Cobra crash in Mountain View Wed am

m5extc · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-2010, 08:57 AM

I saw the tree yesterday afternoon on my way home, and was hoping the driver is okay. Is this anyone here or does anyone have any other information? See link to MV Voice article.

http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=3323

289fia_cobra · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-2010, 11:06 AM

That's it? No name? Well, it wasn't me. Hope the guy is ok.

Got the Bug · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2010, 11:25 AM

Wow! Sorry to hear about that. Hope the driver recovers quickly from his injuries.

cobradvm · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2010, 11:35 AM

Hopefully the driver will be okay - some of the comments on crash are a bit harsh.

m5extc · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-2010, 02:28 PM

Someone just posted that the car was black, no stripes, had 427 badges with hood & trunk badges. It was also a small block car. The only black cars I can think of, all have stripes. Any ideas?

Andrei

mike herbert · #6 (**permalink**) 09-14-2010, 09:16 AM

I have an all black car with 427 badges. I'll look in the garage in a few minutes and see if it's still there

olddog · #7 (**permalink**) 09-14-2010, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobradvm

Hopefully the driver will be okay - some of the comments on crash are a bit harsh.

The public was quick to jump to conclusions, with no facts, but arguing and getting into a public pissing match is not going to help our cause. If we come across in a negative light to the public, they can vote our hobby out of existence in a hurry.

Just remember if you ever get in a crash-em-up and wind up in a courtroom these are the people that will be sitting on the jury. Looks like you do not want to be perceived as an irresponsible hot rodder. Let that be a wake up call to all of us.

Excaliber · #8 (**permalink**) 09-14-2010, 09:58 PM

There is one poster, "Don't worry about it" is his name, that states he (and his friend) were not only an eye witness', but were an integral part of what he describes as a possible "road rage" incident. The reporter on the story is attempting to contact this guy for an interview.

His posting is detailed enough with specifics that it is hard to blow off. If true, "road rage" may indeed be the fundamental cause here. Two kids waving their hands and flipping off the Cobra driver as he passed, who then attempted a U turn to come back and perhaps "discuss" the matter? Whoa, serious accusations...

Monster · #9 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 12:47 AM

This whole story is leaves for a lot of questions that probably won't be answered until an investigation is completed.

Here's what "Don't Worry About It" actually said in the comment section of the Mountain View Voice (the link provided at the beginning of this thread.

"Don't Worry About It": aight. for all of those people saying what happened. ALL YA'LL ARE WRONG. what REALLY happened was me and my friend were walking to school down latham towards church street. we pressed the button for the light and it was clear so we went halfway. then we went all the way across towards church street. the dude in the black car with his top down was coming from el camino and was at first in the lane closests to the middle. then when he saw us walking he decided that it would be a great idea to switch to the lane closets to the sidewalk which me and my friend were still in. he decided to speed up hella fast and "try" to scare us and he was going at least 60mph. so me and my friend put our hands up n started yelling at him saying wtf is your problem? at that time he decided 2 try 2 come back towards us, flip a u-turn and attempt 2 go the wrong way back towards us. he ended up trying 2 flip around without slowing his car down which then he lost control and his car made screech noises we turned around and saw him crash into the middle island and hit a tree. his car went up at first and then backdown. over 100 pieces small n big flew off the car. then it started smoking, and thats when my friend called 911 to tell them that the guy hit a tree and was injured. we left because we had to go to school. i aint trying 2 be shady but he shouldn't have tried to go the wrong way and speed up to hit us. ironic i think. anywho, hope that he is okay and learned his lesson. so all yall can stop pretending that you guys know when you dont.

There is an assumption made by "DWAI" that the driver was purposefully driving recklessly "the dude in the black car with his top down was coming from el camino and was at first in the lane closests to the middle. then when he saw us walking he decided that it would be a great idea to switch to the lane closets to the sidewalk which me and my friend were still in. he decided to speed up hella fast and "try" to scare us and he was going at least 60mph." There is no way DWAI could know what the driver was thinking and it's still not clear that this was not a mechanical issue.

