[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Apparently the car got stuck between a tree and a wall and caught fire. The couple got trapped inside and could not open the doors.

What a nightmare way to die. Perhaps the fire developed quickly, and they had no time to escape.

They should have tried breaking the glass or opening the sun roof.

Sunroof probably electric? And car glass is not so easy to break without something sharp and hard. I keep one of those pointed-hammer/seat-belt-blade tools in the driver-door pocket. Would I have the presence of mind to find and use it in an accident like this, even if I had time?

But the article also mentions he lost control of the car and hit the tree/wall. So quite possibly the driver was knocked out cold. Sad end to their lives, but questions will be raised as to how he lost control. Man or machine to be blamed? 99.9% of the times its the former.

Yes, we are keyboard critics with no idea of what happened, but, assuming that no other person or vehicle was involved, it is actually quite hard to "loose control" with normal city driving on a normal city street.

Anyway, whatever the fault, the price paid was too high. Far too high.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

...Not sure of what caused the fire ? Will BMW investigate this ?..

High speed impact...vehicle bursting into flames .... not a mystery at all.

I dont think we need to bring the brand into question. Even if this had been a Volvo (reputation for higher-than-industry-norms safety standards) car, I am guessing the end result would have been the same.

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

In our streets there are no second chances. .

In any street (well-developed nations included), the result of high speed crashes are going to be the same...I am reminded of the high-speed crash of a Mercedes resulting in the death of Princess Diana...Mercedes was not faulted for it.

[shubhodeepdas@g]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Sunroof probably electric? And car glass is not so easy to break without something sharp and hard. I keep one of those pointed-hammer/seat-belt-blade tools in the driver-door pocket.

The car seems to be a Z3 from these images comparing the Rollover Protection Bars and the Alloys. To my knowledge it's an open top convertible and the coupe did not come with the Rollover Protection bars.

Sad way to end.

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by shubhodeepdas@g

The car seems to be a Z3 from these images comparing the Anti Roll Bars and the Alloys. To my knowledge it's an open top convertible and the coupe did not come with the anti roll bars.

Sad way to end.

Autocar says the car is a Z4. Link

The structure you see behind the seats is the rollover protection system, not anti-roll bars. Anti-roll bar is the part of the suspension which reduces body roll.

[ecenandu]

Originally Posted by shubhodeepdas@g

The car seems to be a Z3 from these

Z4.

Have met him few times and have asked him how he drives with the half the front windshield(look at the tint). Maybe it is like driving with a karting helmet on for him. Talented driver, a sure loss for India.

RIP buddy.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

... it is actually quite hard to "loose control" with normal city driving on a normal city street.

Anyway, whatever the fault, the price paid was too high. Far too high.

Someone reported this from the crash site:

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by The Rationalist

Public roads are not the place to test your skills,period. Whenever some moron who violates law meets the end the whole crowd erupts that all racers and bikers are not law breakers, but the majority have no respect for laws and are overconfident of their skills. This morning while driving to hospital I saw a hooligan stunting on a bike without helmets on MC Road Kottayam! I'm not bothered if someone kills himself, but on public roads you are endangering others too. The law has lot of provisions, but if you are looking for only law to improve people, I don't think we will ever achieve any real results. One has to learn to value life.

On a public road, others will be present. One cannot put others' lives in danger immaterial of his / her skill level. Public roads are PUBLIC. Period.

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Someone reported this from the crash site:
Attachment 1620163

Z4 does 0-100 in 5s. I think 100m is enough to go above legal speeds. I maybe wrong though.

EDIT: Just found out that 0-100 time of 5s means a distance of approx 80m in most cases.

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by deerhunter

Z4 does 0-100 in 5s. I think 100m is enough to go above legal speeds. I maybe wrong though.

EDIT: Just found out that 0-100 time of 5s means a distance of approx 80m in most cases.

Cars like Z4 don't offer a long wheel travel like say, SUVs.

100 meters from accident spot is the speed breaker, if it is a big one and a car hits it at say 150 kph or maybe even higher - there is a more than good chance that things will go out of control.

