Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VIDEO: Low-flying pelican results in Bugatti Veyron Hydro Edition <b>[*UPDATE:</b> Now with actual crash footage!]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/video-low-flying-pelican-ends-up-creating-bugatti-veyron-hydro/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/video-low-flying-pelican-ends-up-creating-bugatti-veyron-hydro/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/12/video-low-flying-pelican-ends-up-creating-bugatti-veyron-hydro/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above to watch the video after the jump

This is one of the saddest, yet most amusing sights we've ever seen. A $1.6 million Bugatti Veyron sitting in a salt water lagoon, door open, in two feet of nasty, corrosion-inducing muddy water. While the sight is sad, how the event allegedly transpired is downright hilarious. The unnamed owner of the vehicle, traveling through Galveston, Texas to look at some high-end property, was reportedly talking on his cell phone when a low-flying pelican distracted him. The driver swerved to avoid the big bird, dropped his cell phone, and in the process the front passenger tire hit a mud patch.

A quad-turbo, 16-cylinder engine may be able to get you to 60 mph in under three seconds, but it doesn't work well with mud, so the supercar made a b-line for an adjacent lagoon. The ultra rare Veyron (reportedly one of 15 copies here in the States) was still running after it rested nearly belt-line high in the salt water, as local news affiliate KHOU reported the 1,000+ hp engine "gurgled like an outboard motor for about 15 minutes before it died." It probably would have been a great idea to kill power to the engine (and even shut the door) once the Veyron hit the muck, but hey, what do we know?

Hit the jump to watch video of the Veyron as it is extracted from its salty abyss. And if you own a Veyron, let this be a lesson to you that having money doesn't necessarily mean you have the skill to drive a supercar, especially when you're on the phone. Thanks to everyone for the tips!


*UPDATE: Now with actual (incredible) crash footage! (and no, we don't see any pelicans, either). WARNING: Second video contains explicit not-safe-for-work language.

Gallery: First Drive: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport


Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
[Sources: KHOU; YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Low-flying pelican results in Bugatti Veyron Hydro Edition [*UPDATE: Now with actual crash footage!]

VIDEO: Low-flying pelican results in Bugatti Veyron Hydro Edition [*UPDATE: Now with actual crash footage!] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugatti veyronBugattiVeyroncar accidentcar crashCarAccidentCarCrashdistracted drivingDistractedDrivinggalvestonlake galvestonLakeGalvestonveyronveyron in lake galvestonVeyronInLakeGalvestonThu, 12 Nov 2009 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/study-majority-of-highway-fatalities-caused-by-deficient-road-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/study-majority-of-highway-fatalities-caused-by-deficient-road-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/02/study-majority-of-highway-fatalities-caused-by-deficient-road-c/#commentsFiled under: , ,



What would you think to be the leading contributor to fatalities in car crashes here in the States? Failure to use seat belts? Speeding? Drunk driving? Think again. According to a new study commissioned by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), the leading cause of highway fatalities is deficient road conditions. In fact, the study asserts, with a roadway-related crash occurring every minute on American streets, inadequate roadway infrastructure is responsible for the majority of highway fatalities in the United States and over a third of injuries incurred in non-fatal crashes as well.

Given the state of many roadways, you might think that the situation - like America's road network - is beyond repair. However, the study, entitled "On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways," assesses the financial cost alone of crashes caused by these substandard roadways - as a whopping $217 billion annually, including medical bills, loss of productivity and property damage. That's more than three-and-a-half times the $59 billion which local, state and federal governments in the United States invest in improving America's roadways. PIRE's solution? Improving road conditions, of course, including better signage and markings, widening shoulders and removing obstacles from roadsides. Follow the jump to read more on PIRE's findings and suggested solutions for what it deems is one of the largest killers in America.

[Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation | Image: STR/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions

STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto accidentauto accidentsAutoAccidentAutoAccidentscar accidentcar accidentscar crashcar crashesCarAccidentCarAccidentsCarCrashCarCrashescause of deathCauseOfDeathdeathdeficient roadwayDeficientRoadwayfatalitiesfatalityhighwayhighway maintenancehighway markingsHighwayMaintenanceHighwayMarkingsPacific Institute for Research and EvaluationPacificInstituteForResearchAndEvaluationpireroad constructionroad maintenanceroad networkroad safetyRoadConstructionRoadMaintenanceRoadNetworkRoadSafetyroadwaysafetysignagetraffic safetyTrafficSafetyThu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST<![CDATA[US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/us-dot-report-confirms-speed-not-major-cause-of-accidents/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sometimes numbers lie. But we keep them around because they tell the truth more often than not. The NHTSA undertook a two-and-a-half year study that examined 5,471 injury accidents nationwide in order to figure out how accidents were being caused. Government researchers conducted their own evidence gathering at crash sites in order to establish a first-hand account of causation. What did they find? Among other things, that more drivers crashed as a result of crossing the center line (11%) than as a result of speeding (5%). Speeding, in this case, defined by "too fast for conditions," not necessarily above the posted limit.

In accidents where driver error was the cause, speeding also came in last as a causative: the 8% who drove too fast were tied with the 8% who fell asleep or had heart attacks while driving. What's more, the NHTSA's causation percentages are strikingly similar to the percentages found in an independent study conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. In its study of crashes in 2007, the VDoT found that 2.9% were due to speeding -- dead last -- while 3.8%t were due to drivers falling asleep or falling ill at the tiller.

What will this mean to the politicians setting and revising speed limits based on the "Speed Kills!" mantra? Probably nothing. But it's nice to know, and nice to have the government researched numbers to back it up.

[Source: The Newspaper]

Continue reading US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents

US DOT report confirms speed not major cause of accidents originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentaccidentscar accidentcar crashCarAccidentCarCrashnhtsaresearchspeedingstudytraffic accidentsTrafficAccidentsThu, 18 Dec 2008 10:27:00 EST<![CDATA[More proof that a surprising number of Ferrari owners can't drive]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/more-proof-that-a-surprising-number-of-ferrari-owners-cant-driv/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/more-proof-that-a-surprising-number-of-ferrari-owners-cant-driv/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/more-proof-that-a-surprising-number-of-ferrari-owners-cant-driv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



It wouldn't be correct to say that all Ferrari drivers can't drive. What we can say is that a lot of Ferrari drivers are probably not short of ego, and also probably have little idea of what their cars can do when pressed. Combine a robust confidence with a watching crowd, add a high-powered and sometimes testy car, thrown in a little bit of ignorance... and a pole.. and what you get is the image above.

A man in Australia pulled out of a garage in his Ferrari 360 Spyder, took his chance to impress some gathered folks at cafes lining the street, and floored it. The car, as they say in the business, got away from him. The pole in the median did not. We're never happy to see (another) wrecked Ferrari, or to see a man carted away from his toy by the police, so to you kids with Ferraris, please learn from this and stop the madness.

Our favorite part of this picture is that, having made his boo-boo and probably realizing what he's in for, the driver is still just sitting in the car, although the guy in the blue shirt flexing in the background also gets a special mention... Thanks for the tip, Sam!

[Source: EHOWA]

More proof that a surprising number of Ferrari owners can't drive originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaaustraliancar accidentcar accidentscar crashCarAccidentCarAccidentsCarCrashferrariferrari crashferrari crashedFerrariCrashFerrariCrashedwrecksMon, 09 Jun 2008 11:03:00 EST<![CDATA["Hello dad, I totaled your Ferrari - what time is dinner?"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/05/hello-dad-i-totaled-your-ferrari-what-time-is-dinner/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/05/hello-dad-i-totaled-your-ferrari-what-time-is-dinner/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/05/hello-dad-i-totaled-your-ferrari-what-time-is-dinner/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Somewhere, a father in Melbourne weeps. There were 16 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradales imported to Australia and New Zealand. There are now 15. A proud dad gave his son the keys to his so-rare-it's-almost-extinct Ferrari, and his son got a little too frisky with the audacious redhead. She didn't appreciate his advances, he lost control of the situation, and that little redhead introduced him to a pole... at a high rate of speed by the looks of it.

