Mishap with Drag car at a Parade

[JRSully]

Very good cause but don't know if you should be doing burnouts with a very Hipo Pro Stock type car at a parade.! Hope all the injured recover, condolences to those that won't

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/drag-racing-crash-kills-seven-at-parade/20070617074709990001

[427.060]

Video link.
James

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/1794.html

[Dog427435]

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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t114/dog427435/20070617090809990006.jpg
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[GRB]

What a tragedy. Brings back bad memories of the early '70s Yellow River drag strip massacre.

[njsteve]

Am I missing something or was this occurring on a regular public road? How could you even consider doing a burnout in a 1000 hp car, 20 feet from 30,000 spectators??????

[budnate]

sad deal all the way around..any time you click second gear stuff can happen..he should have done a couple little little hits and called it good. like has been said the legal stuff is going to be really bad.

[njsteve]

I just watched some of the spectator and news video footage of this tragedy. It was a four lane public street, with a crowd estimated at from 40,000 to 60,000 peeple in the area for the event. It was like watching footage from the late 1950's and early 60's when people lined racing venues standing just inches from the speeding cars, oblivious to the obvious danger. It's just mind boggling how this part of a Cars for Kids event could have been allowed to happen in the first place.

[ANDY M]

http://wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6668755
Memphis TV updated story.
My hopes and prayers for all those concerned.

[kwhizz]

Sad!!! Very Sad!!!!!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Ken

[nuch_ss396]

[ QUOTE ]
.... It was a four lane public street, with a crowd estimated at from 40,000 to 60,000 people in the area for the event. ...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can smell the lawsuits from here. Total idiocy ! A good
cause to be sure, but safety & intelligence have to be first. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[njsteve]

The 75th annual 24 hours of LeMans ended this morning. BTW isnt this the anniversary of the horrific 1955 Mercedes crash at Lemans when the Mercedes team car went airborne and cartwheeled through the crowd, killing 80 spectators?

[tom406]

Death toll now at 7 people, including some kids. We can rail on lawyers all we want, but this shows you can't always count on "common sense" prevailing, even among thoughtful, well intentioned people.

That said, I don't believe you can legislate around human stupidity and save everyone from themselves, either. Hopefully our system results in a reasonable balance, even if some individual cases seem unfair.

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

Very sad situation!Very sad for the families of the loved ones that have been lost.The Driver of the car and whoever authorized the little show of HP certainly were not thinking very well!Way to easy for something to GO WRONG and it certainly did GO WRONG!My condolences to all the Families that lost loved ones and had loved ones injured in this terrible accident!

[JQ]

I don't see how someone in there right mind would even consider doing such a burnout with families lining the street. Absolutely pointless http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

[Fast67VelleN2O]

[ QUOTE ]
The 75th annual 24 hours of LeMans ended this morning. BTW isnt this the anniversary of the horrific 1955 Mercedes crash at Lemans when the Mercedes team car went airborne and cartwheeled through the crowd, killing 80 spectators?

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.mike-hawthorn.org.uk/55stills.php

[SOM2001SS]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see how someone in there right mind would even consider doing such a burnout with families lining the street. Absolutely pointless http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Very very sad indeed http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I can't believe anyone would do something like that...especially a professional. Just a few revs of the engine (in neutral of course) should have been enough to entertain the crowd. My condolences to everyone involved in this tragedy.

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
..any time you click second gear stuff can happen..

[/ QUOTE ]
EXACTLY...that's like a replay of the Z at SCR9 last year...if he spins out the other direction he hits a Yenko Deuce head on instead of *only* doing a 180 up onto the curb. Which is precisely why, IMO, we've seen the last exiting burnouts at a Supercar Reunion...

[ORIGLS6]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
..any time you click second gear stuff can happen..

[/ QUOTE ]
EXACTLY...that's like a replay of the Z at SCR9 last year...if he spins out the other direction he hits a Yenko Deuce head on instead of *only* doing a 180 up onto the curb. Which is precisely why, IMO, we've seen the last exiting burnouts at a Supercar Reunion...