150 kph is precisely 41.66 meters per second, losing control at that speed by hitting a speed breaker hard; low suspension travel means wheels going up in air for a moment, and if the rear wheels hit the speed breaker when front ones are already in air - huge chance of change in direction. This way, if anyone loses control at 41 meters per second, even if the brake is pressed hard and steering turned opposite way - but physics and inertia moving the card other way, only god can save.

No offense to anyone, this is indeed a huge loss. But, 3 am, BMW Z4, empty road and suddenly this happening, something seems to be missing - maybe that something, which we call 'that one microsecond of human error'. Something, that only victims knew. R.I.P.

[arighna.dutta]

Originally Posted by BLACKBLADE

ndian Express News Article: National car racer Ashwin Sundar and wife killed in car accident[/url]

Why? May their soul rest in peace, but why to lose your life doing this. Reason for the crash might be not known yet neither would like to jump to any conclusion but it is little too obvious.

Is it an illegal speed breaker built overnight which he didn't know about?

Having a racing job profile to your CV, z4 and other nice cars to your disposal, I will never ever try to lose mine like this.

Had it been in a track, this would have looked way more respectful.

[hserus]

I live less than 3 km from the crash location. The speed breakers exist and are well known in that stretch. No new ones have been added that I can remember. However the paint is rather faded on the existing ones so unless your headlights pick up the hump in the road ..

But 3 .. 4 AM is when you're actually least alert so it might be easy to miss one.

One alternative that strikes me is that he might have been teaching his wife to handle the BMW and it was a learner's error, press the accelerator instead of the brake when slowing down to meet the speedbreaker.

On a small and underpowered hatchback like an Alto or Santro that learners use, this would probably give them a jolt. Floor a bmw's accelerator before a speedbreaker and you'd crash for sure.

Originally Posted by arighna.dutta

Why? May their soul rest in peace, but why to lose your life doing this. Reason for the crash might be not known yet neither would like to jump to any conclusion but it is little too obvious.

Is it an illegal speed breaker built overnight which he didn't know about?

Having a racing job profile to your CV, z4 and other nice cars to your disposal, I will never ever try to lose mine like this.

Had it been in a track, this would have looked way more respectful.

[dailydriver]

Tomorrow is World Head Injury Awareness Day. Accidents happen all the time. However, not all of them should end in loss of human life. An informative article on the impact of head injuries is found here. Please have a look:

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com...eness-day.html

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by hserus

One alternative that strikes me is that he might have been teaching his wife to handle the BMW and it was a learner's error, press the accelerator instead of the brake when slowing down to meet the speedbreaker.

With due respect, of what value is it to pen your alternative theory here?

[hserus]

Originally Posted by kiku007

With due respect, of what value is it to pen your alternative theory here?

None at all. I am sure insurance investigators are coming up with enough ways to reconstruct the accident and respond to claims. Let them get on with it.

Edit - not meant as sexism. Experienced vs inexperienced driver of a sports car is the only theory I was proceeding on to see why someone would accelerate over a known speedbreaker in an area close to where they lived

[shankar.balan]

It is indeed sad that Ashwin and his wife died.

Saying that, going by the media reports and photos,
this was clearly not a low speed incident.

Irrespective of the possible speed breaker, tree, wall etc, the facts clearly indicate that he was driving that car at a high speed, hit something, lost control and crashed it. The photos of the burned out wreck show a mass of twisted metal. It is not only fire that can twist metal so badly- it clearly looks like the car was completely smashed.

Further the articles say that he had modified that car to an extent.

To me there are a few things which bear explanation.

1. What is the normal speed limit on that road?
2. Was he observing the speed limit or not?
3. Was the vehicle modified in some way which compromised its inherent safety?
4. Was the man DWI or DUI?

Irrespective of the protestations of innocence of the young idol, these honest/ harsh questions need to find answers.

It IS a sad death no doubt. But violations if any, around this incident, need to become visible in a transparent manner.

All we can hope for is that others too, learn from this.