Most liked posts in thread: The Dragon Slays a Countryman

I'll chime in here since everyone else seems to be an expert.

I know the driver pretty well. Having ridden with him, followed him and had him follow me. He's a good driver with plenty of experience. Not to mention plenty of track time. Personally, I think he's a great guy.

Now, for the down side. He made a mistake, granted the outcome could have been far worse for either himself or an innocent oncoming driver. Have you never watched a race of any sort and seen a professional driver have a lapse in judgement or make a mistake? Of course you have. Pretty much what happened here.

We helped him get his stuff out of the wrecked car at the tow yard and had lunch with him the following day. If for nothing else, just to be glad he was still with us. Though he was one sore/stiff puppy.

But here's the big picture, it was a mistake and he had a wreck. Not unlike thousands of other drivers across the country every day. This was a bit higher profile because of the location and the timing. If it happened out there today it would hardly be news worthy.

Some people speed and do it well, others can't drive worth a crap at 10 mph below the posted limit any damn where. You can't change history, so lets just move on.

 

I was the next car behind the Countryman, my wife and I witnessed the incident, admittedly from maybe 10 car lengths behind. We'd been following this C-man at a distance for about 10 miles (from Upper Sawyer's Creek Road to the section of 28 leading into Fontana). Sticking only to facts: The C-man made an early and fast corner entry, exited the road airborne into the ravine near the corner exit, and apparently hit the tree with its roof first, ending up on its roof, horn blazing, some 30-40 feet below the road surface. The driver was the lone occupant, was life-flighted out, treated for his injuries, and thankfully was able to return to Fontana to participate in other events.

Thankfully the driver survived, thankfully Mini designed a safe structure, and everybody was lucky this time.

I have to thank the driver's club/friends, the school bus driver who radioed the "911" call in, and the Propane truck driver who actually went into the ravine to retrieve the driver, the nurse who stayed with him until the ambulance got there, and the many others who stopped to help direct traffic and maintain safety for over an hour while the whole mess was sorted out.

That's all that need be said about the incident itself. Anything more would be conjecture, judgement, or speculation. Just don't.

Pay attention and be very careful out there.

 

Reports from the local LEO's are very positive. As a group we were quite well behaved.

 

I'm happy to say this Countryman was the only MINI that met it's demise this year.

It is still 1 too many.

 

Ah yes, the I know how better to drive these roads than you annual post MOTD argument.

It only took a day to really come to head.

Lets face the facts here...We all know that the majority of us have been known to bend the speed laws from time to time and the area allows us to get away with it to a point. The locals somewhat tolerate it for the income we bring to region. The LEO's let a few but the most egregious slide with handing out Certificates of Volicitial Achievement.

The idea is to have fun yet keep it somewhat reasonable too. It can be done, look at the 100's there that had a good time, drove within their own limits and didn't walk away from wrecks or tickets.

Keep it civil.

 

I've had 2 near head-on collisions with motorcycles while on or near the Dragon. In both instances the motorcycles crossed over into my lane. Also, in both instances, it was my ability to brake hard and stop quickly that prevented the accident. Had I been carrying another 10 MPH of speed, I wouldn't have been able to stop in time in at least one of those cases and I wasn't even going that fast to begin with.

One might say "It was their fault... they deserved to be hit." Personally, I'm very happy that I kept enough of a margin of safety in my own actions that I was able to prevent someone from suffering the pain and consequences of a very serious accident, no matter who was at fault.

I'm lucky that I live in a city that has several track events every month. I can take my ten tenths driving to the track where there are tire walls, controlled passing, flag workers, run-offs and medical personnel parked nearby. I can back off a bit and enjoy the twisties of the Dragon with a wider margin of safety. People DO live out there and they use the Dragon to get to work and to school every day.

Am I a perfect driver at the Dragon? No... I've been seduced by the road into driving too fast and I've misjudged corners and crossed the yellow by mistake. I'm not perfect, but I do try to make sure that I've done everything I can to have fun while being safe at the same time.

 

Too bad about the wreck, glad there were no serious injuries.

As for the proper speed on the dragon I think Geotge Carlin has a point. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkxaF5Pq5D8]George carlin- Idiot and Maniac - YouTube[/ame]

 

The posted speed limit in that corner of 28 (about a mile east of Fontana, NOT on the "Tail of the Dragon") is actually "not posted", meaning it's 55MPH. Yes, 55MPH. Fifty five. I confirmed this with the State Policeman on scene right after the wreck. He assured me that if you're driving unsafely, however, there are, in his words, "...a bunch of ways I can pull you over, from careless driving to reckless driving to speed-too-fast-for-conditions, even if the road is dry" (his words not mine). That Officer, and a few others "spoken to directly" by friends/acquaintances, spoke very highly of the Mini group as a whole.

Driving courteously and safely very simply means not inconveniencing your fellow Motorers, who may be either faster than you, slower than you, or in worse cases scared of you or the road, or waiting for your wrecked car to be hauled out of the ravine. Be kind to each other - it's pretty simple, really.

Everything you need to know about this incident is in post 8 of this thread.

Moving on...

 

Thanks for keeping it to the facts, these events can take on a life of their own when being retold.

 

Here is a closer view of the Countryman, bad deal all around the car can be replaced, he was VERY lucky. As for the other banter, everyone I saw was driving very responsibly yes some speeding, myself included, but in control. No worse speeding there than on your morning commute to work or the lake. Don't judge unless you were there.

 

While you are correct that just about everyone speeds at least some of the time, and most of us speed almost all the time, there is no inalienable right to exceed the speed limit in the Constitution. (There's no right to drive at all. It's a privilege, and one that can be revoked.)

As such, if you want to speed on The Dragon, you are cordially invited to wait patiently and politely for a legal opportunity to pass. Alternatively, you can use one of the turn-outs along the road to sit and wait for a few minutes. At that point the slowpoke will be so far ahead that you're unlikely to encounter him again.

 

Sure do miss George....

 

That don't look good !!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope nobody was injured to bad that they can't recover.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::That said:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

You do not have to speed or drive like a maniac to enjoy the Dragon.

Just cruising at the posted speed limit will be safe and you will still enjoy the ride. That whole area is great and enjoyable to drive on.

If you feel the need to speed you need to join a club that rents tracks for track days. A lot safer and more enjoyable then wrecking your car on the Dragon.

ostcount

 

WOW......so you're one of those guys.

Take your "exceeding the speed limit is fun" to the track.......these roads are for cruising, not racing. And speed is definitely a factor as I am sure you will find out.

 

I understand what and where your comment was about, no problem with it, at past Dragon events I have also seen the craziness of which you speak. This year was different, everyone I saw was driving very responsibly, there were signs everywhere reminding you to behave.
I followed a school bus for about 10 miles on 28 and it was generally doing at least 10 over, it was taking those corners pretty dog-gone fast. I sure wouldn't want to be sitting in the back of that bus. ( Barf )

 

Yes people were well behaved as a group & that is great. Some folks were also very lucky & that is great too :wink:

 

My two cents is that it was an unfortunate accident that thank goodness wasn't fatal. Everyone speeds and no one's perfect.

 

HEY! Who do you think you are, accusing us of something like that!?!?

I resemble that remark.

:crazy: