Well, all I can say is that Charlotte, NC is one hell of a long way from Delisle. Made it as far as Mt.Vernon, Ill. Just a few hours left in this marathon… until it’s time to drive home. (In case you’re wondering why i didn ‘t fly – multiple dogs and airplane travel don’t mix well..)
Looks like the kids are holding down the fort nicely. Which is good, as I haven’t the energy to do much more than read this evening.
UPDATE – except for this;
A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles after the accelerator jammed.
Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
Kevin Nicolle: ‘I couldn’t get the pedal off the floor’ His terrifying journey, which was followed by four police cars and a helicopter, ended when he smashed the car into a roundabout, flipping it on its roof.
What?
WHAT?
This twit (and it’s not the first time stories like this have come across the wire) needs his license suspended – not for the mechanical failure, but for not knowing how to find neutral orhow to drive without power steering. Holy crap, it’s disturbing to think there are people out there with such a total lack of emergency driving skills.
And yes, I’ve been in that situation – more often than I can remember. I used to own a Ford Bronco that suffered a frozen accelerator at random intervals every time the weather got cold. My ’65 Mustang pulled the trick on me a couple of times. The problem with a this particular type of mechanical failure isn’t “how to stop”, it’s how to manage the problem until you can pull into somewhere you can get it fixed. Of course, that’s just me.
I think of the situations I’ve found myself in – navigating Tower Junction Pass in Yellowstone Park in a heavily loaded Chev propane van without power brakes, the night I kicked the dimmer switch on my 65 ‘Stang doing 65 mpg on a gravel road only to have the headlights cut out completely, lots of blown tires. Why don’t they teach people the easy stuff like driving to the side of the road with the engine cut?
I almost pulled the wooden spoon out of the drawer, but overall, no one’s trashed the place yet.
You’re doing a great job.
this guy should get awarded the ” Moron prize ” for 2006.( I have a few other nominee’s for this award in Canada without having to go to Britain for a winner though) When I read this, I was laughing out loud at this guy’s stupidity. I wonder how many people read this and didn’t figure out that he could have stopped the car simply. Be careful Kate, it is a zoo out there.
I guess he is also unfamiliar with such accessories as emergency brakes (which are really parking brakes, but can slow a car down) or maybe real braks, maybe reaching down with your hand (one only, please) and trying to pull the pedal up, maybe trying some of your suggestions?
It’s pure luck he didn’t kill someone.
Hey, be charitable! This guy’s a VICTIM!! He should sue BMW for lots n’lots of Deutschemarks.
What can you expect from people who drive on the wrong side of the road?
Or……….how bout just turning the key in the ignition…
Brick walls should be mentioned in driving schools as the best way to stop an out of control automobile. This guy probably would have believed it.
That way ‘motorists’ such as this gentleman wouldn’t have to worry about being caught in the same situation a second time – and neither would we.
Hmmm, from what I’m reading here, none of you, not even Kate, actually read the entire article. I originally came here (to SDA) to learn some new things, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the crowd at Kate’s are not the sort to base their opinions on more than a couple shreds of information. I was hoping for reasoned arguments, but I’m seeing knee-jerk reactionism. I would love to be proven wrong, have at it.
Meshon’s a troll:
From his link:
Obligatory Welcome Statement
Why do conservative political movements always attract the most ignorant people, who believe what the conservative media and politicians tell them to believe?
The kids are holding the fort nicely? OoOhhh boy, I remember holding down the fort for mom & dad. I also remember thinking it would be different with ours.
Mom didn’t tell us what really happened for about 2 years. The child told us wwwwaaaayyyyy before grandma ratted him out! 😀 😀
whoops – wrong post.
A former lorry driver?
Kate:
Well, im a Chevvy man myself. I have never experienced a stuck accelerator. You might want to consider changing brands, lmao.
Kate:
I meant to add, – drive safely, hope your trip is successful.
Dunno. The story sounds fishy to me. Can;t switch it into neutral? Wot?
I hate to tell that guy that losing your power steering on the highway isn;t much of a problem for a (hu)man of normal strength (and I’ll bet that your adrenaline will compensate)the curves tend to be shallow.
So turn off the ignition.
I concur with Kate’s analysis.
A friend of mine once told me of the stupidity of his brother in law in a similar incident.
The guy was on cruise control. First time. Found himself needing to go slower as he was on a narrow two-lane with many curves and oncoming traffic, etc. Amazingly, he didn’t even think to try the brakes, which would cause automatic disengagement of cruise ctrl.
Duuuh!
Reminds me of the old fart who, nearly a year ago, smashed into me at very slow speed in an intersection wherein I clearly had right of way. ‘Twas as if I was invisible, but I was right there, lights blaring… he kept coming… actually turned and rammed me in a frontal offset. Amazingly, he claimed to police that I “didn’t have my lights on”. Of course they didn’t believe him. And he was found at fault for failing to yield.
