I'm reading a court room thriller wherein the bad guys refer to an old Lincoln with "suicide doors". Any ideas on what the term means.

I suspect it means the old habit of hinged on the back edge, so disgorging you into the path of incoming hazards...?

My hubby just confirmed that yes, they open from the middle of the car. I checked a few sites; no one seems to know precisely why they got called that, but mav's reason was the most common one given. Here's a picture of a car for sale that has them:
http://www.classiccarmall.com/carsfs/sale2491.htm

Thanx Jackie & maverick. You confirmed my guess. Can you give me some sites where we can look up slang / unusual expressions / obsolete terminology and all that good stuff we love?

Although http://www.onelook.com comes up with a link to a listed explaination, I don't believe its validity... unless one is inclined to open one's door while in motion, which would effectively pull the door (and you with it) open with the subsequent indraft.

In early 30s I think it was, Pontiac had a model on which
front passenger door opened at the forward edge. Just as the car got up to speed, the door opened. She tried to close it, but the slipstream yanked the door wide open so suddenly she was thrown out of the vehicle and badly hurt.
I searched and found a picture of a 62 Lincoln Continental,with blurb saying "suicidal doors". It shows rear door handle on forward edge, so same hazard as I described above.

My brother-in-law drove a 64 Continental with "suicide doors" (the front doors were forward mounted design).

I don't deny the increased danger of having a suicide door open while in motion, but I don't see the design giving any special inclination to open one... unless, of course, its occurance was caused by primitive (faulty) latching technology combined with a "twistable" frame structure.

------------

It's been some time since we bounced a few auto-driven words around:

Remeber the *controversy which roots "rumble seat" as defined by the sound and feeling of sitting on the axle -vs- it anticipating "a rumble" to take place under the stars?

Sincerely, Leadfoot Louie

Dear musick:In middle twenties I rode in a coupé with "rumble seat" . It had a rear hatch cover over a cushioned seat and cushion for your back on under surface of cover, making a very windy ride, but we kids thought it was fun.

I don't deny the increased danger of having a suicide door open while in motion, but I don't see the design giving any special inclination to open one

In hot climates, such as India and South Africa (and I guess parts of the USA at certain times of year), before the introduction of air-conditioning, it was a common practice among those confident of their immortality to drive along with the doors slightly open to create a draught. If the door opened at the leading edge the draught was more effective but you had to hold on to the door. Should the driver decide to accelerate or swing into a nearside bend .....

Way back when my father owned a 1939 Singer with suicide doors. They were dangerous, particularly when the locks let go.