There's been rather too much death in the four-wheeled world of late, be it racing in the case of
Allan Simonsen
Sean Edwards
or out on the street like Paul Walker of Fast & Furious fame just this weekend. All were doing things PHers like to do, all were killed in situations many of us can relate to and all put the world of fast cars under renewed scrutiny.
Love it or loathe it, it's a four-wheeled phenomenon
My personal exposure to Walker's work and the Fast & Furious films has been limited but the influence of the series on car culture on both sides of the Atlantic can't be ignored - this and Gran Turismo have shaped a generation of car geeks and though caricatured and easy to parody the impact of F&F and Walker's signature role therein is up there with the likes of Steve McQueen in his representation of fast car culture to the mainstream.
Without wishing to sound egocentric the circumstances of Walker's death alongside his friend Roger Rodas of tuning house Always Evolving struck a personal chord too. Simple human nature I guess but it's easy to reflect on one's own mortality when you can relate at some level to the death of another, known to you or not. And just the week before I'd been doing similar stuff - hanging out with LA petrolheads, hopping in and out of fast cars, enjoying rides as passenger and driver with like-minded car nuts and indulging a shared passion with friends old and new.
Carrera GT was at a social meet in LA
The Facebook update on the page of Always Evolving has a poignant note inviting folk along to the open house event from which Walker and Rodas departed in the Carrera GT - if I'd been in LA this last weekend I'd have probably gone myself. The Fast & Furious franchise may have profited in a seedier and more underground portrayal of car culture but the reality of this event was a
charity fund raiser
for victims of the Philippines typhoon with coffee, doughnuts, cars and car fans in a Sunday Service type scenario any PHer can most likely relate to. And much like the Cars And Coffee event I attended at Irvine just the weekend before. Illegal street racing with criminal gangs this was not.
Doubtless less charitable commentators may take morbid satisfaction in the irony of a man associated with a highly profitable movie franchise celebrating speed and fast cars dying in such a fashion. But there's nothing to crow about here - this was a car accident the exact circumstances of which we don't yet know but much like many others happening the world over day in, day out. Just with greater public exposure.
Our thoughts and condolences go with the families of both Walker and Rodas - Fast & Furious fans or not the flags of car lovers everywhere deserve to fly at half mast.
PHers are already talking about Paul Walker - join the chat here.