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John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/11/09 4:10 p.m.

Another exotic car loses to another light pole.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/03/ferrari-crash.html

http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/11/tapout-owner-dies-in-horrific-ferrari-crash/

I would trade these morons for BOTH Beetles even up for the cars that they destroy without question.

jcanracer
jcanracer New Reader
3/11/09 4:25 p.m.

Darwinism at work.

Bobzilla
Bobzilla Reader
3/11/09 4:35 p.m.

reading some of the reader comments.... Makes me want to SLAP those people silly. They are obviously not accepting that the douche threw caution and other's lives to the wind and decided to do something retarded.

I have NO sympathy for the driver.

PaulY
PaulY New Reader
3/11/09 4:50 p.m.

Apparently, according to the supposed brother of the female passenger, that a drunk drive of a Porsche is currently in jail for vehicular manslaughter for causing the accident.

I think it just looks like he was power sliding at obscene speeds since the lamp post cut the car in half when it landed.

Tom Heath
Tom Heath Production Editor
3/11/09 4:50 p.m.

I admire his business acumen (ferrari-driving rich by wearing T-shirts, a kilt and facepaint.) but that's a really dumb way to go out. I can't muster much sympathy.

Salanis
Salanis SuperDork
3/11/09 5:02 p.m.
LA Times said: It's not yet known how fast the driver was traveling at the time of the crash or what caused him to lose control.

Sure it is: "Too" and "Reckless Stupidity".

ignorant
ignorant SuperDork
3/11/09 5:04 p.m.

Dude was racing.

The officer told authorities that Kirby was driving the Porsche alongside the Ferrari when the red car hit a curb and then a light pole. The light pole then fell back onto the luxury Italian sports car. The officer said the driver of the Porsche stopped momentarily, but continued driving.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/newport-beach-car-2331515-ferrari-passenger

OC register said: Early City News Service reports said the Ferrari appeared to be a GTB Fiorano, an all-aluminum V12 with a top speed of 205 mph and a price tag of about $300,000, but police later confirmed the model was a 2004 Modena.
carguy123
carguy123 Dork
3/11/09 5:56 p.m.
ignorant wrote: was ONLY a 2004 Modena.

Fixed

aircooled
aircooled Dork
3/11/09 6:13 p.m.

They seem to imply that the falling light poll cut the car in half... that seems highly unlikely.

It is interesting though that mid-engined Ferrari's slid into poles seem to break in half.

ManofFewWords
ManofFewWords Reader
3/11/09 6:58 p.m.

Driver was "the Mask" of Tapout mixed martial arts fame http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=ApE.qhGvBFi2q7LhwUAtd0I9Eo14?slug=ys-mmaweektt031109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

garyp
garyp New Reader
3/11/09 7:01 p.m.

I can think of a lot worse ways to go out than this. I mean we all gotta go, might as well be having fun when it happens. And I'm sure flogging a Modena was lots of fun right up to the moment he hit the pole.

dyintorace
dyintorace GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/11/09 7:22 p.m.

Which of you posted this comment?

I wonder if the engine is salvageable? Posted by: Moe L. | March 11, 2009 at 09:59 AM

dyintorace
dyintorace GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/11/09 7:28 p.m.
aircooled wrote: They seem to imply that the falling light poll cut the car in half... that seems highly unlikely. It is interesting though that mid-engined Ferrari's slid into poles seem to break in half.

That comment reminded me of a Ferrari crash in Atlanta years ago when two NHL players wrecked a 360 and it split in half.

Heatley charged in crash that leaves teammate critically injured

By KEITH PARSONS, AP Sports Writer September 30, 2003

DULUTH, Ga. (AP) -- Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley was charged Tuesday with reckless driving after his sportscar swerved off a road and careened into a wall at about 80 mph, breaking his jaw and critically injuring a teammate.

Dan Snyder, a backup center, underwent a two-hour surgery for a skull fracture. Heatley, the MVP of the 2003 All-Star game, was hospitalized in stable condition.

At a news conference at Grady Memorial Hospital, the neurosurgeon who operated on Snyder said he was still unconscious but that there wasn't any bleeding into the brain.

"It'll be a few days before we know we can even tell a prognosis," Dr. Sanjay Gupta said. "The underlying brain actually looked pretty good."

Heatley also has a minor concussion, a contusion on his lung and a bruised kidney, according to the team's physician, Dr. Scott Gillogly. None of the injuries appeared to be career threatening, Gillogly said.

