Monday 7th October 2013

Blind land speed record broken

As if driving a 911 GT2 isn't normally terrifying enough...

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Whoever you are, 186mph is pretty damn quick in a car. When you're blind, that's a staggering achievement. But Mike Newman has done just that as an average speed, and claimed the blind land speed record in the process.

Mike is fairly familiar with outrageous feats for a man with no sight as he also holds an Aerial Acrobatic Record for flying the most consecutive formation loops. His previous land speed record of 176mph, hit in a BMW M5, was beaten in 2010 by Metin Senturk, who managed 182mph in a Ferrari F430.

And here's what's next; brave man!

So, not to be outdone, Mike went to Bruntingthorpe to claim the record back. The car, a Porsche 997 GT2, would be scary enough for s a fully-sighted person to drive so extra kudos to Mike there for that.

And he's not finished yet, far from it. According to his website the next adventure will see him attempt to take both the land and water speed records simultaneously. On 11th October, World Sight Day, he will return to Bruntingthorpe with a Noble M600 and aim for over 182mph unaccompanied. He will then head to Torquay to attempt the blind water speed record in an F1 power boat, which stands at 91mph.

We'll be sure to keep you updated with developments. Good luck Mike!

[Source: MotorAuthority via BBC]

[vanschpunk]

suppose you would have to be blind to drive a modern beetle

[P4ROT]

vanschpunk said:

suppose you would have to be blind to drive a modern beetle

Thats dangerous talk for these forums...

[turbo-ww]

vanschpunk said:

suppose you would have to be blind to drive a modern beetle

Troll.....

[JamStar]

Respect to that man for living life to the max. He must have some incredible skills to drive/fly/sail along at high speeds on what looks like a regular basis!

[turbo-ww]

Excellent achievment Mike - Well Done!

[Drive Blind]

would love to have heard the phone call with the insurers,

Porsche, yes
GT2, yup
he's what!?!?

[rtz62]

Magnificent madness!
Well done that man, if ever there was the epitome of the Britush bulldog spirit, this guy oozes it....

[simoid]

Article said:

According to his website the next adventure will see him attempt to take both the land and water speed records simultaneously.

Two places at once?

[AyBee]

Drive Blind said:

would love to have heard the phone call with the insurers,

Porsche, yes
GT2, yup
he's what!?!?

Apt username

Great achievement but if he's driving solo, what happens if he hits a bump at 180mph which hops the car off course?

[405dogvan]

vanschpunk said:

suppose you would have to be blind to drive a modern beetle

7 years a member - just 4 posts.

2 straight trolls, one keen for a new Sinclair C5 and one a detailed defence of Ford's recent hot hatch history.

...!!

As for the record, gratz to the guy but I wonder how long before Guinness invoke their "too risky to allow people to beat it" rule (on the basis that it's only a matter of time before sighted people start wearing blindfolds or blacking their canopies at Speed Week)?

[Garlick]

vanschpunk said:

suppose you would have to be blind to drive a modern beetle

Amazed.

[405dogvan]

AyBee said:

Great achievement but if he's driving solo, what happens if he hits a bump at 180mph which hops the car off course?

He does what everyone else on earth would do, tries to catch it on feel, hits the brakes and prays

Bear-in-mind that 'blind' does not mean 'can see absolutely nothing' (medically or legally at least) although I believe he is what most people would consider 'completely blind' I'm not sure?

p.s. in that 'amazing save' Subaru TT video, Mark Higgins says something interesting - that you tend to end up heading (and therefore crashing) where you're looking, so this guy has an advantage there!

Edited by 405dogvan on Monday 7th October 12:21

[Tib]

Sure he's probably better than most Honda Jazz drivers out there, blind or not...

[Rawwr]

Garlick said:

Amazed.

Can't you just ban these bellends?

Regardless, a pretty amazing achievement. I remember doing 50mph on an airfield with my eyes closed and it was utterly terrifying and incredibly disorienting, so to hit 186mph is just so far beyond comprehension that my head hurts just thinking about it.

[minky monkey]

Mind you, the guide dog looked like he was crapping himself!

Fair play!

[Carnnoisseur]

Still shaking my head in disbelief, that's amazing, what a legend!

[4a4]

Top man

Good on you sir!

[epom]

Superb stuff Mike, excelling in making the rest of us look pretty ordinary.

[Andy ap]

Surely to do both the land and sea one simultaneously he'd need a hovercraft right?

Either way fair credit to him...i just hope his poor labrador friend wasn't on the lead at the time.

Doing that speed is one thing but accelerating to it would of been something else. I suppose this is one advantage of flappy paddle gearboxes?

Edited by Andy ap on Monday 7th October 12:39

[Morningside]

When is it the dogs turn?