:31,208 --> 00:30:32,750 eye, and it could hurt like heck. 727 00:30:32,750 --> 00:30:34,208 - [Kavitha] In the 1950s and '60s, 728 00:30:34,208 --> 00:30:37,208 doctors actually have a new category of trauma 729 00:30:37,208 --> 00:30:38,792 that they see patients come in with 730 00:30:38,792 --> 00:30:40,667 that they call dashboard injuries. 731 00:30:40,667 --> 00:30:43,375 And that's face lacerations and crushed noses, 732 00:30:43,375 --> 00:30:46,042 things like that, from these accidents. 733 00:30:46,042 --> 00:30:49,000 - [Don] In 1965 comes the big turning point. 734 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,125 Lawyer safety advocate, Ralph Nader, 735 00:30:51,125 --> 00:30:53,875 publishes a book it's called, "Unsafe at Any Speed," 736 00:30:53,875 --> 00:30:56,083 which exposes automakers 737 00:30:56,083 --> 00:31:00,625 for ignoring all these known safety problems. 738 00:31:00,625 --> 00:31:05,625 By the early 1970s, the car interior of doom era ends 739 00:31:07,167 --> 00:31:11,042 as car makers start prioritizing survival over aesthetics. 740 00:31:12,167 --> 00:31:14,542 - Dashboards will never quite be like they were, 741 00:31:14,542 --> 00:31:15,875 but at least now, 742 00:31:15,875 --> 00:31:17,375 they're a lot less likely to kill you. 743 00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:23,958 - Today, it's not unusual to see electric cars on the road, 744 00:31:23,958 --> 00:31:26,625 but it sure was back in the 1980s. 745 00:31:26,625 --> 00:31:30,250 That's when a rich computer genius tried to save the world 746 00:31:30,250 --> 00:31:35,000 by creating an all-electric personal transit device. 747 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:36,833 Unfortunately, good intentions 748 00:31:36,833 --> 00:31:39,250 don't always make great vehicles. 749 00:31:39,250 --> 00:31:41,042 - [Don] Clive Sinclair is an Englishman 750 00:31:41,042 --> 00:31:42,708 who's a lifelong tinkerer. 751 00:31:42,708 --> 00:31:45,500 He develops and sells this pocket calculator 752 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:48,875 that becomes a must-have for brainiacs everywhere, 753 00:31:48,875 --> 00:31:51,208 and then, a personal computer. 754 00:31:51,208 --> 00:31:55,292 - The ZX Spectrum eventually sells 5 million units. 755 00:31:55,292 --> 00:31:56,917 It makes him a very rich man. 756 00:31:56,917 --> 00:32:00,458 In 1983, he's knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. 757 00:32:00,458 --> 00:32:04,083 In every way, he's the British equivalent of Steve Jobs. 758 00:32:04,083 --> 00:32:06,208 - [Lance] Sinclair has revolutionized the computer 759 00:32:06,208 --> 00:32:08,708 market and he decides he's gonna also revolutionize 760 00:32:08,708 --> 00:32:09,917 the automobile market, 761 00:32:09,917 --> 00:32:11,958 and he's gonna produce an electric car. 762 00:32:11,958 --> 00:32:14,083 - [Jason] On January 10th, 1985, 763 00:32:14,083 --> 00:32:15,625 when he's getting ready to unveil this thing 764 00:32:15,625 --> 00:32:17,542 at this glitzy event in London, 765 00:32:17,542 --> 00:32:20,625 anticipation is sky high. 766 00:32:20,625 --> 00:32:23,042 - [Reporter] So Clive Sinclair's latest brainchild 767 00:32:23,042 --> 00:32:24,917 is something of a surprise. 768 00:32:24,917 --> 00:32:27,667 The C5 is, after all, a futuristic, 769 00:32:27,667 --> 00:32:31,500 and rather sleek vehicle with unusual design features. 