the end of an era
02-10-2005, 12:27 AM
#31
Burning Brakes
Join Date: May 2004
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Man, I feel for ya, that is awful. And you were the original owner too. Do you have a story for us. 
And I cant resist asking if your gonna part it out. (Cooling fan Relay, window switch)
And I cant resist asking if your gonna part it out. (Cooling fan Relay, window switch)
02-10-2005, 02:10 AM
#32
Rennlist Member
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Location: Abbotsford, BC & Wenatchee WA
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First, I am glad you are ok......BUT why would you driving a 951 with black ice,snow, In a blizzard and on mountain roads? from the pics it looks like you crashed at speed.
Sorry for your loss but it is 100% your fault for driving in those conditions.
Sorry for your loss but it is 100% your fault for driving in those conditions.
02-11-2005, 03:27 AM
#33
1st Gear
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jcb: seeing as how the guy just lost his car, maybe you should at least wait to hear the story before heaping on your (totally unhelpful) criticism?
What you meant to say was "I'm sorry to hear the bad news. Glad you weren't hurt"
What you meant to say was "I'm sorry to hear the bad news. Glad you weren't hurt"
02-11-2005, 04:03 AM
#34
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"jcb: seeing as how the guy just lost his car, maybe you should at least wait to hear the story before heaping on your (totally unhelpful) criticism?
What you meant to say was "I'm sorry to hear the bad news. Glad you weren't hurt"
Would you drive a Ferrari in a Blizzard? I am sorry for Nize's loss but the loss of this 951 should have been avoided.
Sorry, I should have been more sensitive and called dibs on the rims.........
What you meant to say was "I'm sorry to hear the bad news. Glad you weren't hurt"
Would you drive a Ferrari in a Blizzard? I am sorry for Nize's loss but the loss of this 951 should have been avoided.
Sorry, I should have been more sensitive and called dibs on the rims.........
02-11-2005, 12:19 PM
#36
Race Car
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Wow!! :eep: How did survive that? I'm truly glad you did -- have you gone to the hospital to make sure everything checked out?
02-11-2005, 01:07 PM
#37
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q: after paying over $50k to buy the car brand new and putting almost 190k miles on the car over 17 years with zero accidents, do you think i'd be stupid enough to actually plan to drive it in the snow?
a: no.
actual story to follow soon, i just haven't been in the mood to revisit the whole event yet.
a: no.
actual story to follow soon, i just haven't been in the mood to revisit the whole event yet.
02-11-2005, 01:56 PM
#38
Race Director
Why would anyone not drive the car in conditions like that? The proof of the pudding is in the eating and a fact is that it would be hard to come out of a situation like this less harmed.
02-11-2005, 07:23 PM
#40
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planned route: seattle to kelowna via highway3 (over the canadian cascade mountains) in b.c.
before leaving, i checked the weather forcast. the forcast was clear and dry.
at the border, i checked the road condition report, it said clear and dry.
at hope (the town at the base of the mountain pass) i stopped by a gas station to fill up and checked with the truckers who had just made the reverse run, they all said the road was clear and dry with melting patches of snow here and there but nothing to worry about.
so i started the drive to cross the mountains.
the roads were indeed clear and dry and driving was very easy and a lot of fun with lazy turns and plenty of straights.
about an hour and fourty minutes into the trip, it started snowing lightly. knowing that i had passed the midpoint in the mountain crossing, and thinking that the roads should still be dry with a fresh layer of light snow on top, i decided to continue.
within fifteen minutes the snow had turned into a blinding white blizzard that dumped six inches of snow on the road. this section of road had no turn-around and no shoulder to pull over on, so i continued cautiously at 30mph. five minutes later an eighteen wheeler semi-truck zipped by at around 60mph, so i thought okay this truck's tires should help plow some of the snow off the road so i should be able to follow in its wake.
at that point the road had started the long descent downhill and i noticed that every time i would lift off on the gas to use engine braking to slow down, the rear would try to come around. i immediately realized i can't hit the brakes or else i'd lose control, so i had to modulate the throttle to keep the rear in line. after around five minutes of this i notice i'm losing the battle to slow down and i'm gaining speed up to 45-50mph. at this point the road turns into a straight downhill stretch four lanes across with no traffic in sight. i figure okay if i want to slow down it's now or never, and start engine braking again, trying to keep the rear in line as long as possible, but it's coming around to the left so i counter by steering left. i start out in the far-right lane and drift this way across oncoming lanes (no cars, remember) all the way to the opposite side of the road. by then the rear had come around almost 90-degrees.
i figured the snow bank on the edge of the road should absorb most of the impact and stop the car, it turns out to be a hard-packed ice bank. the driver's side rear wheel digs in, catches, and can't move anymore. the car catapults and rolls two and a half times and ends sliding down the road upside-down now head-first. all i can see through the windshield is asphalt from the hood of the car to the roof, and sparks flying from the metal hood scraping on the pavement. so i'm thinking okay why isn't this airbag deploying? seriously i did think that, which shows just how vulnerable and desperate i felt at that point.
