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Member
Posts: 25
| All my POC brothers and sisters, Who among us can say we have never or no longer race in the streets against other Porsches and sports cars? Can any of us say that we have not driven well over 100 mph on the public streets? I do it. I'll bet you do too. Last week there was reported in the OC Register an incident between a 1977 Porsche and a late model Ferrari that resulted in one death (so far) when the driver of the Ferrari drove into a concrete light tower apparently trying to avoid the out of control Porsche. The incident happened in the early morning hours of Wednesday March 11th. The driver of the Porsche registered 0.13 percent alcohol two hours after the crash. It is fair to assume that both drivers were racing.
I am writing this to encourage you, if you are within a reasonable distance and have the time, to visit the crash site. It is located on the southbound side of Jamboree between University and Bison in Newport Beach. There is a shrine now at the point where the Ferrari driver died. You can't miss it. You should, as I have done, walk along the sidewalk and observe the skid marks made by the two cars. The Porsche locked up all four wheels and left fish tailing skid marks across three lanes for what I measured to be 200 yards......uphill! The Porsche went over the curb and back into the street. It looks like the Ferrari locked up avoiding the Porsche and went straight into the light stand. There appears to be a chalk outline in the street where his woman passenger was ejected from the Ferrari when it broke in two.
Why am I putting this here? If you go to this site and look at those skid marks you will think twice the next time someone blows by you on the freeway or boulevard. You will be reaffirmed in what should be all of our commitment to keep it on the track, not on the street. Go see those skid marks. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 476
Location: Summerland | here is a link to the story (and picture) from the L.A. Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/03/ferrari-crash-1.html
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Regular
Posts: 71
Location: Anaheim Hills | I for one am grateful there are few light posts around the racetrack! One reason I got into this sport is because I love driving but realized it can't be done on public roads. Here is one more example. Add to it the death on Santa Ana Canyon near my home in Anaheim about a year ago, a death on Nohl Ranch, near my home a year or so before that (kids in their uncles Lambo) and on and on. With club racing so accessable, there is no excuse. In fact, driving home from work tonight, there was an aggressive kid in a VW GTi driving like Mario Andretti Jr. on the freeway. I backed off and kept my distance so he could collide at will without me involved.
Three cheers for the POC, where we can drive our cars to their limits without involving innocent bystanders. |
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Regular
Posts: 75
Location: Valencia, CA | Unfortunately, this is all too common. A driver died in a brand new Lamborghini during a speed run on the 101 in August 2008.
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Driver-dies-in-crash_180302.htm
Save all that adrenalin and testosterone for the track!
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Member
Posts: 48
| I visited the site this past week as well. It is less than one mile from my house. It was definitely a reminder of the dangers of our passion and sport. Be safe all. |
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A sobering sight