Model S saved my life

[Max*]

For those speculating on what would have happened to kids in rear-facing seats in this accident, keep in mind (or be informed) that the RFS option also includes structural reinforcement of that area to make it safer for human occupants.

Here's some pics of the reinforcement, it goes in the bumper, not the liftgate.: 3rd party install RFS (Rear Facing Seats)


Sorry for hijacking the thread OP.

 

[RayW]

This is a very interesting story. I lived in that area of Oakland and still subscribe to the neighborhood forum where incidents like this are always discussed. I saw no discussion of any cars going off Grizzly Peak lately and there is nothing in the news that I could find. Usually, a car going off that stretch of road would make the news simply because any recovery effort would require lots of police and fire presence and people would immediately start posting to the forum about the police activity. See, for example, this story from last year when a car went over the side (and note that the passengers survived, and they were not in a Tesla, so it's hard to argue that the Tesla said your life....)

Also, launching a car on the downslope side of grizzly peak and then having it tumble up to 200 ft down the hill would have left you precariously perched on a slope that would be difficult to climb up in the best of circumstances, let alone after such a horrific accident.

How did you get off the hill and do you have any links to news reports on this accident? Not that I'm doubting you, it's just so odd to not have any news/neighborhood discussion of such an incident.

Buzz kill

 

[David29]

Very glad that you (the OP and passenger are OK). Quite a wreck.

The dialog about whether to swerve or brake reminds me of an incident many years ago. My wife and I were on a long vacation, traveling across country from the East coast and back, using a Diesel Mercedes sedan with a small tent trailer attached. We were in northern California, on state highway 96 en route north from a camp ground near Willow Creek to Oregon. We were in the stretch between Willow Creek and Hoopa, a twisty 2-lane mountainside road with the mountain face on the left and a steep downward slope on the right. Coming down a slight grade and coming into a right-hand turn, traveling at something like 30-40 mph I saw a rock in the road, in our lane. I had moments to decide whether to swerve around the rock, or to pass over it. (I clearly recall that as the choice, so I must have assumed it was not possible or maybe not safe to try to stop.) Swerving to the left could have brought us into contact with the rocky slope upwards, and swerving to the right would take us off the road and into oblivion. My mental calculation had to consider our speed, the width of the road, position of the rock, and the size of the rock. I decided to try to drive over the rock. My estimate of the size versus our ground clearance proved to be wrong, and the rock dented the oil pan and broke the oil pump. So we were stranded on a lonely road in midday summer heat, but the car was otherwise intact and we were okay.
We debated after that for some time (you can imagine the conversation!) whether I made the right choice, and of course it is easy to see that I did not, at least in the sense that the car was damaged. (Getting the car repaired cost us a 10-day delay by the time the MB dealer in Eureka got the part and had the repair done.) Not sure what I would do today under the same circumstances. Trailers complicate the decision, but brakes are better now than they were then (disc brakes only in front, and no Anti-skid brakes in those days).
I'll try to remember the OP's advice to use brakes and not evasive action when it comes to a deer (or maybe even a boulder) on a curvy mountain road!

 

[SMAlset]

Whttiger25, if you can, love to see some photos of the top of the pano roof area when you go to the salvage yard. Plus any photos of the roof interior if you're able to get inside. Thanks! We have the sunroof on our 75D and wondering how that roof area looks after the tumble. I always thought or hoped that the middle beam added extra support to the roof so curious how it faired. Good to know that while the car is designed not to roll, when it does, it's pretty solid.

How are you guys feeling? How extensive is the bruising? Glad you got checked out after it happened.

 

[Canuck]

That's an incredible story. I'm glad you walked away relatively unharmed.

PSA: don't swerve when a large animal appears in the road in front of you. Apply the brakes.

Agreed if it's a deer but hitting a moose is like hitting a brick wall and you're probably better off swerving if you can without going over a cliff or into oncoming traffic.

 

[whttiger25]

Whttiger25, if you can, love to see some photos of the top of the pano roof area when you go to the salvage yard. Plus any photos of the roof interior if you're able to get inside. Thanks! We have the sunroof on our 75D and wondering how that roof area looks after the tumble. I always thought or hoped that the middle beam added extra support to the roof so curious how it faired. Good to know that while the car is designed not to roll, when it does, it's pretty solid.

How are you guys feeling? How extensive is the bruising? Glad you got checked out after it happened.

Will provide as soon as I am able.

I had a very mild left black eye, more on my upper cheek bone, which is rapidly fading. Left ear was bruised, no longer really noticable. some scrapes on my neck below my left ear. Waist bruised from seat belt, some bruises on left arm. Still pulling out out pricks and stinging nettles from my hand from climbing out. Otherwise I'm 100%.

 

[JPP]

Dropped by at 5:30pm, they had just finished up. Looks like they did a good job. Tow driver said it took them 4 hours and 550 feet of cable! As in, it was 550 feet down there. Holy s.....

