First, do you have any clue as to what it means to engage in an honest good faith debate without resorting to calling people names? In other words, if we take your view we're stand up guys but if we disagree with you and think going 140 MPH in a crowded street is dangerous we're "a bunch of pricks"? Second, do think that we are "slamming" this guy because we think "we're cool"? Get a grip. We just think it's dangerous as hell, and pretty stupid behavior. Third, I am not "slamming" the poor guy as a person -- I dont know this man -- but I am "slamming" his reckless behavior. I hope he makes a full recovery. Are you capable of understanding the distinction between criticizing ones conduct vs. the person? (hint: similar to my criticizm of your idiotic commentary here in F Chat but I am not calling you an idiot) Fourth, in addition to owning and driving Ferraris I read everything I can about The Man and His Machines. Please enlighten me. Please enlighten us "pricks"! Please provide any evidence that Enzo "intended" for people to drive his cars 140 MPH down a congested highway, careening off of guardrails, firmly out of control, with the ultimate consummation of this man's hapless endeavor ending in a wrecked fireball which could have killed other people --like my family. Show us your source material for your contention that Enzo's philosophy and this man's philosophy were consistent with one another in terms of how Ferraris are intended to be driven. Fifth, you only know what happened like I only know what happened based on what was reported here in F Chat. Make sense? However, if this story is true, then this man's conduct is reckless. Furthermore, based on your logic, or lack of it, you can defend this man's conduct but I can't criticize it even though you don't know what happened either. OK? Sixth, have a nice day! Regards, Mike
I don't know who slammed him...but we all get pissed when a rice rocket drives like crazy. The fact that he is in a Ferrari makes it no different. It was super irresponsible, and risky to others. If he was 18 years old, Asian, and in a Toyota with a coffee can exhaust pipe people would ask for his head. With all this, I hope in the most sincere way he is OK. But not everyone we drive around is the most keyed in when it comes to reaction time. Just his speed could cause an "infirm" driver to make a mistake. Forget him hitting a wall. People have imparements and drive right next to us on a daily basis. Sight, brain or nerve disorders like MS and the like. Or maybe a screaming kid? Or a phone? I don't go that fast unless it's clear. A tunnel on a Orange County freeway..one famous for congestion.... ain't it.
I agree with Mike, Tube Guy, Sunny and a couple of others here. His driving conduct, if acurately portrayed here, was reprehensible. After taking my car to the track and doing what Enzo really intended, I know that I will not be driving at reckless speeds on the streets anymore. There is just no way to condone this. It is bad enough to drive at 100-110 on an empty stretch of road or fwy out in the country. It is inexcusible to do that around town. You cannot ever forsee what another driver will do in front of you since he would not expect someone to be coming up that fast. It is also conduct like this that gives all of us a bad image. I do sincerely hope he makes a full recovery but I also hope he never does anything like this again. Ron
In regards to your first point, I'm calling it like I see it. I didn't give a rats about Jens and Amar (is that spelled right?), I didn't contribute, and I didn't know them. I can't feel that sorry for a risk they took willingly that only affected THEMSELVES. I can't feel sorry for the corner-workers who might have been injured, a risk they took AS WELL to be out there. The second hand tale of our buddy here in the hospital was an entirely different situation. Why would he lie about the facts? Why not just leave out almost hitting someone and say he wrecked at 140mph and be done with it? How easy would it have been to change the details to be night time with no one else around, so it sounds true to me. I hope the guy recovers. That doesn't make him any less of a ****ing idiot. I guess this makes me holier than thou because I won't hand out sympathy and ignore the potentially (and painfully) truthful facts in the story. Cheers.
Enzo made race cars for races. How was this what Enzo intended? I'm confused - Don't worry though, it happens easily.
Today I was traveling the toll road and stopped by this accident scene and got some pics. Here's my observations. The guy was traveling south through the tunnel from the 241 onto the 133. The tunnel curves a bit so he must have started losing control inside the tunnel. He probably gunned it in there for sound and some g's and began to drift. If he lives in that area he has traveled this route many times. You can see the skid mark in the one pic where he went off the road. The cone closest to the tunnel is where the light pole was that he took out. Notice where the car stopped and burned up. There was nothing there except a couple of pieces. It looked like a bulldozer scooped up the burned remains. The light pole impact and where the car wound up was maybe a couple of hundred feet so I doubt the guy was doing 140 when he hit the pole as he would have gone much further. Most of the grass in the immediate area caught fire. Just an FYI so people can get an idea of how this occurred. We all make mistakes so I just hope this guy is able to get well soon.
I happened to travel the 241 and I saw the skid marks.....i did not stop tho but yah I could imagine how fast he was going.......that sux
Man those pics make it all the more sad. But now we can see what happened. Thanks. I hope this guy recovers nicely, everyone makes mistakes. -David
in "Scene 6", the one with the orange cone - what is that on the left? Is that utilities of some kind? Or is it a dedication to a lost life? BTW, regardless of what is to blame, it doesn't really matter to me. I really do wish him luck. If I were 40% burned, I'd want all the help I can get.