And as if that didn't beat all, the kid had to call home. While news crews watched. And filmed. Only to have newspapers and blogs spread the story around the world. No word on what his father said, but it probably rhymed with "Why I oughta @#%$*&%!"

Police say the driver was speeding, which means he must not have seen these commercials. But now, at least, he has a theme song, so sing along: "To you other kids all across the land, take it from me, parents just don't understand..." Thanks for the tip, Patrick!

[Source: Sydney Morning Herald]

"Hello dad, I totaled your Ferrari - what time is dinner?" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 May 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiacar accidentcar accidentscar crashcar crashesCarAccidentCarAccidentsCarCrashCarCrashesferrariferrari 360ferrari 360 challenge stradaleFerrari360Ferrari360ChallengeStradaleMon, 05 May 2008 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[BMW to offer four years of telematics]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/07/bmw-to-offer-four-years-of-telematics/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/07/bmw-to-offer-four-years-of-telematics/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/07/bmw-to-offer-four-years-of-telematics/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

BMW has announced it will offer a free four-year subscription of its BMW Assist service to the North American market starting with its 2007 models. It will cost the automaker $80 million in subscription payments, but that's well worth it, according to BMW spokespeople, who say that keeping owners signed onto a service that provides so many safety and convenience benefits is just a "BMW thing to do."

The device is an internal cell phone that relays car diagnostics or emergency information, like an airbag deployment, to a call center in Texas. The system rivals General Motors' OnStar, which has tiered subscriptions that allow owners to specify everything from emergency assitance to a virtual concierge.

[Source: Automotive News]

 

BMW to offer four years of telematics originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmw assistBmwAssistcar accidentCarAccidentonstarsafetysecuritytelematicsWed, 07 Jun 2006 17:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Dodge Nitro's accidental sneak peek]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/14/spy-shots-dodge-nitro-caught-in-a-compromising-position/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/14/spy-shots-dodge-nitro-caught-in-a-compromising-position/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/14/spy-shots-dodge-nitro-caught-in-a-compromising-position/#commentsFiled under: ,

A lightly-camouflaged Dodge Nitro was tooling down the streets of Toledo, Ohio, when, BAM, the little 'ute struck the back of a semi after blowing a stop sign. Or so the story goes. The vehicle, which isn't available for public consumption yet, had something of an impromptu debut when it got into the little fender-bender courtesy of an engineer who was later ticketed for the incident. The Nitro's accident occurred near Jeep's Toledo plant, which will churn out dent-free examples for Dodge showrooms later this summer.

[Source: WTOL-TV]

(Thanks to Muamer for the tip)

Spy Shots: Dodge Nitro's accidental sneak peek originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 May 2006 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car accidentCarAccidentdodgedodge nitroDodgeNitrojeeptoledoSun, 14 May 2006 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[NC tragedy leads to safe-driving fair this Saturday]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/08/tragedy-leads-to-safe-driving-fair-this-saturday/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/08/tragedy-leads-to-safe-driving-fair-this-saturday/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/08/tragedy-leads-to-safe-driving-fair-this-saturday/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's always tragic when people die from automotive accidents, especially when they've barely started their lives. Last month, four teen from Wakefield High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, were killed when the driver's Mazda RX-8 slammed into a concrete barrier. In response, the high school, the Wakefield Forest police department, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) have gathered together to put on a safe-driving fair this weekend. Leith Chevrolet dealership owner Chris Leith has also joined the fair.

Air bag deployment and equipment simulating alcohol intoxication are some of the exhibits at the fair. For those in the area, location and times of the safe-driving fair can be found at the link.

[Source: The News & Observers]

NC tragedy leads to safe-driving fair this Saturday originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Apr 2006 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentcar accidentMADDMAZDARaleighSADDsafe drivingsafe-driving fairSafe-drivingFairSafeDrivingtragedySat, 08 Apr 2006 19:01:00 EST