Looks like my only losses will be a year of depreciation and a Reus audio system. Life, and more importantly, my friends life and well being, are still in tact. Let's close this chapter and start a new one. 100D?

If you talk to the Reus folks, they usually can 'harvest' the system and install into a new vehicle at little or no additional $$.

 

[whttiger25]

If you talk to the Reus folks, they usually can 'harvest' the system and install into a new vehicle at little or no additional $$.

I know, but I won't have much of an opportunity as I will have to release the car to progressive and Reus folks are 400 mi away

 

[ThisIsTrue]

"@TeslaMotors: Tesla driver walks away unscathed after ~500-ft fall from a cliff in his Model S. https://t.co/DqnsUgCHKhvia @ElectrekCo"

Yeah, well, so much for editing out the "spirited driving" part of your post.

 

[whttiger25]

"@TeslaMotors: Tesla driver walks away unscathed after ~500-ft fall from a cliff in his Model S. https://t.co/DqnsUgCHKhvia @ElectrekCo"

Yeah, well, so much for editing out the "spirited driving" part of your post.

I guess I don't really care. Too late. I don't think it will really matter. No one knows my real name.

 

[JPP]

I know, but I won't have much of an opportunity as I will have to release the car to progressive and Reus folks are 400 mi away

I would still call Cliff to discuss--especially if Progressive does not credit you for a system that Reus will migrate for you for labor costs only...

 

[ThisIsTrue]

I guess I don't really care. Too late. I don't think it will really matter. No one knows my real name.

Well, your insurance company does, and can certainly connect you to the one Tesla over the edge in Oakland that day. That said, I agree with your earlier comment: you're already on the hook for "at fault" anyway, so there's no real downside to the original post.

 

[whttiger25]

Well, your insurance company does, and can certainly connect you to the one Tesla over the edge in Oakland that day. That said, I agree with your earlier comment: you're already on the hook for "at fault" anyway, so there's no real downside to the original post.

Yeah. If there was any doubt about fault I wouldn't have posted about this until insurance was squared away.

 

[Canuck]

I guess I don't really care. Too late. I don't think it will really matter. No one knows my real name.

But without knowing your name, how is PETA going to send you an award for sacrificing your own life to save a deer?

 

[HankLloydRight]

Pictures like this are why I sort of regret getting the RFS, and anytime I use them (which is very rare) I try to be extra careful.

While the bumper held on (and I'm guessing even if it were reinforced, it wouldn't matter), the whole liftgate crumpled due to the fall, and only the passengers inside the actual cabin would have been safe.

I'd look at it a different way, using statistics. How many Tesla Model S passenger miles are there, compared to how many occurrences of the rear occupant area being incurred to such a degree that occupants were (or could have) been injured? I know of one so far. We've seen on TMC some pretty horrific rear-enders where the RFS area was fine (where the bumper did its job). What you're afraid of is a catastrophic roll accident where the bumper doesn't help (or doesn't help enough) AND the car rolls on the rear hatch. I think those types of accidents are extremely rare.. rare enough not to regret getting and using the RFS.

 

[Eclectic]

I guess I don't really care. Too late. I don't think it will really matter. No one knows my real name.

As we lawyers say, "ain't nuttin illegal about spirited driving". You never said that you were breaking any laws nor did you say that you were being reckless. Spirited driving, to me, means that you were driving the car in a safe and appropriate manner, given the immense performance potential of the Tesla. The fact that you qualified the description as being a "tad too" spirited was simply self effacing humor in the aftermath of a very traumatic event.

 

[EarlyAdopter]

A deer through the front windshield can be deadly, so I wouldn't second guess the OP's split second decision to swerve.

So glad to hear everyone is ok. With that, let the jokes commence.

Oh deer. I sure hope you aren't upside-down in your loan. I guess you could say you've fallen head over feet for your Tesla.

 

[AudubonB]

Youz all seem to be ignoring the fact that, as I pointed out in my initial post in this thread, our diligent OP'er had written that it was the deer who was driving in spirited fashion.

 

[lkuntz]

I guess I don't really care. Too late. I don't think it will really matter. No one knows my real name.

I'm curious. Did someone from Electrek contact you before they wrote the article or did they just lift your posts from TMC without direct permission?

I live nearby and almost never drive on that part of Grizzly Peak because I find it nerve wracking. I'm so glad you and your passenger are okay.

 

[NikeWings]

I'm curious. Did someone from Electrek contact you before they wrote the article or did they just lift your posts from TMC without direct permission?

Electrek lifts post quotes frequently, as well as obtains general material and topics for their website from TMC. When I saw them do it to a gal last year, who'd represented a confidential email, only to become splattered across the web, I stopped visiting their site. Shame on her for being so naive and shame on them for valuing click bait over humanity.

@whttiger25 despite the lousy situation you find yourself in, you've not whined nor once blamed anyone but yourself and I commend you for that. You referenced your parents earlier, and they must be very damn proud of you. And the deer, he thinks your pretty cool too.