[/ QUOTE ]

I support that fully. Fun is fun, but let's remember what CAN happen. These are old cars. Brakes can fail; throttles can stick, too many things can go wrong. Everything has its proper time and place. We can play on Friday; let's use our heads Saturday. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Supergas990]

What a shame... An event for kids that ends up taking the lives of several young people.

There's more than enough blame to go around, but you can never be safe enough around any type of racecar or racing event.

Condolences to all the families involved. A healthy respect is the best way to protect yourself.

Blair

[agtw31]

depending on how much of a hardass the local prosecutor is,and because this was a race car,and should have never been even started except on a drag strip,dont be surprised at some vehicular homicide indictments popping out of this incident.

[Verne_Frantz]

Andy,
Vehicular homicide charges are brought when "recklessness" is proven. In most states, that requires either drug or alcohol proof. In this case, while it may certainly seem that the driver was "reckless" in his exhibition, that exhibition was allowed and condoned by the organizers. We don't know if the organizers put any restrictions on him or not. They probably didn't even anticipate the power of the car. So, in a way, it probably does fall back on the driver for putting too much into it on a street with people all along it. I'm sure his life will be miserable for a long time......for a few reasons.
I'm sure the law suits will name everyone involved, even indirectly, such as the city, or those who built the car or made the tires.

What an overall tragedy............

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

I totally agree with Verne,I do not think Vehicular Manslaughter charges apply in this incident.Certainly the driver feels terrible enough and I am certain as Verne says the poor Driver and all associated with this event will have many regrets for many many years to come.They all will be in and out of court many times.But I don't think criminal charges apply.Now if the driver had been drinking,etc then that would be different of course.But I feel in all honesty the promoters and driver just thought they were giving the crowd a thrill and not realizing the danger involved,and certainly never thought anyone would get hurt from the stunt.Of course I am no attorney and certainly do not know the ins and outs of the law but that is just my opinion!Now If there was a law against STUPIDITY then these involved should be charged with FIRST DEGREE STUPIDITY!

[TimG]

I remember last year as the Can Am cars were heading from Road America into the town of Elkhart Lake, one of them got on the power and the car flew off the road and rolled over.
I didn't see the incident as I was about 30 minutes behind, but the tire marks told the story. That much power can get away from you.

[njsteve]

Gee, didn't see this one coming, I wonder what took the lawyers so long. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/27/carshow.deaths.ap/index.html

[agtw31]

[ QUOTE ]
I totally agree with Verne,I do not think Vehicular Manslaughter charges apply in this incident.

[/ QUOTE ]

would you feel that way if your kid was laying in the road coverred up with a sheet??

[njsteve]

How you or I feel, unfortunately, has no bearing on whether the legal elements of a particular crime have been met.

Of course there can and will be a ton of civil negligence and wrongful death lawsuits coming, based on the absolutely foreseeable crash that occurred and the lack of any preparation for the protection of the crowd.

[SOM2001SS]

I guess I can understand suing the driver, but I think the buck should stop there. I understand how terrible and tragic the event was, but what good does it do to sue a charity organization? The event organizer started the charity organization. The cops that were there, and the city for that matter, should be held just as responsible as the event organizer.

[Verne_Frantz]

Andy

DON'T GO THERE!!!!!!!!

Maybe someone else will clue you in...

I was only talking about how the LAW looks at it, NOT how I'd feel............... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Motion Camaro]

[ QUOTE ]
...How could you even consider doing a burnout in a 1000 hp car, 20 feet from 30,000 spectators??????

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="blue">2300 HP http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif </font>

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

I think the driver was doing a little more than just a bunout! He was going pretty damned fast when he lost control and burnouts usually don't have a lot of speed to them!I think that is what the trouble was,going to fast with too much HP on a regular asphalt highway,lost traction completely and just lost control of the car.They should have known a car like that was not going to get any traction on that roadway!I hate to say it but it was PLAIN STUPIDITY OF ALL INVOLVED TO LET THAT TAKE PLACE!I personally have lost control of cars with only 450 to 500 HP an regular asphalt roads.Imagine what it would be like trying to control a monster like that! 2300 HP on asphalt with slicks! Traction just ain't happening at all! It was probably like trying to drive a 396 powered camaro with slicks on it in the rain! SLIPPIN AND SLIDING ALL THE WAY!