Marauder crash on Fox News

[Dennis Reinhart]

It was just on I believe three people were killed one was ejected, I will try and get more info.

[twolow]

Hope it wasn't anyone here :(

Its terrible to happen to anyone but that much worse to happen to a member :cry:

[Fourth Horseman]

Where did this happen?

[MarauderMark]

Hope it wasn't anyone here :(

Its terrible to happen to anyone but that much worse to happen to a member :cry:


I totally agree.I hope everything turns out ok

[CBT]

Was it black? I believe that happened around my neck of the woods....

[MaLo03]

I've been watching the news. Nothing yet.
Very sad to hear.

[Marauderman]

Well........it's been 6 hours----any news on this --details--Dennis--or anyone?..

[CBT]

If it's the one that happened near Williamsburg I saw it on the news yesterday. I was walking past my t.v. and did a double take because all that was really identifiable was the passenger rim. Everything else was crushed and charred. I was like "What the...that looks like a Marauder rim.."

[MM03MOK]

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--brf-threekilled0530may30,0,823464. story?coll=dp-headlines-virginia


This article says "van"

Wreck kills three and snarls I-95
Van smashes into overpass just north of Ashland, catches fire

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>BY JEREMY REDMON


TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER


</TD><TD align=right>May 31, 2005




</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

A fiery wreck killed three people yesterday morning and snarled heavy Memorial Day traffic on northbound Interstate 95 just north of Ashland.

A man, a woman and a teenage girl died when the 2004 Mercury van ran onto the left shoulder of the interstate and smashed into the concrete overpass for Hickory Hill Road at 9:45 a.m.

Police said the Mercury burst into flames. One passenger, a man, was rushed to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in critical condition with "excessive burns," police said.

"The vehicle was just totally consumed in the fire," said Sgt. Kevin Barrick, a state police spokesman.

Police were still trying to determine the identities of the driver and three passengers yesterday afternoon. They did not know the model of the van but said it was registered in Maryland.

Witnesses said the driver was weaving in and out of traffic, passing on the shoulder and speeding just moments before running off the road, overcorrecting and then crashing, Barrick said.

"One man said he was doing 80 miles per hour and they flew by him like he was standing still," Barrick said.

At one point yesterday, the northbound interstate lanes were backed up for more than 10 miles, Barrick said, probably because of holiday traffic, rubberneckers and emergency vehicles trying to reach the crash site.

<TAGLINE type="std">
Contact Jeremy Redmon at (804) 649-6804 or jredmon@timesdispatch.com (jredmon@timesdispatch.com)</TAGLINE>

<!--/OMKT-->

[Cobra25]

If it was a Marauder or a Van my Heart & Blessing's goes out to them and their Family's.

[Dennis Reinhart]

I sent a email to fox news to get more details they showed pictures it was a Marauder, both my self and Steve who works for me seen it on the TV today, but I have not seen any thing further.

[LCSO34]

Definately a MM.


http://www.wwbt.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT%2FMGAr ticle%2FWBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783017565
Sad

Another link
http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3408045&nav=KACdaRnw

[LVMarauder]

That is a haunting sight. sends chills down my spine. :depress:

[SergntMac]

Definately a MM.

http://www.wwbt.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT%2FMGAr ticle%2FWBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783017565

Sad. Another link.

http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3408045&nav=KACdaRnw
I do not agree with you.

Your first link delivers an image of a dull five spoke wheel, with a lot of black stuff around it, none of which is familar to me, or, in scale with the rest of this pic. If this is a Marauder we are looking at, our passenger side front fender just got a lot longer, and our front tire has moved forward significantly, in relationship to our A pillar, windshield, and so on. Moreover, where is our B pillar? And our C pillar, and our back door?

Yes, a Marauder can get crushed to this degree and stretch out in this manner, but your pics are not examples of what this crushing will look like. IMHO, this seems to be a much smaller car, in relation to the size of the two PSOs working on it.

Scale...That's a very small Marauder, or, two very, very heavy duty rescue dudes, K?

Your second link shows us nothing at all to look at, no confirmation one way, or, another, other than to say that this is a very real, very deadly, and very sad story, however it came to be.