770 00:32:32,708 --> 00:32:34,792 - [Martin] The Sinclair C5, upon rollout, doesn't 771 00:32:34,792 --> 00:32:36,458 look like a car. 772 00:32:36,458 --> 00:32:38,500 It doesn't look like a motorcycle. 773 00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:41,375 This electrically assisted pedal tricycle 774 00:32:41,375 --> 00:32:44,625 is unlike anything that anyone had seen before. 775 00:32:44,625 --> 00:32:47,917 - [Jason] It's sort of like the scooters in "Tron." 776 00:32:47,917 --> 00:32:51,042 It's very futuristic and very foreign. 777 00:32:51,042 --> 00:32:53,375 - [Don] Ads boast that the C5 can go 5 miles 778 00:32:53,375 --> 00:32:56,625 on a penny's worth of charge, and it costs 400 pounds. 779 00:32:56,625 --> 00:32:58,958 It's like $4,000 today. 780 00:32:58,958 --> 00:33:01,833 - [Lance] Important people like Elton John get a Sinclair C5. 781 00:33:01,833 --> 00:33:05,083 So it actually initially gets a whole lot of excitement 782 00:33:05,083 --> 00:33:07,042 until people start to drive it. 783 00:33:07,042 --> 00:33:08,542 - [Henry] Sparked by the initial buzz, 784 00:33:08,542 --> 00:33:10,667 Sinclair sets an ambitious goal 785 00:33:10,667 --> 00:33:13,833 of 100,000 sales in year one. 786 00:33:13,833 --> 00:33:16,042 But when the C5 hits the road, 787 00:33:16,042 --> 00:33:17,708 things get rocky. 788 00:33:17,708 --> 00:33:19,833 - [Don] The crazy thing is that there's no laws 789 00:33:19,833 --> 00:33:23,750 against taking this little scooter into rush hour traffic. 790 00:33:23,750 --> 00:33:25,667 - [Lance] It looks a lot like a jet ski. 791 00:33:25,667 --> 00:33:26,833 You're sitting way down, 792 00:33:26,833 --> 00:33:28,833 the handlebars are actually under your legs. 793 00:33:28,833 --> 00:33:30,208 You are so low to the ground 794 00:33:30,208 --> 00:33:32,375 that it's very difficult for drivers to see you. 795 00:33:32,375 --> 00:33:34,917 - [Jason] Be prepared to get a face full of exhaust 796 00:33:34,917 --> 00:33:37,167 because you're right there eye level with the exhaust. 797 00:33:37,167 --> 00:33:39,708 - [Lance] It goes a maximum of 15 miles per hour. 798 00:33:39,708 --> 00:33:41,250 You're going really slow 799 00:33:41,250 --> 00:33:42,875 and you're gonna be pumping that down the highway 800 00:33:42,875 --> 00:33:44,875 with all the trucks around you. 801 00:33:44,875 --> 00:33:47,167 - [Jason] It doesn't even have a rear-view mirror. 802 00:33:47,167 --> 00:33:49,792 You can actually add a rear-view mirror and a horn, 803 00:33:49,792 --> 00:33:51,375 but those cost extra. 804 00:33:51,375 --> 00:33:53,042 - [Lance] Initially, there's a lot of sales, 805 00:33:53,042 --> 00:33:55,708 but quickly, it starts to get poor reviews. 806 00:33:55,708 --> 00:33:56,875 The BBC journalist [chuckles] 807 00:33:56,875 --> 00:33:58,708 makes an astounding observation. 808 00:33:58,708 --> 00:34:00,542 He says, "There's nothing this can do for you 809 00:34:00,542 --> 00:34:03,583 that you can't do with just a regular bicycle." 810 00:34:03,583 --> 00:34:06,167 - [Henry] Sinclair pulls the plug on the C5 811 00:34:06,167 --> 00:34:08,208 after only 10 months in production. 812 00:34:08,208 --> 00:34:10,458 Of the 14,000 units built, 813 00:34:10,458 --> 00:34:12,958 they can't even sell half. 814 00:34:12,958 --> 00:34:14,542 - The public realizes very quickly 815 00:34:14,542 --> 00:34:16,208 that this is not the thing for them, 816 00:34:16,208 --> 00:34:19,167 and it even causes Sinclair to have to shut down 817 00:34:19,167 --> 00:34:20,625 his research company. 