PSA: Miata is NOT always the answer

"Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy" (camshaft-chris)
09/30/2019 at 13:29 • Filed to: RANT, Miata, Crash, Fatality

The four-lane highway in front of my son’s school was completely shut-down for 5 hours this morning because of a multiple-fatality accident. From the reports I’ve heard so far, the Miata came flying down the highway, lost control, crossed into on-coming traffic and collided head-on with an F150, causing collateral damage with multiple other vehicles. The driver of the Miata and F150 were both killed. Not sure what generation Miata it was though as it was completely under a tarp (found out it was a Miata from my buddy who’s a police officer).

I guess this message isn’t so much against the Miata as it is just against driving any car like an asshat on public roads. Maybe it’s my minimal maturity showing, but why the fuck do people still think it’s ok to do this kind of shit?

There’s one decent and one good road coarse within two hours of here. Keep that shit on that track. There are plenty of SCCA AutoX events going on throughout the year. I mean, at the very least go to an empty parking lot. If you’re drag racing at 1AM on a deserted road next to an abandoned warehouse, whatever, go for it. But for god’s sake don’t do that shit when there are other PLENTY of other people on the road trying to go to work / school. That F150 could have just has easily been my Ford Fusion or my wife’s Honda Odyssey, with any number of our kids in the car too.

Your actions don’t just affect you. They can change the lives of anyone around you, whether you mean to or not. Don’t be a selfish dick.

/ENDRANT

Update: Pic of what used to be the Miata.

DISCUSSION (30)

facw > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 13:35

I’m a little surprised a Miata has enough mass to endanger the driver of an F-150. Maybe if the F-150 wa s old and/or the driver was unbelted.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > facw
09/30/2019 at 13:39

I mean, even if you don’t assume perfect momentum transfer during impact, momentum is still equal to mv, so you can down mass and just up velocity to the point where the momentum is high enough to break a lot of shit.

Getting hit with fastballs hurt a lot too and thrown hard enough can trash a truck.

Edit: Quote: “An object’s kinetic energy is proportional to its speed squared, which means doubling a car’s speed quadruples its energy. A car going 100 mph therefore has more than twice as much kinetic energy as a car going 70. Similarly, in the time it takes the slower car to stop, the faster car won’t have even slowed to 70 mph. ”

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > facw
09/30/2019 at 13:40

No idea on that part, though there have been a string of here recently with people not wearing their seat belts . The F150 was on it’s side though.

Michael > facw
09/30/2019 at 14:20

Perhaps it was flyin’

/airborne

CB > facw
09/30/2019 at 14:49

Remember, all your collision testing isn't done with two vehicles at highway speeds. A head on is deadly, no matter the vehicles.

ChrisD > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 15:51

I saw the front end of a brand new F350 all f’ed up after hitting a deer at 55mph.

So yeah no surprise a 2000lb car in a head on could do that.

13dble > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 16:00

Funnily enough I daily a miata in a country with no tracks whatsoever.

When I need to blow some steam off I just go to a nearby mountain pass at 3 in the morning ...and even then I never push it too hard.

Rupert Palatipelen > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 16:30

I’m thinking more of ho w, than why. I feel like Josh Baskins at a marketing meeting. Darwin had no idea how many awards would be given on his behalf.

Brickfoot Ginger > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 17:20

Going fast enough you can move anything. 100mph into bus.

At least they lucked out and a empty ambulance and a patrol car were right there.

Hamtractor > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 17:25

Man, I thought this was going to a post about the benefits of owning a huge-ass walk-in rescue. Best job on the fire department is running the rescue...

