In this little story, the question being asked is: “How could this happen?”
“This” being this:
To me, the answer seems quite simple: the Audi used the McLaren as a ramp — or a partial ramp, mounting it with only the right-hand wheels, which caused it to flip over onto its side. (The low-profile front of the McLaren, by the way, seems to make for quite an effective ramp.)
The real question is: what would make the Audi’s driver go so fast in a supermarket parking lot as to turn a simple collision into a flip-over? Trying to get into the vacant spot next to the McLaren ahead of another car? Hitting the throttle instead of the brake pedal? Sexting on the iPhone? All of the above?
Truly, some people should not be allowed to drive on public roads.
I’ve heard a pretty good explanation for parking lot collisions such as these. Start with an impaired, confused, or elderly person. Person tries to pull into a parking place and hits the gas pedal rather than the brakes. Since the vehicle doesn’t stop they press down on the pedal harder. After an instant of “Why isn’t this car stopping?” the car eventually does come to a stop in a store front, against a light pole, or on top of a super car. I’ve also heard a suggestion that neuropathy may be a contributing factor in at least some of these accidents. The driver really can’t feel their feet and has no tactile feedback of what’s happening or even which pedal they’re pressing. In many places in the US parking lot accidents are considered to be on “private property” and aren’t seriously investigated by law enforcement unless there’s a death or serious injury.
A science teacher explaining basic tools using the McLaren as an inclined plane. Now the inclined plane is wrapped around a conical center. Somebody is screwed. Archimedes would be proud.
Yes, this is clearly a case of ” 60 minutes Unintended Acceleration by another evil Audi”. Those Audis have clearly been designed as revenge for WW2.
On the other hand, I’ve put 100s of thousand miles on Audis and never once had one that was behave in such a manner.
so, yes, driver error – stepping on the wrong pedal. …… and always park your super car in the far corner of the parking lot. but no matter where you park it some clown will always park next to you.
Based on personal experience and everyday observation, I’m betting on a soccer mom in a hurry coupled with cell phone distraction.
A few years ago, and I was sitting third in line at a stop light. I saw a soccer mom van approaching from the cross street in the left turn lane I assumed to turn into my street. She had two kids in the back seat jumping all around and she was on her cell phone, phone hand up in front of her face like she was about to eat a pizza slice.
She just barely started the turn, when she spun around toward the kids, phone still in her face and never completed the turn, crossed her intended lane and into the opposite lane as she broadsided the elderly couple minding their own business in the car in front of me.
I got out, everybody was OK. Soccer mom was wailing she had no idea what happened. I told the elderly couple I saw the whole thing, soccer mom was distracted by her %$*@$%! cell phone, turning one-handed and couldn’t turn the wheel enough to make the turn. I gave them my contact info and told them to call if they needed a witness.
Another time, I watched a gym rat type woman, you know, thirtyish, in tights wearing the obligatory baseball cap and blonde ponytail sticking out of it, drive a huge black Suburban out of a McDonalds, cell phone and food in hand, fail to make the 90 degree turn onto the access road, continue straight ahead and drive over the mounded up landscaping and hedgerow, high centering her Suburban with rear wheels about six inches off the ground.
Their she sat, revving the engine, rear wheels spinning, too ignorant to try and see if putting the behemoth into four wheel drive would pull her off. We laughed our asses off.
Women drivers and cell phones don’t mix. I know, I’m a sexist pig. Just don’t get me started on the 19 year old girl with expired license, no insurance, driving a borrowed car while talking on a cell phone as she full length sideswiped my immaculate 20 year old BMW 740.
Don’t discount the situations where the car is left with a valet who needs more training on how a clutch works.
Used to drive a Late-60’s Ferrari. Never let a valet park it; just asked:
Where would you like me to park it?
Invariably, they had a spot right up front for me.
I worked with a fellow who was a CPA (Car Park Attendant) in college. He told me about the time some guy drove in with a Ferrari of some expensive vintage, and he refused to touch it, telling the driver where he should park it in the lot. After dinner the driver gave him the biggest tip of his career as a CPA. (it was the seventies, remember) and thanked him, saying that usually the Valets can’t wait to drive the thing.
Only marginally relevant, so sue me. I’m fond of watching dashcam vids on youtube. Vehicular insurance fraud seems to be an increasingly popular thing – wherein douche canoe drivers will deliberately trade paint with you, or suddenly cut in front and then hit the brakes. Minus a dashcam it’s he said he said, & you and your insurance company are likely to take it in the shorts. I just got this one via insty’s recommendation, & it’s pretty amazing. Hi def quality & surprisingly tiny & unobtrusive. Well worth the $100 in my opinion.
https://smile.amazon.com/Rexing-Dashboard-Recorder-G-Sensor-Recording/dp/B00X528FNE/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=rexing+v1+dash+cam&qid=1603207961&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExOEQ2NFlCS1JNUDhUJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzQ2NzExRjUzSkY4OUlSWktSJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNzc3MzMyUFNESURaQktGS0ZRJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
This belongs over at the magic dirt thread, too.
“… but no matter where you park it some clown will always park next to you.”
Yes, automobile drivers are social animals. I have actually proven this to people. If I have to go out to a store or shopping center around the Christmas shopping season, I always park in the lower 40 of the parking lot. Invariably, when I come out, someone will have parked right next to me even though there were hundreds of empty spaces nearby.
Before I retired, I worked a lot at various hospitals around the city. I usually parked my work van out in the empty reaches of the hospital parking lot – or the top floor if it was a parking garage – so that I had enough room around me to get my tools in and out of the truck. I was parked all by myself out among acres of empty spaces unloading one day when I suddenly hear a “crunch” sound. I turned around and some stupid bint had pulled into the spot directly behind me and had run over my tool cart pulling in.
WTF! Lady!
I was not a nice guy that day.
2003, after my Very Significant Other got sick, I built our design of an ExpeditionVehicle on a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck.
I always park it out on the fringes in the theory I can use the walk.
Big — check.
Imposing — check.
Helen Keller could not possibly miss it — that ‘cannot miss it’ is often taken as a challenge… somebody inevitably parks next to me so close, they bang doors trying to wiggle out.
Bless their hearts.