Widow Gets 4.5 mil in lawsuit. Porche Not so lucky...

[Sideswipe SI]

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera

Worth the read, Interesting how disclaimers and waivers are seen in the Supreme court nowadays. The story strikes a chord with the reality that anyone that can buy anything should usually find out if they qualify to own it.

I've seen those CGT's in real life and I played with it in my GTO, (of course i was no match) but a car like that should really not ever be on the same road shared by the public trust. Even if it's legal. Even if you're Joel Schulmacher!
The driver was in a word... "NOOB". It showed in the lane changes, and acceleration. Horrible business what happened in the article. Waste of a AWSOME car. CGT's are not a toy.

[jerseytypesh]

This is great story, wasn't it Jay leno who spun his CGT going into NASCAR turn 1 and manged to keep off the wall? Anyway those things are twitchy as hell

[sfields]

Wow, that poor car... those poor people... I can't believe they got that much money if they signed a release though... wow.

[Rob]

They wouldn't have the attorney proved gross negligence. I am emailing my friend from High School he recently bought a 2004 Ferrari 360 Modena and races it up in Ohio. I think he should definetly read this, he too is in the Ferrari Owner's Assc.

Wow thats terrible. Yeah a tiny little car like that with what did it say 600 hp? Thats crazy, It's almost like any 16 year old hops on a crotch rocket feeling like superman I guess.

Can't stress enough if you have exspensive hobbies like this, go to track days and learn to drive defensively, know your limits. Speed will come get your accuracy down first.

[Brash22]

This is all well and good but at some stage we have to allow people the take the responsibility for their own actions. If a noob driver buys a Porsche then crashes and kills himself then blame the driver, not Porsche becasue they built a fast car.

Keep in mind that this (in every respect) was motorsport, and in motorsport accidents happen. Yes it's sad. Yes it's a waste of such an awesome piece of machinery. Yes there should be an investigation to avoid the same thing ever happening again. But $4.5million? I don't think so.

Also, you mast ask yourself the value of the electronic stability programme, which they say the car should've been fitted with. Everybody I know who tracks their cars turns it off when they pull onto the track because it slows them down. So even had it been fitted, it's likely that it would've been turned off.

[Rob]

That is true, thats why I posted go to the track learn to drive, don't just think I have a fast car. Yes agreed the traction control is a computer controlled device that corrects driver's error. If this guy had been a more experienced driver this would not have happened. I think I remember someone saying Jay Leno spun out in the same type of car the CGT but regained control. Experience is everything.

Sorry another story, I'll try to make it short.

I was taught how to drive in the winter, I had a paper route, so my dad had a 1985 Honda CRX, we are a Honda Family, love Hondas. Anyhow he would teach me to pull the handbrake and slide and re gain control, so at a very young age I was taught how to drive defensively, I could slide that car around into a parallel parking spot if I had too.

One time I was driving my Mom's Buick Electra Station Wagon a.k.a. TANK to a Employee Christmas Party at Kings Dominion here in VA w/ my sister and her boyfriend, well roads were dry but we took a back road to cut time. I rounded a corner and nothing but black ice, that rear end came around so fast, I just held on to the wheel felt the momentum of the car and spun that thing around a whole 360 and kept on getting it. I have no doubt that was due to my dad teaching me how to drive in the snow.

[Sideswipe SI]

True, But you see all the facts of a story changes when you talk about 120+ mph on a straightaway. The CGT could've gone airborne instead of wrecking. That would not be pretty. As far as stability control, t/c control and ASM systems, they might make a car from maxima to a m6 controlable, but, it's still limited on supercars. Instead of 2 seconds or error correction you get 4? Yes it don't sound like much, and usually isn't. if the car was going only 80mph, then there woulda been a different outcome.