Tom's accident.

[kikie]

I have this friend who is an ex professional race pilot. He used to drive F3 in the German championship. His father still owns a race team with Formula Ford race cars.
The problem with Tom (that's his name) was that he always tried to drive as fast as he can on every public road, bringing himself and others in harms way. He got a lot of speeding tickets and several serious accidents.

I haven't talked to Tom in a couple off months and we sort of lost contact. Yesterday I heard that Tom was in a very serious car accident. It happened around Christmas or new years eve. I remember that I was driving home around that time and had to deviate because there was a road block. Now I know why, it was Tom who just had his accident.

A couple off years ago, he was against drinking alcohol. From what I heard yesterday, alcohol and drugs could be the reason he had this accident. He has a computer store. Last year he bought 2 brand new BMW's, one for his partner and one for himself. It was with his new BMW that he had his accident.

People say that he came from Eindhoven, which is a Dutch town just over the Belgian/Dutch border. I don't know if it is true but he went over there to buy drugs. He was under the influence of drugs and probably alcohol.

What happened. Well, my other friend (who also has a computer store and used to be Tom' s partner) told me that a truck came onto the main road after leaving a small intersection. Tom drove straight into the back of this truck. Probably at high speed, under influence of drugs etc... The truck was clear of the intersection and was driving in front of Tom whe he drove into that truck.

He was badly injured but he survived. He won't be the same anymore because he is paralysed from the waste down!

He's only 26 y.o!

 

[Craig HP]

I'm very sorry to hear that! But this shows why you shouldn't drive over the speed limit. Your mate Tom was a ex-professional race driver, so he should be able to drive at them speeds, yet still the same concequences. Imagine a driver with a lot less talent behind the wheel. They would have crashed too. A lot earlier, but a crash is a crash. Anyway, I'm very sorry to hear about that!

 

[livemusic]

Too bad that a guy who has the chance to drive in a race track insists on running on public roads...

 

[Perfect Balance]

Too bad that a guy who has the chance to drive in a race track insists on running on public roads...

Seriously. I have no sympathy for idiots like this.

 

[Duke]

I'm very sorry to hear that! But this shows why you shouldn't drive over the speed limit.

No, what it actually shows is that you should never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

A person speeding (within reason, but over the limit) would probably have been able to notice the truck in time to slow down or avoid it. But a person who has no attention span, no focus, and no reactions due to intoxication will do what he did - drive right into it. Even if you think your judgment and decision making is not impaired, your reaction time already is impaired. Which may mean you try to make the right maneuver but cannot pull it off.

I'm sorry about your friend, kikie, but he has no one to blame but himself.

 

[Craig HP]

No, what it actually shows is that you should never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

A person speeding (within reason, but over the limit) would probably have been able to notice the truck in time to slow down or avoid it. But a person who has no attention span, no focus, and no reactions due to intoxication will do what he did - drive right into it. Even if you think your judgment and decision making is not impaired, your reaction time already is impaired. Which may mean you try to make the right maneuver but cannot pull it off.

I'm sorry about your friend, kikie, but he has no one to blame but himself.

Why? I mean I wouldn't do it but I've read the story and it doesn't say anything about drugs!

 

[Perfect Balance]

Why? I mean I wouldn't do it but I've read the story and it doesn't say anything about drugs!

Read it again.

 

[Famine]

It doesn't?

A couple off years ago, he was against drinking alcohol. From what I heard yesterday, alcohol and drugs could be the reason he had this accident.

People say that he came from Eindhoven, which is a Dutch town just over the Belgian/Dutch border. I don't know if it is true but he went over there to buy drugs. He was under the influence of drugs and probably alcohol.

Probably at high speed, under influence of drugs

 

[Craig HP]

Excuse me a minute...

"NOTE TO SELF: READ THINGS OVER TWICE"!

Sorry, I must have missed it. I swear on my own life I read all of it. Christ, the amount of times I've made that mistake I'm lucky I'm not dead!

EDIT: I've just read it again! I MISSED IT THREE ****ING TIMES! THAT DOES IT I'M GOING TO THE OPTICTIONS!

 

[V1P3R]

He was badly injured but he survived.

He was the only one hurt right?

He won't be the same anymore because he is paralysed from the waste down!

Good, he got his sentence for being an idiot. Hope he enjoys it.

 

[Philly]

It is a shame that people treat public roads like a racetrack. There are far fewer hazards on a race track that a driver has to worry about, and these courses are built to protect life should something happen at a high speed. And on a racetrack, you are more likely to see the obstacle sooner than on a road. Especially the unseen ones. A road where you see several hazards, but know there are no more is safer to go blasting down than a road which looks clear but may have something lurking in the bushes or something.

But a person who has no attention span, no focus, and no reactions due to intoxication will do what he did - drive right into it. Even if you think your judgment and decision making is not impaired, your reaction time already is impaired..

Not to mention that they will probably be going far over the limit if they normally drive like this, which will only make their case far worse.

 

[Beerz]

He was the only one hurt right?

I was thinking the same.

Good, he got his sentence for being an idiot. Hope he enjoys it.

I wasn't thinking the same.
As stated above, what happened is his exclusive fault, but that doesn't mean he deserved. it. Much less because he's now a paraplegic. I don't wish that to nobody. (ok, except the guy that tried to run me over last night while I was on the crosswalk. because he almost left me as one)


But I also agree with what was said about him driving like that on public roads, being ex-pro, having had plenty of chances of doing fast driving for real on racing tracks, and still having that chance, probably whenever he wanted, with most likeky, great cars.

THAT is sad. Some people just don't take what they have...

 

[V1P3R]

I don't wish it on anyone but obviously in his case since he didn't come out unscathed like others with the same problem do it seems like justice was done this time.