818 00:34:20,625 --> 00:34:22,083 It was that bad. 819 00:34:23,167 --> 00:34:26,042 - Years before the Sinclair C5, 820 00:34:26,042 --> 00:34:27,583 there was a tiny vehicle 821 00:34:27,583 --> 00:34:30,625 that tried to turn a space age fantasy 822 00:34:30,625 --> 00:34:32,333 into an everyday ride 823 00:34:32,333 --> 00:34:36,250 until it came crashing down to Earth. 824 00:34:36,250 --> 00:34:37,500 - [Austin] In the 1950s and '60s, 825 00:34:37,500 --> 00:34:39,583 America is obsessed with space. 826 00:34:39,583 --> 00:34:42,667 We're in the space race against the Russians, 827 00:34:42,667 --> 00:34:47,292 and UFOs are all across our mass media. 828 00:34:47,292 --> 00:34:48,833 - [Kavitha] There's a company called Peel Engineering 829 00:34:48,833 --> 00:34:52,458 that makes fiberglass paneling for motorcycles and boats. 830 00:34:52,458 --> 00:34:55,667 But in 1964, they decide to do something a little different. 831 00:34:56,667 --> 00:34:58,667 - [Hakeem] Peel debuts their first vehicle, 832 00:34:58,667 --> 00:35:01,250 what they call a terrestrial flying saucer, 833 00:35:01,250 --> 00:35:04,000 AKA, The Peel Trident. 834 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,125 - [Negin] If you're thinking about the Jetsons, 835 00:35:06,125 --> 00:35:09,208 it is essentially the Jetsons' car. 836 00:35:09,208 --> 00:35:10,417 - [Kavitha] It's got three wheels, 837 00:35:10,417 --> 00:35:11,833 which is why it's called The Trident. 838 00:35:11,833 --> 00:35:13,708 - [Martin] This looks like it's something for kids, 839 00:35:13,708 --> 00:35:15,125 which would be fine 840 00:35:15,125 --> 00:35:16,917 if that's all it was supposed to do was haul kids around. 841 00:35:16,917 --> 00:35:18,417 But instead, 842 00:35:18,417 --> 00:35:19,833 this is supposed to be a 843 00:35:19,833 --> 00:35:22,083 practical means of transportation for adults 844 00:35:22,083 --> 00:35:23,792 who are going to adult jobs, 845 00:35:23,792 --> 00:35:25,875 in adult traffic. 846 00:35:25,875 --> 00:35:28,708 - [Rutledge] It's a little gas-powered engine, about 50 cc. 847 00:35:28,708 --> 00:35:30,625 This thing gets 100 miles a gallon, 848 00:35:30,625 --> 00:35:33,500 so they advertise it as cheaper than walking. 849 00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:35,542 I mean, the brilliance is, it's tiny. 850 00:35:35,542 --> 00:35:37,833 It can fit anywhere in the city. 851 00:35:37,833 --> 00:35:39,417 They're super light. 852 00:35:39,417 --> 00:35:41,708 You can lift it over a curb, park it wherever you want. 853 00:35:41,708 --> 00:35:44,292 - [Austin] The Peel is cheap, it's functional, and it's fun, 854 00:35:44,292 --> 00:35:48,292 and it's advertised all over the United Kingdom. 855 00:35:48,292 --> 00:35:52,208 Anticipation is high for this tiny commuter car. 856 00:35:52,208 --> 00:35:54,125 - [Henry] But when the flying saucer lands, 857 00:35:54,125 --> 00:35:56,042 the bubble bursts. 858 00:35:56,042 --> 00:35:58,708 - [Kavitha] The biggest problem with the car, is the dome. 859 00:35:58,708 --> 00:36:00,458 There are no windows in this thing. 860 00:36:00,542 --> 00:36:04,417 And a glass dome on a sunny day, is basically a greenhouse. 861 00:36:04,417 --> 00:36:07,542 - [Negin] On like a beautiful 75 degree day, 862 00:36:07,542 --> 00:36:11,708 it feels like 130 degrees inside the Peel Trident. 