Discussion
On our way to hire a van, I was with my ex who was driving to the hire centre. Driving down a B road we came round a wet corner and lost the back end, fish tailed a few times at around 45mph and within seconds we had hit an enbankment wall. The impact was unbelievable, I saw an explosion and then pure white all around us, which seemed to be the gases from the airbags. Unable to breathe or move I felt a little panic but realised I was just winded and had slightly fucked my back, my ex had burst her lip on the airbag and bruised her chest from the seatbelt.
This was in a VW Lupo and I cannot stop thinking that the same impact in the Elise would have been nearly fatal. I know airbags aren't the be all and end all but I think the only reason we walked away from this was the relatively safety of these german mini-tanks! Reading the thread about wantalotus's accident does make you think is it all worth it!
This was in a VW Lupo and I cannot stop thinking that the same impact in the Elise would have been nearly fatal. I know airbags aren't the be all and end all but I think the only reason we walked away from this was the relatively safety of these german mini-tanks! Reading the thread about wantalotus's accident does make you think is it all worth it!
A friend of mine once drove me into a 400 year old oak tree at about 30mph.
I hadn't got a licence at the time, but my test was a month or two away. I learned about driving that day. He broke his back and nearly didn't make it. I had severe back pain and concussion. The car was a serious mess.
Both of us were wearing seatbelts, but there were no airbags in those days.
The whole speed kills thing is a bit sick in my mind. It makes people believe that if they are doing 30 that they're safe. The physics of crashes, are such that if you hit anything remotely solid, considerable bending and squishing occurs.
Ask yourself how much it hurts if you fall over. Then consider how fast you were going, when you fell. The physics say that humans are pretty fraile. Even Arnie is a bit weak in a car accident.
Edited to add;
Needless to say, I think the tree let go of a small leaf, but otherwise was uninterested.
>> Edited by dilbert on Sunday 18th September 02:29
I hadn't got a licence at the time, but my test was a month or two away. I learned about driving that day. He broke his back and nearly didn't make it. I had severe back pain and concussion. The car was a serious mess.
Both of us were wearing seatbelts, but there were no airbags in those days.
The whole speed kills thing is a bit sick in my mind. It makes people believe that if they are doing 30 that they're safe. The physics of crashes, are such that if you hit anything remotely solid, considerable bending and squishing occurs.
Ask yourself how much it hurts if you fall over. Then consider how fast you were going, when you fell. The physics say that humans are pretty fraile. Even Arnie is a bit weak in a car accident.
Edited to add;
Needless to say, I think the tree let go of a small leaf, but otherwise was uninterested.
>> Edited by dilbert on Sunday 18th September 02:29
Lupos have a very short bonnet filled with an engine that can't deform too much in an impact. I've seen a few pictures of Elises involved in frontal impact and the clam takes a lot of the energy away when it shatters. There's a very good crash stucture in front of the chassis as well.
It's a bit like the old motorsport cliche that the more spectacular the crash looks the safer it is.
It's a bit like the old motorsport cliche that the more spectacular the crash looks the safer it is.
The white you saw was the talcum powder the pack they airbags in with to reduce burns when they go off.
I think you could possibly have been better off in an Elise as the basic structure is so much stronger than 99% of cars on the road - easily a match for a Lupo.
The only accident that's a no no in an Elise it to hit a taller vehicle (4x4, van, truck) head on as there's a good chance you'll go straight under. Any other type of accident, expecially those without other cars involved (walls, barriers, hedges) I can't think of anything that would protect you as well.
I'm glad you're both ok.
>> Edited by MJK 24 on Sunday 18th September 17:08
I think you could possibly have been better off in an Elise as the basic structure is so much stronger than 99% of cars on the road - easily a match for a Lupo.
The only accident that's a no no in an Elise it to hit a taller vehicle (4x4, van, truck) head on as there's a good chance you'll go straight under. Any other type of accident, expecially those without other cars involved (walls, barriers, hedges) I can't think of anything that would protect you as well.
I'm glad you're both ok.
>> Edited by MJK 24 on Sunday 18th September 17:08
Spot on MJK. The elise has an extremely rigid shell around the occupants that resists deformation while the bodywork disintegrates to dissipate energy - same as a racing car. Most cars offer very little side protection whereas the 'liz has a rigid chassis on the side of the occupants. Also, remember that being very light, there is less energy to dissipate when a collision occurs with a stationary object (ie force = mass * velocity) - half the weight = half the energy to dissipate. Hence a two ton vehicle hitting a tree at 40mph is a lot worse potentially than a 700kg vehicle. (though a Lupo is fairly light - but heavier than an elise)
My worst accident was being hit by a 2 ton 4*4 doing nearly 60 while I was stationary. (Was in an old Handa civic) Total wreck - broken back etc.
The bad thing would be to hit a much taller vehicle as was mentioned. Bear in mind that the elise is one of the only cars ever tested that was still driveable after being driven at 30mph into a concrete block.
Enough rambling - glad to hear you are both OK. Very scary!
My worst accident was being hit by a 2 ton 4*4 doing nearly 60 while I was stationary. (Was in an old Handa civic) Total wreck - broken back etc.
The bad thing would be to hit a much taller vehicle as was mentioned. Bear in mind that the elise is one of the only cars ever tested that was still driveable after being driven at 30mph into a concrete block.
Enough rambling - glad to hear you are both OK. Very scary!
Its all about velocity. Kinetic energy = ½ * mass * velocity2 (the 2 means Squared). So when you double the velocity you end up increasing the kinetic energy by 4 times. Ok I’m a nerd
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Stay safe and don’t drive faster than you are capable of handling. i drive at 20mph
Glad you are ok. All the best
Tanman
>> Edited by tanman on Monday 19th September 19:16
. Stay safe and don’t drive faster than you are capable of handling. i drive at 20mph
Glad you are ok. All the best
Tanman
>> Edited by tanman on Monday 19th September 19:16
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