Wrecked my FD
Wrecked my FD
I’m lucky to be alive.
It happened on 2/8, Saturday, at approximately 5:30 pm; I was driving along Highway 4 (in SF Bay Area) on the way to a family friend's house for dinner. After being stuck behind a slowly moving SUV that was reluctant to yield, I down shifted to 3rd and floor it as soon as the right lane became clear. The fact that I was on a slightly curved section of the road didn't register much concern in my mind as it was a maneuver that I've pulled hundreds of times.
Except this time, I didn't anticipate the off-camber section of the curve that caught me off-guard just as I passed the SUV. Going around an off-cambered curve at full throttle @7000 rpm in 3rd gear w/ a car that puts out over 400 hp is not a good idea. Before I could even flinch, the rear of the car started to slide to the right. I immediately tried to counter-steer, yet I over-corrected, as it's not a maneuver that I've ever attempted at over 80 MPH, the rear of the car started to slide to the left as I drifted in front of the SUV in the left lane and headed off road.
I knew that the wheels were going to catch as soon as I’ll hit the dirt sideways, so I braced myself for what was coming. It was a moment of fear, regret, and helplessness that I won’t forget anytime soon…
The car rolled for what felt like an eternity, I was a rag doll/crash test dummy helplessly strapped into my seat, surrounded by the sounds of crumbling/shattering from all around. When the car finally stopped rolling and rested on its roof (~150 feet away from the curb), I was still alert enough to un-strap myself and crawled out from the little gap that still existed in the rear hatch area.
I was very lucky to escape with only lacerations on my right hand and some body aches due to a few factors:
1) I was on a truly divided highway so there were no on-coming traffic
2) There were no poles or walls on the side of the road, just a grassy field
3) The 3rd Gen RX7’s are structurally strong and lightweight
Yes, I consider myself very, very lucky, all the firemen, paramedics, and policemen at the scene of the accident marveled at the distance that my car had rolled, and how relatively unhurt I was. I’m just glad to be alive, all the hard labor and money that went into the rx7 are almost an after-thought, almost immaterial. Hope everyone out there can learn something from this as well. Safe rotoring!
Fred
I can't seem to attach files right now, so hope the bandwidth on my geocities site won't be used up too soon:
http://www.geocities.com/chohakai/carpic2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/chohakai/carpic3.jpg
It happened on 2/8, Saturday, at approximately 5:30 pm; I was driving along Highway 4 (in SF Bay Area) on the way to a family friend's house for dinner. After being stuck behind a slowly moving SUV that was reluctant to yield, I down shifted to 3rd and floor it as soon as the right lane became clear. The fact that I was on a slightly curved section of the road didn't register much concern in my mind as it was a maneuver that I've pulled hundreds of times.
Except this time, I didn't anticipate the off-camber section of the curve that caught me off-guard just as I passed the SUV. Going around an off-cambered curve at full throttle @7000 rpm in 3rd gear w/ a car that puts out over 400 hp is not a good idea. Before I could even flinch, the rear of the car started to slide to the right. I immediately tried to counter-steer, yet I over-corrected, as it's not a maneuver that I've ever attempted at over 80 MPH, the rear of the car started to slide to the left as I drifted in front of the SUV in the left lane and headed off road.
I knew that the wheels were going to catch as soon as I’ll hit the dirt sideways, so I braced myself for what was coming. It was a moment of fear, regret, and helplessness that I won’t forget anytime soon…
The car rolled for what felt like an eternity, I was a rag doll/crash test dummy helplessly strapped into my seat, surrounded by the sounds of crumbling/shattering from all around. When the car finally stopped rolling and rested on its roof (~150 feet away from the curb), I was still alert enough to un-strap myself and crawled out from the little gap that still existed in the rear hatch area.
I was very lucky to escape with only lacerations on my right hand and some body aches due to a few factors:
1) I was on a truly divided highway so there were no on-coming traffic
2) There were no poles or walls on the side of the road, just a grassy field
3) The 3rd Gen RX7’s are structurally strong and lightweight
Yes, I consider myself very, very lucky, all the firemen, paramedics, and policemen at the scene of the accident marveled at the distance that my car had rolled, and how relatively unhurt I was. I’m just glad to be alive, all the hard labor and money that went into the rx7 are almost an after-thought, almost immaterial. Hope everyone out there can learn something from this as well. Safe rotoring!
Fred
I can't seem to attach files right now, so hope the bandwidth on my geocities site won't be used up too soon:
http://www.geocities.com/chohakai/carpic2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/chohakai/carpic3.jpg
Last edited by chohakai; Mar 2, 2003 at 07:23 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Iowa City, IA
Man that's terrible, it's a good thing you're ok though. My FD scares me sometimes because of things like that, with as much horsepower as a modded one has it's so easy to make one mistake and bam...
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Wow, i've been in the same boat ,but not as near bad as your accident. I think my bald a$$ tires caused me to go into a drift and then, there was that aghfull sound when things must come to a stop.Were you by yourself. Lucky my damage only cost around 4500.I don't think your's gonna make it.Sorry about your lost,glad you ok
No Cup Holder Racing
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
sorry to hear about the accident, but glad you're okay...wow, highway 4, that's between 80/hilltop area and 680/walnut creek area isn't it? it's a nice road to drive, have driven it a couple of times when i was bored, and yea, some friends that grew up in the bay area said there are lots of accidents/deaths on that road.
Blow up or win
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,014
Likes: 3
From: Altezzaville
WOW. There was a song in the seventies named "Crawling from the Wreckage" or something like that. Probably Fog Hat or Golden Earring. Whatever.
I sure as hell can't remember...
Dood, you could be a poster child for young FD3S owners.
At least you salvaged your sun shade!
(sorry - but I thought a *little* laughter might help) But unfortunately the fuel filler door is toast.
Glad to hear you're doing OK. You are one LUCKY guy..hang in there and get well.
I sure as hell can't remember...
Dood, you could be a poster child for young FD3S owners.
At least you salvaged your sun shade!
(sorry - but I thought a *little* laughter might help) But unfortunately the fuel filler door is toast.Glad to hear you're doing OK. You are one LUCKY guy..hang in there and get well.
Wow.
As a young rx-7 driver i fear wrecking a lot. This just really hits that idea home. Im really glato hear that you made it through the crash. best of luck to you and your car.
later
bobby
As a young rx-7 driver i fear wrecking a lot. This just really hits that idea home. Im really glato hear that you made it through the crash. best of luck to you and your car.
later
bobby
Last edited by rfreeman27; Mar 2, 2003 at 09:16 PM.
I'm a CF and poop smith
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,957
Likes: 1
From: Hawaii
holy crap, well thats why its so important to know how to drift, my friends can start drifts at 85mph and come out of them without any problem (which is truely amazing! I'm no where near that good but I'm slowly learning. Drifting has alreayd saved me 2-3X from 50mph slides). In anycase, its good that your still alive and seem to be in pretty good shape considering the above. Are you planning on getting another fd?
