Astonishing Accident Involving Eight Ferraris 'World's Most Expensive Car Crash'

[webfact]

Astonishing accident involving eight Ferraris 'world's most expensive car crash'

A fleet of high-performance cars, including eight Ferraris, has been involved in one of the most expensive accidents in history after an astonishing multi-car pile-up in Japan.

Police said three Mercedes Benz cars and a Lamborghini Diablo were also involved in the massive crash at the weekend on the Chugoku Expressway, in the country’s south-west.

Witnesses reported hearing a “tremendous noise” just a few moments before the accident on the Yamaguchi prefecture highway amid terrible driving conditions.

While the majority of the 14 vehicles – which also included a Japanese supercar Nissan GT-R Skyline and a Toyota Prius – were travelling along the Osaka Prefecture-bound bended lane at least one Mercedes CL600 was driving in the opposite direction.

Television footage showed the cars - either wrecked or destroyed - spread across the highway, in a trail of crumpled metal and broken glass. Several of the vehicles were wedged up against the metal barriers.

Miraculously, none of drivers – the majority of whom are reported to be foreign car enthusiasts – were seriously hurt in the wreckage but the bill is still bound to be painful nonetheless. [more...]

Full story/pictures: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8934718/Astonishing-accident-involving-eight-Ferraris-worlds-most-expensive-car-crash.html

-- telegraph.co.uk 2011-12-05

[TAWP]

Insurance-companies cover accidents caused by horseplay?

[webfact]

FERRARI ACCIDENT Japan Highway 2011 512 TR 330 F40 348 360 Spider

[BanTamo]

Tres bum, dudes

[ExpatOilWorker]

Great they all walked away alive. I think they would have needed a few body-bags if it was a Tata pile up.

[dominique355]

Shows again: Just because you have the money to buy such a car doesn't mean you have the ability to drive it.

These cars forgive you a driving error but not a character error.

Some drivers (not just Ferrari drivers) automatically feel challenged when someone overtakes them and start a race. Dangerous situation on public roads. Why don't they go on a race track?

[cloudhopper]

lol HiSo fender bender.

[maidu]

A lot of libraries and youth centers could be built for the cost of those cars.

[crazygreg44]

they were on a privately organized Rallye, I presume. Otherwise can't explain the accumulation of most expensive cars on a motorway. Their insurances should verdict to them the conditions done in small script in their contracts. It's not allowed to risk the car for pure fun and game. Only to get you from A towards B.

[geriatrickid]

Shows again: Just because you have the money to buy such a car doesn't mean you have the ability to drive it.

These cars forgive you a driving error but not a character error.

Some drivers (not just Ferrari drivers) automatically feel challenged when someone overtakes them and start a race. Dangerous situation on public roads. Why don't they go on a race track?

Umm, did you read this part?

While the majority of the 14 vehicles – which also included a Japanese supercar Nissan GT-R Skyline and a Toyota Prius – were travelling along the Osaka Prefecture-bound bended lane at least one Mercedes CL600 was driving in the opposite direction.

It is conceivable that the Frerraris were fully compliant with the applicable speed limits, and the oncoming MercedesCL600 caused the collision(s). How would you react when confronted with a driver coming at you, at high speed?

I don't think the Prius driver was engaged in hijinks. Can those vehicles even exceed 90 km/h?

[maidu]

is it possible the Mercedes coming the other direction - was a westerner who just showed up in Japan and wasn't cognizent about driving on the left side?

Not far-fetched. It's happened to me, and many others - when first showing up in a new country.

[jackr]

All that carnage is less than the cost of a couple of F1 cars being totalled.

A lot of libraries and youth centers could be built for the cost of those cars.

So I take it if you had the money, you would be spending it on those things instead?

[T_Dog]

What? All those cars and no in-car video of the mayhem happening? In Japan yet!

[BKKdreaming]

I am sure there is in-cam video, maybe the police have it...

But its Asia so saving "face" is important and it may never come out !

Ohh and the Mercedes may have spun out and been pointed the wrong direction and not driving that way ,

But still a pity that it was such a spectacular crash and no at the time video yet.

BK

[geriatrickid]

Police say they believe the accident Sunday was touched off when the driver of one of the Ferraris tried to change lanes and hit the median barrier. He spun across the freeway, and the other cars collided while trying to avoid hitting his car.The luxury cars were all in one place because they were being driven by a group of automobile enthusiasts on their way to nearby Hiroshima. As per Associated Press and on , ABC news feeds

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2011/12/japan-ferrari-crash-totals-eight-ferraris-video--69936.html

[softgeorge]

is it possible the Mercedes coming the other direction - was a westerner who just showed up in Japan and wasn't cognizent about driving on the left side?

Not far-fetched. It's happened to me, and many others - when first showing up in a new country.

Westerner, do you mean American? Most westerners drive on the left hand side of the road.

[luckizuchinni]

Please no, not a Prius!!!!! Tell me it's not so!

[luckizuchinni]

is it possible the Mercedes coming the other direction - was a westerner who just showed up in Japan and wasn't cognizent about driving on the left side?

Not far-fetched. It's happened to me, and many others - when first showing up in a new country.

Westerner, do you mean American? Most westerners drive on the left hand side of the road.

Not really. Of the western nations, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand are the major nations to drive on the left.

[ThaiMouse]

is it possible the Mercedes coming the other direction - was a westerner who just showed up in Japan and wasn't cognizent about driving on the left side?

Not far-fetched. It's happened to me, and many others - when first showing up in a new country.

Westerner, do you mean American? Most westerners drive on the left hand side of the road.

Not really. Of the western nations, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand are the major nations to drive on the left.