Unfortunately, at intersections, those turning on a flashing green light which stops flashing don’t normally yield for oncoming straight-travellers like I was. They just keep coming as if via some “culture of entitlement”. Apparently it’s more important to get through the intersection than obey the law. Sad.
At least his insurance took care of it and I paid absolutely nothing and my record’s cleaner than sterile.
Wish New Brunswick would get serious and crack down on moonbat drivers. Caught w/o licence/insurance on a regular basis? Three strikes and you’re behind bars, bunking with a big, fat, hairy man, himself in for serial rape… that’ll be a deterrent for sure!
Traffic cameras… which can catch blatant law infractions… a great idea. If they won’t hire more officers, then at least use technology to catch the moonie motorists and make ’em pay.
Candace, awww… the mention of the wooden spoon… ya didn’t have to bring back those scary memories! LOL
Hmmm… I would recommend the wooden spoon treatment for adults who misbehave.
If the law and society are fine with inflicting pain on innocent, helpless children in response to wrongdoing, then why not do it to adults who ought to know better but who still do wrong?
If it’s not against the “rights” of child-persons, then why should it be against the rights of grownup criminals?
Weird society we live in.
BMW’s have computerised electronic throttles not linkages like the old days. Having said that I Don’t know what all else was going on. Just adding “fuel”.
One more example… just as scary… in 2002, I was approaching an intersection… light turns green, so I needn’t have braked, and kept on… but suddenly there’s this guy who can’t tell red from green, right in front of me… I slam the brakes on… a bit too hard… hydraulic fluid blows out of the lines instantly… NO BRAKES! I’m so lucky I taught myself how to push the total performance envelope of my vehicle, including the handling performance… and since I wasn’t speeding like the red light runner, I cornered just fine and managed to find an uphill-entrance into a parking lot where I was able to roll to a stop and then get a tow. Fecking lucky it was really early Saturday AM and there weren’t too many other vehicles out.
Damn Maritime salt air and roads… eating my car alive from the bottom up… next I’m getting a high-clearance truck! Easier to hose off the undercarriage.
I get that these are a “drive by wire” type gas pedal, not what we used to call a “linkage”… and it’s England, so it’s not -25 celcius…
but to hold on for 26 minutes believing that to turn the ignition off would lead to certain disaster? uff.
about 20 years ago there was a series of incidents involving the then new Audi 5000 Turbos, it seems they would sometimes begin to accerlerate wildly and “out of control” until an collision (or the ignition was turned off) was the result.
The Audi company looked into it, the government auto folks had tests done, the Consumer Reports people became alarmed, and plenty of car magazine folks looked at the problem.
In the end, it was the car magazine folks that had to call it. The folks buying these cars were accustomed to driving “a living room on wheels”, they’d never driven a fast, luxury car before… and were mistaking the gas pedal for the brake.
but this kid is 25 years old? It may be too late for the wooden spoon.
I imagine if he returned to his roots and bought an 85 Corolla, he’d never have this problem again.
Well, I can’t claim not to be trollish sometimes. I apologize. It really did seem like the posters hadn’t read the article that was linked.
I re-read my “welcome” and it wasn’t good. Thanks to backhoe for getting me started in a better way.
Unbelievable… a lorry driver! Sheesh! He oughta know that u don’t need powersteering to “aim” the car. Just turn the key off and use trans and brakes to slow and stop. Wot a twit! I expected something more from a fellow professional driver. I can understand his stress, as I lost my brakes on a long steep hill yrs ago driving a 5-ton truck. Started down in too high of a gear, next thing…. “Oh SH*T!” Had to ride it out, no guardrail or anything, no runaway lanes, just very deep ditches on each side. My arse had a mouthful of seatcushion for a week! Thankfully no one was hurt, and I never repeated that lil mistake again. If it had come down to me or driving over somebody, I WAS prepared to run it off the road even though it prolly would have been my end
Backhoe: Good call on meshon.
Candace: Wooden spoon?! ROFL my mum used to buy them by the case. I knew I’d pushed her too far when she quit using the dammned things and said “… you wait till your father gets home!” I swear she could break one and grab another with missing a stroke! :oP Hmmm… come to think of it, I’ve never owned one since being on my own.
Meshon: Good onya! :o) I see by the post times I am a lil late with first one, I take it back. Sorry m8. No harm in a lil “stirring” tho, is there ;o)
Heh-heh, Snookie… wrt the wooden spoon and all, you could’ve easily been my sibling! 🙂
Like I said… misbehaving adults need this kind of discipline. Our society just lets them off the hook, liberal-fashion.
We gotta start breaking a virtual wooden spoon on criminals’ asses.
If I’m commenting too much off-topic, Candace, just rap my arse with your dead-tree spoon and I’ll get the message… LOL… worked when Kate did it.