That's a utilities box. According to a source of mine this guy is going through a burn rehab right now. That's not something you'd wish on your worst enemy.
The driver (chris) was one of the founders of Oakley. He was a good looking and very successful man.... now his life is in God's hands. This is a tragedy for all of us to learn from. Keep the speeds down, life is too short.
Not sure he would have wanted his identity disclosed which is why I left it out originally. Anyway, he underwent some cadaver skin graph surgery yesterday. Evidently, he is stable and should be out of the hospital in two to three weeks.
I agree that 140 seems high based on your observations. However, you can scrub off alot of speed when you realize you are in trouble and immediately come off the throttle and brake. By the time he exited the tunnel and hit the pole he was obviously not going that fast. However, that is inconsequential at this point. Based on your pictures there seems to be almost no skid marks unless there are some in the tunnel. The other interesting image is that there is only one apparent skid mark as the car is heading for the grassy area. That might have been the point where the car was going over and only one wheel was in brief contact with the pavement before it hit the grass. Obviously - as many of you have indicated - he is one VERY lucky individual. Once a car starts to flip over at those speeds there is a huge chance it could bounce high enough and land flat on the roof where it would sandwich it like a pancake. Then there was the fire that ensued and burned the car beyond recognition. Had he been knocked unconcscious or been disoriented enough not to be able to react - which would have been expected in such a crash - he would have burned to death. Very very lucky that he wasn't crushed, wasn't knocked unconscious, and will live to see another day!
Let's all pray for his safe recovery. Please guys (and girls)- track your ferrari. It's a blast, and much safer than attempting this stuff on the roads. There is a track even next week at willow springs (see my thread in this forum), I believe Jet-X is organizing an event in June sometime, and it seems like Bridgitte has several events set up in the past and probably future. Take advantage of these. Most of these events have instructors available for beginners, all you need is a helmet (sometimes you can borrow one), and to make sure your car is in good condition. It's a great way to drive fast and safe. Dom
A few thoughts. All of us have done stupid things. Driving this fast on the street IMHO is, as it endangers non combatants, not acceptable behavior. My thoughts are with him and I hope he recovers. Now just as importantly IMHO very few people driving these cars have enough experience in what to do if you start to lose it. Or for that matter how fast you can get into trouble if you don't understand braking, throttle, and countersteering. I'd take a Skip Barber course if you haven't.
Agreed regarding non-combatants - I worry plenty about my own backside at normal freeways speeds in Los Angeles. As with other posts here, take it to the track. It is way funnerer than the street, you're not looking for cops, everyone is actually (supposed to be, anyway) going the same direction, lights don't change, you know where the crap is on the road, help is right there, the list goes on. Certainly wish for a speedy recovery and am of course thankful no others were injured. Kevin
To add something that hasn't been said: If I ever own a 360, the first mod it would get would be a fire suppression system. There's been enough pics of charred and melted aluminum to make me think this would be a very wise upgrade.
If you do get a 4 liter dual zone system. One zone across passenger compartment. One for engine using dual nozzles. Have it installed by a pro. Put button where you can reach it. Practice pushing it until you can do it blindfolded. Arm it everytime you go for a drive.
Why don't you take your own advice, feel "real proud" of yourself. This coming from a guy claiming "that guy MURDERED his passenger" yet you have no problem driving recklessly on public roads. At least that guy and his passenger were on a track, both consenting adults, and NOT RISKING THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT CHOSE NOT TO BE ON THE SAME ROAD AS A HIGH SPEED DRIVER Quotes from previous posts of yours: "This is why my buddies and I tend to take the cars out late at night to drive the canyons like maniacs so we attract as little attention as possible." And... "That's why we drive at 2 or 3 in the morning so we scare the hell out of each others within a trusted group." ( http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2185&page=3&pp=20 ) You're some piece of work. Driving wrecklessly ("maniacs"), at night with limited visibility, and you have the nerve to tell those on this post that we're "pricks" for lamenting on a guy that shouldn't have been going that fast on public roads? What if he slid into that car, and killed a family? Hell, better yet, what if you come around the corner, at night, and don't have time to react to a minivan with a family inside coming home late from some outing, killing them in the process? Before getting on your soapbox and criticising us, take a look in the mirror. Take it to the track
I recall from previous discussions, that it has to do with the close proximity of the fuel tanks to the exhaust headers. Napolis: great description and pics of your setup. It must provide a great deal of peace of mind.
When one is prone to drive like an unadulterated idiot then the car they are driving is also more prone to burst into flames. LOL! More specifically, could this theory be true? At the risk of broad brushing here, and it's a wild unsubstantiated theory on my part, could it be that many (not all) 550M owner/driver is a "gentleman's racer" older type vs. many (not all) owners/drivers of 360s who are "boy racer" younger types? I read somewhere that the 360 market is skewed in favor of a slightly younger generation which would be consistent with the generalization I am making here. Again, most 360 owners are prudent and responsible, I'm only postulating that the 360 model attracts more of certain wilder type than does the 550M. I could be WAY off base here. Don't be too hard on me here if I'm wrong. Chalk it up to me being up two days straight working on a project!