Thanks for your input.

[CBT]

That would be the one. Like I said, not much left. :(

[SergntMac]

That would be the one. Like I said, not much left.
Ummm..."that would be the one" is like which one, eh? Which one would not be "not much left".

Okay...Nevermind.

[Bluerauder]

It was just on I believe three people were killed one was ejected, I will try and get more info.
This accident was in my local newspaper yesterday morning. It just listed the car as a 2004 Mercury. Location was 15 miles north of Richmond on I-95 northbound at about 9:45 am, Monday, 30 May 2005. :(

My sympathies go out to the friends and families of the victims. The lone survivor is in pretty bad condition at VCU Medical Center. :alone:

I recall thinking "Marauder ???" when first reading this story. The photo links kinda look like a Marauder but it is very difficult to be certain considering the extent of the damage. Either way, this was a terrible wreck. :depress:

[Shaft333]

Wheels look like they're off of an Intrepid.

And it appears to have a single exhaust.

This monitor isn't the best. But I'm kind'a doubting the make too.

[Bobby Clobber]

:confused:

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me , but how many lug nuts do you guys see on that rim?

[martyo]

:confused:

Maybe my eyes are deceiving me , but how many lug nuts do you guys see on that rim?

Do i get a prize if I answer correctly? Five.

Now, if I answered incorrectly, please don't post a five page flame of why I am wrong. Thanks.

[Bobby Clobber]

Marty,


That's why I asked. I guess the prize would be this crappy monitor that doesn't have enough resolution to be that clear.

P.S. You will have to collect your prize in person in Halifax,but it has stopped raining and the sun ( I think that's what they call it ) is shining for the first time in two weeks. :banana:

[GarageMahal]

Well, its hard to tell but it looks like it could be MM to me.


...our passenger side front fender just got a lot longer, and our front tire has moved forward significantly, in relationship to our A pillar, windshield, and so on. Moreover, where is our B pillar? And our C pillar, and our back door?...

It looks like the car was further multilated during passenger extractraction to me. I am guessing they hacked out the B pillar, doors, and part of the front fender.


...IMHO, this seems to be a much smaller car, in relation to the size of the two PSOs working on it.

Scale...That's a very small Marauder, or, two very, very heavy duty rescue dudes, K?

This looks like a perspective issue with the photo. Closer objects appear larger and from the angle the picture was taken we cannot tell exactly how much closer the rescue workers are.

So, maybe it is, maybe it isn't.... I know I can't say for certain.

jta

[prchrman]

In both pictures the wheels look Marauder to me...what a sad end to so many lives...wrecks happen so quickly...willie

[TooManyFords]

We can be sure it wasn't a minivan if the guy who was doing 70 said they passed them like he was standing still.

Regardless, we should all bow our heads in a moment of silence.

[MaLo03]

Definately a MM.


http://www.wwbt.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT%2FMGAr ticle%2FWBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783017565
Sad

Another link
http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3408045&nav=KACdaRnw
Don't think its a MM

[twolow]

I've looked up 6 or 7 articles and all of them say its a 2004 Mercury registered in Maryland. The one fluke article was saying it was a van which it isn't. Car full of teens tells me they were hot dogging a MM and paid the price.

Anyway, how could it not be a MM? GM doesn't have those sytles of rims, and what else did they have in 04? Its not a SUV and the other cars Mercury carrys now all arrived as a 05 model.

Can we search here somewhere to see what members are from Maryland?

[Shaft333]

Check out the exhaust on the pic of the car that's inverted. It looks like the one pipe and cat goes from one side, over to the other and back where it splits into two tail pipes.

It's hard to tell, but it doesn't appear that there is even room for a second pipe, even if the two were to just meet as an 'H' pipe near the center of the car.

[twolow]

I was going to blow the pics up and look closely but the article is no longer at the URL. I guess that new station feels like day old news is what it is, 'old'.

