Have you seen this book? It's b&w police photos of fatal crashes from the 50s. I saw it a few years ago at the bookstore for $25, and thought it was to expensive. I just picked it up at the Barnes and Noble Express for $2.99. Hardback, about 9"x11", 176 pages. All pics are from So Cal with locations listed, lots of old cars and gore. It's a coffee table book! Here's a link to the book on the publishers site, but it's still full price there. http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/books/photography/all/facts/01317.htm
They used to show us movies about that stuff when I was still in High School. Then got really mad when we asked to see 'em again.
<font color="green">They used to show us a movie called, "Blood Runs Red On Oklahoma Highways." There was a scene wher they are pulling a body out of a smoldering car and when they put it on the stretcher a charred arm slips out from under the sheet and a bunch of skin sloughs off. Made me wanna puke. </font>
[ QUOTE ] is it wierd to like this ****? [/ QUOTE ] I don't know if it's wierd.. Maybe, seeing as how we have spent a lot of our live's trying to save cars from uncirtain death.. But, for some reason i spend a lot of time checking out pics like those when i see them. Where did you get those? Is there a site with crash pics?
There are things that in your heart of hearts you know are wrong. You may still be curious enough to look but you know that deep down you aren't supposed to see the thing your seeing, in the manner in which you're seeing it. This doesn't change no matter how many times you see the thing. Looking at people who died tromatic deaths is one of those things. Don't believe me? Ask a cop sometime if they ever get "used" to seeing the result of a violent death.
Quote - "There are things that in your heart of hearts you know are wrong. You may still be curious enough to look but you know that deep down you aren't supposed to see the thing your seeing, in the manner in which you're seeing it." Like a deeply channelled Model A. It goes against my nature to take a sawzall to virgin Henry subrails, but sometimes you just have to look at other's "misfortune". - alchemy
Kilroy...that's EXACTLY what I was thinking. I looked through that book at a bookstore a few years back...and although compelling...was just way too DARK for me...I felt kind of wrong, like I was disrespecting the people who died. No offense to anybody who likes the book...it just kind of bothered me.
I work for Oklahoma DOT and we've got a guy in our office that photographs crash scenes, specifically fatality accidents. He brings a book around every so often he calls "The Diet Book". After looking through it, you won't eat for a week. I'm thinking about applying for the his ***isstant job.
I love that book, I bought it for my wife for Valentine's Day a few years ago. She says it was the most romantic things I've ever done for her.
I wanted to buy that book, it was at the Barnes and Noble here, and defentaly wasn't that cheap. I didn't get to buy it, I am broke. Do they have any more?
Hey I have that book and it was the same story as you. Picked it up in the bargain book section for nothing like its full worth. See the '32 coupe with the '40 steels and hydraulics upside down in a drain (rodder) or the mashed up chopped convert' (kustom guy) or the Willy's pick-up that had been hit by a train, that one never made the g***er wars....!!!
looks like a coll bokk to give to a 16 year old kid with his new DL. wheni was in high school we had a local judge that would make you go sit in the Emergency Room at Parkland Hospital all night on a Friday. If you know Dallas you know Parkland
Would this book be any sadder if it had pictures of Acuras crashing into trains? Looky here, people have being dying in cars since their invention, they died then, they die now. Quit being so nostalgic about seeing old tin getting mashed. **** happens.
<font color="red"> I bought that book For Kmember for his bday or xmas a few years back (my memory is fading!)......best thing about it was watching this crusty old ******* we all know and love(Browny) go thru it and be able to tell ya exactally what make and model each car was.....even the real ****ing trashed ones.....he just would look at some little thing and know exactally what it was.....I love that book I need a copy for myself!.....love to look at some of the guys clothes( air brushed shirts and argylle socks with high-water cuffed jeans and Chuck Taylors!)...even better yet is the one where Kmember goes check out that dudes socks!...I said those ain't socks thats his skin all curled backwards!...killer book just plain awesome! R E D M E A T </font>
We had a programme on TV over here a few years ago about the history of car safety, this included loads of pictures and footage of crashes (obviously). One that sticks in my mind was of a mid-fifties Chevy that had hit a tree killing both driver and p***enger. The driver was impaled on the steering so his cause of death was fairly obvious, but they couldn't figure out the exact cause of death of the female p***enger so they did some x-rays. The found that her head had hit the dash and the volume control from the radio was imbedded deep inside her skull. I can still see the image of that x-ray now. Not good.