863 00:36:11,708 --> 00:36:15,792 Why didn't anybody, like, look into that? 864 00:36:15,792 --> 00:36:18,875 - [Hakeem] You're not safe in a Trident on a cold day either. 865 00:36:18,875 --> 00:36:21,042 Fumes from the engine seep into the car 866 00:36:21,042 --> 00:36:23,125 every time you press on the gas. 867 00:36:23,125 --> 00:36:26,708 - I've driven a Peel Trident, and it is a real experience. 868 00:36:26,708 --> 00:36:29,417 It's more like climbing in your dryer 869 00:36:29,417 --> 00:36:31,958 and bringing your lawnmower engine with you, 870 00:36:31,958 --> 00:36:35,375 and then you start it and immediately, you feel hot, 871 00:36:35,375 --> 00:36:37,667 and it's a little hard to breathe in there. 872 00:36:37,667 --> 00:36:39,583 - [Austin] The Trident eventually ends up 873 00:36:39,583 --> 00:36:44,000 on Time magazine's 50 Worst Cars of All Time. 874 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,583 It sells only 80 models total, 875 00:36:47,583 --> 00:36:49,958 dogged by poor performance, 876 00:36:49,958 --> 00:36:54,000 and the fact that its space age technology and styling 877 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:56,500 was slowly trying to murder you. 878 00:36:57,417 --> 00:36:58,833 - It just goes to show 879 00:36:58,833 --> 00:37:01,042 they don't make them like they used to, 880 00:37:01,042 --> 00:37:02,375 and maybe that's a good thing. 881 00:37:06,458 --> 00:37:08,042 - As much as you may rely on your car, 882 00:37:08,042 --> 00:37:09,375 there is one place 883 00:37:09,375 --> 00:37:11,708 you probably shouldn't drive it, off road. 884 00:37:11,708 --> 00:37:14,708 For that, you need something a little more rugged. 885 00:37:14,708 --> 00:37:17,625 And in 1970, one small vehicle 886 00:37:17,625 --> 00:37:20,250 promised fun for the whole family, 887 00:37:20,250 --> 00:37:22,833 if only you could figure out how to control it. 888 00:37:22,833 --> 00:37:24,167 [engine revving] 889 00:37:24,167 --> 00:37:25,208 - [Natalia] In the early '70s, 890 00:37:25,208 --> 00:37:26,792 Honda is really struggling 891 00:37:26,792 --> 00:37:29,375 with motorcycle sales in the winter. 892 00:37:29,375 --> 00:37:31,583 And so they're looking for something to replace that. 893 00:37:31,583 --> 00:37:32,917 They try snowmobiles, 894 00:37:32,917 --> 00:37:35,250 but they don't really catch on in a big way. 895 00:37:35,250 --> 00:37:36,792 - The company sees a hole in the market. 896 00:37:36,792 --> 00:37:39,708 They think about what could be fun in the winter, 897 00:37:39,708 --> 00:37:42,542 but could also be enjoyed all year round. 898 00:37:42,542 --> 00:37:44,292 - [Hakeem] There are these six-wheeled vehicles 899 00:37:44,292 --> 00:37:47,083 that are being sold as all-terrain vehicles, 900 00:37:47,083 --> 00:37:48,542 but they're really expensive. 901 00:37:48,542 --> 00:37:50,708 The company decides to make its own version, 902 00:37:50,708 --> 00:37:53,000 but instead of six wheels, it'll have three. 903 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,000 And they call it the three-wheel ATV. 904 00:37:57,958 --> 00:37:59,458 - [Jason] So in this era, recreational ATVs are still 905 00:37:59,458 --> 00:38:00,792 very novel. 906 00:38:00,792 --> 00:38:02,458 They're definitely not widespread. 907 00:38:02,625 --> 00:38:05,208 So the idea of taking on nature in this cool new vehicle, 908 00:38:05,208 --> 00:38:07,708 it's mind blowing to most people. 