[Bluerauder]

Can we search here somewhere to see what members are from Maryland?
There is a members list in the Quick Links pull-down menu. However, you cannot sort on the location column. :rolleyes: Even if you could, many members have elected not to post a location or have posted a non-standard type of location like "Hotlanta" or "Barren Wasteland", etc. Kind of hard to get a clear picture of locations that way. :D

That said, only about 30% of Marauder owners are represented here. And, only about 10% of those are active members on the site. So, the chances that this was an MM.Net member is pretty small. :( Even so, this is still a real tragedy. :cry:

Here's hoping that all the CAM members past and present check in and give the "All OK" sign. :up:

[LVMarauder]

I have to concur with twolow, how could that not be a MM. its obvious the car was completely destroyed but what is left is a broad black hood, 5 spoke rims in our style(burnt), also the A-pillar sure looks like a MM to me. makes me sick thinking about it. God Bless those involved.

[djv5150]

It does appear to me to be a black MM look close at the fender in front of the front wheel cornering lamp is missing had to blow up the pic to see it. the rim has lost its shine due to the heat I believe.

thoughts go out to the families

[SergntMac]

Officals have yet to identify the three deceased passengers, a fourth is severly burned. Maryland tags on the car. Officials continue to call it a "2004 Mercury van", but state they cannot identify a model. Considering that the vehicle burned, we don't know it's actual color. Today's (1 Jun)version of this story isn't any different than what I could link to here...

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArt icle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783010784

Any CAM members able to monitor local news?

[Mike Poore]

Officals have yet to identify the three deceased passengers, a fourth is severly burned. Maryland tags on the car. Officials continue to call it a "2004 Mercury van", but state they cannot identify a model. Considering that the vehicle burned, we don't know it's actual color. Today's (1 Jun)version of this story isn't any different than what I could link to here...

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArt icle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783010784

Any CAM members able to monitor local news?
I've been searching the net with no results. It seems strange, though, there's so little information and one wonders if the cops were involved; a chase, perhaps? I think the only guys who will have sucess are the LEO's who may be able to talk to someone in one of the local departments. :dunno:

[Bluerauder]

Any CAM members able to monitor local news?
I am probably the closest CAM member to the site of this accident. However, that is still some 75 miles south of me. With the exception of the short article in the local newspaper on Tuesday morning, I have seen nothing else on this accident. As I stated before, that article only identified the vehicle as a 2004 Mercury (no model ID).

This incident occurred more toward the Richmond area and was covered by the Richmond Times Dispatch paper and was probably on local Richmond TV. CAM has not been successful in reaching much farther south in Virginia beyond Prince William County from my knowledge of the membership. Most of the active CAM members with Black MMs, particularly from MD, have chimed in on this or other threads since this happened. However, there are some occasional CAMers that have not. :(

Again, lets hope all is well with the CAM and MM.Net family. :D My sincerest condolences to those lost in this accident and to their families. :( Remember to keep the lone survivor in your thoughts and prayers. His ordeal continues. :sweat:

[FastMerc]

I do not agree with you.

Your first link delivers an image of a dull five spoke wheel, with a lot of black stuff around it, none of which is familar to me, or, in scale with the rest of this pic. If this is a Marauder we are looking at, our passenger side front fender just got a lot longer, and our front tire has moved forward significantly, in relationship to our A pillar, windshield, and so on. Moreover, where is our B pillar? And our C pillar, and our back door?

Yes, a Marauder can get crushed to this degree and stretch out in this manner, but your pics are not examples of what this crushing will look like. IMHO, this seems to be a much smaller car, in relation to the size of the two PSOs working on it.

Scale...That's a very small Marauder, or, two very, very heavy duty rescue dudes, K?

Your second link shows us nothing at all to look at, no confirmation one way, or, another, other than to say that this is a very real, very deadly, and very sad story, however it came to be.

Thanks for your input. The pic is not clear enough to claim it is or isnt a Marauder,could possibly be one of those older boxier looking Volvos they had 5 spoke wheels.I cant judge what it is. Reguards to there families for the loss.

[N40GL]

Regardless of what vehicle it is, what is truly appalling is the risk the driver places on the other innocents on the road, and the youngster(s) and other adult in the car. No one on what seems to be described as a crowded freeway had a choice about participating in the 'Mercury' driver's display of risky conduct. Heck, we don't even know if the other people in the car were screaming "let me out" when it all happened.