Heatley lost control of his 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena on a curve on a two-lane road Monday night in Atlanta, police said. The vehicle crossed into the other lane, left the road and struck a wrought iron and brick wall in front of an apartment complex. The car was ripped in half and the players were thrown onto the road.

Heatley also was charged with serious injury by vehicle -- a felony -- and three misdemeanors, police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Iosty said.

``Our preliminary reports indicated speed may have been a factor,'' he said.

Officers estimated the car was traveling about 80 mph. Heatley took a blood-alcohol test, but results will not be available for weeks, police said.

Heatley, 22, and Snyder, 25, had been at an event for season ticket holders at Philips Arena.

PHeller
PHeller Reader
3/12/09 7:50 a.m.

You don't hear:

"Man driving an ex-police car hit a pole and car was ripped in half."

Then again...that wouldn't make news.

Per Schroeder
Per Schroeder Technical Editor/Advertising Director
3/12/09 8:03 a.m.

Wow, that TMZ site (and show) is like the evening news in Idiocracy.

Bobzilla
Bobzilla Reader
3/12/09 8:10 a.m.
PHeller wrote: You don't hear: "Man driving an ex-police car hit a pole and car was ripping in half." Then again...that wouldn't make news.

Actually... in 1992 here in Indiana the issues with rear downforce on teh 91-92 9C1's surfaced when a trooper lost control over a ridge at 110-120mph in his 91 9C1, striking a 6' wide 200yo maple tree splitting the car n half. Of course, back then they were dismayed that the air bag didn't deply saving his life.

Those early half wheel well 9c1's were VERY light in the ass at speed. I know that first hand....

blaze86vic
blaze86vic Reader
3/12/09 8:23 a.m.

It was the same for the Crown Vics as well. The 92-97 Aero body style has a lot of lift. And the worst parts is the drag coefficient is really good so it was a lot easier to get to 110mph+

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/12/09 9:09 a.m.
Per Schroeder wrote: Wow, that TMZ site (and show) is like the evening news in Idiocracy.

One of the reasons I like it. TMZ (Thirty Mile Zone) is the brain child of Harvey Levin, former lawyer and Hollywood staple. Basically it is a Hollywood gossip rag that OFTEN is responsible for the most useless news in the US. They air the show on our local Fox channel at 11pm.

Eets fun.

ManofFewWords
ManofFewWords Reader
3/12/09 9:20 a.m.

Am I the only guy here into MMA?

Tom Heath
Tom Heath Production Editor
3/12/09 9:29 a.m.
ManofFewWords wrote: Am I the only guy here into MMA?

Not likely. My wife and I are pretty hooked on it, but the Tapout guys (well, guy at this point...) aren't really MMA themselves. They just market to them.

ManofFewWords
ManofFewWords Reader
3/12/09 9:41 a.m.
Tom Heath wrote:
ManofFewWords wrote: Am I the only guy here into MMA?
Not likely. My wife and I are pretty hooked on it, but the Tapout guys (well, guy at this point...) aren't really MMA themselves, they just market to them.

Granted, but this guy was selling mma Tshirts out of the trunk of his car in 1996. I always find it tragic that the wealth and fame that come with success can contribute to an early demise.

neon4891
neon4891 SuperDork
3/12/09 10:03 a.m.

Reminds me of Clarkson saying something about "going thrue the pearly gates backwards, on fire, at 200mph"

Ultimatly Darwinisim wins again

ManofFewWords
ManofFewWords Reader
3/12/09 10:12 a.m.
neon4891 wrote: Reminds me of Clarkson saying something about "going thrue the pearly gates backwards, on fire, at 200mph" Ultimatly Darwinisim wins again

I'm not convinced this is Darwinism at work. I think many of us here have "gotten away" with some pretty reckless driving in our past, he didn't.

nicksta43
nicksta43 New Reader
3/12/09 11:03 a.m.
ManofFewWords said: I'm not convinced this is Darwinism at work. I think many of us here have "gotten away" with some pretty reckless driving in our past, he didn't.

+1

In my younger days this could have very easily been me, of course not in a Ferrari but death while driving too fast is still death while driving too fast.

RandyS
RandyS New Reader
3/12/09 11:16 a.m.

In order for Darwinism to work you had to be killed too early to have kids or at least be willing to have kids when you died. If you already had kids or were not planning to have any kids then no Darwinism.

While I don't see any references to him having kids he was 45 years old and doubt he had any thoughts on having kids.

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