The first gumball 3000 fatality

[headbrace]

I agree wholeheartedly with Dave, and I'm glad he expressed properly what I was thinking.

Yes, it is an extreme shame that someone was killed, but surely we should the law do its bit and investigate what happened, and then decide what should be done.

Having seen what can happen on the Gumball, it could well have been doing 140mph on the wrong side of the road, but it could equally have doing the speed limit at the time. People die in car crashes at all speeds, and the man who died died on his way to hospital so wasn't killed outright on impact.

We have no idea how that Golf was driving. I've seen people in Porsche's drive perfectly sensibly, and old women in Fiat Panda's cause accidents, pull out irrationally. And when you're on the motorway, you are surrounded by people breaking the law, going far too fast, as you often are on any road. Indeed, almost everywhere you go, you could surround yourself with people breaking the law. But to presuppose that anyone amongst said people is breaking the law and thus must be at fault is a bit of stretch.

So far we've yet to get any concrete evidence of what actually happened, and once we do then authorities can actually work out who's at fault.

I for one would love to go on a Gumball, if only for the opportunity to drive through some great scenery in a great car surrounded by some awesome machinery, and with excellent parties afterwards. Just because these people are rich and this is how they choose to spend their time doesn't make them automatically guilty. I dare say that some of them are guilty of a great number of things, but that's not at issue here.

So, er, yer, Dave's got the right idea I reckon, and it will be extremely interesting to see how this pans out...

[arbitor]

yes it will be interesting


im trying to also say that the people on the rallye probably also drive normal when they are on thier own or whatever, but from what i have seen, as soon as one guns it they all start.

Im not saying everyone that drives a Porsche causes accidents im saying that this would mulitply the chance of an accident in this situation, as if someone burns it past you in thier ferrari, your not going to stay at 70 in your 911 your going to do the same, and then they all do it. And they do as i have it .

[dave87]

It costs ~£30k to enter the rally, you don't get many 2cvs doing it!

In fact, i've been on forums that have members who do this rally each year. They will actually buy a car purely to do the gumball in, these aren't cheap cars, they might be £150k lambos/tuned porsches etc.

These people don't care if they get a speeding ticket or wreck the car. They just don't seem to realise that its not just their car at risk when they're doing these speeds

Nope, its true, not many enter the Gumball in a 2CV, but that was what made it unique.

I'm sure there are some who would buy a car just to drive the rally, if they've got the money, then good for them. I fail to see what their spending habits have to do with where the responsibilities lie for this tragic accident.

You're last point intrigued me. How many of these people have you actually met? How many have you sat down and talked with? If you have done the above, then your conclusion is a fair one. The problem lies with the fact so many people assume they know the facts of the case, when, in reality, they are getting a biased perception, dependant on the source of the information. Bias by omission can be as dangerous as outright lies.

But think of it this way. They also have families. They also have loved ones, they also have responsibilities elsewhere. Some are even professional racing drivers (Jodie Kidd for example). It is the widespread perception that has been propagated by those opposed to the gumball, and by some in it, which influences public opinion, not the facts. It is also true, that whilst they have large amounts of money, they still are similar to the majority of the population. They have some sensibilities, but as with society, you can occasionally get some which shirk those responsibilities - joyriders, theives and the like. The ultra rich aren't exempt from those failings exemplified in the wider population.

im trying to also say that the people on the rallye probably also drive normal when they are on thier own or whatever, but from what i have seen, as soon as one guns it they all start.

Im not saying everyone that drives a Porsche causes accidents im saying that this would mulitply the chance of an accident in this situation, as if someone burns it past you in thier ferrari, your not going to stay at 70 in your 911 your going to do the same, and then they all do it. And they do as i have it .

Again, here all I see is wild speculation based on a perception of reality. Very little useful can come from pure speculation, it is facts which determine responsibility, and those are best left to those trained and employed for such tasks.

[arbitor]

pure speculation?

A user on the GTI owners site is the guy who parks/moves all the stars cars and he has told us what goes on.

And actually after doing donuts in margeras lambo, (the gearbox later failed in the rally) bam and his crew completely smashed up this guys 306 gti, so i have a fair source. And he says what goes on. And i have seen the stupidity with my own eyes dave, search it on youtube and look. Also even the program glorify the speed they drive at.

[dave87]

Unfortunately, the passenger of the car involved died as a result of her injuries.

News Report here.