when the car finally came to a stop, not being able to see anything but asphalt through the windshield and pitch blackness either side, i had no idea where i was on the road. thinking i could be in the middle of the road and knowing that an oncoming car would not be able to stop in time to avoid hitting me, i knew i had to get out. i did remember to turn the ignition off, and left it on a/c to keep the headlights lit. the engine wasn't running by this time though, i think it had stalled. after checking to make sure i could move my arms and legs, i tried the driver's door and it was stuck, the same with the passenger's door. the windshield seemed to be cracked but it was still intact so i started to consider maybe breaking the driver's side window to get out when i noticed snow was entering the car from behind. so i look back and notice the rear window is gone. i can tell you that i have never been so happy to see a window missing on my car. so i released the seat belt and crumpled onto the roof and then crawled along the ceiling of the car and out through the missing back glass.
the first thing i did was check to see if my cellphone was still on my belt. to my relief, it was. to my horror, there was no cell service up in the mountains. i then checked the road surface. it was black ice with fresh snow on top, not dry pavement with fresh snow as i had thought.
about five minutes elapsed and i saw headlights so i waved them down but they kept going! another five minutes went by before another car came along and this time they stopped and turned around to shine the headlights on the damage. that's when it finally hit me that the car was really upside-down on the side of the road, at least it was out of the main roadway and not in danger of being hit by another car. about 10 minutes later a snowplow driver came along, i hopped in, and got dropped off at the recreation center (manning recreation park?) nearby.
paramedics arrived with a stretcher for me but after checking me out they were amazed i didn't have any injuries. i went to the doctor's for a checkup, a few bruises and small scratches from the broken glass.
during the tow-truck ride down the mountain, we passed by three other cars that had run completely off the road. they were all in the ditch, one truck was flipped upside-down. the tow driver commented it's a good night for his business. two days later i find out that more than five other cars had gotten into similar accidents and three people had died. i guess my accident wasn't even worthy to be mentioned in the papers because i wasn't injured.
i have to say that i've always believed the 951 to be a very safely built car, and if this doesn't prove it i don't know what will.
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...1&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...1&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...7&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...7&query=search
before leaving, i checked the weather forcast. the forcast was clear and dry.
at the border, i checked the road condition report, it said clear and dry.
at hope (the town at the base of the mountain pass) i stopped by a gas station to fill up and checked with the truckers who had just made the reverse run, they all said the road was clear and dry with melting patches of snow here and there but nothing to worry about.
so i started the drive to cross the mountains.
the roads were indeed clear and dry and driving was very easy and a lot of fun with lazy turns and plenty of straights.
about an hour and fourty minutes into the trip, it started snowing lightly. knowing that i had passed the midpoint in the mountain crossing, and thinking that the roads should still be dry with a fresh layer of light snow on top, i decided to continue.
within fifteen minutes the snow had turned into a blinding white blizzard that dumped six inches of snow on the road. this section of road had no turn-around and no shoulder to pull over on, so i continued cautiously at 30mph. five minutes later an eighteen wheeler semi-truck zipped by at around 60mph, so i thought okay this truck's tires should help plow some of the snow off the road so i should be able to follow in its wake.
at that point the road had started the long descent downhill and i noticed that every time i would lift off on the gas to use engine braking to slow down, the rear would try to come around. i immediately realized i can't hit the brakes or else i'd lose control, so i had to modulate the throttle to keep the rear in line. after around five minutes of this i notice i'm losing the battle to slow down and i'm gaining speed up to 45-50mph. at this point the road turns into a straight downhill stretch four lanes across with no traffic in sight. i figure okay if i want to slow down it's now or never, and start engine braking again, trying to keep the rear in line as long as possible, but it's coming around to the left so i counter by steering left. i start out in the far-right lane and drift this way across oncoming lanes (no cars, remember) all the way to the opposite side of the road. by then the rear had come around almost 90-degrees.
i figured the snow bank on the edge of the road should absorb most of the impact and stop the car, it turns out to be a hard-packed ice bank. the driver's side rear wheel digs in, catches, and can't move anymore. the car catapults and rolls two and a half times and ends sliding down the road upside-down now head-first. all i can see through the windshield is asphalt from the hood of the car to the roof, and sparks flying from the metal hood scraping on the pavement. so i'm thinking okay why isn't this airbag deploying? seriously i did think that, which shows just how vulnerable and desperate i felt at that point.
when the car finally came to a stop, not being able to see anything but asphalt through the windshield and pitch blackness either side, i had no idea where i was on the road. thinking i could be in the middle of the road and knowing that an oncoming car would not be able to stop in time to avoid hitting me, i knew i had to get out. i did remember to turn the ignition off, and left it on a/c to keep the headlights lit. the engine wasn't running by this time though, i think it had stalled. after checking to make sure i could move my arms and legs, i tried the driver's door and it was stuck, the same with the passenger's door. the windshield seemed to be cracked but it was still intact so i started to consider maybe breaking the driver's side window to get out when i noticed snow was entering the car from behind. so i look back and notice the rear window is gone. i can tell you that i have never been so happy to see a window missing on my car. so i released the seat belt and crumpled onto the roof and then crawled along the ceiling of the car and out through the missing back glass.
