Mayhemm
Model S P85+ "Lola"
Very relieved to hear that you were only the one who posted the article, Kevin, rather than its subject. :biggrin:
The MB Tesla community is microscopic compared to most other areas and I was quite worried for you.
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Model S Driver Fatality in Winnipeg (car hit by dump truck)
- Thread starter Kevin Michaluk
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Very relieved to hear that you were only the one who posted the article, Kevin, rather than its subject. :biggrin:
The MB Tesla community is microscopic compared to most other areas and I was quite worried for you.
brucet999
Active Member
Tesla's hazard flashers are on. Does the car turn them on automatically in event of a crash, or did the driver manage to do so before he died?
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Or, I'd guess, the most likely scenario: one of the people responding to the accident (police, EMS) turned them on.
Condolences to the family and friends of the driver. I can't verify, but had read an eye witness account that suggested that the truck may have run a red light. Tragic in any event.
I understand that there are about 13 Teslas in Manitoba, several of these are located outside of Winnipeg. So, yes, it is a small community of owners. I wish you all a safe holiday season.
Earlier this year there was another fatality in California when a Model S went off the road and fell into a canyon.
http://insideevs.com/tesla-model-s-plunges-cliff-catches-fire-fatality-reported/
My condolences to the family and friends. As others have said, you can make a car tough, but you can't make it perfect.
green1
Active Member
Emergency responders don't do that. We have vehicles with much better lights to make the scene visible, are far too busy working on the patient, and don't want to disturb any controls at all in the vehicle that we don't have to in case the police care about them later. (unless bumped accidentally, but in the model S I don't see that as likely)
The interesting part is that there are any lights on at all. Normally the fire department's first task on scene (after/during traffic control) is to isolate 12V power to the vehicle to mitigate the risk of unexploded air bags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, etc going off while we're working. Especially critical in an EV as it also isolates the high voltage pack. So either someone didn't do that, or the car is designed in such a way that the hazard lights stay on even after the first responder cut loop is cut, which seems unlikely.
Feeling Ill
I read through most of this thread after finding it through a frantic Google search. I guess I'm responding in a way to try to help. This is so horrific my response is almost compulsory, and yet I'm so sad that nothing I can do will bring this victim back.
I'm not comfortable disclosing my identity or proximity to the accident but suffice to say that it's as close as one could get, while not being the driver of the dump truck.
Foremostly I want to offer my deepest condolences to the victims family and community. The owner of the Tesla was apparently on his way to the airport to pick up family for the holidays, truly gut wrenching. There simply are no words.
The Dump truck was not affixed with a blade of any sort. It was simply used to transport snow and dump it. It was also a privately owned truck. It was traveling northbound when the driver lost control, the driver regained control over the truck just prior to the intersection as the light turned red. He then made the fatal decision to proceed through the intersection rather than slide through with all the brakes on again losing control. The driver of the Tesla was westbound out the outside lane. The inside lane was occupied by a tractor trailer, blocking the view of the danger that was coming broadside. The dump truck was moving at approximately 65 km/h (not mph) when it struck the Tesla. I am not able to say whether the driver of the Tesla had "timed" the green light or started from a dead stop. As you know the cars acceleration is not like any other and despite the light having just turned green the car may have been at a dead stop. The dump trucks nose was squared right on the drivers side doors.
The emergency crews did cut the entire car apart to get the victim out but to no avail. I feel ill still. My only hope is that the driver of the dumptruck takes responsibility for his actions. Obviously not intentional, but his choice has changed many lives forever.
I read through most of this thread after finding it through a frantic Google search. I guess I'm responding in a way to try to help. This is so horrific my response is almost compulsory, and yet I'm so sad that nothing I can do will bring this victim back.
I'm not comfortable disclosing my identity or proximity to the accident but suffice to say that it's as close as one could get, while not being the driver of the dump truck.
Foremostly I want to offer my deepest condolences to the victims family and community. The owner of the Tesla was apparently on his way to the airport to pick up family for the holidays, truly gut wrenching. There simply are no words.
The Dump truck was not affixed with a blade of any sort. It was simply used to transport snow and dump it. It was also a privately owned truck. It was traveling northbound when the driver lost control, the driver regained control over the truck just prior to the intersection as the light turned red. He then made the fatal decision to proceed through the intersection rather than slide through with all the brakes on again losing control. The driver of the Tesla was westbound out the outside lane. The inside lane was occupied by a tractor trailer, blocking the view of the danger that was coming broadside. The dump truck was moving at approximately 65 km/h (not mph) when it struck the Tesla. I am not able to say whether the driver of the Tesla had "timed" the green light or started from a dead stop. As you know the cars acceleration is not like any other and despite the light having just turned green the car may have been at a dead stop. The dump trucks nose was squared right on the drivers side doors.
The emergency crews did cut the entire car apart to get the victim out but to no avail. I feel ill still. My only hope is that the driver of the dumptruck takes responsibility for his actions. Obviously not intentional, but his choice has changed many lives forever.