Ex: Drunk driver kills a family of four but the drunk is uninjured or Drunk driver is only one to survive out of their 3 other passengers. I mean come on... WTF.

 

[superberkut]

It appears that only his driving possessed him into involvement in an accident that left him a paraplegic...

I would not intentionally wish paralysis on anybody.

 

[V1P3R]

Actually, yeah... now that I think about it I have to change my mind because someone will have to take care of his ass now.

 

[Beerz]

Ex: Drunk driver kills a family of four but the drunk is uninjured or Drunk driver is only one to survive out of their 3 other passengers. I mean come on... WTF.

That's too true. Happens everytime.
Like those guys we see on the police chases, that have these incredibly violent accidents (that would kill or seriously injure anyone else), get out of the wreckage and still make a run.

A few years ago, we had a case here where this guy made a bet with his friends, which consisted of going full speed on the highway against oncoming traffic during a certain number of Kms (he was even using a Vodafone van, as he was a delivery guy for them).
Well, as expected, he ended up crashing head-on not much after he 'started'. He got away from it almost cleanly, but killed everyone on the other car instantly.
He's currently serving time in jail, 25 years. Very little time for what he did, but 25 is maximum jail penalty here...

 

[Duke]

Why? I mean I wouldn't do it but I've read the story and it doesn't say anything about drugs!

Are you on drugs?!

 

[Mrs. Famine]

Craig HP: You need to go to Specsavers



(Other opticians are available.)

 

[DustDriver]

WHy is it that the drunk people who cause accidents almost never get seriously hurt?
Is it because they don't brace themselves for the upcoming impact, and the persons in the other car see the accident coming and do brace themselves?
And a loose body doesn't get hurt as bad as a tensed body?

I don't see another reason for this.

 

[Muzaffar]

I totally agree with everybody here. Maybe its for the better anyways......
I can't think of a reason why would you need to take drugs/alcohol and drive really fast. Its probably the stupidest thing any motorist would do! I feel sorry for you friend kikie, I know he should have a great future ahead of him but its sad his life would end up like this......

 

[Joey D]

WHy is it that the drunk people who cause accidents almost never get seriously hurt?
Is it because they don't brace themselves for the upcoming impact, and the persons in the other car see the accident coming and do brace themselves?
And a loose body doesn't get hurt as bad as a tensed body?

I don't see another reason for this.

That's pretty much the answer I got from a police offer when I ask him a few years ago.

 

[franz]

I hope Tom has learned his lesson. Thank god he was crashing into a big truck, not a sub-compact with a baby in the backseat.

 

[CDailey]

Bummer dude. My brother flipped his car and died because he was drunk and on some drugs too. 👎

 

[ceiling_fan]

And a loose body doesn't get hurt as bad as a tensed body?

I read somewhere that a drunk person is more likely to survive a long fall than a sober person.

Sorry to hear about your brother CD.

 

[kikie]

He was the only one hurt right?

I believe so, no let me refrase that, I hope so, because no one else has to suffer for the mistake he made. However, Tom is my friend and like other said, he doesn't deserve to be paralysed.

A couple off years ago he always told me stories about him drifting on intersection in the winter (when we still had snow). He had a BMW 320d back then. Tom knew (and still knows) that I take private anti skid lessons and lessons in car control (www.jesco.be). Let me tell all of you that I'm interested in these lessons, not to use them on a public road but to be prepared (if possible) if I should come in a dangerous situation in traffic, and because I'm a perfectionist and driving is my hobby.
That's is why he always told me these stories about him.

A small anecdote:1) I was once a passenger while Tom was driving. He suddenly drove onto a road which was narrow and only available for bicyclist. He drove very fast on that road. I asked him why he did that and he said it was a short cut.

2) a couple off years ago I went to the Zolder track with Tom (watch the 24h of Zolder). He used to be one of the drivers during the 24h of Zolder. He drove with that blue and silver BMW Z3 coupé (which is also in GTR).
While we were driving to Zolder he managed to drive top speed of his Golf 1.9 TDI on a busy highway (I was sitting next to him). Suddenly he left the highway and pulled onto a gas station's parking lot but he didn't let go of the gas paddle (believe me I was still sitting next to him). He drove at 180 kph over the parking lot and went back on the highway. I asked him whe he did that, and he told me that he wanted to avoid the radar control, he didn't want to get a speeding ticket. After that, I promised myself that I never step into a car with him as the "chauffeur".

I don't think that Tom will change (personal experience). He had terrible accidents before with passengers onboard and he never changed. He has no regard for the life of his passengers.
One time he came from the race track in Zandvoort (Holland) after a race. Suddenly he lost control of his car (he had 3 passengers) and the car started to roll over (don't know how to put it correctly), but not sideways, no way, if Tom does something he does it properly [/end sarcasme], his car rolled over the front and back, damaging the front and back of his car. These few anecdote must tell you more about Tom's state of mind and his regard towards other people's life.

I know I'm hard for him right now but he is still a friend and I'm definitely going to visit him in the hospital.

Is it because they don't brace themselves for the upcoming impact

I was thinking the same thing.

I hope Tom has learned his lesson.

My personal opinion? I don't think so. If he's able to drive again with a adapted car, he will still be driving fast (personal opinion). I will know more after I have visited him.

 

[Craig HP]

Craig HP: You need to go to Specsavers



(Other opticians are available.)

Or maybe I just need to stop speed reading. I don't have a problem with my eyes, though to be honest sometimes it seems like I have. I missed it the first time when he said he was under influnence, and when I saw it the next time I thought it said he was probably under influnence. So as you can see there is nothing wrong with my eyes. "Oh, hello Mr.Alien person in my house, wht planet do you come from"? Wait a minute, did I just type that...