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Thread: Would Paul Walker be alive if he were riding another supercar?

  1. #1
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    Would Paul Walker be alive if he were riding another supercar?

    Reportedly the Porsche Carrera GT slid into a light pole which split the car in two pieces breaking itself in the cockpit floor.
    Would a coupe have survived?
    Maybe just a simple airbags-all-around Volvo?
    Would they have needed a Nascar, DTM or LMP with full race seats, harnesses, helmets and HANS devices to get a chance to survive?

    As for the fire looks like the car not only ignited it actually exploded upon impact.
    Even though the Carrera GT has its fuel tanks located between the driver and the engine like racecars do, its weak convertible floor makes them vulnerable to impact.
    Any supercar with better fuel tanks or better placement?


    Long live Paul Walker, reminds me of James Dean and his Porsche 550 spyder.

  2. #2
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    Debunking Misinformation Surrounding the Paul Walker Porsche Carrera GT Crash

    Debunking Misinformation Surrounding the Paul Walker Porsche Carrera GT Crash

  3. #3
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    Not following this nearly as close as a lot of others but the fire/explosion is what killed them correct? No airbags, seatbelts, harnesses or HANS devices will save you from that, in fact they'd keep you in the car longer as you're trying to escape

  4. #4
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    ^^ agree in principle, BUT thes safety devices are good at preventing concussion, disorientation and retaining consciousness.
    Getting an active , alert person out of a car ( or getting out yourself ) is easier even if flames present. Easily offsets the myth that they keep you in a car longer.

    A terrible accident and sad loss and as Big time posted, so much being posted by media who have no clue and just confusing the masses which sadly may well lead to politician knee jerk reactions. Accidents happen
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    Accidents happen
    especially when you are doing a 100 mph (in a 45 mph zone) as has been established by the police. This is not an accident, this is purposely trying to find the limits. Should not take place on public roads. And to further highlight my ignorance, I had never heard of the guy, let alone that I saw any of these movies that apparently made him famous.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  6. #6
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    ah, the last report I'd read was they were close to speed limit.
    Once confirmed I'd be with you Pieter, there's a place for excessive speed/acts with a dangerous weapon (car).

    BUT , equally there is the conditions, other things etc. So I've seen accidents where it was unavoidable. Bikes on diesel roadspills

    From what I've seen it looks like a double impact and these are worse and can leave damage that looks much higher speed than happened.
    Last edited by Matra et Alpine; 12-03-2013 at 06:02 AM.
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  7. #7
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    Cars do not explode, not even if involved in direct impact crashes. Fuel tanks are not pressurized and have specific valves so that the internal volume is always in contact with the external environment so that an explosion can't happen even if you put a lighter in the tank. Seemingly, the inertial switch turns off all devices (so even the fuel pump) upon impact. A fire occurs when fuel leaking from the fuel tank (the fuel lines should be isolated as the fuel pump isn't active any more) reaches a hot spot.
    Speaking of this crash specifically, on Google Maps you can find images of an exposed gas line near the side walk basically in the position where the car crashed, so this could explain at least partially the strength of the fire.

    Also, when a mid engine car split in half, the separation point is between the car and the engine. It's designed to do so because the engine and gearbox are the largest high density components of a car and separating them allows to remove quite some kinetic energy from the cabin itself and leave it to the engine. Hypothetically, the cabin will stop moving/rolling in much less time than the engine or will have to dissipate less energy in case of a second impact.
    Looking at pictures it seems this tub was divided in two right in front of the firewall, sort of where the seats are positioned. While this is not the strongest part of a car, it's a bit too much for a 100 mph crash compared to others I've seen (pictures, video, of course). Also because the fracture is on the side of the car facing the road, so it must have turned around at least once after the impact, so a part of the energy was not dissipated on impact but afterwards.

    That said, it's impossible to say anything about the crash or chances of survival with a different car. We don't know much, actually we know nothing, not even if the car was already damaged in another crash, for example. For all we know the car was damaged heavily but the division was a result of the fire.

    If there were much more technical data available, it would have been interesting to evaluate the influence of having a rear subframe in carbon fiber as well, unlike most supercars.

    Two men died in a crash, which is sad, but they weren't exactly at walking speed, and many more people die everyday in much less prestigious cars just doing their jobs.

  8. #8
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    It seems there are other supercars which snap in half in safer ways. See this Enzo, which snapped in such a way that the occupants were fine, and the door even opened. Note also: no flames.

    I think, in another car, they were less likely to have crashed. Reviews have pegged the CGT as being highly strung and difficult to drive on the limits. I think that's much more realistic than trying to argue that another car wouldn't have destroyed in such a way, given how little we know about what they hit and how they hit it.
    All about the t-tops

  9. #9
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    re the fuel safety, one rumour circulating is that the car has been tuned.
    If so it's possible that it has a higher rated fuel pump and MAY have removed the restrictions that the safety systems provide. Hope only a rumour

    md11, you metion 100mph, has the speed been confirmed anywhere eyet or is it only folks making assumptiosn from the crash damage. Because multiple impacts cause much more sever damage than a single one and I wonder that may be the case as cited a concrete pole then a tree.

    Was noted that the road they were on has a large number of cats-eyes/lane markers on the corner and streetview shows lots of black circles from donuts. That would be enough to seriously upset a car at even low-ish speeds.
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  10. #10
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    It is a destiny and none can change it though. If there were some faults in the car, then we can blame that as well. There is no doubt about the Porsche series, as it is mind blowing. I feel sorry to lose such a champ.

  11. #11
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    Probably not. Destiny can not be changed.

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