5 Killed When 2008 BMW M5 Flies Off Elevated Airstrip

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Wow.

The driver's thread on M5Board.com

M5froth I completley understand where you are coming from assuming that I am irresponsible..that is definetly understandable. I do sometimes make bad decisions but I am young and I do drive safe and I will not endanger the lives of others..and I hope you are not under the impression that I am the one to brag, I have never been that way and never will. Plus I will have pictures up asap with me in the pictures. I have no reason to lie buddy.

Posted by the driver, 3.5 hours before he killed himself and 4 friends. 🙁

Incorrect. The other four killed themselves...they were not killed by the driver. Each knew what they were getting into.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

Except he was bragging about going 140mph and wanted to take it even faster. They said the car was airborn for 200' before hitting a tree. He must have been travelling extremely fast. No street car is safe at those speeds. I don't care whether it's a BMW or a Mustang. You fuck up at those speeds and you're dead.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

Except he was bragging about going 140mph and wanted to take it even faster. They said the car was airborn for 200' before hitting a tree. He must have been travelling extremely fast. No street car is safe at those speeds. I don't care whether it's a BMW or a Mustang. You fuck up at those speeds and you're dead.

^^^

Yep. 🙁 Rip 5 kids.

Speaking from experience, judging distance is very difficult even in perfect conditions, and is a learned skill. Because 99% of the time we're driving 35-70mph on public roads, judging distance at 140+ is not something that you can instantly do. Adding the factors of extra kids in the car (distraction), and the possibility/probability of intoxicants (decreased response time, reduced judgmental faculties), this was a prescription for trouble.

I've taken my E39 M5, totally stock, on a closed highway at up to around 150, and while it felt awesome, it was still a time when every movement requires 100% concentration, and planning. Regardless of my experience in performance cars, I doubt I would ever want to do that with passengers, particularly at night.

Sad, but this story should be spread around to the parents who have kids of driving age that show the inclination towards street racing/drag racing. Maybe get the kid a racing license and take him to kart events, or just the drag strip, with the appropriate training and safety precautions. Anything but toss the keys to a 500hp monster so that he/she can take 4 friends with him to the afterlife.

Reminds me of porsche girl in some ways.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

Except he was bragging about going 140mph and wanted to take it even faster. They said the car was airborn for 200' before hitting a tree. He must have been travelling extremely fast. No street car is safe at those speeds. I don't care whether it's a BMW or a Mustang. You fuck up at those speeds and you're dead.

^^^

Yep. 🙁 Rip 5 kids.

Speaking from experience, judging distance is very difficult even in perfect conditions, and is a learned skill. Because 99% of the time we're driving 35-70mph on public roads, judging distance at 140+ is not something that you can instantly do. Adding the factors of extra kids in the car (distraction), and the possibility/probability of intoxicants (decreased response time, reduced judgmental faculties), this was a prescription for trouble.

I've taken my E39 M5, totally stock, on a closed highway at up to around 150, and while it felt awesome, it was still a time when every movement requires 100% concentration, and planning. Regardless of my experience in performance cars, I doubt I would ever want to do that with passengers, particularly at night.

Sad, but this story should be spread around to the parents who have kids of driving age that show the inclination towards street racing/drag racing. Maybe get the kid a racing license and take him to kart events, or just the drag strip, with the appropriate training and safety precautions. Anything but toss the keys to a 500hp monster so that he/she can take 4 friends with him to the afterlife.

Reminds me of porsche girl in some ways.

Yeah, that happened about 40 minutes from where I live. I've driven that stretch of road many times. Those photos were gruesome. 🙁

As a parent myself, I cannot imagine the grief these parents are dealing with...it's got to be crippling. 🙁

 

[theeedude]

That's why on Top Gear they used a sign to tell the driver when to start braking when they were testing the top speed. Even for them it's hard to judge distance at high speed.
I will give the kid credit for using a private runway instead of road to test the speed, but at the same time, he had no right to take chances with others in the car, and not have tried things he wasn't ready for.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

I think the kids were making too much of a ruckus or he was drunk.. 110 limit in my Expedition? That's unstable as hell.. 125 in an Accord? Pretty unsure... In an M5? That really shouldn't have been a problem..

