The road where Tiger crashed is defective! (my opinion - you be the judge)...

[javadog]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Regardless of what the spokesperson(s) for law enforcement agencies said - if this was ANYONE else, there would have been BAC and other drug screening done at the hospital.

Not necessarily. If he showed no signs of impairment, they may not have had probable cause to request a drug and alcohol screening. I don't know the law in that specific instance but I think I remember them saying that at the press conference.

That's why the first thing out of a cops mouth when he suspects impairment in a driver is often "I detect the odor of alcohol on your person." That establishes the grounds for the next step, a sobriety test.

[1990C4S]

Maybe he thought he was Lewis Hamilton? I've got those two mixed up before.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by javadog

And, I know I've exceeded the speed limit more times than I can count and what he did isn't something I haven't done at some point in my life, with respect to the speeding. I don't do that any more but then, I'm a generation older than Tiger. Anybody that claims they've never done that is probably a liar.

True. But I've never hit the gas instead of the brake, despite driving hundreds of cars, trucks, forklifts, etc. I've also never been unable to differentiate the sound of a braking vehicle and an accelerating vehicle.

Maybe he panicked. Maybe he had a medical emergency.

[KFC911]

No one here is a better driver than Tiger ... but only on a golf course! The inverse probably applies behind a steering wheel too...

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by javadog

Not counting your wife's car, you have driven the same two cars for what, 35 years? I'd expect you'd be familiar with them by now. Tiger might drive 50 different cars in a single year. I remember when Audi had their unintended acceleration problem, which was solely due to the pedal placement, which was different from what fat Americans were used to. In fact, quite a few manufacturers have had that same problem, it just didn't make much of a splash in the news.

I've never mistaken the gas pedal for the brake but I've had my foot slip off of the right side of the brake pedal before. That could be what happened here. If he'd panicked in the curve and jumped on the brake pedal to scrub off some speed and his foot slipped and he hit the gas, he might not have had the time or presence of mind to figure out what went wrong before he hit something.

That's particularly true if Wayne's theory is correct and he was thinking that the road went straight, until he saw that it didn't and panicked. Maybe he was looking at his phone and not paying enough attention, until his "oh ****" moment.

Lots of possibilities and it seems we'll never know. He paid the price, it may have ended his career.

And, I know I've exceeded the speed limit more times than I can count and what he did isn't something I haven't done at some point in my life, with respect to the speeding. I don't do that any more but then, I'm a generation older than Tiger. Anybody that claims they've never done that is probably a liar.

No doubt I have driven my cars a lot over many long years, but I have rented many cars, and driven a wide variety of cars, from three on the tree pickups, to new 911s on the track. No one but Tiger knows how he did it, but I would speculate he was on Ambien once again driving way to fast for conditions on a road he is not familiar with, in a rented car and likely texting or talking on the phone.

First rule of driving should be hang up the damn phone and pay attention to the road and double the speed limit is not a good idea in any rental car on a unfamiliar road.

He made several very bad decisions and they stacked up to bite him in the butt, or the leg in his case. It is a shame he screwed himself up, but he knows exactly who to blame. 100% his fault he crashed, and it was no accident.

[911 Rod]

Strange things happen in a moment of panic.
I was in a collision in an intersection where the other driver panicked after the hit and mashed the gas pedal.
She hit a pole head on and kept the pedal down spinning the tires. It was an old rear wheel drive car.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by javadog

Not necessarily. If he showed no signs of impairment, they may not have had probable cause to request a drug and alcohol screening. I don't know the law in that specific instance but I think I remember them saying that at the press conference.

That's why the first thing out of a cops mouth when he suspects impairment in a driver is often "I detect the odor of alcohol on your person." That establishes the grounds for the next step, a sobriety test.

Like many states California has an implied consent law that does not require probable cause for BAC testing. By driving on public roads in California, you have consented.