I hate to sound cynical, but if you are going to practice natural selection, do it by yourself.

[Shaft333]

Regardless of what vehicle it is, what is truly appalling is the risk the driver places on the other innocents on the road, and the youngster(s) and other adult in the car. No one on what seems to be described as a crowded freeway had a choice about participating in the 'Mercury' driver's display of risky conduct. Heck, we don't even know if the other people in the car were screaming "let me out" when it all happened.

I hate to sound cynical, but if you are going to practice natural selection, do it by yourself.
I concur. Reading the story, I thought that the driver was an arse.

[Bluerauder]

Regardless of what vehicle it is, what is truly appalling is the risk the driver places on the other innocents on the road, and the youngster(s) and other adult in the car. No one on what seems to be described as a crowded freeway had a choice about participating in the 'Mercury' driver's display of risky conduct. Heck, we don't even know if the other people in the car were screaming "let me out" when it all happened.

I hate to sound cynical, but if you are going to practice natural selection, do it by yourself.

So how do you square this with the thread you posted elsewhere today?? :dunno: 148 mph on I-94 ... sounds risky to me. :rolleyes:


EB I-94, near I-69, southern Michigan. 2006 Corvette Convertible. Beat him by about half a mile at about 148mph (indicated).

[N40GL]

So how do you square this with the thread you posted elsewhere today?? :dunno: 148 mph on I-94 ... sounds risky to me. :rolleyes:

Because there was no one, or no thing, at risk except the three of us and three cars. Flat land, visibility for miles, not another car around anywhere, no animals, no bridge/house/structure. The only person I'd hurt is me. And weeds.

I won't EVER place another person at risk for something I want to do unless they chose to participate (and the Corvette guys picked the battle).

[Directedby]

Because there was no one, or no thing, at risk except the three of us and three cars. Flat land, visibility for miles, not another car around anywhere, no animals, no bridge/house/structure. The only person I'd hurt is me. And weeds.

I won't EVER place another person at risk for something I want to do unless they chose to participate (and the Corvette guys picked the battle).

No matter what you say about nobody else being at risk, you went 148 MPH on a PUBLIC road?

I think your earlier statement is hypocritical considering the speeds you drive at.

IMHO.

[N40GL]

Let those without sin cast the first stone.

[Bradley G]

A very unfortunate situation,may the Lords grace lighten the hearts of family and friends.I drove at high speeds on my way out to the Cedar Falls event.

I did not feel comfortable with the way the car behaved at this level.It was temporary insanity.I hope I learned my lesson for good.
Just realize, even if you are the only one hurt, Many will mourn and miss your contribution.
BeCare full! Everone!

[rct]

I just wanted to point out that in August of 2003 I drove my wife and myself across the Great State of Kansas in my bone stock 03 300B at an overall cruise of approximately 120mph and it was just like driving a train. We had a blast and were a danger to nobody but ourselves. Sure, we knew it was dangerous, but we had fun with it anyway. Passed two of Kansas' Finest in the 100mph range both times. They didn't seem to mind our little bit of fun either. That car ran like a rock. Nice roads, Kansas.

That is all.

[MarauderMark]

No matter what you say about nobody else being at risk, you went 148 MPH on a PUBLIC road?

I think your earlier statement is hypocritical considering the speeds you drive at.

IMHO.


Last time i ever wrote on here about how fast i went i won the A-hole award.Thank you my friend Merc*** who woke me up:up:.Whew!!! I feel better now .... ;)
Here ya go fellas.. :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: 1 for each of ya..

[merc406]

[QUOTE=MarauderMark]Last time i ever wrote on here about how fast i went i won the A-hole award.Thank you my friend Merc*** who woke me up:up:.Whew!!! I feel better now .... ;)
Here ya go fellas.. :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: :trophy1: 1 for each of ya..[/QUOTE





Just glad your still with us Mark, I have had a few A-hole awards when I was young and dumb. I just hope this crash wasn't due to mech. failure as in a stuck throttle cable or somethin else, I can't believe someone would drive like this unless they were on something or been drinkin.