Do you own a wooden spoon now, CS? or have you sworn off them? *GRIN* I’ll bet yer mum didn’t miss a stroke either, eh? Must be a “mum thing” ;o)
Canadian Sentinel,
LMBO, agreed on the maritime salt in the air. Lived out there for school for four years, and it must have rusted out the line links, because back home in TO last year I had to hit the brakes in a similar instance and poof, there went the lines and fluid all over Yonge Street. But just used the parking brake and then neutral and all was well. Even managed to drive home shifting like it was a standard. When I told people the story, they couldn’t believe I would know how to react. That probably bothered me even more, thinking there are so many people that don’t know how to respond in such situations.
Dumb a$$.
1. Slip car in neutral.
2. Kill ignition but leave key turned to aux power to avoid locking steering wheel.
3. Coast to curb.
Lemme see, I’ve had to do that twice in my lifetime. Both times on my uncle’s ’78 GMC Sierra Heavy duty 4×4 when delivering building supplies (summer job in college).
Not to get too far off topic but I have been dissappointed for so many years on how easy it is to get a drivers license.
Why,oh why, when there seems to be an activist group for every real and even perceived wrong in this world that we all just accept the carnage and huge losses of life on our streets.
Just something to think about.
Ok, I’m probably stupid, but for those of you who are saying that he should have gone into neutral, it says he couldn’t because it wouldn’t allow it with the rev’s it was at. I don’t know BMW’s but that sounds plausible. Isn’t anyone reading that?
The cops probably view it as the strangest case of a stuck throttle they every saw. The car just knew to slow down 20mph for corners.
Had that happen with a 68 galaxy, how embarrassing, I was winning too. Verfluchte Englander.
When I was living in Sask I had a Ranchero with throttle linkage that would get sticky on those bitter -40 mornings. Not much of a problem, just adjust the pedal by hand to a good setting, then ram it into drive and off you went. If there wasn’t too much snow I could fishtail my way thorugh the Weyburn fair grounds and have a little fun on the way.
It usually warmed up after a mile or so and functioned properly, just as i was pulling into the office lot.
I miss Sask. I never miss that weather.
Candace do you have that wooden spoon still? What are you wearing? :b…
QS, behave yourself! The ladies aren’t afraid to get tough with anyone. And I see you made a drooling smiley… snap out of it!
Be a good doggy now!
Yes, I read the entire article – I have some suspicion about his inability to throw it into neutral, but none at all about the fact that he wouldn’t turn the key. There is no getting around the fact that this guy is an idiot.
It reminded me of another story of a woman in the US about 2 years ago, who had the same problem. She was interviewed on CBC radio, and the interviewer listened intently while she explained that when she put the SUV in neutral it sounded like “the engine would blow up”, so she’d put it back in drive…
I don’t know what was more frightening – the idea that this woman was on the road still, or the fact that the CBC host didn’t have any more of a clue than she did. When he had a “automotive expert” on the line, he actually asked him about the engine “blowing up”. The expert acknowledged that it might – but it never occured to him that the CBC’s idea of an engine blowing up meant an actual explosion, as opposed to a damaged engine.
Boggles the mind.
An ‘automatic BMW’. Well, that tells a bit of a tale right off the bat. This guy needs to be charged.
I saw an accident years ago where an older woman had a throttle stick and she came up Hwy 10 in Mississauga for over two blocks – through a red light – and finally, mercifully, ploughed into a wooden light standard. She ‘panicked’ and didn’t know what to do. Oy.
Turning off the ignition is always the right thing to do in such cases. Power steering issues? Gimme a break. Somebody kill this guy and put him out of everyones misery before he kills someone else.
Back in 1998 a close friend and me rebuilt this ’68 Ford 3/4 Ton with I think it was a 286″ engine and standard tranny.
Did the thing have power and pickup! Was a hoot!
One day I was driving down the highway (at a good 120k) the hood decided to open and hit the cab…(thankfully those older Ford trucks had a rain gutter all the way around the top, which stopped the windshield from disintegrating upon impact.)
Then the brakes decided to join in the festivities and go at the same time as well add the fact that the King pin was a bit wobbly (but knew that).
So I stuck my head out the side window and started to coast enough to gear down, this on a two lane highway between Cold Lake, AB and Periceland, Sk.
But, what do I see coming towards me – a SEMI…
Erg.
I recited the’ Our Father’, ‘Lord have mercy’, and other prayers within the 2 seconds it took to make sure my pants were still dry and I was on my side of the line.
The Semi gave me a wide berth, and I managed to gear down to about 50K…then the brakes came back after multiple pumping enabling me to stop.
I promptly turned around headed for the nearest car dealership and traded it in for a Shove, err, Chevette…
And yes told them the story…
Now, that’s what I call a ‘joy ride’…
Oh, still looking for my “close friend”…
$50,000 reward.
Just kidding, we’re both glad nothing serious happened.
Tom: LOL on the reward! Good you got thru it ok *2 thumbs*
Tomax;
That would probably have been a “289” in that truck.