CLS Driver Fatality

[glojo]

I did see it, but I can only recall the Smart, because it was so striking. As I remember, the car was so intact, that the door still opened?

I think your description of 'the car' being intact is perhaps not quite accurate. The vehicle was driven straight into a 20 ton concrete block at 70mph!! The doors could be opened but the engine was definitely a non starter. This is the clip of just the Smart.

John

 

[del320]

...but the engine was definitely a non starter.

Mmmm...looked undamaged to me...

 

[grober]

no crumple zones

ONLY 2 COMMENTS
1. No <<<<<<<crumple zones>>>>>>>>>> on a JCB!
2. No <<<<<<<crumple zones >>>>>>> on any Merc above the waistline!( and the CLS is a LOW car)

 

[Rory]

Mmmm...looked undamaged to me...

Nothing a bit of T-Cut wouldn't sort out!

 

[glojo]

Nothing a bit of T-Cut wouldn't sort out!

Certainly cannot fault the 'crumple' zone. It crumpled beyond recognition

I am still unsure of the program even though it came up with Top Gear. How long ago was it that Tiff Needell last appeared on Top Gear?

Perhaps any vehicle that comes to an instant stop from 70 mph will kill the occupants? I accept the Smart moved slightly sideways, but its forward motion was stopped in its tracks.

John

 

[Rory]

Certainly cannot fault the 'crumple' zone. It crumpled beyond recognition

It just wasn't big enough though.

I am still unsure of the program even though it came up with Top Gear. How long ago was it that Tiff Needell last appeared on Top Gear?

I think it was Fifth Gear - I vividly remember Vicky Butler-Henderson saying (in her best solemn voice) that the occupants wouldn't have survived. (But I often remember things wrongly!)

Perhaps any vehicle that comes to an instant stop from 70 mph will kill the occupants?

I believe that's true. The point of big cars/big crumple zones is the car doesn't stop instantly - it stops in a (slightly) more gradual way.

 

[Donk]

I vividly remember Vicky Butler-Henderson saying (in her best solemn voice) that the occupants wouldn't have survived. (But I often remember things wrongly!)

You remebered correctly Rory, the sudden decceleration would have ripped the vital organs away from their mounts in the human body i.e. Heart from Sternum area etc :/

 

[SSBB]

You get what you pay for but it wont always save you. In the forces there is a saying..Amunition is safe until you forget it's dangerous....check out this webite..some of it will make you cry (what a waste..)
WWW.wreckedexotics.com
Go to the photo archives and look at the ferrari enzo pictures !!

 

[scotth_uk]

There's been a few smart car crash tests, all of which make for excellent viewing. Possibly the best is the S Class offset collision with the smart car:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/06/12/video-mercedes-s-class-vs-smart/

Here's a smart car and an E Class (which I think they showed in the 5G clip):

http://benzinsider.blogspot.com/2006/07/smart-car-vs-mercedes-s-class-crash.html

There's a documented crash somewhere on the web that a Smart salesman showed me once - a guy was in the alps somewhere in Europe and went over the edge, tumbling down the hill. He got cuts from the broken glass, but managed to climb out and get help for himself. Nice work!

Psst - I remember that when Diana died, Mercedes were *very* interested in the crash.

 

[glojo]

Psst - I remember that when Diana died, Mercedes were *very* interested in the crash.

Conspiracy theorists always like to make a big issue over this, but we are talking of Princess Diana, any car manufacturer would want to check the vehicle was completely road worthy, with NO defects. Does anyone know who actually owned this vehicle. I am only asking because all manufacturers like to loan vehicles to any organisation that will get them publicity. It could be that this S-class was actually still owned by Mercedes-Benz? Hopefully it will eventually be destroyed although again conspiracy theorists will have a field day if that happened.

John

 

[graeme73s]

My other half has driven and indeed learnt to drive, past her driving test in a smart car back in 1998. As a small car goes it is one of the safest. Re the diana incident. two things. one is that the speed mentioned of I believe 120 mph is impossible. Some mates have been through that particular tunnel in supercars and assure me that the speed propogated by the press is impossible. secondly had it been a V8 or V12 all in the front would have been killed.

 

[grober]

big pickup crash test

Heres a little video of a Ford F150 pickup CRASH TEST for anyone that thinks driving a big pickup keeps you safe! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G17ej95Pj00&mode=related&search=
lots of other videos including a c180 and an e200.