20 replies to this topic

[johnR]

I'm not really an advocate of speed limited cars (or bikes) but our roads are so crowded now maybe it is time to have autonomous speed limiters in towns and cities? 

[Homersimpson]

I'm just glad no-one else was killed by their stupidity, killing yourself is one thing but taking out some poor innocent bystander is inexcusable 

On the assumption that the driver was at fault (and with all the evidence and the 40mph limit in the area this seems the only likely explanation) then absolutely this, i've sat on the other side having lost a close family member due to a reckless driver who ironically survived the collision.   Its sad for the passenger but they got in a car like that with someone who was probably a complete idiot and on the basis they were ejected from the car probably didn't have a seatbelt on.

 

Part of the problem is that the sentences that people get for driving offences are ridiculously low so as to act as no deterent. 

[Project84]

As shocking as this whole thing is one has to be impressed that considering everything the RR hit/rolled/flipped it didn't burst into flames and the fact the woman who was trapped in the wreckage was wearing her seatbelt - unlike the two who were ejected.

 

There will always be powerful cars/4x4's - as long as the demand is there. Just because the car has 540bhp doesn't mean you have/need to use it.

I do like the idea of a bhp limit and then an extra entitlement on your driving licence to 'unlock' access to more powerful cars/motorbikes. I could see that working, but flat banning powerful vehicles isn't the answer.

[mab01uk]

Update - the front seat passengers 'miracle escape.'
"A beautician who survived the horror A40 crash has spoken for the first time from her hospital bed to describe her 'miracle escape' and how she begged the driver to slow down. Zamarod Arif said she was fully conscious as the car somersaulted on to railway tracks after careering off the road next to Park Royal railway station at up to 100mph in the early hours of Monday morning. The 26-year-old – who was the front seat passenger and wore a seat belt – said 'it was like being in a Tsunami' as she was thrown around the inside of the Range Rover car."
https://www.dailymai...-slow-down.html

 

[MrBounce]

The driver's family saying this about him  "remains in a coma at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington but his family insist he doesn't drink or take drugs and that a mechanical malfunction could have caused his car to speed out of control." tells me that they are out of touch or don't know their son very well. He was showing off with 2 pretty women in the car and ran out of talent. Too young, too dumb. Young driver with lots of money, powerful flashy car, opportunity to show off. It's almost a given.

 

Most of us have done silly things in cars, but he's done it to a huge extent on a public road with innocent people in the car. I don't for one minute believe that this is a mechanical issue - this was him being stupid and going fast for "fun" whether he was impaired or not. Money can buy you a lot of things, but it doesn't buy you common sense.

 

One problem with today's cars is that although they're full of useful things like stability aids, traction control and various other cornering and braking assistance tools, it lulls the driver into a false sense of security, believing that the car will sort it all out for them if they skid or go too fast. No matter how good the cars are, if the driver's being a tool, there is only so much the computers can do. A swerve at 100+mph in a 4x4 will not result in a mild wobble. Physics will take over and, to coin a Martin Brundle phrase, you go straight to the scene of the accident. Plus if you're not wearing a seatbelt, it is not going to end well.

 

I would be VERY interested to see the details from the car's computer to see how fast he'd been going and the manner of the driving (you can interrogate modern cars' brains to do just that). Rest assured that the Police will. If he's over the limit, the driver is a facing a max 14 years behind bars. If he's not taken anything, it's 5 years. Neither are enough for that poor lady's family.

[DeadSquare]

I wonder if the engine is badly wrecked ?

 

I have got a "Land-crab" auto box, and assuming that I could see over the power bulge in the bonnet, it might make an interesting conversion in my Mini Pick-up.