Damn Old People!

[Rot 911]

I did smile a bit when I read what she was driving.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,437522,00.html

Woman, 90, Dies After Crashing New Sports Car
Tuesday, October 14, 2008


POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A 90-year-old woman was killed when she lost control of her new sports car and slammed into a pole, authorities said.

State motor vehicle records show that Maria Brunetti, of Pompano Beach, got the 2009 Dodge Challenger Friday on her birthday. A Broward Sheriff's spokesman said the car's odometer only showed 151 miles.

Detectives believe that Brunetti lost control Sunday when she accelerated instead of braking while trying to make a turn. The car hit a concrete pole and caught fire with Brunetti and her son, 47-year-old Peter Brunetti, trapped inside.

Witnesses pulled the them from the burning car, and fire-rescue took them to the hospital. The woman was pronounced dead a short time later, and her son was in serious condition.

[pwd72s]

Despite thinking of buying a new Challenger, I'd never call it a "sports car"...

[Heel n Toe]

Imagine the embarrassment of having to explain to your buds that your 90 year old mama put you in the hospital taking you for a ride in her hot car.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Kurt V

Detectives believe that Brunetti lost control Sunday when she accelerated instead of braking while trying to make a turn.

Damn I hate it when that happens!

[MotoSook]

I happen to be drving buy a Dodge dealership not too long ago, and there was a Challenger in the lot, proudly displayed in from of the entrance to the show room. I had a few minutes to kill, so I stopped in to see what all the hype was about.

First impression as I walked up to it was that it was jacked up like a monster truck. The suspension was set so high, you could have changed the differential without a jack or lift!

I sat in it and played with the controls for a while, and it just felt odd. Of course I had just gotten out of my 5-series BMW, so anything would have felt odd. But the seats were strangely un-American in that they were smallish. I'm 5'11" 190 lbs and the seats felt like they were 3/4 the size they should be. American cars typically have bigger wider seats, but this one was strange. I don't think they would have been very supportiing on twisty roads...but a Challenger only has to prevent you from falling backwards right?

The interior was typical American fitment and material class...and it was volumous inside...but not smart spatially. The proportions outside were out dated when they made the first design sketch, and the retro-look is just not right for today. I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy one. If American muscle is the sole criteria...go buy a used Corvette or a Mustang...the Challenger is just a bloated pig, clinging on to some nostalgia which should have been left in its era. It'll never be a contender for smart money or serious driving.

A new car with modern looks and un-American design with a modern drivetrain would have done better to use the Challenger name.

[the]

She was probably a "2 footed" driver. Some people, esp. older or inexperienced, drive using their right foot for the gas, left foot for the brake.

Very dangerous.

[MOMO3.2]

In August, my neighbor's father (79) was pulling in their driveway when he hit the accelerator instead of the brake. He did not want to hit his son-in-law's new $20,000 Chevy Pickup Truck, so he veered to the right and proceeded to smash through our brick wall, across our front yard, through the fountain, and off the sidewalk across the street coming to a stop after hitting another curb across from our house. He never took his foot off the throttle of his "Crown Vic."

I felt sorry for him, but after he stated "I did not want to hit Marty's new truck" I had to bite my tongue. Instead he narrowly missed our front bedroom with our two grandkids slepping in it, caused a good deal of damage to our yard, smashed our fountain, and missed hitting my son's Audi A3 that was all of 3 weeks old by literally 1/2 a foot or less.

The good news, he states he will never drive again.

Mike

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by the

She was probably a "2 footed" driver. Some people, esp. older or inexperienced, drive using their right foot for the gas, left foot for the brake.

Very dangerous.

left foot for clutch and brake
right foot for brake and gas

inexperienced...? moi?

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Despite thinking of buying a new Challenger, I'd never call it a "sports car"...

+1.
A sports car isn't supposed to weigh 4000 lbs.

[Amail]

Originally Posted by the

She was probably a "2 footed" driver. Some people, esp. older or inexperienced, drive using their right foot for the gas, left foot for the brake.

Very dangerous.

How would that contribute to the crash? If she were used to using her left foot for the brake, I doubt she'd have hit the gas. I've left-foot braked before, particularly when I had a sore big toe on my right foot, and have no problems with it.

[Dixie]

The: She was probably a "2 footed" driver. Some people, esp. older or inexperienced, drive using their right foot for the gas, left foot for the brake.

Very dangerous.

I left-foot brake the crap out of every car I drive. On the track or off. Using your left foot isn't a sign of crappy driving. The sign of a crappy driver is a crappy driving.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Capt. Carrera

I left-foot brake the crap out of every car I drive. On the track or off. Using your left foot isn't a sign of crappy driving. The sign of a crappy driver is a crappy driving.

Exactly.

But when you get older, you may have serious brain farts more often.

This woman may have been successfully braking with her left foot for the last 40 years, then "pfffft" had a short circuit.

I guess the trick is to know when you need to switch back to right foot only.

But even then, I guess you could press the wrong pedal once in awhile if the brain fart was serious enough. Is that when you're supposed to marry a hot, younger chick to drive you around?




(I left foot brake also.)

[TerryH]

Sports car by definition is small! The term muscle car is probably forgotten by most non-car scribes.

Bugs me when anyone over 80 dies from anything other than natural causes. Bingo/casino bus flips, gunshots, murder, fire etc. If you've survived that long, it's a shame for it to end so unexpectedly.

I'm also a big believer in anyone over 80 takes a DMV behind the wheel test every two or three years. Things tend to go downhill fast at the upper spectrum.

[artplumber]

I can see the 60 minutes story now: "Dodgy Challengers and unintended acceleration; shouldn't there be a recall?"

(for those of you who don't know the saga of Audi and 60 minutes...)

[DasBoot]

Why does the song "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" keep playing in my head? After reading this, I should be hearing "Dead Man's Curve".

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by MOMO3.2

The good news, he states he will never drive again.

And if he does, you should call the cops. The lack of oversight when it comes to elderly drivers is a disgrace. Of course, nobody (except South Park) will speak up, for fear of the AARP. At a bare minimum, they should have to undergo more testing, including yearly driving tests, starting at 70 or so.

[old man neri]

Reminds me of when I got someone to help me bleed the brakes on my honda last week. We asked him to pump the brakes but for some reason no fluid was coming out. I looked in the engine bay to see if the fluid level was dropping, it wasn't. I then noticed the throttle moving in and out. We had to clarify to him which pedal was the brake. Good guy, just a brain fart I guess.

[charleskieffner]

south park episode............."GRAY DAWN"

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

And if he does, you should call the cops. The lack of oversight when it comes to elderly drivers is a disgrace. Of course, nobody (except South Park) will speak up, for fear of the AARP. At a bare minimum, they should have to undergo more testing, including yearly driving tests, starting at 70 or so.

Hell, let's just euthanize everybody 65 or older...this would solve the social security mess as well.

[sammyg2]

We need to close down all the Country Kitchen Buffets!