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
My hunch is that you're asking if I was the passenger. The answer to both questions, stated and implied are no.
Andyw2100
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the insight you have offered. It sounds like a terrible, tragic situation.
SMSMD
Active Member
Wow, sobering read. I too often will quickly lead the pack at a stoplight in my Tesla. This will once again remind me to make sure nothing is coming through the intersection before proceeding.
Were the road conditions poor, like new snow?
Were the road conditions poor, like new snow?
jimtelsa
Member
Terrible news. Like another poster pointed out, the emergency lights blinking. Like the car is trying to call for help. It knows its life has ended.
It tried to protect its owner. Rest in Piece.
It tried to protect its owner. Rest in Piece.
Probably one of the few things that percolated into my youthful mind when I stared driving was the story my father told me of his only accident in his 50 years of driving up to that point (and only accident in 79 years now). It happened when he was 17 and he had the right of way at a traffic light and proceeded without looking only to be t-boned by someone who ran the light. He was not injured, but the case went to court where my father contended he had the right of way. The judge agreed with him but decided to impart a lesson on the young driver in front of him and asked him, "yes you had the right of way, but how did you know the other guy was going to stop?"
I've usually been a bit cautious when the light goes green and there is some potential somebody could try and run the yellow light and mis-time it. I give a look and see if there are any cars racing up to the light and hesitate a few seconds to make sure they are going to stop. In this case it doesn't sound like that sort of caution would have helped the poor Tesla driver. It sounds like he was in a blind spot behind another truck and couldn't see the dump truck until it was too late.
I did do my share of stupid things as a young driver though. The first ticket I got was on highway 46 in California, I was doing 100 when I saw the CHP. He gave me a ticket for 65 not far from where James Dean was killed.
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
The NHTSA side impact test simulates a 3015 lb car going at 38.5mph. Looking at the video, this is a tri-axle dump truck. This would have an unloaded weight of ~20,000 lbs and a loaded weight of ~80,000 lbs. For an unloaded truck it would have to be going at 15mph to equal the kinetic energy of the side impact test, a loaded truck would have to be going 7.5 mph.
Up thread it was mentioned the truck was actually going ~65kph (~40mph). If that is true, that is 7x to 26x the kinetic energy of the side impact test.
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A sad day and a bad start to Christmas for his family.
Still I appreciate the trouble you (stopcrazypp) went to to put numbers to this event, without numbers we are left with pointless speculation and ignorance.
I'll be a little more circumspect at green lights from now on, not that this fatality could have been avoided by the deceased with any reasonable amount of caution.
Still I appreciate the trouble you (stopcrazypp) went to to put numbers to this event, without numbers we are left with pointless speculation and ignorance.
I'll be a little more circumspect at green lights from now on, not that this fatality could have been avoided by the deceased with any reasonable amount of caution.
If you are not familiar with Winnipeg, traffic lights there always have the red showing and then have green arrows to indicate a green light. Totally nonstandard. (Unless this has changed since I was last there)
I heard through a friend of the family that Tesla sent a bouquet of flowers. A nice gesture from the company - and hopefully something none of us or our families ever have to experience. Still can't believe this happened.
Reading enonymous' account of the events that transpired, living here and knowing that area so well I can absolutely picture it happening, and it's just tragic. Also serves as a reminder to all of us never to go on green until you're sure the lanes are clear. Similar thing happened to my wife three years ago - she was in the far right lane with a big vehicle in the middle lane obstructing her view a bit. Everybody started to move on green so she went too (with a fairly heavy foot on the pedal as she wanted to get a head of the truck and move into middle lane on far side of the intersection). The big truck stopped short though as a car ran the red, which then nailed the front driver side of her VW EOS and spun her around and gave her a big knock on the head (head to side window - she still suffers a bit from the incident). Had she been in a even zippier car (say the P85D), probably would have taken full impact on the driver door as it does accelerate like nothing else on the road.
Again, so sad. My condolences to the family and all impacted. Truly sucks.
Reading enonymous' account of the events that transpired, living here and knowing that area so well I can absolutely picture it happening, and it's just tragic. Also serves as a reminder to all of us never to go on green until you're sure the lanes are clear. Similar thing happened to my wife three years ago - she was in the far right lane with a big vehicle in the middle lane obstructing her view a bit. Everybody started to move on green so she went too (with a fairly heavy foot on the pedal as she wanted to get a head of the truck and move into middle lane on far side of the intersection). The big truck stopped short though as a car ran the red, which then nailed the front driver side of her VW EOS and spun her around and gave her a big knock on the head (head to side window - she still suffers a bit from the incident). Had she been in a even zippier car (say the P85D), probably would have taken full impact on the driver door as it does accelerate like nothing else on the road.
Again, so sad. My condolences to the family and all impacted. Truly sucks.
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