Sadly as was at this event... I have no comments other than may the victims rest in peace. Please note why Porsche was included in the suit,...
http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera
http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera
$4.5million settlement for fatal Porsche CGT wreck at Ferrari Club event
- Thread starter B O N Y
- Start date
S592R
GT Owner
- Dec 3, 2006
- 2,800
Thank you for the post. It was a sad event. I do not agree with the stability control argument. However, I do agree with the ca. Speedway becoming safer. Enlarging a play area to the detriment of the drivers on track was just not a wise call.
Have been to several tracks where play areas are right next to the action. I for one would NEVER place my child in one of them no matter what protection is in place. Momentum is what it is and things happen. Race tracks are for race cars ... play grounds are for children. If you want both ... place the play ground dead (no pun here) center of the infield. then build everything else around it.
The rest just makes the GT one of the last ... IMHO
Have been to several tracks where play areas are right next to the action. I for one would NEVER place my child in one of them no matter what protection is in place. Momentum is what it is and things happen. Race tracks are for race cars ... play grounds are for children. If you want both ... place the play ground dead (no pun here) center of the infield. then build everything else around it.
The rest just makes the GT one of the last ... IMHO
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
No matter how much diligence is applied designing a race track, no matter how much research is done, no matter what safety measures are employed, drivers, or spectators, or crew members are going to be injured or killed sometime, some way, for some reason. It's the nature of the beast, so to speak. One CANNOT "freeze frame" a car to stop it at 130 MPH. It's going to stop when the brakes are given enough distance to do that - or it hits something unmoveable.
To sue someone, or a group of "someoneS", because something everyone knows CAN happen DID happen, seems wrong to me. Yes, I read the post. Yes I understand the particulars that supposedly caused or contributed to the event. But, in the end, everybody involved knew the risks. Everybody knew what was where on the track.
What happened was an unfortunate combination of facts and events coming together in the same place at the wrong time. No one should be sued for that.
To sue someone, or a group of "someoneS", because something everyone knows CAN happen DID happen, seems wrong to me. Yes, I read the post. Yes I understand the particulars that supposedly caused or contributed to the event. But, in the end, everybody involved knew the risks. Everybody knew what was where on the track.
What happened was an unfortunate combination of facts and events coming together in the same place at the wrong time. No one should be sued for that.
We can talk about what is right and wrong. Folks don't settle law suits unless they feel it is prudent to do so. This award is public knowledge and will effect the design of cars, and how open track events are ran in the future.
BlackICE
GT Owner
Humm, I have seen a track with a similar layout where the pit's entrance to the track obscured by a wall and the racing line crosses that of the cars entering from the pits. All of cars entering the track from the pits are flagged by a course worker as when it is safe to enter.
This case crosses my mind when I saw the layout! I won't make any comments beyond this. As Bony posted, this may change the way track events are ran, probably on a whole, not to the better.
This case crosses my mind when I saw the layout! I won't make any comments beyond this. As Bony posted, this may change the way track events are ran, probably on a whole, not to the better.
There's a design defect that the car doesn't have stability control...?
The countdown to mandatory helmets for daily life is approaching zero.
The countdown to mandatory helmets for daily life is approaching zero.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
No kidding. :frown
The 1st thing that came to mind reading the attachment was the FGT's lack of S.C. (when I came to that part of the narrative) & I wondered how long it would be now B4 Ford is sued for the same thing in a similiar situation, since the precedent has now been set.
But, regardless of what's done resulting from this, as soon as cars/tracks/etc. are made 100% idiot proof (as the saying goes) - a more advanced idiot will rear his head & they'll have to start over.
The truth is everything we do in life has risks. Even staying HOME has risks. One can't get away from 'em. And to SUE over an injury or death resulting from one's voluntary involvement in an admittedly risky act, like I said B4, just doesn't seem right to me.
Just MHO...
STORMCAT
GT
Kave
GT Owner
- Nov 13, 2006
- 275
Cobrar
GT Owner
dbtgt
One lucky SOB to own a GT
The beginning of the end
"When a 'race car for the streets' is sold to anyone with enough money, regardless of his ability to drive it, and it doesn’t even incorporate modern electronic safety devices that correct driver errors, then maybe the manufacturer should accept some responsibility for the foreseeable deaths that will result."
"Foreseeable" is the operative word. That pretty much says it all! God save us from ourselves (with Hilary's help).:bs
"When a 'race car for the streets' is sold to anyone with enough money, regardless of his ability to drive it, and it doesn’t even incorporate modern electronic safety devices that correct driver errors, then maybe the manufacturer should accept some responsibility for the foreseeable deaths that will result."
"Foreseeable" is the operative word. That pretty much says it all! God save us from ourselves (with Hilary's help).:bs
Sinovac
GT Owner
The thought about the FGT lacking stability control came to mind as well. However, it should be noted that the attorney settled the claim with Porsche for a relatively small amount, certainly less than Porsche's litigation expenses had the case proceeding to trial. As a result, it can probably be fairly said that the claim against Porsche was marginal in the eyes of all parties.
Well, I agree one should not sign a waiver and then sue...
Of course the next of kin filed suit, not the folks that perished in the wreck...
Oh by the way, the counsel representing the plantif was the one who sued Porsche and ended for several year the importation of the 930's.
Curently Porsche is in protracted appeals of a lemon law complaint that they lost. They have very deep pockets, if it would be cheaper to settle, they do so. They say complicated litigation here that could have cost them ten to twenty times more than what they settled for.
So with this in mind, anybody here want to sponsor an open track event? Not me.
Of course the next of kin filed suit, not the folks that perished in the wreck...
Oh by the way, the counsel representing the plantif was the one who sued Porsche and ended for several year the importation of the 930's.
Curently Porsche is in protracted appeals of a lemon law complaint that they lost. They have very deep pockets, if it would be cheaper to settle, they do so. They say complicated litigation here that could have cost them ten to twenty times more than what they settled for.
So with this in mind, anybody here want to sponsor an open track event? Not me.
Ugh. Just thinking the phrase "cheaper to settle" makes me want to vomit. I wish there wasn't a free pass to bring suit against whoever you felt like in this country. Then people who build things that are meant to be used in inherently dangerous activities (i.e vehicles that go over 130mph in any situation) wouldn't be penalized for creating something people want to pay for.
This is why the Viper is dead after 2010 (just relaying what a Dodge engineer told me, as they can't retool the vehicle to meet mandates of a stability control system and won't absorb the cost of re-engineering the whole vehicle), and it won't help the quest for a new Ford supercar any time soon.
BlackICE
GT Owner
A general trend where people don't want to take responsibly for their own actions. It is always someone else's fault! Years ago, I though of renting a track for a group of people, that ideal didn't get far after thinking about it, and that was in the early 90s. It is better left to the pros that put on numerous track events and have the experience, knowledge, expertise, INSURANCE and the safety shield of an LLC or corporation. A private individual should never do it!
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
If that happens, we'll be right back to buildin' our OWN again.
'More WORK - but, yew dew whut yew gotta dew.
'More WORK - but, yew dew whut yew gotta dew.