[ QUOTE ] The found that her head had hit the dash and the volume control from the radio was imbedded deep inside her skull. [/ QUOTE ] Great, most of my dash knobs are pointed! Good thing I have seatbelts. Now all I have to worry about is the snapped spine, submarining under the seatbelt, getting a big *** steering wheel in the chest, bouncing off the windshield.... There are more cars than people in that book. Several of the cars appear to be hot rods of one type or another. Trains appeared to be the cars natural enemy back then. There's a picture of a car in a ditch that has 'The Wanderers' painted on the front fender. It looks like the top was cut open to get to the p***engers. Yes, the book can be morbid. I think of it in more of a historical sense.
When I was in drivers ed a couple years ago we had to watch an old movie from th 60's about "safe driving". It showed the dangers of street racing and the results of crashing. They were all local pictures from my area. There were some real cool cars that got smashed up hard.
The only safe driving is to not to drive at all. The only safe way of living life is to be in a coma.
It's not about driving or safety Nads... It's about looking at tragically dead people for entertainment. And it's about respect. I'm perfectly fine with death. I've seen my fair share of it. I just think it's disrespectful to make a game or a p***-time out of it. To me, it's just another cheezy shock-value book. There's nothing traditional about it either. Our World War II hardened parents and grandparents would think it's trash. Would it sell if it was just a book of smashed cars?
Is that the same book that had many "notes" scribbled in it by the coroner/investigator at the time? I think he was the LA City coroner or something similar. I think the book notes said something to the effect that these photos were some sort of personal file or collection or something like that. I remember one photo of an accident where a guy had been decapitated, and his head ended up sitting straight up on the ground so it appeared he'd been buried up to his neck. Is that the same book? What's odd to me is how many of us are familiar with it, and at the same time strangely drawn to it, and disturbed by it. I read a review of it in the newspaper when it was released, and when I saw it at the bookstore, I flipped through it for awhile. I considered buying it, but it was simply too morbid for me to want to see over and over again. I'm glad I looked at it once, but I wouldn't want it forever. Scotch~!
Kilroy: I like your take on this whole thing. I too find that I have a strange morbid curiosity that compells me to look at stuff like this book. The photos are facinating, the cars are something we like looking at and checking out, but it is a respect thing with me too as you are looking at folks who died and, died in some pretty horrific ways. They were someones kid once, or lover/ spouse, or friend. I got a horrible wake up call when my best friend JD & our friend Heather were killed by a hit and run drunk driver, I got a call from my friend Robin in the middle of the night screaming and screaming at me he is dead, he is just laying in the road". She saw it, I cannot imagine what it must have been like, JD & Heather were on a Vespa and were broadsided, they flew over 100' through the air. I saw the black & white police photos (funny thet still used b&W) of JD & Heather in the road, I still have nightmares about this 23 years later, I still cry over the loss of my friends. I think I would be physically sick if I ever saw those photos in a book for sale, like Kilroy said it is a respect thing. Those cool old B&W photos have REAL people in them just remember that and think of them too when you are looking at them. I'm not trying to bash the book in any way, and like Nads said folks die (I know I've had 3 more very close friends killed by f*&%ing drunks since JD) I have looked at the book too, just do not think I could own it. Just my 2 cents.........
Killroy your on the money there man.. Just ask my wife and mother inlaw we and me,were all in a 99 celica sports coop in a headon and survived.I've lost a few good freinds in car wrecks. I'am thankfull for still being here.
<font color="red"> Wow Kilroy my dad and his buddies must be really strange then..they are all in their 70's nand they all thought the book was very interesting when I showed them the day I bought it(they were all over at my dads house for cards)..... R E D M E A T </font>
I used to work for KDOT as a photographer. One tires of it, I did. When the Highway patrol started to include murder scenes and autopsies, that's when I left. r
This subject reminded me of something that happened to me several years back...I went to the Inkslinger's Ball & there was this guy selling videos of an elderly woman being embalmed, steps a - z. He had it running constantly and most people just kind of laughed and grossed out on it. Well...it totally BLEW my mind...I mean, what if that was my grandma or something...up there for people's amu*****t and entertainment? The wrongness of it was such a deep gut reaction for me...it had nothing to do with judging others or morality. For me...it's just kind of like going to someone's funeral and cracking jokes in the back row...if that makes any sense.
The Jalopy Journal