[javadog]

If that hill is as steep as has been described, I can see him coasting at that point with his foot off the gas. If he'd been tricked by the visual cue that Wayne suggested, from whatever might have distracted him, I can see him stomping his foot to the floor intending to brake and maybe missing the brake pedal. If he hit the gas pedal after wanting to hit the brake, I can see him keeping his foot on the floor, as people tend to do exactly that when they don't get the response they are expecting, and that explains the rest of the accident and why his right leg got broken. He was pushing hard with his right leg when he hit the tree.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Flat Six

Like many states California has an implied consent law that does not require probable cause for BAC testing. By driving on public roads in California, you have consented.

No, here's what I pulled from the website of a CA attorney that specializes in this area of law:

California’s “implied consent” law requires all drivers lawfully arrested for a DUI to submit to chemical testing to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or the amount of drugs in the person’s system. For an arrest to be lawful, the officer who stops you must have probable cause to believe you’ve been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

California’s “implied consent” law requires all drivers lawfully arrested for a DUI to submit to chemical testing to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or the amount of drugs in the person’s system. For an arrest to be lawful, the officer who stops you must have probable cause to believe you’ve been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by javadog

No, here's what I pulled from the website of a CA attorney that specializes in this area of law:

California’s “implied consent” law requires all drivers lawfully arrested for a DUI to submit to chemical testing to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or the amount of drugs in the person’s system. For an arrest to be lawful, the officer who stops you must have probable cause to believe you’ve been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

California’s “implied consent” law requires all drivers lawfully arrested for a DUI to submit to chemical testing to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or the amount of drugs in the person’s system. For an arrest to be lawful, the officer who stops you must have probable cause to believe you’ve been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Misunderstood, thanks for the clarification

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Wrong.

You're ignoring the fact that thousands of drivers negotiated that stretch of road successfully and safely during that time.

Tiger was at fault, they know his speed. That's the cause of the wreck... it was not an accident... it was a wreck caused by him thinking he was entitled to go 84-87 MPH.

Personal responsibility... he has never demonstrated that he has much. Nor good judgment.

He caused the crash, not the road.

Try to keep up.

You assume a lot. How's that working for you?

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Regardless of what the spokesperson(s) for law enforcement agencies said - if this was ANYONE else, there would have been BAC and other drug screening done at the hospital.

There was a BAC done at the hospital. That's a standard part of any blood panel obtained on an unconscious MVC trauma patient in the ER. Whether the police are able to access it or not is a different matter.

[javadog]

I’m pretty sure he was conscious when he got to the ER, though. He was conscious at the scene.

[Noah930]

There were reports of him having lost consciousness when first found.
Regardless, he still would have had a BAC drawn in the ER.

[Fast Freddy 944]

News flash, the dude was doing more than 85mph, thats a big ticket and a court date in the fly-over states, but hes a star, so he will probably have it dismissed..

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

News flash, the dude was doing more than 85mph, thats a big ticket and a court date in the fly-over states, but hes a star, so he will probably have it dismissed..

The only evidence they have of his speed is from his car's data recording, which may not be admissible in a CA court.

Thus, no ticket.

As if a ticket would be remotely relevant at this point, considering his other problems.

Not sure if making the haters happy is a thing.

[john70t]

The speed can be calculated and estimated by the distances and damages. There are formulas.

If he was to argue against excessive speed, it would indicate a very extensive reaction time.
That would work against any legal defense explanation I would surmise.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Noah930

There were reports of him having lost consciousness when first found.
Regardless, he still would have had a BAC drawn in the ER.

When I was brought to the trauma center for the bike/car accident that broke my femur, they wouldn't do anything until the blood draw was read.
Then they did the nerve block. The pain went away immediately.

[The Synergizer]

None matters. Road conditions, curves, car.
Face it, Tiger's not a good driver. And he could have killed someone.

Wonder if Michael Jordan drives himself or has a professional do the driving.
When you're worth that much, and always have things on your mind, it becomes a necessity.

[Steve Carlton]

I think if the car was floored, it had to have been by mistake and not intentional. I suspect if he had successfully hit the brake instead, there probably would not have been a wreck. Just because some of you say you’ve never hit the gas by mistake doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

Being at fault for making a mistake is a lot different from deliberately going over 80 mph in a 45 zone.