Man tries to stop car...

[NoCreativity]

with his feet.

Yabba dabba doh!

 

[Jaepheth]

Could he have put the engine in reverse to provide deceleration?
(Something I've always wondered, but never wanted to try using my own car)

 

[HN]

wow. the brakes didn't fail during the drive, he knew they were already not working and still tried to drive.

 

[arcenite]

Could he have put the engine in reverse to provide deceleration?
(Something I've always wondered, but never wanted to try using my own car)

Depends on the car. On many automatics the car will simply turn off (not all of them so please don't try this). Even if you are successful the transmission would be quite unhappy with you.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

stupid police, why couldnt they just pull in front of him and guide him home using their brakes? duuuuh!

 

[Pardus]

Stupid is as stupid does.

Berlin said the man admitted he knew the brakes weren't working but wanted to get home because he had work issues.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Wouldn't just killing the engine work pretty well?

 

[moshquerade]

thread tag is what my comment was going to be.

 

[TJCS]

It's one thing to act stupid, but this guy was pretty close to seriously injure or kill someone else. He should be banned from driving forever.

 

[CraigRT]

Wouldn't just killing the engine work pretty well?

How does killing the engine stop a vehicle? Momentum is still at work.

 

[Lean L]

Wouldn't just killing the engine work pretty well?

no?....

He should have dropped his car down to first gear, it would have slowed him down pretty well.

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

Could he have put the engine in reverse to provide deceleration?
(Something I've always wondered, but never wanted to try using my own car)

If you do that assuming the transmission will even let you you will tear apart your entire drivetrain. This includes your engine, transmission. Catastrophic failure will result.

 

[NoCreativity]

It's one thing to act stupid, but this guy was pretty close to seriously injure or kill someone else. He should be banned from driving forever.

He was already on a suspended license. He needs something more serious than a reckless driving ticket.

 

[SlitheryDee]

How does killing the engine stop a vehicle? Momentum is still at work.

When the engine is running it pulls the vehicle forward a bit even when you aren't pressing the gas. That means that the transmission isn't working to slow the vehicle down. Killing the engine while it's in gear should slow it down pretty rapidly because turning the transmission takes a lot of energy.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

lulz

 

[Lean L]

When the engine is running it pulls the vehicle forward a bit even when you aren't pressing the gas. That means that the transmission isn't working to slow the vehicle down. Killing the engine while it's in gear should slow it down pretty rapidly because turning the transmission takes a lot of energy.

There's a torque converter. That means with an auto the engine is not dragging the car if he's going that fast, his wheels are turning the engine. It should be in the coupling stage when he's doing that. That's how fuel injected cars can use close to no gasoline when cruising to a stop.

 

[Fayd]

Could he have put the engine in reverse to provide deceleration?
(Something I've always wondered, but never wanted to try using my own car)

if you want to drop the transmission, sure.

 

[hanoverphist]

i was driving an old girlfriends car back in the late 90s (it was a 84 lebaron) and she had been putting off fixing the brakes. when i was on the way home from dropping her off at work, both front rotors snapped off the hubs and i was pretty much free floating with no brakes. back were very weak apparently. i was approaching a stop light with two cars already stopped in the forward lanes and a truck in the left turn lane. i tried to wedge it between the truck and a smaller car, hoping to minimize the damage, and totally missed both vehicles. i couldnt have had more than an inch on either side. when i got down to about 15 mph the ebrake finally got the back brakes to lock up and i skidded to a halt in the middle of the intersection. luckily i hit no cars or anything. i pulled it into a parking lot on the corner and let it bump a brick wall to stop. a cop was watching the whole thing, lol. no tickets tho, he had heard the snap of the rotors and knew it wasnt normal. he was just glad i didnt hit anyone.

this guy was a maroon for even trying to drive that sucker. had i known her brakes were that bad, i wouldnt have driven it at all until it was fixed. he needs to lose his license, and im sure he will with this one.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

If you do that assuming the transmission will even let you you will tear apart your entire drivetrain. This includes your engine, transmission. Catastrophic failure will result.

i'd say the alternative was even more catastophic

 

[CPA]

I think the reporter doing a re-enactment was about as dumb.

 

[Red Squirrel]

lol I think trying to wobble the car back and forth would of had a bigger effect, or ZOMG use the emergency brake. With the engine off of course. Or neutral... so many better ways. It wont stop but at least it will slow down and you can try to drive it against a curb or something. But think the ebrake would work...

 

[Printer Bandit]

 

[classy]

Do you want the top bunk or the lower bunk? LOL

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

If his brakes failed and he did it in a panic I would feel bad for him, but no he admitted he knew his brakes didn't work but just wanted to go home anyway so drove it. That's just funny and sad at the same time.