[ADE 1000]

It most certainly was a black Marauder

I just got back from Florida and caught the story on Fox News when I was there. When I first saw the footage I was not paying close attention and also suspected that it was a mid 90s Volvo 850 turbo. However, my brother was watching as well and thought it was a Marauder. This caused me stick around and I paid close attention the second time the story came up.

On the Fox News footage the camera moves to towards the front of the car and you can clearly see the Marauder front bumper, headlights, and grille. The front of the car was not burnt. The Marauder tailpipe was also sitting on the ground right next to the front wheel.

:(

[jstevens]

Why does everyone get so bent out of shape when some individuals drive at high speed. It does involve a lot of skill which I am glad that I possess.

If I wanted a slow car, I would've bought one of those 1.3 high output watchamacallits.

But for the tragedy, that is another thing. Never ever drive like that with others or when traffic is present. Well, maybe sometimes.

[RF Overlord]

Why does everyone get so bent out of shape when some individuals drive at high speed. It does involve a lot of skill which I am glad that I possess.If you truly possess high-speed driving skills, then you should KNOW exactly why it's so dangerous when some moron does it on a public road. YOU may know what you're doing, but most likely the guy next to you does NOT...therein lies the problem.

[Dennis Reinhart]

When I first saw this news article I thought it was a Marauder, this was during the day around, 2:00 PM and both my self a Steve who works for me waited till the next hour news break and we caught a brief picture and it sure looked like a Marauder, its very sad to see this, because of all our love of this car, I will ask the Man I know at the FHP to see if I can find out the details, but we know there were three fatalities, its sad to see this, its just like it was a friend we might have known back in high school that's how we all are attached to this car. It is unfortunate, and thankfully there was no more loss of life.

[Amsoil_Dealer]

If you truly possess high-speed driving skills, then you should KNOW exactly why it's so dangerous when some moron does it on a public road. YOU may know what you're doing, but most likely the guy next to you does NOT...therein lies the problem.

I agree 100%

I have done a fair amount of sports car racing in my day and I teach high preformance driving at Sebring for local Porsche clubs. Those who we teach are often humbled at how little they truly know about high performance driving and most drive slower on the street after they learn the proper techniques on the track.

I threw my radar detectors away several years ago as I rarely exceed the speed limit (much) because of what RF cites above.

Hopefully the situation that caused this fatal accident was truly an accident and not some moron driving over his head. My prayers go out to the families of the deceased.

Don

[duhtroll]

Most people surveyed think they are better drivers than everyone else.

Sure, I think that too. However, not all of us can be above average, no matter what W says. :)

If you wanna know how good a driver you are, check your driving record. That is a good indicator. I've heard lots of guys say "it's only speeding and that doesn't make me a bad driver."

I suppose people who say "I'm a better driver than most" are talking about their ability to control their car. Most people can handle that part unless they are doing something illegal (in reference to street drivers). In which case, I again refer them to their driving records. Speeding is the inability to control your car. It's just a mental problem, and not a physical one.

I think many of us here suffer from it. :)

-A

[MENINBLK]

Most people surveyed think they are better drivers than everyone else.

Sure, I think that too. However, not all of us can be above average, no matter what W says. :)

If you wanna know how good a driver you are, check your driving record. That is a good indicator. I've heard lots of guys say "it's only speeding and that doesn't make me a bad driver."

I suppose people who say "I'm a better driver than most" are talking about their ability to control their car. Most people can handle that part unless they are doing something illegal (in reference to street drivers). In which case, I again refer them to their driving records. Speeding is the inability to control your car. It's just a mental problem, and not a physical one.

I think many of us here suffer from it. :)

-A


This statement is two fold and you've only stated the obvious...

The other part of the statement is, "How well you MAINTAIN your vehicle.".
Maintenance is a very BIG part of how well you can drive.
Driving a very poorly maintaned vehicle just shows how well
you can adapt to a car that rides crappy.
If you vehicle is always in top condition, you driving will never suffer,
because your vehicle conditions never change, and only the temperature,
weather and road conditions are what you have to put up with.

