2 young guys killed in Austrian Alps racing. Came off a clif
Discussion
That is an absolute mess
The Alpine routes I've done are great fun, but some of the drops you encounter are terrifying. 1000ft is a long way to be falling and that was something that always played in the back of my mind when driving them...
If the car was a Seat, then going off the rear lights on the Daily Mail link, it looks like it was this shape Leon to me...with the same Pro.Race wheels;
The Alpine routes I've done are great fun, but some of the drops you encounter are terrifying. 1000ft is a long way to be falling and that was something that always played in the back of my mind when driving them...
If the car was a Seat, then going off the rear lights on the Daily Mail link, it looks like it was this shape Leon to me...with the same Pro.Race wheels;
I hope news sites will drop the 'illegal race' element of the stories. Judging from the Great Rally's website, it was meant to be a fun jaunt rather than a timed event, even if it turns out the crash was the result of stupidity on a tricky road.
But that'll be too much to ask, especially of the Mail.
But that'll be too much to ask, especially of the Mail.
The Austrian article says the younger (22) of the two guys in the Leon was driving and the 42 year old driver of the Porsche was a few minutes behind. When the Porsche driver didn't see the two Leon guys later at the meeting point, and couldn't reach them by phone and didn't see them at the hotel, he contacted the rally organizer. When he saw the police helicopter later on he contacted the police.
One wonders if the 'rally' handle of this organised jaunt is what has led some to believe it was a race. Time will tell, but it must have been a driving holiday which the young fellas would have been very excited about, as we all are when we take our cars abroad. All rather sad that it ended in this way.
SuperchargedVR6 said:
Anyone recognise those tyres? They don't look like a premium brand. Maybe they ran out of grip?
These.http://www.toyo.co.uk/tire/pattern/proxes-r1r
So sad. It sounds like either their car or their ability may have let them down.
It reminds me of an accident a close friend had many years ago.
He was driving a bog standard Escort and thought he could keep up with a Golf GTi. The GTi took the corner but his Escort ended up wrapped around a tree, with the back passengers being sucked out of the rear window and ending up the river next to the road. Luckily, by luck or God's will, they all survived albeit with injuries.
I did the Alpine roads a couple of years ago and I have to say that some of them are pretty scary. Some were narrow with no visibility round corners and no run off between you and the drop.
It reminds me of an accident a close friend had many years ago.
He was driving a bog standard Escort and thought he could keep up with a Golf GTi. The GTi took the corner but his Escort ended up wrapped around a tree, with the back passengers being sucked out of the rear window and ending up the river next to the road. Luckily, by luck or God's will, they all survived albeit with injuries.
I did the Alpine roads a couple of years ago and I have to say that some of them are pretty scary. Some were narrow with no visibility round corners and no run off between you and the drop.
Grossglockner is a private, well surfaced road, but it's not place to be driving fast (lots of hairpins, drops with no or limited barriers and when we went lots of cyclists descending faster than cars!).
Obviously it's very sad and I can't imagine what happened, but descending any mountain pass (Ok it's not a pass, as it's a cul-de-sac, but it's like one) is a killer on brakes if you're driving quickly.
Going up, well, I guess a bend could tighten unexpectedly and surprise the driver.
Condolences to the families, sad loss for them whatever the circumstances.
M
Obviously it's very sad and I can't imagine what happened, but descending any mountain pass (Ok it's not a pass, as it's a cul-de-sac, but it's like one) is a killer on brakes if you're driving quickly.
Going up, well, I guess a bend could tighten unexpectedly and surprise the driver.
Condolences to the families, sad loss for them whatever the circumstances.
M
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