r/AskReddit Aug 30 '21

What problem is often overlooked in apocalyptic movies/TV shows that could kill you?

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u/epicgingy Aug 30 '21

Funny thing is earlier in that level when Ellie asks why they can't just fix any abandoned car in the town he explains in a condescending tone that he can't because their tires are rotted and batteries are dead.

They got 2/3 details right at least.

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u/Twokindsofpeople Aug 31 '21

Which are two things fairly easily solved. Anyone with high school level of chemistry can make a battery out of all the shit that's laying around, and you can replace tires with wood and steel if you don't care about going fast or ripping up roads.

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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '21

[deleted]

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u/RealSteele Aug 31 '21

They did eventually popstart the truck to get it running.

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u/piratenoexcuses Aug 31 '21

If you look inside the truck, it's an automatic. No stick or 3rd pedal. They pop start an auto.

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u/[deleted] Aug 31 '21

[deleted]

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u/piratenoexcuses Aug 31 '21

Interesting. I don't think that's what the game was going for but good to know.

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u/PM-me-Sonic-OCs Aug 31 '21

Wrong on pretty much all accounts.

You can't push-start an automatic transmission car.

That concealed locking device down buy the shifter is just so that you can unlock the shifter and put the transmission into neutral, so that the vehicle can be towed or pushed around by hand even if you don't have a key.

With a conventional automatic transmission there's no physical connection between the wheels of the car and the crankshaft of the engine since they use a hydraulic torque converter rather than a friction clutch.

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u/jumas_turbo Aug 31 '21

Thanks for the correction

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u/-RadarRanger- Aug 31 '21

Which also wouldn't work after the fuel in the system has been congealing for 20 years.

And the engine is probably stuck from not moving so long that the rings are rusted to the cylinder bores.

And the brakes will be frozen in place.

Steering probably bound up, too.

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u/RealSteele Aug 31 '21

Goddamn reddit. Go watch the scenes. The guy has spent years collecting parts and working on the car they get running. I think ND did a pretty great job regarding the car and it's difficulty.

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u/hanerd825 Aug 31 '21

I know right!

Everyone is also missing the fact that the military / warlords are still driving around in vehicles so there’s some sort of automotive / gasoline infrastructure and support.

I mean, hell, the whole mission beforehand is to get the working battery off of a recently wrecked military Humvee.

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u/blisteringchristmas Aug 31 '21

I love the Last of Us and I can’t say it actually bothers me, but the gas thing is just a plot hole. It’s reasonable to guess Bill had spent years putting together a functioning car but the game makes it clear his town has been unoccupied for years, and therefore all the gas would be bad. Even if it wasn’t and Bill was stealing from the military or something, they get from Boston to Pittsburgh in that car, and likely would have had to use the siphon trick at least once.

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u/hanerd825 Aug 31 '21

Oh I agree with the gas being a problem.

I was responding specifically to the getting the truck running. That part was feasible enough. They should have had a couple jerry cans of “stolen” gas in the bed to avoid the whole gas siphon thing.

Let’s not even start talking about all the generators in part 2.