909 00:38:07,708 --> 00:38:12,583 - [Austin] There's one commercial for the Honda 250R. 910 00:38:12,583 --> 00:38:15,708 They ride through snow, and ice, and streams. 911 00:38:15,708 --> 00:38:17,583 It's quick cuts, it's low angles, 912 00:38:17,583 --> 00:38:19,500 it's energetic, it's fun. 913 00:38:19,500 --> 00:38:21,375 These are thrilling rides. 914 00:38:21,375 --> 00:38:23,542 [engines revving] 915 00:38:23,542 --> 00:38:27,458 - It's basically a love child between a military ATV 916 00:38:27,458 --> 00:38:29,042 and a motorcycle. 917 00:38:29,042 --> 00:38:31,417 I mean, you can go on all of this different terrain, 918 00:38:31,417 --> 00:38:34,208 you know, beach, snow, rocks, 919 00:38:34,208 --> 00:38:36,625 you name it, it can do it. 920 00:38:36,625 --> 00:38:39,375 - The most groundbreaking thing about the three-wheel ATV 921 00:38:39,375 --> 00:38:41,667 is that it has no suspension. 922 00:38:41,667 --> 00:38:46,292 - [Austin] Suspensions keep wheels down or they absorb 923 00:38:46,292 --> 00:38:47,792 shocks, shock absorbers. 924 00:38:47,792 --> 00:38:50,708 But suspensions can get heavy. 925 00:38:50,708 --> 00:38:52,750 They can weigh a vehicle down. 926 00:38:54,042 --> 00:38:55,542 - [Hakeem] It sounds crazy, but it makes the vehicle 927 00:38:55,542 --> 00:38:57,042 way more fun. 928 00:38:57,042 --> 00:38:59,875 By being more lightweight, that means it's more nimble. 929 00:38:59,875 --> 00:39:01,417 - [Austin] Without a suspension, 930 00:39:01,417 --> 00:39:03,542 the tires are recommended to be underinflated 931 00:39:03,542 --> 00:39:05,292 to smooth out rough terrain, 932 00:39:05,292 --> 00:39:07,333 so it just feels like you're floating. 933 00:39:07,333 --> 00:39:08,958 [engine revving] 934 00:39:08,958 --> 00:39:11,208 - Is anybody riding a three-wheeled ATV 935 00:39:11,208 --> 00:39:12,500 for the comfort? 936 00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:14,042 [engine revving] [upbeat music] 937 00:39:14,042 --> 00:39:16,542 We wanna whip around corners so fast, 938 00:39:16,542 --> 00:39:17,958 we wanna do high jumps. 939 00:39:17,958 --> 00:39:21,208 This ATV is not built for the type of person 940 00:39:21,208 --> 00:39:22,875 that needs a suspension. 941 00:39:22,875 --> 00:39:24,458 It's built for the type of people 942 00:39:24,458 --> 00:39:25,958 that don't need suspension. 943 00:39:27,208 --> 00:39:28,708 - [Natalia] The ATV is marketed 944 00:39:28,708 --> 00:39:30,958 for anyone who's kind of young and thrill-seeking. 945 00:39:30,958 --> 00:39:34,375 And guess what? A lot of kids see themselves that way. 946 00:39:34,375 --> 00:39:35,833 - [Jason] And they even market it 947 00:39:35,833 --> 00:39:37,708 to like kids as young as like 7 years old, right? 948 00:39:37,708 --> 00:39:39,208 They even make a little brother model, 949 00:39:39,208 --> 00:39:42,250 which is like the mini version of the three-wheeled ATV. 950 00:39:42,250 --> 00:39:45,750 - [Brian] If a kid in your neighborhood had one, 951 00:39:45,750 --> 00:39:48,250 you had to make that kid your friend. 952 00:39:48,250 --> 00:39:49,542 Because the type of parents 953 00:39:49,542 --> 00:39:52,083 that were buying you a three-wheeled ATV, 954 00:39:52,083 --> 00:39:54,375 were also not supervising 955 00:39:54,375 --> 00:39:57,417 what you did on the three-wheel ATV. 956 00:39:57,417 --> 00:39:58,917 - [Henry] By 1987, 957 00:39:58,917 --> 00:40:01,125 multiple companies are cashing in 958 00:40:01,125 --> 00:40:03,500 on the three-wheel ATV craze. 