[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by R2D2

For a man with Ashwin's driving skills & experience with fast cars ...

And let this be the takeaway for all of us.

A far more skilled and experienced driver than most of us, yet he's no more.
Error? Mistake? Bad luck? Doesn't matter - if it happened to him, it sure can happen to us.

Lets use this tragic incident to remind ourselves - we need to drive safe and drive vigilantly. And when we take the wheel, we're responsible for the safety of everyone inside the car and those outside.

[sgmuser]

Very very sad when I first saw this news bit! Without my knowledge I shouted OMG and my family was shocked! From then on my wife kept on asking why why why! I told her this is what life is all about! Remember Steve Irwin of Crocodile Hunter, died in a freak accident, Paul Walker in car crash, and then now one in what they think they are one of the best or invincible! Need to realise and slow down that we are just a dust particle in this whole setup! Below article somewhat explains what could have gone wrong! 120 kmph in that road is insane simply at any point of time. He also had a part to play. I did not expect from him - the balance, the maturity behind wheels, it should have been better.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...?homepage=true

[virgopal]

Racer Ashwin Sundar death: What is likely to have gone wrong
The BMW Z4 is normally considered a safe ride, but sports cars are vulnerable at high speeds on narrow Indian roads......
Read rest of the article at:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...le17529895.ece

[swissknife]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Not sure if he was a teetotaller but I just hope it was not DUI which lead to a critical lapse in judgement at high speed.

AFAIK, he was a teetotaller.

[V.Narayan]

It is sad he lost his life. To some extent he was responsible for the accident - not entirely but to a degree for sure. What is more sad is that another young life (Niveditha) also got snuffed out in a horrific way for absolutely no fault of hers. Lets assume his speed was 80kmph and not the 120kmph the police claim. Even then that is a rather high speed to be driving on Indian city roads with their unmarked speed-breakers, wayward traffic, jay walkers, wrong side drivers and so on. Frankly my sympathy is with his parents and her parents. Few things can be worse than seeing your child die before you. By rash driving he has not only destroyed his wife's young life but also brought a life time of grief for his parents and her parents. I recognize this view of mine may not find favour in a community of car and motor sport lovers.

[null]

Sad to read that he took the girl's life along with him for no fault of hers (I assume) - one less doctor for the country. Seeing the crash photos irrespective of whether he was avoiding a pedestrian or a speed breaker, it is understood that he was driving his car at an uncontrollable & dangerous speed. Whatever may be his achievements on track, I don't find it deserving to be glorified at this moment of grief - my view in this incident (after reading the details in the newspaper this morning).

May her soul rest in peace.

[The Brutailer]

Times of India reports that seat belts were not worn hence airbags did not deploy. Also, apparently the engine was modified and tuned. Modifications in engine also may have led to the accident.

Clear case of reckless driving + no safety precautions + pathetic Indian road conditions with unmarked speed brakers.

May their souls rest in peace.

[bhavik.1991]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

And let this be the takeaway for all of us.

A far more skilled and experienced driver than most of us,

A far more skilled and experienced driver than most of us, driving a far safer ride than the rides of most of us.

[rajivn]

I would like to believe it is a case of speed breaker without any painted stripes. My wife recalled that her family driver who drives a tempo for IT companies in the night was driving on that same MRC Nagar road 2-3 months back when he hit the speed breaker hurting a pregnant lady travelling in the vehicle; because of the sudden jerk she delivered 2 weeks earlier than due date. Thankfully the baby was healthy and driver survived. I am told the other employees did not severely chide the driver because they knew there was no speed breaker on that road and it was probably laid in a days time and left without any stripes.

[Hayek]

Feels sad to see young lives lost. It's a lesson for all of us - no matter how good a driver you are, drive well within yourself on public roads, especially Indian ones. And always wear seat belts.

[i74js]

This was no race and equally quite inopportune time to say goodbye to this world. The cars are improving and so is the infrastructure; yet what a machine and human being can deliver on a race track cannot be delivered on a normal city road. One tends to forget it many a times while behind the wheel.

This should not have happened rather perfectly avoidable (though I am no one to say so with any authority unless the complete and transparent investigation is over) accident.

May his family gets strength during this troubled time and we get lesson that human are mortals even when they are cocooned inside a fairly safe machine.

[D33-PAC]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

And let this be the takeaway for all of us.

A far more skilled and experienced driver than most of us, yet he's no more.
Error? Mistake? Bad luck? Doesn't matter - if it happened to him, it sure can happen to us.
.

First off,

I don't drive after 1 AM. That too on any day close to the weekend because that's when all the drunk loonies are out on the road.

Second, I don't drive at 120 KMPH that too AFTER 1 AM .

I'm sure Ashwin was a great guy and a wonderful person, but I refuse to believe he's more experienced and skilled.

All those years of mastering apex on a track, yet a lapse in common sense couldn't separate him from any other mortal that WONT die from driving after 1 AM at 120 KMPH in a sports car (Police said the car was going at 120 KMPH o the HINDU).

I'm sorry but being a politically correct person I refuse to believe this person was a better driver than me. IT WONT happen to me just because it happened to him. I don't drive at 120 KMPH after 1 AM on street roads.

Please don't generalize circumstances he put himself in and degrade sane responsible drivers to his level.

[Vinodh_Gowda]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

It is sad he lost his life. To some extent he was responsible for the accident - not entirely but to a degree for sure. What is more sad is that another young life (Niveditha) also got snuffed out in a horrific way for absolutely no fault of hers. Lets assume his speed was 80kmph and not the 120kmph the police claim. Even then that is a rather high speed to be driving on Indian city roads with their unmarked speed-breakers, wayward traffic, jay walkers, wrong side drivers and so on. Frankly my sympathy is with his parents and her parents. Few things can be worse than seeing your child die before you. By rash driving he has not only destroyed his wife's young life but also brought a life time of grief for his parents and her parents. I recognize this view of mine may not find favour in a community of car and motor sport lovers.

I completely agree with you and echo the same view. We can understand his love for speed considering his amazing records on track but then sadly the one thing he couldn't control is keeping his love for speed reserved for the tracks. My sympathies with the parents of both the deceased. The loss of a successful, grown up son\daughter is immense.

Off-Topic: The media is yet to learn it's lessons.Most of the articles I have read and the television news channels are placing undue importance of the car being a BMW. What's BMW's fault here.

[qr20de]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

It is sad he lost his life. To some extent he was responsible for the accident - not entirely but to a degree for sure. What is more sad is that another young life (Niveditha) also got snuffed out in a horrific way for absolutely no fault of hers. .

Couldn't agree with you more. There is absolutely no need to drive fast when people around you do not respect the rules of the road. I find it immature to 'prove' that you can drive fast on a public road.

It's extremely sad that he passed away like that, more so his wife.

Luckily no one else was caught in the accident.

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by GTO

you will see skid marks turning left into the crash site.

Skid marks ? Was the ABS somehow disabled? ABS must prevent the wheels from locking up right ?