The most sobering thread in the world

[nthfinity]

"My only bit of advice matey - If you crash in a big way expect to be on the news."

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...=111454&page=1

Server is getting killed with all the attention it's getting, so it may or may not work.

If the Ben Keaton incident is any foreshadow of what will happen next, expect 4 suites against Josh's family, and 5 suites against the airstrip community.... nobody wants to take responsibility for actions :-\



(why do we need to know which home is Travolta's? )

[rave426]

I heard about that. Pretty sad what booze and ignorance can amount to.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by rave426 I heard about that. Pretty sad what booze and ignorance can amount to.

Last I heard is they didn't know if alcohol was involved or not... but it was one of their birthday's...

http://www2.seminole.cc.fl.us/lvosbu...esForExam2.htm
anybody want to venture a guess the speed needed to jump 200 ft. assuming the angle of the birm was about 30 degrees, and cd of a sideways car is about .5

?

[rave426]

Hmm. I might can with a little time. Im at work though. I'll shoot it over to a guy a mod at M3forum.com. He is an engineer too and he loves doing math. I'll make an attempt if i get a chance.

[rave426]

Here ya go.

Calculated by: ArtM3 (Moderator @ M3forum.net)

no...his math is right but the car fell 70', not 15... the vert distance dy was ~70 ft (85-15) the horiz was ~200 = dx dy = 1/2 g t^2 t = sqrt ( 2 dy / g) = sqrt ( 2 x 70/32.2) ~ 2.1 sec also dx = vx x t or dx/t = vx = 200/2.1 = 95 ft/sec = 65 mph dy = vy x t or dy/t = vy = 70/2.1 = 33 ft/sec = 23 mph it had velocity down vy and forward vx resolving v = sq rt( vx^2 + vy^2) = sqrt( 95^2 + 33^2) = 100 ft/sec = 69 mph in addition the car was accelerating due to gravity...it had not reached terminal velocity of ~124 mph (~180 ft/sec) so wind resistence would not have slowed it down much...

[RC45]

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111545

AFter much hunting I found the thread I think that was meant to be posted.. thread 111545 rather than thread 111454, which ironically seems to reference thread 111545.. (if my URL interpretation skills ar eup to snuff)

The numbers reinforce the message I guess.

Seems all the "old geezers" in the first thread actually had a legitimate concern after all - and I guess GT44 and Forza dont take into account the extra weight of 4 friends when youdo "threshold braking" moves in video games.

Sad story - but plays out more often than we would care to admit.

[styla21]

Loving the math Rave426.

RIP.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by rave426 Here ya go. Calculated by: ArtM3 (Moderator @ M3forum.net)

hmm.... my grandma launched 10 ft. vertically from a 40 degree ditch when she had stopped driving on the road, and was only in the air for 60 ft @ 60 mph of horizontal velocity vs. launch velocity... I know it makes a difference that the car dropped 70 ft. from the launch point of the birm in addition, but similar accidents with trees are around 110 -120 mph... of course, a lot depends on the point of impact... the roof is much less crash structure than the under body etc. ...

this estimate seems quite low, I'm not convinced that artm3's calculations are accurate, especially assuming the vehicle remained airborn for 2.1 seconds...

[rave426]

Originally Posted by nthfinity hmm.... my grandma launched 10 ft. vertically from a 40 degree ditch when she had stopped driving on the road, and was only in the air for 60 ft @ 60 mph of horizontal velocity vs. launch velocity... I know it makes a difference that the car dropped 70 ft. from the launch point of the birm in addition, but similar accidents with trees are around 110 -120 mph... of course, a lot depends on the point of impact... the roof is much less crash structure than the under body etc. ... this estimate seems quite low, I'm not convinced that artm3's calculations are accurate, especially assuming the vehicle remained airborn for 2.1 seconds...

Well you also gotta add the fact that if the M5 wasnt modded the top speed was limited to 155mph........at a 1.5 mile run im sure it could get near that. You also add the fact that the guys just didnt fly off the runway @ full speed, but he probably paniced a good bit before and slammed the brakes.

He probably did multiple runs and was trying to see how far he could push before it was too late. He missed judged the last one and payed for it. Thats how I see it happening.

Anyway. I see where you are coming from Nth, but I did the same calculations with a small mistake and got close to that number. I think that is correct.

[pitfield]

impressive stuff, dont thhey have barriers from the road to the runway? Anyway lads, sorry it cost you your lives, but I wish I'd been at the party. Especially if John Travolta lives next door.

[pitfield]

There must be a video

[RC45]

Originally Posted by pitfield impressive stuff, dont thhey have barriers from the road to the runway? Anyway lads, sorry it cost you your lives, but I wish I'd been at the party. Especially if John Travolta lives next door.

They were on the runway and ran off the end - that housing estate is built around the runway/airfield... it is completely open access, people can taxi their planes (even 707 jets like Travolta does) right up to their back doors.

[GunnyD]

Unfortunately this what you get when you give teens too much car. Far too many stories of young men and women killed in accidents, if you could call them that, have been reported. When I was growing up if it had 4 wheels and went forward when you pressed the gas you were cool. These days parents are buying high-end sports cars for their kids as their sweet 16 birthday present. Back when I was a lad I drove like a complete jackass. Thankfully it was a Hyundai with a 3 cyl 1800cc engine, and I still power slided in it. Thinking back, if I had a IROC Z I would have killed myself.

But of course you have to put out good thoughts for the friends and families of those young men. Tragic...

[m_weinerich]

My parents since I was 16 when I started to drive have given me the best car that we own. Currently I drive a 2007 Maxima 3.5L. Honestly I could not thank them enough for them being so kind to me and trusting me like they do, but I will have to agree sometimes I've been immature to the point where the risk was pretty high for everything in my life to go south. I've never driven intoxicated EVER, not even one beer, but the temptation when the road was empty was impossible to resist when i was 16. Now I'm an "adult" (although i will not consider myself a true adult until i'll be living on my own), and have more responsibilities i drive much safer. I think i surpassed my teenager rage driving ways, and am very lucky to do it without any $$$$ casualties.

[styla21]

Originally Posted by m_weinerich My parents since I was 16 when I started to drive have given me the best car that we own. Currently I drive a 2007 Maxima 3.5L. Honestly I could not thank them enough for them being so kind to me and trusting me like they do, but I will have to agree sometimes I've been immature to the point where the risk was pretty high for everything in my life to go south. I've never driven intoxicated EVER, not even one beer, but the temptation when the road was empty was impossible to resist when i was 16. Now I'm an "adult" (although i will not consider myself a true adult until i'll be living on my own), and have more responsibilities i drive much safer. I think i surpassed my teenager rage driving ways, and am very lucky to do it without any $$$$ casualties.

Good for you mate. There are still a lot of idiots who drive drunk, killing themselves and others so needlessly.

I made a big mistake when I was young.. I crashed an SL55. Sober, but driving beyond my abilities. It took this (expensive) lesson to learn how much we over-estimate our abilities and to learn the right place to use them (the track..).