In reading this account by DWAI it's possible the driver encountered an issue with his car and didn't see the pedestrians. The driver "attempt 2 go the wrong way back towards us. he ended up trying 2 flip around without slowing his car down".....
It sounds to me that from this statement the driver didn't step on his brakes or possibly had brake failure otherwise DWAI would have seen brakelights. Even in a moment of rage if someone is attempting a high speed u-turn I would think they would use their brakes and not just try to spin the car around.

Olddog makes a good point. Unfortunately, in the end we have a cobra involved in an accident, the driver in the hospital and unanswered questions as to the actual cause.

mike

PANAVIA · #10 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 04:40 PM

I know the driver, he is recovering.

I will review with him what he wants to post.

--details to follow.

PS: I read the commentary on the posts of the article and all I have to say is geez- mtn view is a hopeless pile of camry drivers.

Steve

rustyBob · #11 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 06:18 PM

Sounds like those kids need to spend more time in school and less time walking the streets....ride a bus....

ItBites · #12 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 07:21 PM

Remember when the saying was - 'never trust anyone over 30'

I now go by - 'never trust anyone under 25'

and I'll add - 'especially statements posted anywhere on the internet'

Excaliber · #13 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 07:38 PM

Due to the serious accusations the DWAI poster makes, combined with the offer from the newspaper to do a followup interview with this "eye witness": as much as I'd like more detail about what happened,,, I wouldn't say ONE word if I was the driver. Not until it becomes more clear just what the heck he may be facing from civil or legal issues, regardless of fault or reasons why.

timsullivan · #14 (**permalink**) 09-15-2010, 08:47 PM

What a bunch of jerks! Thank goodness I don't live in the nasty neighborhood of Mountain View!

Jamo · #15 (**permalink**) 09-16-2010, 01:05 AM

Steve

I agree with Ernie...you might want to pass it on to the driver for his consideration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Due to the serious accusations the DWAI poster makes, combined with the offer from the newspaper to do a followup interview with this "eye witness": as much as I'd like more detail about what happened,,, I wouldn't say ONE word if I was the driver. Not until it becomes more clear just what the heck he may be facing from civil or legal issues, regardless of fault or reasons why.

PANAVIA · #16 (**permalink**) 09-16-2010, 04:15 AM

Jamo, ernie , Agreed -- will check in on him Thursday.

289fia_cobra · #17 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

Sounds like those kids need to spend more time in school and less time walking the streets....ride a bus....

I think they would if it wasn't for the fact CA is so damn broke.

patrickt · #18 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

Jamo, ernie , Agreed -- will check in on him Thursday.

You know, it would be a refreshing change of pace if he just came out and told the absolute truth without posturing, trying to cover up, blaming it all on a stuck throttle, ball lightning, glare from Telstar, etc....

Dangerous Doug · #19 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 02:29 PM

Just read the short story and all the lengthy commentary.

"Don't worry about it", one of the two pedestrians assummed that the Cobra driver intentionally changed lanes to get closer to them and "scare" them---so they yell "WTF is your problem?" Could it be that the driver, who may very well have been horsing around on the edge of his driving ability, got distracted by these two kids, looked over his shoulder, realized he was off-course and overcorrected?

DWAI assumes the guy tried to flip a U at high speed. A distraction and overcorrection could look an awful lot like flipping a U-turn.

I, of course, wasn't there and just thinking hypothetically. I constantly have people yelling "nice car" or whistling at me, or giving me a thumbs up---to the degree that I could easily get distracted. If I was driving in a "spirited manner" and a couple of teenagers flipped me off and yelled, "WTF is your problem?" it would be more than the usual distraction.

The only person that knows what went on is the driver. The presumption and hatred in the responses to the article was astounding. You could almost see the lynch mob forming.

One rule of thumb that I TRY to adhere to: Don't soil the nest. (i.e. respect your neighbors right to a peaceful, non-glasspack environment). Another thing to keep in mind: Cobras are readily recognizable; don't even think your actions aren't noticed and that you will blend in with the rest of the Camry's.

DD

Excaliber · #20 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 03:32 PM

At times I seem a bit aloof, in the Cobra or on my motorcycle. In either case, I don't always respond to a hand wave, comment or whatever distraction might be happening. I might be trying to stay focused on the driving. I've had to many close calls acknowledging someone in another car or on the street.

...I have no idea what was happening in this case.