the first thing i did was check to see if my cellphone was still on my belt. to my relief, it was. to my horror, there was no cell service up in the mountains. i then checked the road surface. it was black ice with fresh snow on top, not dry pavement with fresh snow as i had thought.
about five minutes elapsed and i saw headlights so i waved them down but they kept going! another five minutes went by before another car came along and this time they stopped and turned around to shine the headlights on the damage. that's when it finally hit me that the car was really upside-down on the side of the road, at least it was out of the main roadway and not in danger of being hit by another car. about 10 minutes later a snowplow driver came along, i hopped in, and got dropped off at the recreation center (manning recreation park?) nearby.
paramedics arrived with a stretcher for me but after checking me out they were amazed i didn't have any injuries. i went to the doctor's for a checkup, a few bruises and small scratches from the broken glass.
during the tow-truck ride down the mountain, we passed by three other cars that had run completely off the road. they were all in the ditch, one truck was flipped upside-down. the tow driver commented it's a good night for his business. two days later i find out that more than five other cars had gotten into similar accidents and three people had died. i guess my accident wasn't even worthy to be mentioned in the papers because i wasn't injured.
i have to say that i've always believed the 951 to be a very safely built car, and if this doesn't prove it i don't know what will.
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...1&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...1&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...7&query=search
http://www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/new...7&query=search
Last edited by nize; 02-11-2005 at 07:51 PM.
02-11-2005, 07:51 PM
#41
Race Car
Wow, I know about how snow banks just grab you and hold on. I had to take the ditch to avoid a 50+ car pileup in my 944 once, I tried to just edge the snow so I could get some traction so I could stop, instead my front wheel grabbed, my car spun, and went straight into the ditch before I even knew what happened. That's amazing that one wheel catching could roll your car. But, what's even more amazing is that you're okay.
Such a terrible loss, but at least the car had a long life. So many pristine 30k mile cars get wrecked it's not even funny, at least this one got to live.
Such a terrible loss, but at least the car had a long life. So many pristine 30k mile cars get wrecked it's not even funny, at least this one got to live.
02-11-2005, 07:57 PM
#42
Nordschleife Master
How the hell did I miss this thread from 2 days ago?? Wow.
Pete, if you would have been able to call me I would have taken the Montana out to come get you... I'm sorry I don't have anyway to tow the car back.. It'll be hella expensive to use a private towing company.
I'm thinking maybe you should just let the insurance company deal with it. Take the pay out and buy Lance's 89....
If you need anything don't hesitate to email me.
PS: Most of all, I'm glad you're okay!
Pete, if you would have been able to call me I would have taken the Montana out to come get you... I'm sorry I don't have anyway to tow the car back.. It'll be hella expensive to use a private towing company.
I'm thinking maybe you should just let the insurance company deal with it. Take the pay out and buy Lance's 89....
If you need anything don't hesitate to email me.
PS: Most of all, I'm glad you're okay!
02-11-2005, 11:23 PM
#44
Three Wheelin'
Wow, thank you very much for sharing the full story. I'm really sorry that some people attempted to judge based on assumptions.
When you're ready, can you provide more info regarding the condition of the car after the accident? Was the roof intact before they rolled the car back over?
Thanks, and I'm glad that you made it out with your health. That's truly the important thing.
-Jon
When you're ready, can you provide more info regarding the condition of the car after the accident? Was the roof intact before they rolled the car back over?
Thanks, and I'm glad that you made it out with your health. That's truly the important thing.
-Jon
02-11-2005, 11:46 PM
#45
Banned
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the sunroof was intact (and attached) before they rolled the car back over. i was smart enough to close the sunroof as soon as i noticed snow, so that probably saved me as well. the brunt of the force was concentrated on the front headliner where the windshield meets the roof so as far as i can tell, the sunroof itself is in good condition. you should realize that the headliner area took not one, not two, but three full impacts from the roll and then scraped along on the asphalt for good measure.
i really did not have much time to check the car for other damages, but i know that at least the top half of the frame is bent.
other than body/frame/window damage, everything else seemed to actually be okay. i didn't even think to try to start the car again.
and here's a safety pointer to every car owner: the after-market window tint film actually protects you from glass cuts. the only cuts i got were from the windshield glass, as the glass from all the other windows were kept outside of the car by the tint film on the inside.
i really did not have much time to check the car for other damages, but i know that at least the top half of the frame is bent.
other than body/frame/window damage, everything else seemed to actually be okay. i didn't even think to try to start the car again.
and here's a safety pointer to every car owner: the after-market window tint film actually protects you from glass cuts. the only cuts i got were from the windshield glass, as the glass from all the other windows were kept outside of the car by the tint film on the inside.
Last edited by nize; 02-12-2005 at 12:28 AM.