Auto Journalist Sued For $174,000 After Destroying A Rare Porsche’s Engine
01-22-2013, 02:56 AM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: North Vancouver, BC
Posts: 526
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Auto Journalist Sued For $174,000 After Destroying A Rare Porsche’s Engine
Interesting story here. I'd think twice about hopping behind the wheel of a expensive borrowed car without some sort of a journalistic pre-nup if I were an automotive writer now.
01-22-2013, 03:55 AM
#2
Burning Brakes
I remember reading that article in Octane, and had no idea the 917 blew up.
Damn shame, I think the 917 was David Piper's retirement fund, and Hales is a very experienced journalist and racer for classy magazines like Octane and Evo.
Damn shame, I think the 917 was David Piper's retirement fund, and Hales is a very experienced journalist and racer for classy magazines like Octane and Evo.
01-22-2013, 06:50 AM
#3
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Stoke Poges, UK
Posts: 1,466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01-22-2013, 08:04 AM
#4
Burning Brakes
The 917 was a bitsa made by Piper from genuine spares. He subsequently sold it for £1.3m. He still owns a genuine works 917 worth around £5m
Very sad that it has come to this. Big thread on Pistonheads with all the arguments for and against. My view is that sadly Piper doesn't come out of it very well. He has won in court and crushed the "man of straw" who had little or no defence if "gentleman's agreements" were conveniently disregarded.
Will have repercussions for sure going forward with magazine features, and gentleman drivers / shared drives in historic racing.
Very sad that it has come to this. Big thread on Pistonheads with all the arguments for and against. My view is that sadly Piper doesn't come out of it very well. He has won in court and crushed the "man of straw" who had little or no defence if "gentleman's agreements" were conveniently disregarded.
Will have repercussions for sure going forward with magazine features, and gentleman drivers / shared drives in historic racing.
01-22-2013, 08:41 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
Interesting read, glad it turned out in the owner's favor
01-22-2013, 08:47 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
It's just a damn car. If the owner didn't have it in writing that the borrower was 100% covered for anything that happened to the car, no matter what, then the owner accepts the liability. The owner is a tool. The journalist wasn't too bright either if he got back into the car when he noticed it jumping out of gear. The only winners were the lawyers.
01-22-2013, 08:50 AM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Reading the judgement shows Hales in a very bad light
He wrote to his insurers telling them the car was fine pre damage and that it was caused by his own error, ie missing a gear
When he got to court he changed his story
So he was either lying to his insurers or the court
The PH thread was 30 pages of what a great bloke he is and demonising Piper (based solely on a post from Hales)
Reading the facts from the judgement give a very different flavour
He wrote to his insurers telling them the car was fine pre damage and that it was caused by his own error, ie missing a gear
When he got to court he changed his story
So he was either lying to his insurers or the court
The PH thread was 30 pages of what a great bloke he is and demonising Piper (based solely on a post from Hales)
Reading the facts from the judgement give a very different flavour
Trending Topics
01-22-2013, 11:07 AM
#8
Burning Brakes
Agreed
They're only doing their job, as instructed by their client!
Being successful in litigation is always down to the evidence you have and the documentation you can produce to the court to support your case....
...not something commonly found in gentlemen's agreements...but the 'facts' as presented to the court, as set out in the judgement, did not seem to support Mr Hales' submissions.
It's a sad case, but litigation rarely sees both sides smile
The only winners were the lawyers.
Reading the judgement shows Hales in a very bad light
He wrote to his insurers telling them the car was fine pre damage and that it was caused by his own error, ie missing a gear
When he got to court he changed his story
So he was either lying to his insurers or the court
The PH thread was 30 pages of what a great bloke he is and demonising Piper (based solely on a post from Hales)
Reading the facts from the judgement give a very different flavour
He wrote to his insurers telling them the car was fine pre damage and that it was caused by his own error, ie missing a gear
When he got to court he changed his story
So he was either lying to his insurers or the court
The PH thread was 30 pages of what a great bloke he is and demonising Piper (based solely on a post from Hales)
Reading the facts from the judgement give a very different flavour
...not something commonly found in gentlemen's agreements...but the 'facts' as presented to the court, as set out in the judgement, did not seem to support Mr Hales' submissions.
It's a sad case, but litigation rarely sees both sides smile
01-22-2013, 11:25 AM
#10
Rennlist Member
Well, he wasn't sued for $174K. Good ol' UK legal system there has him liable for (undoubtedly) padded attorney's fees. Pretty amazed there's no E&O coverage from the magazine. Different way of doing business than in the US, I suppose. Or maybe he was working freelance.
But more to the point of what happened. An 8200 blip isn't likely going to "blow an engine". Bend up the valvetrain, sure. And in a flat 12, that certainly might leave you with a near-six-figure repair. But still.
(Love that the owner is recovering for loss of use. Next time you rent a car and opt to use your own insurance coverage, consider they'll bill you for every second that car is out of service if it needs repairs from damage on your watch.)
But more to the point of what happened. An 8200 blip isn't likely going to "blow an engine". Bend up the valvetrain, sure. And in a flat 12, that certainly might leave you with a near-six-figure repair. But still.
(Love that the owner is recovering for loss of use. Next time you rent a car and opt to use your own insurance coverage, consider they'll bill you for every second that car is out of service if it needs repairs from damage on your watch.)
01-22-2013, 02:59 PM
#12
Three Wheelin'
A couple oif points
Firstly the entire journalistic fraternity have come out is support of Hales (fair do's, he's one of them) But have continued to taotally ignore the judgement which is incredibly damning of Hales.
The other thing they have tried to do is paint Hales, (and by inference their profession) as some minimum wage on the breadline group
Harris had a GT3RS 4.0, did he not? Frankel has substantial family wealth, etc
No idea about Hales financial position, but I doubt he's the pauper he is being made out to be
The only facts we know about in the case are in the judgement, everything else is just speculation and bias dressed up as fact
Firstly the entire journalistic fraternity have come out is support of Hales (fair do's, he's one of them) But have continued to taotally ignore the judgement which is incredibly damning of Hales.
The other thing they have tried to do is paint Hales, (and by inference their profession) as some minimum wage on the breadline group
Harris had a GT3RS 4.0, did he not? Frankel has substantial family wealth, etc
No idea about Hales financial position, but I doubt he's the pauper he is being made out to be
The only facts we know about in the case are in the judgement, everything else is just speculation and bias dressed up as fact
01-22-2013, 03:55 PM
#13
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by piperhales judgement
The Defendant himself composed a signed and dated (3 June 2009) detailed
note for Octane’s insurers relatively shortly after the incident. This included
the frank admission that:
"There was no fault apparent with the car before this incident, and I admit
the damage to the engine was caused by my failure to select the gear
correctly”.
note for Octane’s insurers relatively shortly after the incident. This included
the frank admission that:
"There was no fault apparent with the car before this incident, and I admit
the damage to the engine was caused by my failure to select the gear
correctly”.
So what's a gentleman to do? As distasteful as it is, Hales should pay.
A very expensive lesson for sure.
01-22-2013, 06:50 PM
#14
Burning Brakes
I suppose if the engine had really, really blown up and stuff was hanging out of the block, then it would be a $100,000+ (and then some) proposition.