959 00:40:03,500 --> 00:40:06,667 Sales hit 2.5 million. 960 00:40:06,667 --> 00:40:10,458 But three wheelers aren't as easy to ride as they look, 961 00:40:10,458 --> 00:40:12,750 or nearly as stable. 962 00:40:12,750 --> 00:40:14,042 - When there's no suspension, 963 00:40:14,042 --> 00:40:16,583 it feels kind of bouncy and playful. 964 00:40:16,583 --> 00:40:19,417 But those springs that are usually there, 965 00:40:19,417 --> 00:40:20,750 they play a big role 966 00:40:20,875 --> 00:40:23,375 in kind of keeping it upright and on the ground. 967 00:40:23,375 --> 00:40:26,125 - [Austin] You have to be aware of the machine, of the balance. 968 00:40:26,125 --> 00:40:28,917 You have to constantly shift your weight around 969 00:40:28,917 --> 00:40:32,042 to ensure that this thing doesn't flip over. 970 00:40:32,042 --> 00:40:33,875 - [Jason] Just imagine like a three-legged stool 971 00:40:33,875 --> 00:40:35,208 as opposed a four-legged stool, 972 00:40:35,208 --> 00:40:38,833 you lean the wrong way, that thing's just gonna roll. 973 00:40:38,833 --> 00:40:41,250 - [Brian] I hit a rock with my back right wheel, 974 00:40:41,250 --> 00:40:42,750 the whole thing lifted up 975 00:40:42,750 --> 00:40:45,583 and then just continued to go over and fell on me 976 00:40:45,583 --> 00:40:47,292 and broke two ribs right here. 977 00:40:47,292 --> 00:40:49,833 But they looked so cool, man. 978 00:40:49,833 --> 00:40:52,417 - [Henry] Between 1983 and 1988, [engine revving] 979 00:40:52,417 --> 00:40:57,625 three-wheeled ATVs are linked to more than 300,000 injuries, 980 00:40:58,458 --> 00:41:00,917 and most of them kids. 981 00:41:00,917 --> 00:41:03,250 - [Jason] One study shows that every ATV sold, 982 00:41:03,250 --> 00:41:07,042 has a one in three chance of causing severe injury or death. 983 00:41:07,042 --> 00:41:10,333 - [Natalia] In 1987, "60 Minutes" airs the episode, 984 00:41:10,333 --> 00:41:12,042 "The Most Dangerous Vehicle," 985 00:41:12,042 --> 00:41:14,667 and it's all about three-wheeled ATVs. 986 00:41:14,667 --> 00:41:16,417 So the word is definitely out 987 00:41:16,417 --> 00:41:18,375 that this is not just harmless fun. 988 00:41:18,375 --> 00:41:20,375 - [Austin] The government is eventually forced to act 989 00:41:20,375 --> 00:41:21,875 and compels the industry 990 00:41:21,875 --> 00:41:25,750 to spend $100 million on safety programs, 991 00:41:25,750 --> 00:41:27,292 providing free training, 992 00:41:27,292 --> 00:41:31,208 and clearly labeling age limits on the vehicles. 993 00:41:31,208 --> 00:41:33,375 - [Jason] The industry responds by really retiring 994 00:41:33,375 --> 00:41:34,708 the three-wheeled ATV. 995 00:41:34,708 --> 00:41:36,875 They replaced it with a four-wheeled ATV, 996 00:41:36,875 --> 00:41:39,667 but also one that has real suspension. 997 00:41:40,958 --> 00:41:43,208 - [Brian] Today, if there was a three-wheel ATV right here, 998 00:41:43,208 --> 00:41:45,042 you couldn't keep me off it now. 999 00:41:45,042 --> 00:41:47,917 Those things were dangerous, but those things were fun. 1000 00:41:49,083 --> 00:41:51,917 - [Henry] Thinking back on our history with cars, 1001 00:41:51,917 --> 00:41:55,000 whether they were flying, shattering, or exploding, 1002 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,458 souping things up could get a little out of hand, 1003 00:41:58,458 --> 00:42:02,958 but that's why our hazardous history was fuel for the soul.