Flaming Rodent Ball of Death

[blas]

We need Acts Of God to be covered on our insurance around here.....you can't sue the deer ya know!

[chops]

Paging the Mythbusters to the white courtesy phone...

[Spiffy McMoron]

We need Acts Of God to be covered on our insurance around here.....you can't sue the deer ya know!

*Spiffy digs up his insurance papers*

OK, I'm covered for:

Subsection 2: Collision or Upset - Covers damage caused by Collision with another car, another object or by upset.
Subsection 3: Comprehesive - Covers the auromobile against loss or damage caused other than by Collision or Upset. The coverage is not confined to specific hazards and is therefore broader in scope than the alternative coverage (See Specified Perils)

Basically, I'm covered if I hit another car, something solid, roll my car (Subsection 2) vandalism, deer damage, etc. (Subsection 3) However, as I understand it, I'm not covered under Subsection 4, which is: (and I'm quoting...)

Subsection 4: Specified perils - Covers the automobile against loss or damage caused by specific perils. They are fire, theft, lightening, windstorm, hail, earthquake, explosion, riot, falling aircraft, rising water, or an accident to vehicle or boat on which the automobile is being transported.

[Broomjockey]

Subsection 4: Specified perils - Covers the automobile against loss or damage caused by specific perils. They are fire, theft, lightening, windstorm, hail, earthquake, explosion, riot, falling aircraft, rising water, or an accident to vehicle or boat on which the automobile is being transported.

so... no fire. Means flaming rodent makes you out a vehicle?

[Spiffy McMoron]

so... no fire. Means flaming rodent makes you out a vehicle?

Pretty much. I'd like to think that the chances of that is pretty low. But I do think that it's hilarious that they had to SPECIFY that I was not covered by "falling aircraft", though.

[HawaiianShirts]

Huh! I guess you can strike that claim off of my list. Usually, the squirrels around here aren't that suicidal--or they don't want to go out with that big a bang.

I saw one go out with a bang.

While living in a basement apartment in Idaho once, I glanced out the window (I only had one) and noticed the power line near the street wiggling. Moments later, one of the towns may squirrels went running along the line. It reached a pole and stepped in just the wrong place near or on the transformer. POW! Big flash, all the lights in the house go out, and there are wisps of smoke where the squirrel once was.

I don't know if he exploded or vaporized or just fell, but he was certainly no longer on the power pole.

[Cia]

Every year a squirrel does a comikaze run on the electrical substations around town. The last time that happened the radio announcer closed his announcement with 'no, the squirrel did not survive'. It was hilarious they way he said it.

[Sliceanddice]

Pretty much. I'd like to think that the chances of that is pretty low. But I do think that it's hilarious that they had to SPECIFY that I was not covered by "falling aircraft", though.

i can only image the incident that lead to why you arent covered...

[digilight]

I also call bullshit on this one for the following reasons:

Depending on the voltage at the line the animal would not have been able to chew thru the line. Even if the animal was able to pierce the insulation it would have been electrocuted imediatly.

Upon electrocution the muscles would have tensed up and the animal will fall off the line but not be able to run off the line or be thrown like a fiery ball of rodent furry.

And like others have said there is no logical way for the animal to have gotten inside the engine compartment even if it was a fiery ball launched from the power lines.

Even if it made it into the engine compartment the fuel lines are metal on exposed lines and very secure. Think about the kind of heat your cars engine generates, does this normally cause the car to go BOOM. the air movement from the fan would quickly extingush the raging fiery ball of rodent angst as well.

It would make for a great story, but theres no possible way it could happen. You have a better chance of Brittney Spears regaining her sanity, her virginity, her talent, and her children then death to car by FRBOD (Flaming Rodent Ball of Death).

Allthough Flaming Rodent Ball of Death does sound like a good punk or metal band name.

[Gurndigarn]

Allthough Flaming Rodent Ball of Death does sound like a good punk or metal band name.

Flaming Rodent is the band name. Ball of Death is the first album.

[symposes]

Every year, a squirrel gets into a transformer on campus, and causes a short, that results in half of campus losing power.

I kid you not.

They do a number on light poles when they get inside and eat up the wire, which is anywhere from number #12 THHN or as big as #6 THHN. (My coworkers, Cake and Scoob, had to pull a dead squirrel from inside a light pole once. Cake used a stick of conduit, to push the remains down from the middle of the pole (on the inside) and Scoob, used a pair of linemen pliers to pull the squirrel out 1 piece at a time. Now we call him Hannibal Scoob.)

[repsac]

Shocking (bad pun) as it may seem, modern electrical wires aren't insulated. They also aren't usually made of copper. Rather, they're made of cheaper aluminium. Copper ones do still exist, but they're becoming very rare. Partly due to the high cost of copper in the scrap metal market, and the fact that it's very expensive to maintain. The only ones you find that are insulated are the pull off wires that go to your home. Now, I doubt a tree rat would be able to chew through one of those things. They're usually a half inch or more in diameter, constructed of tightly wound thick aluminium wires.

However, let's say for argument the tree rat DID chew through the wire. I seriously doubt he'd get shocked. The simple reason being he's not grounded up there. Ever see a bird sitting on a power line? They don't get shocked because they're not grounded. Now, it's when the tree rat completes a circuit, like reaching across two insulators on a transformer that things change.

For the record, when that does happen, it sounds like the world's largest bug zapper. Usually producing a low "BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" followed by a loud "ZAP!" and all the lights in the area go out for a while.

All information comes courtesy of the show "How Its Made"

[Broomjockey]

However, let's say for argument the tree rat DID chew through the wire. I seriously doubt he'd get shocked. The simple reason being he's not grounded up there.

Slight error. It is in fact if it did chew through that it gets shocked, because as the wire seperates, the "tree rat" completes the circuit. But only if it chews the whole way through. Or at least darn near most. Otherwise, both interesting and informitive.

[Imogene]

Or check and see if Acts of Vishu are covered instead.

Vishnu, you mean? The Elephant-headed god of the Indian religion (I think... Note to self: read more Indian mythology...)?

[Andara Bledin]

so... no fire. Means flaming rodent makes you out a vehicle?

Actually, while fire is not covered, it doesn't say anything about fiery rodents, so I think you'd still be good on that one.

I, too, call bullshit. I was in a car once when flames started coming up out of the engine compartment. (actually, I was driving, and it was my mother's car, talk about a way not-fun evening) It was an older car, so I think it would be much more likely to "blow up" than a newer one. All it did, however, was just burn.

.... you know, most of the problems I've had with cars have been the ones belonging to my mother....

^-.-^