Press Release from Gumball Organisers:

Gumball 3000 is very saddened to announce a road accident which occurred yesterday, May 2nd, involving a participating vehicle and a local vehicle in Macedonia. Exact details are still filtering through, but below are the facts as of midday May 3rd 2007 issued by the Macedonian authorities.

An adult Macedonian male aged 67 died in hospital from a heart attack following the incident where the two cars collided. The participants in the rally were held in custody last night with a preliminary court judgement expected today.

Organisers of the rally would like to express its deepest condolences to the family of the victim for this tragic accident.

Maximillion Cooper, founder of the Rally says: “It is with extreme sadness I have to make an announcement of this nature in the events nine year history.. The event is organised with each local authorities support and permission, and drivers are under strict stipulation by abide by the laws and road regulations of the country they are driving through. It is extremely sad for this unfortunate accident to have occurred. I am informed that the incident was reported immediately by the drivers. Both drivers are extremely traumatised by this occurrence.

And it seems Team Polizei were the first to withdraw from the rally as a mark of respect for the victims of the collision. A poignant example of the upstanding and respectful nature of most gumballers.

[arbitor]

Very sad to hear that RIP

Obviously thats completely different to every other story out there, hardly surprising.

And I read everywhere else that the even was canceled..

http://forums.gumball3000.com/viewtopic.php?t=1583

thats what i was talking about earlier BTW.

Really gets me the way they say it was deserved, no way on this earth does a few donuts cause a lambo clutch to fail. And the fact that they all agree with what he did really annoys me.

[arbitor]

"British citizen Nicholas Morley was speeding in his Porsche at the Struga-Qafasan road, when it collided head-on with Chepunjoski's Golf.

Yesterday, an investigative judge of Struga Court ordered 30 days of temporary detention to Nicholas Morley. The Police filed a formal accusation against him for "heavy violation of traffic safety" and "failure to provide help to an injured person"."

OMG look how different that is compaired to the gumball report in your post.

thats not aimed at you dave just looking at the differences

[BenW]

Its quite obvious from the damage to both veichles that it was not a head on crash.

Also, about the clutch on the lambo. It is entirely possible that it would go after a few donuts (If they were started from a standstill).

Think i remember hearing on topgear or the likes that an enzo or similars clutch will only last 10 full on launches

[dave87]

pure speculation?

A user on the GTI owners site is the guy who parks/moves all the stars cars and he has told us what goes on.

And actually after doing donuts in margeras lambo, (the gearbox later failed in the rally) bam and his crew completely smashed up this guys 306 gti, so i have a fair source. And he says what goes on. And i have seen the stupidity with my own eyes dave, search it on youtube and look. Also even the program glorify the speed they drive at.

In a rear wheel drive car, a few donuts wouldn't hurt, but in a four wheel drive car it puts excessive load on the clutch and four wheel drive system, and so it is hardly surprising that the clutch later failed.

Anyway, we are heading off topic.

I don't argue there is some stupidity in the driving of the Gumballers, but the reason those clips are popular is solely because they show some stupidity. Those hundreds of miles of safe driving doesn't get put on YouTube because it's not interesting, or exciting, and therefore few would watch it. As I said earlier, bias by omission can be as dangerous as outright lies.

[badass]

Really gets me the way they say it was deserved, no way on this earth does a few donuts cause a lambo clutch to fail. And the fact that they all agree with what he did really annoys me.

Well I suppose it wasn't deserved. What he really deserved was a £17k bill to fix the Lambo's gearbox.
You just dont treat other peoples stuff like that.
He was a complete for doing donuts in a car he was supposed to just be moving from one place to another and I have no sympathy for him. He is a proze

[arbitor]

LOL we have had a ten page debate about this on the other forum, and theres no way that was what made the clutch fail 1.5 thousand miles later.


And dave as you can see although i was presuming turns out that it wasn't as nice as gumball made out.

Canceled for good. Shame really oh well.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ocidfeed&hl=en he needs his throat cut

[Tarffie]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ocidfeed&hl=en he needs his throat cut

For throwing some paint on a car?
You talk some utter, utter nonsense.

[arbitor]

that car was ruined, all for the sake of that small minded twonk.
Who really thinks that his clutch failed because of a couple of dougnuts.

Hes an idiot and deserves anything that might happen to him

[badass]

Hes an idiot and deserves anything that might happen to him

Agreed. But your mate does aswell.

[arbitor]

hes not my mate, and yes he shouldn't have been doing donuts in the car, but the clutch later on was found to be faulty.

and the major argument is how idiot magera can get away with criminal damage.

Oh well its not happening anymore so i guess its over..