PREVENTATIVE MANTENANCE is also a very large part of this.
Never waiting for something to fail, is considered preventative maintenance.
We've all driven vehicles for well over 25 years.
Over the years the technology has gotten better, and some things last longer,
but the things that are CRUCIAL, we all know to change way in advance of failure.
I don't think anyone here waits for a coolant pump to fail.
We can drive it to 75,000, maybe even 80,000 miles and it gets changed.
The last think you want to lose is a coolant pump and lose an engine
when you are miles from home.

[rayjay]

The great unknown here is the other drivers on the highway. I've seen people do some really, really incredibly dumb things behind the wheel, both on and off the job. You maybe the second coming of Mario Andretti behind the wheel, but you better be looking for granny whos out for a Sunday ride on Friday night in the hammer lane...

[BillyGman]

I don't know what happened with this Marauder crash, but it's my veiwpoint that you cannot link everyone who is heavy with the gas pedal together either. They post a lot of videos on the SVT board, and I get disgusted with most of them that I veiwed, therefore, I usually don't even view them anymore. I say that because many of them are shot with a camcorder in one of the vehicles that are being raced, and you can clearly see that the racing is taking place on highways that are loaded with other cars!!! So much so that the two drivers racing have to weave in and out of lanes at 100+ MPH during the races they're having just to avoid the other vehicles!!


That's just insane, and I for one just will not drive like that. If I get into some competitive driving, it's when their isn't any traffic around, and there isn't any sharp bends in the road where there can be something on the other side waiting either. This whole thread has turned into a conversation about using good judgement, and that's also what I'm talking about too. There are some people here who often discuss HP figures of their cars as well as new cars that are coming out, and also have claimed that they have never raced their cars at the track. So then if they haven't been at the track to race, then what's the big concern with HP #'s, and Dyno runs?

The fact is that almost all of us drive fast at one time or another. But good judgement and self-control has to be exercised, and there has to be situations on the street when someone challenges you, and you just say "NO". Lines have to be drawn somewhere, and each of us has to decide for ourselves BEFORE we ever get into a situation, just where those lines should be drawn. Racing in heavy or moderate traffic is just crazy.

[JET]

Racing in heavy or moderate traffic is just crazy.

Amen, if you feel an uncontrolable need for speed go to the track.

[BillyGman]

Hey John. Good to see you around again. I hope all is going well with the resteraunt. BTW, I think it's time for you to update that sig. ;)

[jstevens]

BillyGman,

I agree with you 100%. Either make sure the road is empty or go to the track.
That is how I know how my vehicle runs and what it can do.

I also believe highly in maintenance. It amazes me some of the cars I have went out to lunch in that coworkers drive.

They make all these grinding noises and shimy all over the place. I definitely would not try racing or high speed driving in any of these.

[Badger]

If you wanna know how good a driver you are, check your driving record. That is a good indicator. I've heard lots of guys say "it's only speeding and that doesn't make me a bad driver."

I suppose people who say "I'm a better driver than most" are talking about their ability to control their car. Most people can handle that part unless they are doing something illegal (in reference to street drivers). In which case, I again refer them to their driving records. Speeding is the inability to control your car. It's just a mental problem, and not a physical one.

I think many of us here suffer from it. :)

Driving record?
Allow me to correct you. :nono:
A driving record is AN indicator.:beatnik:

Speeding is a condition where an individual is caught outside the bell curve of a limit which was determined by averaging the abilities of the population.

Now if your intelligence was above average, society would not frown upon your capabilities (although we call them dweebs and nerds) because in general you are not going to endager the population that set the "standard". *Note this does not apply to evil scientists.*

Driving however is an activity that requires one to interact with society on a much more personal level. Hence the consequences for one's actions outside the norm are more closely monitored and enforced making you conform to a standard.....for the greater good. This is why a lot of experienced drivers say "take it to the track".

I would argue that ones own driving record is actually a more complex piece of information. One might actually take a look at the number of miles a person drives (increasing your exposure to speeding temptation :D) and how many accidents they have been in or have caused.

The funny part is how asymetrical this becomes when you consider the number of elderly drivers who DO cause accidents at relatively low speeds. The population is much more forgiving of this due to the fact that there typically are fewer fatalities at low speed...unless one runs over a group of nuns on roller skates.