South Africa drives on the left too. So does Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia in the east. USA and Europe drive on the right, how silly is that? Go super cars, I have one too and in a high speed crash you walk away alive. Mr Bean crashed his McLaren F1 on Friday 5 August 2011. He got an injured shoulder for his trouble. So all of you who worry about the price of the crashed cars could never afford one anyway. Drive on.

[luckizuchinni]

is it possible the Mercedes coming the other direction - was a westerner who just showed up in Japan and wasn't cognizent about driving on the left side?

Not far-fetched. It's happened to me, and many others - when first showing up in a new country.

Westerner, do you mean American? Most westerners drive on the left hand side of the road.

Not really. Of the western nations, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand are the major nations to drive on the left.

South Africa drives on the left too. So does Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia in the east. USA and Europe drive on the right, how silly is that? Go super cars, I have one too and in a high speed crash you walk away alive. Mr Bean crashed his McLaren F1 on Friday 5 August 2011. He got an injured shoulder for his trouble. So all of you who worry about the price of the crashed cars could never afford one anyway. Drive on.

The comment was that most of the western nations drive on the left. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the RSA are not western nations, nor are Bermuda, Japan, Pakistan, and other left-driving nations. Most of the left-driving nations are Commonwealth nations.

[USNret]

I live a few kilometers from the accident site and have traveled this expressway many times. I assure you that nobody was driving in the wrong direction. As we all know -- and I believe this to be a universal truth -- reporting is generally lazy and inadequate. The two sides of the expressway are separated by a median and containment barriers on each side. There is no way to "accidentally" end up on the wrong side since this is a tollroad and there is physical separation of the two sides. My bet is that some debris flew across and damaged the Mercedes traveling the opposite direction.

The speed limit here is 80 kph. About 75% of drivers observe that limit, the others drive at speeds up to 120 kph. You don't commonly see faster speeds. 120 kph = 75 MPH, and according to the witness these cars were going 85-100 MPH, speeds I have never witnessed here. Also, Japanese do not weave in traffic. If there is someone going slow in the fast lane, you will wait at a polite distance until they move over, then you go on through. You do not move to the slow lane to pass. I'm not sure if it's illegal, but it is considered impolite and just not done.

Despite that, we can be confident these guys were weaving. The lead car impacted the barrier wall, the others coming around the bend didn't see him in time and they impacted one-by-one, just like lemmings. You can see the curve & a grove of trees at the beginning of the video; you'd not be able to see 100 meters ahead if you're on the inside radius. Safe at 80 KPH; not safe at 80 MPH. They were lucky to all walk away from this one.

[maidu]

All that carnage is less than the cost of a couple of F1 cars being totalled.

A lot of libraries and youth centers could be built for the cost of those cars.

So I take it if you had the money, you would be spending it on those things instead?

Believe it or not, I do spend most of my money on similar things. Example: I have nearly zero income, so all the money I spend is from a finite moderate amount in the bank. About 15% goes for my food and misc expenses (I pay no rent, because I own my house). The remainder goes towards building a couple of nature parks near where I reside in northern Thailand - such things as building trails, clearing stickery brush, planting trees, on property that would ordinarily be completely weed covered. We even have a display case for various rock types and some other things of archaelogical interest. Contact me if you'd like to donate toward these good causes that enhance the local community - particularly stimulating for youngsters + trying to steer them away from computer games and TV

Compare that to the types of people who spend a quarter million $$'s on a shiny red car for self-gratification - which can crumple in a split second, and send them crying to the bank to get another loan for another shiny red car.

Edited December 7, 2011 by maidu

[bonobo]

All that carnage is less than the cost of a couple of F1 cars being totalled.

A lot of libraries and youth centers could be built for the cost of those cars.

So I take it if you had the money, you would be spending it on those things instead?

Believe it or not, I do spend most of my money on similar things. Example: I have nearly zero income, so all the money I spend is from a finite moderate amount in the bank. About 15% goes for my food and misc expenses (I pay no rent, because I own my house). The remainder goes towards building a couple of nature parks near where I reside in northern Thailand - such things as building trails, clearing stickery brush, planting trees, on property that would ordinarily be completely weed covered. We even have a display case for various rock types and some other things of archaelogical interest. Contact me if you'd like to donate toward these good causes that enhance the local community - particularly stimulating for youngsters + trying to steer them away from computer games and TV

Compare that to the types of people who spend a quarter million s on a shiny red car for self-gratification - which can crumple in a split second, and send them crying to the bank to get another loan for another shiny red car.

Sincere kudos to you!

[craigt3365]

Believe it or not, I do spend most of my money on similar things. Example: I have nearly zero income, so all the money I spend is from a finite moderate amount in the bank. About 15% goes for my food and misc expenses (I pay no rent, because I own my house). The remainder goes towards building a couple of nature parks near where I reside in northern Thailand - such things as building trails, clearing stickery brush, planting trees, on property that would ordinarily be completely weed covered. We even have a display case for various rock types and some other things of archaelogical interest. Contact me if you'd like to donate toward these good causes that enhance the local community - particularly stimulating for youngsters + trying to steer them away from computer games and TV

Compare that to the types of people who spend a quarter million $$'s on a shiny red car for self-gratification - which can crumple in a split second, and send them crying to the bank to get another loan for another shiny red car.

Very impressive. Fantastic job you're doing!

[SAffer]

"The comment was that most of the western nations drive on the left. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the RSA are not western nations, nor are Bermuda, Japan, Pakistan, and other left-driving nations. Most of the left-driving nations are Commonwealth nations."

Funny how RSA is not Western... and here I thought I was so similar to Aussies and Kiwis in that sense. My HR textbook lists 6 Anglo countries in the world: Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Canada... and RSA.I suppose it is conceivable that RSA is Anglo, but not Western, right???

Edited December 7, 2011 by SAffer