Water Bumpers ?

[mike6024]

 

An unusual vehicle safety feature — bumpers filled with water — appeared in the late 1960s. One version was demonstrated at a 1967 Van Nuys news conference. The caption for two photos that appeared in the Sept. 13, 1967, Los Angeles Times reported:

Bumpers filled with water were demonstrated Tuesday at Van Nuys, with 100 spectators on hand. On impact, pressure forces stoppers from water-filler tubes, reducing shock. Manufacturer Rich’s Soft Cushion Bumper Co. from Sacramento says the devices are being used by several police departments, the Valley Cab Co.’s fleet of 50 cars and many individuals.

 

Water-filled car bumpers

 

 

They were used on San Francisco buses.

 

 

 

 

[Harold]

How do you keep the water from freezing in winter?

[TerryB]

In my part of the world they would be ice bumpers in the wintertime without some antifreeze in them.

[Mark Gregory]

I remember the Taxis in Toronto having these installed.

 

[46 woodie]

The way I see the ditzes back park in my grand daughters school parking lot, there would be water all over the ground.

[8E45E]

Edmonton Transit and Calgary Transit had some GM 'New Look' buses with them in their fleet in the 1970's.   http://www.barp.ca/photo_index2.html

 

Craig

Edited April 9, 2020 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

I recall seeing these Water Bumpers on Checker Cabs in New York City in the 1960s,

back when I was commuting into mid-town Manhattan from New Jersey every day, working  first in the Time & Life Building at Ave of the Americas & 50th St, and then later at 39 Broadway & 1 Wall Street in the Financial District.

[Guest Mark McAlpine]

I don't recall hearing about water bumpers before.  Any idea how effective they were?  Were there any studies that showed they reduced damage to the vehicles equipped with them?  And good point made by those wondering about them freezing in winter.  Unless you added antifreeze as suggested above, you probably needed to drain them in the winter, which probably reduced their effectiveness.

[Marty Roth]

As I recall, they used a solution which included some form of anti-freeze-

Same idea as the water/liquid-filled barrels used on highways in years gone by -

prior to the "Crush-Barricades" we now see at some exit ramps