I'm actually more concerned about why the MM exploded.

[Directedby]

This statement is two fold and you've only stated the obvious...

The other part of the statement is, "How well you MAINTAIN your vehicle.".
Maintenance is a very BIG part of how well you can drive.
Driving a very poorly maintaned vehicle just shows how well
you can adapt to a car that rides crappy.
If you vehicle is always in top condition, you driving will never suffer,
because your vehicle conditions never change, and only the temperature,
weather and road conditions are what you have to put up with.

PREVENTATIVE MANTENANCE is also a very large part of this.
Never waiting for something to fail, is considered preventative maintenance.
We've all driven vehicles for well over 25 years.
Over the years the technology has gotten better, and some things last longer,
but the things that are CRUCIAL, we all know to change way in advance of failure.
I don't think anyone here waits for a coolant pump to fail.
We can drive it to 75,000, maybe even 80,000 miles and it gets changed.
The last think you want to lose is a coolant pump and lose an engine
when you are miles from home.


:bs: :bs: :bs: :bs: :bs:

[merc406]

Empty road in this day and age, maybe 30 year's ago, or you can do what a couple of buddies of mine did in the middle of 94 and 21 back in 73, scariest moment I ever had, they stopped 3 wide at night, I was right behind one of them and had no Idea they were gonna race like this. Traffic was way back but not back enough for my tastes and when it was over I told them to all go ta Hell.

[SergntMac]

Per VA State Police...

Next of kin has been notified, one survivor remains, a teenager, relationship unknown.

Yes, it's a Marauder, blue, but totally burned.

Driver was a 67 year old male from Forestville, Maryland, and his front seat passenger, his 66 year old girlfriend of 30 years, and same last name, who lived in Washington D.C. The third person killed was another teenager, relationship unknown at this time.

High speed, reckless driving and DUI/drugs contributting as cause.

Driving the shoulder at 80+ MPH, the left front fender clipped a concrete construction barrier and the car spun trunk first, into the bridge, resulting in instant explosion.

[wsmylie]

Really sad sad news.

[twolow]

Did anyone here have a blue one from that area that hasn't been around?

[duhtroll]

I said it was a good indicator, and I stand by that. I really doubt anyone cares how much you drive if you've had 5 accidents when you were at fault in the last year... Take my next door neighbor. They've wrecked 4 cars in the last 3 months. I'm pretty safe saying someone in that household doesn't drive well.

Being caught speeding 3 times in a year produces the same result whether you drive 100 miles a week or 1000. If you get caught on a regular basis, that means you are driving outside the accepted speed limit on a regular basis, which means you are not able to control your car within the law.

Just 'cause it's speeding by choice, it doesn't make it right. And though the driver may say to him or her self "but I am a great driver - I can handle this beast up to 120 in the slalom," that changes nothing.

(Insert safety discussion here about why speed limits are what they are - personally I would agree with you, but the lowest common denominator has to be accounted for out there. Rat's daughter Moon Pie is driving the same roads, ya know.)

Everyone here can say "I'm a better driver than most."

Until the data is compared.

-A


Driving record?
Allow me to correct you. :nono:
A driving record is AN indicator.:beatnik:

Speeding is a condition where an individual is caught outside the bell curve of a limit which was determined by averaging the abilities of the population.

Now if your intelligence was above average, society would not frown upon your capabilities (although we call them dweebs and nerds) because in general you are not going to endager the population that set the "standard". *Note this does not apply to evil scientists.*

Driving however is an activity that requires one to interact with society on a much more personal level. Hence the consequences for one's actions outside the norm are more closely monitored and enforced making you conform to a standard.....for the greater good. This is why a lot of experienced drivers say "take it to the track".

I would argue that ones own driving record is actually a more complex piece of information. One might actually take a look at the number of miles a person drives (increasing your exposure to speeding temptation :D) and how many accidents they have been in or have caused.

The funny part is how asymetrical this becomes when you consider the number of elderly drivers who DO cause accidents at relatively low speeds. The population is much more forgiving of this due to the fact that there typically are fewer fatalities at low speed...unless one runs over a group of nuns on roller skates.

I'm actually more concerned about why the MM exploded.

