996 sliced in half - horiffic accident

[expat]

Those of you (like me) who have/are tempted to drive too fast...slow down!!...I bet these guys were certain they could handle the situation but how quickly things can change on public roads...sympathy to the families.

If the photos scanned ok, they'll show a 996 that was literally sliced in half when the car became out of control and hit a power pole.

Mark

[Wayne 962]

There were four people in the car?

-Wayne

[Doug E]

Was that diagram of the crash in the paper?

Amazing that somebody could survive a wreck like that.

[expat]

Yep, four people in the car. Driver aged 31 dead, passenger 24 dead, two passengers both 24 critical condition.

Yep, the diagram was of the accident. There was heaps of photos of dead and injured bodies, blood everywhere, but I'll not post those. However I'm tempted as I'd like to remind people how dead, dead looks, when you involved in something like this. Limbs look very fragile when there torn off too!

Car had been unregistered for six months and was owned by brother of the driver! Also had two outstanding traffic offences on that car.

Mark

[Matt Holcomb]

Mark,

Have the police calculated their speed before they lost control and hit the power pole?


Matt Holcomb
MFIWDP
1974 911 Carrera 2.7 RoW
1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
Dedicated Homepage
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[expat]

Good question Matt...haven't got an answer.

Most of the pictures were front page of Chinese papers so I don't know what they say. The English paper ran it on page two and said the police were waiting to interview the passengers.

I'm seeing a friend who's Chinese tonight. He'll be able to tell me more. He's in the repair business for Porsche so I'm sure he'll have the low down.

Whatever the speed, it had to be freakin fast I would think.

Interesting there appears no sign of airbags in any of the pics. Does the steering wheel have an airbag in these cars because it is in one piece! I can still see the crest on it!

Mark

[makaio]

The front air bag will not deploy on a side impact collision.

People like that, are job security for me.

[JSDSKI]

Not sure about 911/993/996, but in most designs there are three airbag sensors in the front of the car, left, right and center - two must be activated to blow the airbag - and that requires some kind of frontal impact. Side impact won't set it off - which is why some manufacturers have "side impact and roof bags" now.

Impacts like this are why race cars have roll cages.....

[Shakenbake]

Man, they even put the bodies in the diagram. COLD!!

It's one thing to drive fast risking your own life when alone, foolish to do the same with others lives in your hands...just plain murder.

[Matt Holcomb]

Mark,

My guess is the car probably hit the pole at between 130-160km/h.


Matt Holcomb
MFIWDP
1974 911 Carrera 2.7 RoW
1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
Dedicated Homepage
Engine Rebuild Homepage
Porsche Owners Gallery Profile
Pelican Gallery Profile

[expat]

Bodies in diagram...man that ain't cold compared to all the actual photos in the paper - besides close-ups... close enough to see their faces, there's also brand labels of clothes visible, friends and relatives (grieving) arriving at the hospital, a write-up about the 996 and its power/features and it goes on.

The photos in the local Chinese papers can be brutal. I think theres about 15 papers serving the HK Chinese (maybe more actually) and they get every angle of every incident. If there's ever a shoot up in Macau with 'hits' on people they'll show blood splatters against the walls, bullett entry points on bodies...quit incredible and sick too.

Fortunately for those of us who only read in English, we are saved from these images as they never publish this type of stuff. Mind you, you can see it real easy on the trains when people are reading.

Anyhow...back to the thread...slow down eh! Keep it on the track - if only I had a track to go to...grrrrrr!

Mark

[Shakenbake]

Mark, what are you doing in Hong Kong? Teaching?

[ZAMIRZ]

you've got to be really f***ing stupid to be doing spirited driving with 3 other people in the car. Sometimes it amazes me how dumb the people are that buy Porsches/Ferraries, exotic cars etc. They really don't know what they're getting into until their brains are splattered on the asphalt and everyone is watching and grieving because they made the stupid decision to drive 11/10ths.

later,

amir

[expat]

Hi Shakenbake,

Yep teaching, in an international school, Year 6. Mostly expat. kids from Canada, US, UK and Aust, and a few Asian children with excellent English skills.

Cheers
Mark

[expat]

How does 220km/h grab you!

This was the Police estimate.

Mark

[Fishcop]

220kph sounds about right. As a former traffic accident investigator I've seen far more than my share of traffic collisions (I tend not to call them "accidents" as this implies that it could not be helped. But very occasionally you do get true accidents) Thanks Expat for not posting them.

The energy (kinetic) required for a vehicle to be ripped in two normally requires a speed in excess of 180kph. There are definitely exceptions however.

I attended an collision in 1992 where a 350 chev motor was ripped clean off its mounts to bounce 80 meters through a restaurant and kill a patron. Speed was calculated at only 155kph on impact with a power pole. The female driver survived! She was also thrown free of the vehicle.

[Dana_Drury]

What 220km/h? Thats pathetic, if your going to wipe yourself out in a 996 and kill everyone in the car, at least do it a closer to 300 km/h, thats far more spectacular...

OH! WHAT? My god, did I just say that......

No seriously, its very unfortunate that a Porsche was written off, what a waste.

I feel really sorry for the family of the poor people who died in the car but if your going to do something like that and exceed your limits as a driver (let alone the speed limit) your going to get yourself and others killed. Luckily no one else was injured.

[jlui]

Which international school do you teach at? Also, did you order the front and rear bumpers?

[expat]

Hi Jeff,

Japanese International School (English section) in Tai Po.

Nope not yet. Wife returns from Vienna today so need to find out how much she spent - our VISA might be maxed out!

To be honest I'm also flip flopping on whether to go ahead with front and rear bumpers. While I like the look and they will be lighter but people seem to think it will devalue (at least minimise the market) when/if I sell. I am thinking maybe I should just order a chin spoiler to match up the rear whale tail.

You know the market in HK better than I. Do you think those in the market for an 1987 would be turned on/off by stock vs modified bumpers?

In the mean time I'm doing adjustable spring plates to lower the rear and looking into new brakes and new wheels.

All the time I'm trying to keep my focus on getting the car right for the Porsche Club track days in Zhuhai next year. In this regard I'm thinking stopping, downforce and suspension. I'm not playing with the engine - its too expensive for too little at this stage.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Also have you heard about this race (illegal) that goes around the coast of HK island, thru Eastern Harbor tunnel, Sai Kung, Tai Po, Fanling, Yuen Long, back thu Western Harbor tunnel with a purse of HK$1,000,000 for the fastest car? Is this a true event? Some people I was talking to during the week said it started some years years ago and the organisers are very particular about its running with two ways, spotters, scanners etc.

Cheers
Mark

[PORSHIN]

I think there is some misunderstanding about what "spirited driving" means! That was not an example of it. That was a maniac who didn't have a clue about how to drive driving something he had no business driving! Driving that fast on what appears to be a city street is just stupid.