Keylube > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 18:13

I’m not understanding how someone on speeding on the highway has to do with street racing. The person going 120mph on your local highway/interstate doesn’t care about your track days and your autocross. You’re barking up the wrong tree my friend.

seoultrain > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 19:05

Just about a ny other RWD car with defeatable stability control would have caused the same accident . As you allude, it’s on the driver. The Miata allows for fun driving at approachable limits. A more powerful car could’ve made things worse.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 21:50

https://www.live5news.com/2019/09/30/crews-responding-crash-with-reported-injuries-w-ashley/

Slightly good news, the F150 driver didn’t die.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Brickfoot Ginger
09/30/2019 at 22:07

I don’t want to know the number of fatalities on that bus... :(

someassemblyrequired > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/30/2019 at 22:15

Everyone on the bus was ok, shockingly. Everyone in the vehicle was killed.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
09/30/2019 at 22:26

Well that's good to hear at least. Glad the initial reports were wrong.

daender > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
09/30/2019 at 23:16

Ah fuck, I need to see if that was one of the SC Miatas I know...

That USED to be a NA Miata with the factory BBS wheels, so it’s either a ‘92, ‘93, or ‘95.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 01:00

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/one-dead-after-fiery-collision-in-melbourne-s-south-east-20190929-p52w2q.html

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > someassemblyrequired
10/01/2019 at 05:52

The bus driver survived that??? The car SLAMMED right into where they would’ve been sitting!? 0_o

jmgadget > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 08:57

Reading this was a bit eerie.

There was a similar accident on a 4 lane divided highway near one of our local schools on Monday as well . Car veered across the grassy median head on into another vehicle. 2 Fatalities. The highway was shutdown as well.

someassemblyrequired > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/01/2019 at 09:17

Yeah apparently this happens a lot, as I actually pulled the article for a different crash. Here’s the correct article with better pictures of the wreck. Bus driver was seriously injured but survived .

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2018/03/michael_spencer_arraigned.html

Jon > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 09:56

PSA: W riting titles (and articles) that are more accurate will get you better responses.

Ie. Moron drives Miata like moron and dies like moron. Or maybe Another Miata driver destroys poor Miata and himself by being stupid. Besides that, you look like you're not well enough informed when you say truck driver also dies when there are mixed reports. Facts first, then opinions at end. Guess they need to resend the memo.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > jmgadget
10/01/2019 at 10:16

Yesterday was just a really bad day for wrecks. I took me twice as long to get home from work because every route had at least two accidents on it. Plus there had been others that morning aside from this fatal one. It’s days like that that make me start to think mass transit for all or something like that might be better option for this world. At least in urban / suburban areas. Maybe I’m just talking crazy here.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > daender
10/01/2019 at 10:49

From what one of the local car groups are saying, it was actually an NB2.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Hamtractor
10/01/2019 at 10:51

Best job? I don’t know about that. I obviously don’t work in that field, but having to be on the truck that shows up to all the gruesome accident scenes? Nah, that’s not for me. I don’t do well with that shit.

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Keylube
10/01/2019 at 10:54

That’s completely false. A lot people are unaware of the nearby trackdays and AutoX events, which is why they do that shit on the road instead. You’d be surprised at how many people I’ve talked to a various car shows that have no idea we had a local AutoX event.

Hamtractor > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 12:25

It’s all about the technical, ballsy work you get to do. The guys on the rescue get the most dangerous jobs, the most technical. Dragging a hose around is lame, cutting apart a mangled car with surgical precision is bitchin. Searching a burning building with no hoseline to protect yourself is badass, as is venting a roof, etc. The rescue is usually the most experienced, aggre ssive, gung-ho crew on the job. You’re gonna see the worst things that can happen to a human being no matter which rig you ride, I saw enough carnage to last a dozen lifetimes, which is why I don’t really miss being a fireman anymore. All that badass Ladder 49 shit was great, and I definitely miss crawling down those smoky, hot hallways with a kickass crew of dudes, but I do not miss the death and carnage that comes in between those fun runs...

Keylube > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 13:34

People who go to car shows are not the same people speeding on highways. We assume these people are car enthusiasts , but they typically aren’t. Driving fast and automotive enthusiasm are not always related.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > someassemblyrequired
10/01/2019 at 16:40

Damn lucky, that was a hard hit right into where he was sitting...

daender > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy
10/01/2019 at 17:32

Huh, that is rare. I can only recall a handful of NB Miata owners rocking the NA BBS wheels.