Sun 24 Oct 10, approx 12:30 am
Apparent thought process:
1.) Decision is made to push the ‘ASR’ button on the dashboard; turning off the ‘Automatic Slip Regulation’ (The car’s computer will now allow the rear tires to squeal - "burning rubber").
2.) Decision is made to ‘floor' the gas pedal, creating 1 second of exhilaration before control of the vehicle is lost.
3.) Sheer panic is experienced by both occupants as the car veers right then left, over a curb, across a sidewalk, and through a chain-link fence stopping in the backyard of an unoccupied house...
The first picture looking from the backyard shows the path from the starting point one block away; the second picture is looking forward into the yard; the third showing what’s left of a steel fence post.
It’s difficult to see the damage; the chain-link raked the paint
as it went over the car.
The scratches cover the hood, windshield, T-tops, and rear spoiler.
4.) As the passenger jumps out of the car to inspect the damage, the driver decides to back-up the car; unbeknownst to the teenagers, the fence post had torn through the underbody of the car, and was angled upward behind the passenger seat.
This underbody shot shows the torn metal from the fence post.
As the car was forced backward, the fence post was pushed upward, through the passenger seat and became imbedded in the dashboard.
Had the passenger seat been occupied, the accident would have been fatal.
Interior shots of the passenger side of the car.
The fence post was lodged in the glovebox, underneath the airbag, which didn’t deploy due to the nature of the impact.
This type of situation was discussed at length:
Rule 1:
Don’t do anything close to this with the car.
Rule 2:
NOBODY ELSE DRIVES THE CAR
...
Although Greg wasn’t behind the wheel, he was responsible for the loss of the car.
…Perhaps showing him pictures would have helped…
Footnotes:
-The driver received a number of citations, including reckless driving.
-The kids will be replacing the fence themselves, with supervision.
-Dad’s currently walking to work and back.
-Punishment TBD.
-
[Greg did have permission to drive the car, as his was in repair, while Sandy and I were out-of-town]
Update: The car has been totaled.
