There is a country where the car alarm is… a flamethrower. Don't believe it? I understand, it seems like something from a post-apocalyptic movie like Mad Max. And yet it really happened in South Africa, where car thefts in the 90s were a real plague. So much so that it pushed a local inventor to invent the Blaster: a system made of gas cylinders and nozzles that shoot flames at hapless thieves.
A rather radical and blunt solution, which however speaks volumes about the desperation of those who suffer thefts. Of course, one wonders whether it is permissible to roast one's neighbor to defend one's property... But I will leave the moral judgment to you and tell you how this infernal device worked.
A flamethrower for a friend
Imagine living in a place where the risk of having your car stolen is a daily occurrence. This is exactly the situation many South African drivers found themselves in in the 90s, when this crime was so widespread that the country earned the unfortunate title of “car theft capital of the world”.
When pressed, there are those who have thought it best to resort to extreme solutions in order to defend their car (and often their skin). This is the case of Charles Fourie, a local inventor who had the “burning” idea of installing real shock absorbers under cars flamethrower. You understood correctly: his Blaster (also renamed BMW Flamethrower) was a device that shot jets of fire from the doors to engulf approaching intruders.
How does this device work in detail?
The system, worthy of a James Bond villain, used propane gas as fuel stored in a tank, and directed it towards 8 nozzles (four on each side) through pipes. To arm it, you simply pressed a switch on the dashboard, while to activate the flames there was a pedal special: a precaution designed to be able to incinerate attackers even if they ask them to raise their hands.
In short, a solution as simple as it is radical, which at the time of its introduction on the market (yes, it was REALLY introduced on the market, in 1998) was considered perfectly legal according to South African authorities. After all, the law of the country, like that of many others, allowed the use of lethal force in self-defense if one feared for one's life. And Fourie with his contraption wanted to give motorists an additional weapon against criminals who were often armed with guns. Incredible, huh?
Gianluca, what are you doing? Are you justifying violence?
Where did you read that? Never. Let's be clear: I am terrified by such cruel methods, which risked turning the streets into a Wild West. However, it is also true that in the face of an emergency such as that of car thefts (the first documented case dates back to 1896 in Paris!) it could be that someone has lost their compass and brings out the heavy artillery. In other words: I do not justify it, but perhaps finding myself in that context I would have understood it.
The fact remains that this invention has captured the world's attention, to the point of even winning Fourie a IgNobel Peace Prize in 1999. For those who don't know, it's a parody of the Nobel Prize that celebrates the most extravagant and bizarre research. In short, a nice recognition for an idea that, however questionable, certainly does not lack originality.
Car Flamethrowers: Some Questions for You
Of course, one wonders if this is the best way to address the problem. Don't we risk replacing one violence with another? And above all, are we really sure we want to live in a world where under every car there is a potential flaming cannon? Posterity (or rather, you) will be the judge. In the meantime, if you happen to come across an old BMW in South Africa, be careful not to get too close. This was one of the many futures of yesterday, one of the most dystopian that fortunately did not come true (or at least, not entirely). An invention bordering on the absurd that reminds us how sometimes reality can surpass fantasy. And what do you think of Mr. Flamethrower and his creature? Let us know in the comments.
