Paul Walker Passing

[murcod]

There was a short news story aired locally saying the report into the accident had been released. The speed of the vehicle was at least 160km/h (100mph.) I think it also said there were no traces of alcohol or drugs in either person.

[SamirD]

I spent some time the other day catching up on this story. It was pretty close to me as I was supposed to meet him later this year as I have a friend who produces the cars for the movie. That silver Corvette in Fast5 is this exact car that he drove to our premiere event for the movie:




While speed was a factor, according to the report, they were in braced crash positions, ie, they knew something went wrong and were bracing for impact. The question is what went wrong. And 100mph in a high performance car can be deceivingly slow. I once rented a Porsche 997 Turbo for a weekend. Driving it back from the delivery point to my hotel while adjusting everything I felt like I was going 35mph in the 35mph zone--except I was going 85. A well-built sports car gives you superman capabilities--40mph braking in one second, 0-90 in under 10 seconds--and this was just in the car I rented. A Carrera GT is a beast and a half, especially when someone knows how to drive one.

This accident was as simple as taking a car that's having some slight issues for a spin and something breaking. I saw the security videos over and over and watched how quickly the car went from a steady smooth drive to bouncing off of one tree to another. Once someone discovers the cause of the failure, this story will have full closure for me. Other than that, it's been a very sad tragedy.

[sx4rocious]

I hate to see where this information might be taken. Unfortunately, our society is one of reaction instead of action. Every time something like this happens, there is a blatany disregard for the family of the victims and the tragedy is then turned into a for of lobbying to change the laws. It happened in Newtown and gun control, Iraq and terrorism, so forth and so on. I sincerely hope that the liberal media and political parties leave this as what it is (a horrible tragedy) and allow the families to heal instead of taking this high profile tragedy and using it to seal the fate of the car modification and customization hobby all of us love.....

[KuroNekko]

I hate to see where this information might be taken. Unfortunately, our society is one of reaction instead of action. Every time something like this happens, there is a blatany disregard for the family of the victims and the tragedy is then turned into a for of lobbying to change the laws. It happened in Newtown and gun control, Iraq and terrorism, so forth and so on. I sincerely hope that the liberal media and political parties leave this as what it is (a horrible tragedy) and allow the families to heal instead of taking this high profile tragedy and using it to seal the fate of the car modification and customization hobby all of us love.....

Sure, it's sad, but two very rich dudes driving 100 plus miles an hour in an exotic car on surface streets end up dead. I mean, should we really be shocked? The driver was a pro racer and it was his Carrera GT. The car has a reputation of being difficult to control, even in the hands of skilled pro drivers. Heck, even former rally racer and Porsche test driver Walter Rohrl said the Carrera GT was the only car that ever scared him.
It's only getting this much attention and sympathy because it involved celebrities and they were good people (they were headed to a charity event). But the reality is that it's no different than two 18 year olds street racing in a souped up Civic crashing and dying. Someone is always losing a loved one, but who is to blame but those who are too overconfident behind the wheel?

Also, the media is not liberal at all. It's an illusion created by polarizing media outlets like Fox vs. MSNBC. All you have to do is watch or read the media from sources outside the US to realize American news is not liberal and this image is largely deliberately fabricated. It's so conservatives think "media is liberal" while liberals scoff at Fox and their blatant conservative bias. In reality, all mainstream American media is carefully crafted so it looks like we are getting a variety. It's actually all within a very set parameter controlled very carefully. Live in other countries like I have and you will be quick to notice it.

[ragmopp01]

AND they were going 100mph! They played the game and they lost. Thank God that nobody else paid for their stupidity.

[SamirD]

I hate to see where this information might be taken. Unfortunately, our society is one of reaction instead of action. Every time something like this happens, there is a blatany disregard for the family of the victims and the tragedy is then turned into a for of lobbying to change the laws. It happened in Newtown and gun control, Iraq and terrorism, so forth and so on. I sincerely hope that the liberal media and political parties leave this as what it is (a horrible tragedy) and allow the families to heal instead of taking this high profile tragedy and using it to seal the fate of the car modification and customization hobby all of us love.....

CNN has really gone to town on it. And the general public response is 'they deserved it", while the car enthusiast community understands it could have been any one of us since we've all taken a car for a spin to check it out.

I think the general public not giving two hoots will make this issue die down quickly. Until someone with a modified car is involved in ANY type of incident involving death. Then this story will be brought up and the same idiots will start spouting off again on how everyone with a modified car is 'reckless' and a bad person.

Paul was no different than you or me. If he owned a Kizashi, he'd be talking about the same things as us and loving the same things we do about cars. I never got to meet him, but read enough first-hand accounts of people meeting him (or even him meeting them) to know he was a true car enthusiast, no doubt about it. It's like if a member on this forum died in a tragic crash.

If they were racing or recklessly weaving in and out of traffic like in the FNF movies, sure, then that's self-inflicted. But taking a slow spin (for a CGT) around a deserted industrial area to discover what's wrong with a car, and then crashing horrifically to one's death is not 'asking for it' or 'paying for playing'.

[SamirD]

Also, the media is not liberal at all. It's an illusion created by polarizing media outlets like Fox vs. MSNBC. All you have to do is watch or read the media from sources outside the US to realize American news is not liberal and this image is largely deliberately fabricated. It's so conservatives think "media is liberal" while liberals scoff at Fox and their blatant conservative bias. In reality, all mainstream American media is carefully crafted so it looks like we are getting a variety. It's actually all within a very set parameter controlled very carefully. Live in other countries like I have and you will be quick to notice it.

It's really interesting to see the USA from outside the USA. A lot of things are so apparent that we can't see living here.

[sx4rocious]

I was actually refering to media that leans liberal. I'm a hard-core raging conservative that still believes that most people need to point fingers at themselves and search for ways to accept responsibilities for their own actions instead of placing blame on everyone else and letting the government decide what's best for me. Paul was a good man, but no one strapped him into the passenger seat of the car and demanded he sit quietly while the driver spinns helplessly into a tree at 100 mph. It was an accident PERIOD. I don't blame McDonalds for my larger-than-it-should-be belly, people shouldn't blame modified cars for the death of ANYONE rich and famous or not. I'll miss Paul (and that AMAZING CGT!!!) but please just chalk it up to an accident and leave my favorite and only hobby alone....

[sx4rocious]

oh, and SamirD, PUH-LEASE post more pics of the Vette!!! I HAVE to know what's under than hood!!!

[SamirD]

oh, and SamirD, PUH-LEASE post more pics of the Vette!!! I HAVE to know what's under than hood!!!

Click on the pics and they'll take you to the full gallery.

I only realized when I was searching for these that I didn't even publish my Fast 5 writeup and pictures with video of this car starting up and driving. So much to do, so little time...