RING!!

V

VvrooomM

Senior member
Just sitting down for the obligatory steak on stone at the Pistenklause. Ring tomorrow and Spa on Monday. Few years since I've been but it certainly has not lost it's petrol head craziness!! Circuit shut for last hour due to a big off so didn't manage the sighter lap we had hoped for. 29 deg C!! Gonna be a good few days I think.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Not a good day out there today!! Several less British E9x M3's, saw three written off today. 20 secs behind a three accident 10 car pile up!! Ring taxi took out a stationary corvette and Brit e36 M3 who had pulled up as track blocked. Driver of E36 taken away by helicopter.

Maddest day I have ever seen!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
VvrooomM said:
Not a good day out there today!! Several less British E9x M3's, saw three written off today. 20 secs behind a three accident 10 car pile up!! Ring taxi took out a stationary corvette and Brit e36 M3 who had pulled up as track blocked. Driver of E36 taken away by helicopter.

Maddest day I have ever seen!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That sounds pretty horrific.

Do they have a yellow light system when there is an incident on a certain part of the track or is it hit your brakes when you come round the corner? :o
 
:(

Hearing stuff like that reminds you that it's not all fun and games on the Nurburgring.
 
http://www.gtspirit.com/2011/10/03/car-crash-eight-cars-involved-in-crash-at-nurburgring/

_crash_eight_cars_involved_in_crash_at_nurburgring.jpg

Yesterday around 14:00 in the afternoon, a serious traffic accident happened on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring with a total of eight vehicles involved including the famous BMW M3 Ring Taxi. The accident took place in two phases with drivers from several European countries involved.

The accident was probably caused by speeding. In the section called “Bergwerk” a construction company set up by a construction zone. While most of the drivers realized this, a fourth driver from England was trying to brake, but could not prevent a side collision with a car driving ahead. The car then hurled into the grass. After 50 meters it came back on the road where it hit two other cars.

The accident situation was recognized by three other drivers and they were able to slow down their cars. Another car, a BMW M3 ring taxi, did not pay attention and crashed against one of the decelerating cars. The ring taxi eventually stopped against the guard rail. Except for one single vehicle, all cars were severely damaged and no longer roadworthy. The estimated damage is more than € 100,000.

The crash followed a second crash earlier in the weekend where someone who wanted to help at an accident was hit by another car. Apparently the safety regulation table is doing nothing and on the TV wall where normally the safety video is shown there are now commercials.
Click to expand...
 
Is that you mate?

http://bridgetogantry.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=299:hypocrisy-and-hysteria&catid=55:touristenfahrten&Itemid=300088

crash3.jpg
 
Yes, that's me. Arrived on top of the accident, mate in T350 braked and moved left in time to avoid corvette. Ring Taxi arrived 10 secs later and didn't stop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I am really surprised the ring taxi did that, I was expecting more from those drivers.
 
......"Yesterday around 14:00 in the afternoon, a serious traffic accident happened on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring with a total of eight vehicles involved including the famous BMW M3 Ring Taxi. The accident took place in two phases with drivers from several European countries involved.
THE ACCIDENT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY SPEEDING.........."

Tut, Tut, how wrong - speeding on a RACETRACK....... :? :? :?
 
There's a video on YouTube taken before the accident which really does show that a large contributing factor to this mess was very poor positioning and hence warning of the roadworks.

Strangely enough it seems all too common. A few years ago I came out of Pflanzgarten I only to encounter the very same 'trailer' roadworks sign, right on the racing line over a blind crest, if I'd have yanked the car right, I'd have lost control; so I went left, took to the grass and cut through between it and the barrier.. Bloomin' lucky, but these guys obviously weren't. I can't help but feel for them given many of the cars involved seem to be British, hence their insurance companies won't be anywhere to be seen....

Ian
 
its a public road ....... starngely enough ...............
Did you know you can be nicked for speeding on it ??????? In germany a copper can nick you for driving at a speed that he considers unsafe for the conditions.........

Its a good drive, but in all honesty, you are safer on a track day in the UK
 
Am never going again on a public day with car or as a passenger. Completely lost it's magic for me, mostly full of idiots now in my opinion obviously.

Had a fantastic day at Spa yesterday despite low cloud keeping circuit closed until 1pm bar the taster laps under yellow before lunch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Fast forward this video to 9.50 to see this French E30 driver arrive at the road works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXTXGY1sUeA

You can see the Ring taxi slam into the Corvette just after that. Terrible, terrible place to do that work. The warnings should have started down at Bergwerk.

Sounds like it's all gone a bit wrong at the 'ring. Apparently the safety videos they used to show on a loop by the ticket office are now adverts for Nurodisney...
 
VvrooomM said:
Am never going again on a public day with car or as a passenger. Completely lost it's magic for me, mostly full of idiots now in my opinion obviously.
Click to expand...

+1

The magic has just gone :(
 
Madness!

I dare say there are simply too many turning up with all the gear and no idea...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
It's a shame. From a Brits point of view, it's now incredibly risky to do a Tourist day due to the insurance issues.

From a traffic / safety point of view, things seem to have changed. I've only been 4/5 times since 2003, but don't think I'll bother again unless it's a closed trackday. The last time I went was a bookatrack day and it was great, no major incidents, few closures and no bikes.

Apparently the safety video that was shown in the ticket office has now been changed to an advert for 'Nurodisney' - Not a great idea.
 
As a public road, a driver should drive in a manner that allows them to stop within the distance they can see - however the placement of the warning trailer, and the lack of forewarning (there may have been some, but I didn't see any flashing yellow lights) as you come through Breidscheid, Ex Muhle & Bergwerk must have contributed to the accident in a large way.

Despite taking note of the warning when I joined the track, I didn't know exactly which part of that section the warning was for, or what the warning was for, so assumed it meant there was oil/debris on the track along the whole section.

We came through Briedscheid normally (i.e. relatively slowly) and turned up through Ex Muhle and Bergwerk and accelerated at about 50% normal. My passenger asked if this was the section where the accident was, and I turned my head slightly as I replied that it was somewhere along this uphill stretch. As I turned my head back to the front we saw the sign and then the lorry further up ahead.

Even with this foreknowledge, it was still a surprise to see it where it was, but we had enough time & space to lift off and steer around it without any drama.

It was only when we came back into the parking area that we were asked if we'd seen what had closed the track, and it was then that we found out the extent of what had happened probably only a few seconds behind - scary!!!

A few of us 'older' (but not necessarily wiser) drivers are considering organising a closed/invite only trackday there next year (as part of some 40th birthday celebrations for a few of the group) - and trying to keep the numbers to about 100 cars. Even with the PL insurance, marshal, medical, fire & recovery options on top, it should come in at less than £500/head (based on the costs we were quoted last year) - plus anyone who wants to can buy track day insurance to protect their investment, with the understanding that insurance is down to the individual, and is 1st party only. There's also going to be a specification that it's one warning and then you're out (based on feedback from the marshals).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom