C6 owner Killed by Car roof
08-19-2005, 04:56 PM
#21
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by DP Dave
Dan,
Glad to read you made it home safely! Just hope following the head banging that you didn't fill up at the Arco station as I understand it is not a Top Tier fuel.
Now that you banged your head does this mean you may change your avatar? Perhaps "Headbanger"?
Glad to read you made it home safely! Just hope following the head banging that you didn't fill up at the Arco station as I understand it is not a Top Tier fuel.
Now that you banged your head does this mean you may change your avatar? Perhaps "Headbanger"?
...and let the nicknames begin!!!
08-19-2005, 04:57 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by MitchAlsup
Another GOOD reason to have a permanent, unremovable top in the Vette lineup....
08-19-2005, 05:08 PM
#24
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Originally Posted by sanspeur
A good reminder for all of us to complete the roof operation before doing anything else. I've also heard stories about putting the roof back on, then forgetting to close the latches, and driving away. The roof flies off and often damages the back of the car on its way to the pavement. 
The 'in-the-middle-of-something-important-but-got-distracted' tales are some of the best in accident literature... the apparently innumerable pilots here can attest to that...
The best automotive one that comes to my mind right now was a couple of guys racing, had a practiced routine: took car off trailer, remove street tires, put on slicks, etc. One of the steps was to spin on all lugs, other guy follows with torque wrench...
You can guess the rest: "Sudden Tramatic Loss of Forward Progress" at 300 ft when the wheels decide to 'go their own way', to quote Fleetwood Mac...
It's good to form standard methods -- if not formal checklists, then at least stringent routines with feedback -- to head off such incidents. I'll bet many of us absentmindly tap our pants pocket to hear the reassuring jingle of keys EVERY DAY before we swing the door closed, to keep from being locked out...
08-19-2005, 05:46 PM
#25
Melting Slicks
This reminds me of something that happened to me once in my 1999 C5 and which gives me pause with my C6. I had been driving with the roof out when it got really windy and the the sky started to darken ominously. So I pulled over on the side of a moderately busy road with two lanes on my side going in the same direction. I got out, opened the trunk and removed the roof. As I turned, arms outstretched with the roof firmly grasped longways in between, to walk around to the driver's side the strangest thing happened in the very next second. A sudden strong gust of wind caught me from behind and, with the roof acting as a sail, dragged me about two feet into the street with a single powerful shove. My heart stopped and my head snapped sideways fully expecting to see a car wreathed in a cloud of brake smoke in a too-late maneuver. It happened with such an oily smoothness and so quickly that my whole body froze instantly. Not only did it never occur to me to let go of the roof, I don't think I could have. My grip had automatically tightened to full when the gust hit. I say my head snapped sideways but it seemed to take five minutes during which I swear I could feel the twist in every fiber in every muscle involved. My brain simply went to half power expecting a sudden violent hit and refusing to deal.
Fortunately nothing was coming and I quickly stepped out of the roadway, put the top in and got in the car. There was a coppery taste in my now otherwise dry mouth and I didn't move for about two minutes. I am sure it was just a freak thing though I could later just imagine not only my lost life but the ruined life of any striking driver trying to explain the seemingly illogical in court, "he seemed to just suddenly step away from his car and out into the street, honest."
Stupid and strange but completely true.
Fortunately nothing was coming and I quickly stepped out of the roadway, put the top in and got in the car. There was a coppery taste in my now otherwise dry mouth and I didn't move for about two minutes. I am sure it was just a freak thing though I could later just imagine not only my lost life but the ruined life of any striking driver trying to explain the seemingly illogical in court, "he seemed to just suddenly step away from his car and out into the street, honest."
Stupid and strange but completely true.
08-19-2005, 09:52 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by TRAYC6
Wow.. this same type of thing happened to Ernie helping me once.. we got preoccupied... and he did something.. and hit his head like that... wasnt as bad as yours but it sure did hurt him for a while... glad your alright.... 
:o Boing, Boing, Boing...
08-19-2005, 09:54 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by bangbgC6
Not really but I think I was close.
I was just wondering if I was the clumsiest/stupidest C6 owner or if this has happened to anyone else.
I was traveling back home to So. Cal after being in Northern CA last weekend. I had covered about 500 miles of the 700 I was going to drive that day. I pulled into an ARCO Station in Bakersfield to make use of the facilities and pick up some snacks for the last leg of the trip, I was good on gas so it was strictly a human comfort stop.
I thought to myself, “Hey self, why not take the roof off for some fresh air for the last 200 miles.” So I unlatched the header latches and the rear latch, I then noticed some napkins sitting on the seat and then self spoke up again “I need to stow those before they exit out the top after I get on the freeway.” I had not yet removed the roof , BIG mistake!
I turned around to place them in a bag in the rear area, as I reached back I must’ve lunged into the rear area somewhat and smacked the living $hit out of my head on the latch that was still hanging down.
Let me tell you, that latch handle hanging down is solid as an F’ing rock and shaped like a really dull knife-edge.
I was stunned at first and naturally grabbed for the top of my head where the impact took place, sitting motionless for a second or two, could have been minutes for all I know.
I pulled away my hand it was covered in blood. All I could think was that I fractured my skull and would be stuck in Bakersfield needing brain surgery to remove bone fragments from my swelling brain.
After regaining as much sense as I have, I bought some ice baggies and napkins and spent the last 200 miles trying to stop the bleeding.
Luckily for me I have a really hard head, I wasn’t getting dizzy or nauseous and the bleeding finally stopped by the time I got home.
I vote myself the stupidest!
Lesson learned finish taking off roof before cleaning up potential debris.
I was just wondering if I was the clumsiest/stupidest C6 owner or if this has happened to anyone else.
I was traveling back home to So. Cal after being in Northern CA last weekend. I had covered about 500 miles of the 700 I was going to drive that day. I pulled into an ARCO Station in Bakersfield to make use of the facilities and pick up some snacks for the last leg of the trip, I was good on gas so it was strictly a human comfort stop.
I thought to myself, “Hey self, why not take the roof off for some fresh air for the last 200 miles.” So I unlatched the header latches and the rear latch, I then noticed some napkins sitting on the seat and then self spoke up again “I need to stow those before they exit out the top after I get on the freeway.” I had not yet removed the roof , BIG mistake!
I turned around to place them in a bag in the rear area, as I reached back I must’ve lunged into the rear area somewhat and smacked the living $hit out of my head on the latch that was still hanging down.
Let me tell you, that latch handle hanging down is solid as an F’ing rock and shaped like a really dull knife-edge.
I was stunned at first and naturally grabbed for the top of my head where the impact took place, sitting motionless for a second or two, could have been minutes for all I know.
I pulled away my hand it was covered in blood. All I could think was that I fractured my skull and would be stuck in Bakersfield needing brain surgery to remove bone fragments from my swelling brain.
After regaining as much sense as I have, I bought some ice baggies and napkins and spent the last 200 miles trying to stop the bleeding.
Luckily for me I have a really hard head, I wasn’t getting dizzy or nauseous and the bleeding finally stopped by the time I got home.
I vote myself the stupidest!
Lesson learned finish taking off roof before cleaning up potential debris.
08-19-2005, 10:24 PM
#28
Melting Slicks
Seeeee. this is why people like to buy verts. so they don't bang their head in such a manner as you did. Push the buttom and no fush, no muss, no blood, no ice bags, no dame bramage, just a "ding" when the top is fully down and all you have to do now is release the buttom. And guess what? Your DONE!
Trade it in for a vert and
Trade it in for a vert and
08-20-2005, 02:23 AM
#31
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It takes a good man to point at himself unfortunately I chuckled too until I read the blood aspect. Once I drove off with the front latch's unhooked on my 99 and stupid (me) was looking for the source of the leak everywhere but up. Your not alone.
08-20-2005, 06:07 AM
#33
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Stupid?...no, Clumsy?...not really, Careless?...well maybe. :o
What's really important is that you didn't suffer any traumatic injury from such a severe blow. Sounds like you almost did. That's a hell of a way to learn a lesson, but I must applaude you for sharing that with us.
College of hard knocks can really suck.
What's really important is that you didn't suffer any traumatic injury from such a severe blow. Sounds like you almost did. That's a hell of a way to learn a lesson, but I must applaude you for sharing that with us.
College of hard knocks can really suck.
Ouch!!!!!!!!!
08-20-2005, 10:10 AM
#35
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I can only hope my sharing my painful tale will keep some other C6 driver from being victimized by the "Bakersfield Brain Basher".
I did take some time afterwords in the ARCO lot to assess my ability to safely drive before getting back on the road.
When sitting in the lot trying to determine if I needed professional care for the injury I kicked myself thinking how handy having NAV would have been in finding a local Urgent Care Facility. There again OnStar may have come in handy.
Because of my option choices all I could do was sit and listen to my shuffling CD's.
I did take some time afterwords in the ARCO lot to assess my ability to safely drive before getting back on the road.
When sitting in the lot trying to determine if I needed professional care for the injury I kicked myself thinking how handy having NAV would have been in finding a local Urgent Care Facility. There again OnStar may have come in handy.
Because of my option choices all I could do was sit and listen to my shuffling CD's.