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

I think the kids were making too much of a ruckus or he was drunk.. 110 limit in my Expedition? That's unstable as hell.. 125 in an Accord? Pretty unsure... In an M5? That really shouldn't have been a problem..

Where are you getting 100mph? He was going over 140mph according to the report...probably well over that even given how far the car travelled through the air after it flew off the end of the runway.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: senseamp
That's why on Top Gear they used a sign to tell the driver when to start braking when they were testing the top speed. Even for them it's hard to judge distance at high speed.

real race tracks have permanent signs. 200y/m, 100, 50...

 

[Dunbar]

Agreed, he probably mis-judged when to start braking and ran out of runway. The M5 will do 115mph+ through the 1/4 mile and that runway was over 5X longer than that. They probably hit well over 150mph. I calculate that they would have reached 150mph with over half the runway remaining. Knowing how I drove at that age I wouldn't let my kid drive anything close to a 500HP M5.

 

[BMdoobieW]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune

Originally posted by: warmodder
100 mph isn't exactly an uncontrollable speed. It's fast for most cars, but an m5 should be more than capable of handling it. This kid was either the worst driver in the world, or intentionally trying to kill himself.

I think the kids were making too much of a ruckus or he was drunk.. 110 limit in my Expedition? That's unstable as hell.. 125 in an Accord? Pretty unsure... In an M5? That really shouldn't have been a problem..

Where are you getting 100mph? He was going over 140mph according to the report...probably well over that even given how far the car travelled through the air after it flew off the end of the runway.

I believe the 140 MPH is in reference to the now-dead driver's forum post. As far as this accident is concerned, I've only seen it written that he was going "over 100 MPH".

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: Apex

Originally posted by: The Boston Dangler

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
Wow.

The driver's thread on M5Board.com

M5froth I completley understand where you are coming from assuming that I am irresponsible..that is definetly understandable. I do sometimes make bad decisions but I am young and I do drive safe and I will not endanger the lives of others..and I hope you are not under the impression that I am the one to brag, I have never been that way and never will. Plus I will have pictures up asap with me in the pictures. I have no reason to lie buddy.

Posted by the driver, 3.5 hours before he killed himself and 4 friends. 🙁

wow, indeed :Q

what fool gives a child such a machine in the first place? :|

As strange as it sounds, the M5 is actually a safer car than something about as fast like a Mustang or F-Body. Though the M5 is more costly (obviously), its safety tends to be pretty good. Yes, it's fast, but not appreciably faster than many of the vehicles in the hands of highschool kids today.

well no matter the body safety cage, 140mph ur dead. the dangerous factor is the ease of hitting the dangerous speed. and that the car was built for it gives false confidence. in a civic anything near 100mph feels like...u are pushing ur luck. sure many kids with stupid parents have high hp cars that are much cheaper.. but $$$ = more confidence when it comes to fast cars..so much worse. worst bit is supposedly his license was already suspended for 4 tickets. ticking time bomb child.

 

[ProfJohn]

Anyone who wants to learn more should read the thread at the m5board.

Pretty amazing stuff along with a few links to news stories about the crash.

Really sad 🙁

Don't let your 18 year old drive a 500hp car!

 

[GTaudiophile]

WTF! Looking at that M5 forum thread. What a fvcking poser! Dad gets a new M5 and he calls it his own, making up stories about "trading in a 335", etc. And no spelling/grammar skills at all! What an ass! Looks like he got what was coming to his spoiled ass.

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
WTF! Looking at that M5 forum thread. What a fvcking poser! Dad gets a new M5 and he calls it his own, making up stories about "trading in a 335", etc. And no spelling/grammar skills at all! What an ass! Looks like he got what was coming to his spoiled ass.

well the guy's dead. i say he already learned his lessons.

btw, without the 155mph limiter the M5 can go beyond 200mph+, so i'd say it's definitely a faster car than any souped up mustang, Evo and whatnot.

i can sense the danger even going above 85mph in my car. i don't see why anyone should travel above 100mph.

 

[ProfJohn]

^ I hit 135 in my Eclipse Spyder GST years ago. Felt like it was floating a bit but otherwise was fine.

Did it on the turnpike north of Orlando where it is really straight and no cops because there are no exits for 12 miles or so.

 

[0roo0roo]

well it was "fine" if you didn't have to steer really heh. at that speed if your tire blows..well you are going airborn quick.