[merc406]

Sad, really sad......... :shake:

[Bluerauder]

Yes, it's a Marauder, blue, but totally burned.

Driver was a 67 year old male from Forestville, Maryland, and his front seat passenger, his 66 year old girlfriend of 30 years, and same last name, who lived in Washington D.C. The third person killed was another teenager, relationship unknown at this time.

I would have never guessed that it was a Blue MM. 67 year old and DUI/Drugs involved at 9:30 am. Jeeeeees !!!! :stupid:


... Take my next door neighbor. They've wrecked 4 cars in the last 3 months. I'm pretty safe saying someone in that household doesn't drive well.

Yeah, my next door neighbor pulled a U-turn in the middle of a 2-lane residential road in their mini-van and were broadsided by an on-coming vehicle that "came out of nowhere". :rolleyes: They just couldn't understand that THEY were the problem and the cause of the wreck. Fortunately, no one was injured; but the van was totalled. I was amazed that there weren't serious injuries.


Everyone here can say "I'm a better driver than most."
Actually, on the recent poll. Marauder owners graded themselves on a Bell Curve (Normal Distribution) but skewed one grade above the average driver. I kind of expected that distribution in that driver's that gravitate toward large performance type cars maintain a certain confidence in their driving that translates IMHO to better drivers. Agreed, this was not a scientific study -- nor were the numbers sufficient to provide a statistical level of confidence. However, distribution shows a small percentage on both ends with the bulk in the middle. :D

I highly suspect that if you did the same survey for something like the Toyota Corolla, the distribution would be skewed the other way toward average or below average. ;)

Personally, I think that confidence has a direct bearing on a drivers ability. :cool:

That said, the issue of speed (especially excessive speed > 20-25 mph over the speed limit is driven not by ability (except on the track where and when it's expected); but more driven by other factors like hormones, testosterone, macho, peer pressure, etc. All of these things cloud judgment -- How many times have you mashed the go pedal to prove a point only to say later that "That was pretty immature (or even stupid). I know I have on a couple of occasions. This is the :seesaw: at work and you have to suppress the demons or risk the consequences of poor judgment.

Sorry for the :soapbox: routine.

[Amsoil_Dealer]

broadsided by an on-coming vehicle that "came out of nowhere". :rolleyes: They just couldn't understand that THEY were the problem and the cause of the wreck.

That said, the issue of speed (especially excessive speed > 20-25 mph over .

Your first comment is what I see mostly. people completely unaware of what is going on around them. THAT is dangerous and what we all have to keep an eye out for. Sure agressive drivers are dangerous but the clueless are more dangerous (at any speed) IMHO.

Regarding your comment about excessive speed. Ironically, just last night I had a dream that I got pulled over for going 79 in a 35 zone. That scared me so bad it woke me up and I would net let myself go right back to sleep. I had to keep reminding myself it was just a dream.

Don

[QWK SVT]

Take my next door neighbor. They've wrecked 4 cars in the last 3 months. I'm pretty safe saying someone in that household doesn't drive well.Wow!!! Do we have the same neighbor? Mine has backed her BMW 330 into the grage door, twice in the last 6 weeks. First time, it was just paint off the bumper. Certain she could do better the next time, she plowed into the door with enough speed to dislodge the door from the tracks. More than just a little paint off the bumper, this time.

Oh, I forgot to mention - both times, she was back OUT of the garage :banghead:

[MERCDADDY]

Driving the shoulder at 80+ MPH, the left front fender clipped a concrete construction barrier and the car spun trunk first, into the bridge, resulting in instant explosion.
What do you want to bet Ford will get sued on this one and lose.....AGAIN!!!!!

I'm really getting tired of these :bs: lawsuits where the so called "victims" suing deep pocket corporations are nothing more than a bunch of weiners that were never taught and/or could never handle taking responsibility for their own actions.

[texascorvette]

Kinda falls into the same category as the misnomer they like to call "road rage". Usually, the so-called road rage is the appropriate and proper response to incompetent and/or inconsiderate drivers. It is totally unreasonable to expect folks to be thrilled with the actions of some of the morons who've been granted driving priviledges.