No matter what the cause or who's to blame I'm pulling for the guy who was injured. Head injuries are among the most devastating. In 1988 I was standing under an industrial garage door when it collapsed. I spent 3 1/2 years in the hospital and 7 head/brain surgerys. That was followed by 1 1/2 years in a rehab hospital learning how to walk, dress myself, feed myself and write my name. By the grace of God, The expertice of some talented surgeons and physical therapists, the prayers of hundreds of people and a faithful wonderful wife I'm finally able to enjoy 80% of what my life was before the accident. It was a long painful journey so I know what this man faces IF he survives. I'll be praying for him. Frank
Funny, notice that none of the guys who said "he deserved it" actually have the stones to come back and defend their statements. That says a lot.
The pictures aren't good enough for a recon. I would say from what I see the point of impact would have been about 2:30 on the axis of the T around the A-pillar. With heavy braking(compression of front suspension) from the mini van the bumper would've been just below the rocker of the T. The photo quality is not good enough but there appears to be a obtrusion on the frame with particulate attatched (such as a bolt being pulled through a hole too small). The intrusion into the minvan's front clip does not appear severe enough to warrant speed as an issue. If the posted limit is 35 mph that equates to 51 feet per second. One camp gives .75 seconds to react the other gives 2.5 average 1.625 between the two. 51 feet per second for 1.625 seconds equals just shy of 83 feet. That is 83 feet traveled before he even reacted. I read it was a 7 lane by 7 lane intersection. A lane is about 12 feet wide. 7 times 12 is 84 feet. If the drive of the T was just entering the intersection he would have made his evasive action just as he was gettting ready to exit the intersection. This is only speculation as I have no collision data. I hope the driver of the T pulls through. Are there any updates on his condition?
I'm glad he's still alive. I'm gonna send out another prayer for him. Did the cops ever find the person that pulled out in front of him?
I checked back in on this post to see if anyone had any info on how this guy was doing. The guy doesnt deserve to die from this shit. Like I said in my earlier post, theres no excuses IF you're intentionally being a dumbass and something happens BUT we really dont know what the circumstances were in his situation. And thats just a fact, we all like a little mischief at times but we 'should' all be aware that shit can happen, and then we shouldnt be so in shock when something does WHETHER our actions cause it or the actions of someone else. My gripe about this kind of thing is the way the media puts it out there to the general public. There are several guys here pointing out that the accident was caused from the guy swerving to miss a car that turned in front of him, but did you notice the part they put directly before that statement? The one about how he was SPEEDING down the street....and how they once again pointed out that it was a MODIFIED car with NO safety restraints! Thats the kind of shit they want the general public to hear and thats the kind of shit that pisses me off! They pointed out the safety restraint issues a half dozen times when that family in the restored Duesenburg was run over by some fucking dumbass as if it was their fault for driving such a car. Fucking media sucks!
ASSuME..................................... I hope he is OK and see no reason to make any other comments as I was not a witness or riding with him. You sure as hell cant beleive everything you read or hear from the media. With a car like that it could have been cruising at idle and most unfamiliar people AKA witnesses would think he was "gettin after it"
"Fucking Media Sucks" is not the answer to this. The "media" has always been this way. This was happening even in the late 1800's. Ever hear of "yellow" journalism? Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst made their fortunes doing it. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism Go back and read Life magazines and the newspapers in the late 40's and 50's. They didn't have anything good to say about "Hot Rodding" back then. Why do you think Wally Parks and his friends started the NHRA? If it hadn't been for them I don't think we would be here today. Why did Paso bite the dust? Think about it. Don't bitch about the media. Do something constructive to change their perception of "us". In this case, find out what really happened and write letters to the editor complaining about inaccurate, biased reporting. Ask for a rewrite of the story with the facts. Same thing for the television story. If we have the facts, such as the accident investigators report vindicating the driver of the T, why don't we email in mass to the reporter who wrote the story. You local guys will have the most impact and 50,000 Hambers could help get his attention real fast.
Damn straight man! I agree with everything you've said here. It starts with that perception....like that witness report of the guy "speeding" up the street. Whether the guy was actually blazing a trail or just "appeared" to be driving fast we dont know, but it sets up the basis for the them to start pointing out all the 'negative' about his fast/unsafe car. In turn its the media hype that educates ignorant joe public.
I know from personal experience that if you're driving any kind of out-of-the-ordinary car, especially one with dual exhaust that sounds "fast" to the average Joe, they will assume you are speeding. Old lady down the street used to come out and yell at me to "slow down" all the time when I was driving up the street......doing 25 in a 30.
That perception has been going on for 60 years now. "damn hotrodders and their jalopies" I pray the fellow makes it through this. this brings back very bad memories.
this is no different than what the news assholes do here in arizona....if a motorcycle is in a wreck,no matter how severe they ALWAYS say "the rider was not wearing a helmet" but if he is nothing is said.( this is a NO HELMET state).....never mind the person turned left in front of him on a red light...........same thing applies here I would guess
update from another hamb thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=270206 http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20...till.in.critical.condition.after.Friday.crash
Oklahoma is the same way. They practically pee themselves with glee, letting us know the guy did not have a helmet on. Morbid fucks, the news readers are! They can't report shit, they just read it off the Tele-Promt-Ter. The local rag is the same way, and are vehemently pro-helmet law. They think they own the state Legislature...maybe just not enough of them, in their view.
Just a thought---At one time or another we've all done stipid shit. Not saying this is the case here. In my drinking days I drove from the Apparel Mart in Dallas to Walnut Hill Lane on the access road with my door open looking around the windshield because I thought I couldn't see through the windshield. If the cops would have stopped me I'd still be in jail, and that was 38 years ago. Lets cut the guy some slack before we hang him. _________________________________________________________ Like I told the kid,"Your music not too loud, it just sucks!"
But let's be cautious in any letters or emails we may send. Being the media, they will select only the stupid stuff we write to be what they publish, and likely use it as more "examples" of how ALL auto enthusiasts are brain-dead hicks who don't give a damn about anything. Ever notice that, when the news guys are doing an interview with an eyewitness, that they only televise the interview with the fat one-eyed toothless old broad who can barely speak?
I got a check from Hagerty to do the repairs. They treated me very fairly and were a pleasure to do business with under the circumstances. So far, I have replaced the seriously bent front suspension pieces and put a new radiator on it so I can move it around. As soon as I get into the new shop I'll put it back together pretty much the way it was for the time being. I will also get going on the original chassis with 365 Cadillac power for a little longer term solution. I haven't got much done on it so far because I've been spending most of my time getting the new business off the ground.
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