Alright
here's an article about a motorist/"guy" who was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph
(209.21472 km/h) for 60 miles
(96.5km) after the accelerator jammed in his automatic BMW.
Alright first of all, this guy says:
"I had gone into the fast lane and I couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and tried the AA to ask them what to do."
Cause you know the AA are going to magically stop his car or something, he then goes on to say
"At that point I wasn't panicking because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to a steady 70mph
(112 km/h)."
So uhh he wasn't panicked at this stage yet he decides to uhh not stop his car and just keep going. He could've cut the power to the engine....
"My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed building to 120mph or 130mph
(cbf converting these speeds)."
At this stage it never occured to him that the faster he goes the less likely he is of stopping? No, of course not....
His defense is:
"I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the power steering and made it even more dangerous."
Well I think he could've turned it off back when he was going 112km/h, it's a lot easier to control your car without power steering at 112km/h than it is at 209km/h, the BMW doesn't even have power steering when the ignition is off, a $12k Toyota even has power steering with no ignition (might be USD, fucked if i care) and power steering does absolutely nothing when your going really fast anyway.
The funny thing is this guy wants to buy the same car again because he says "although there was a problem, it saved my life in that crash." now there's some soundproof logic.
The comments on this story are typical of the US:
Cause you know everyone in America has to sue over everything!
and I didn't really take the quote in this context but have a look at this:
Dragon • -=TheTopMostDog=- said...
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it."
Okay, let's put this in perspective: You are stuck in a car that is going to keep accelerating until it crashes. It will more than likely kill you and anyone you are going to collide with in the process of dying. Do you care about blowing up the motor?!?!
Maybe they should fine him for dangerous driving; he cared more for his car than he did his and his fellow motorists' lives. (I don't get it! Even if he was panicking, what the hell!)
...Power steering. *Rofl* My dad turns the 'Stability Control' off, just so he can show me how to get out of rally-style turns and spins (or how to cause them). He taught me the need-to-knows for when you're caught in a slide when I was young - He tested me on this when I was old enough to reach the steering wheel. He even gave me a block of wood and a strap for each foot; my legs were too short to reach the pedals. Guess I proved to him that I was listening to his lectures. (Don't ask...For God's sake, Please don't ask...)
Alright, enough of that. …Where was I? ...Oh, That's right! My car doesn't even have power steering! Hell, I don't need it; why should this guy? He’s done the tests, hasn’t he? He can handle a car! I don't even have my Learners (Though I am old enough) and I’ve known how to drive (law-abiding and not) for years!
People are getting wussy now-a-days; Ring RACV if you have a flat battery, down tyre or a feeling that you might not make it home because of the maniac ramming your rear bumper. God, can't people fend for themselves? Where is the battery charger, spare tyre & jack and sawn-off shotty in the back seat? I'd like to sick my dad on 'em for a day or two. Reading to him this post just made him shake his head and walk away, I don't blame him. Who would, honestly?
Now... I seem to have trailed off from what I was planning to say when I clicked 'Post a Comment', though I might have already made my point...
Sure BMW stuffed up, it probably won't happen again. But, maybe it's about time to start educating drivers better; give them proper emergency procedures (other than 'if you're going to fast press down on the brake'), rather than fill the gaps with fancy gadgets such as anti-spin mechanisms...
Andrew Fox said...
I think this guy forgot to do Pre-Driver, who wants to get in a car with me behind the wheel? You up for that dragon?!
Dragon • -=TheTopMostDog=- said...
Yeah, sure. I'd get in a car with you behind the wheel. Just so long we arn't going anywhere..
