Afy My Friend but not you alone

[SAM Team]

Afy My Friend but not you alone,

Though I have never met you I have seen your notes many times out here on the board...Yesterday at 3:00 it has been 3 weeks since this happened to me, my beautiful Viper was destroyed, yours looks good comparably speaking, this does not make me feel any better just a little more nauseous. We were at Kershaw, SC, Carolina Motor Sports, we were participating in a driver school with the BMW Club of SC and had total brake failure going into the first turn. This is the first time I have talked about this on the board since this has happened. In time I will share with all of our Viper friends all that took place, but not today.

I just showed this to my girls and they said to let you know we know how you feel and they are very sorry for the damage to your beautiful car. It has been pretty lonely around here, the car was very special to a lot of people other than myself... I have a beautiful red custom Viper trailer with Viper wheel(s), rim(s), jack(s), part(s), fluid(s), all over the place and nothing to do with them.....it hurts a little!!!

To ALL my Viper Friends, ones that I know and the ones that I have yet to meet, please think twice about how fast you are going, where you are, who is in the car, who is in the other cars around you, it is just not worth your life or someone else's. Think about all the people who depend upon YOU, sometimes we forget.... I am all for getting out an running and showing our beautiful cars, there is no other car that can match the "uniqueness" that we all have in common, just take it to Viper Days (I am a huge fan and participant for more than one reason) or some other event or facility have all your safety equipment on and ready, full face helmets, 5 point seat belts and driving suits are required. Yes, both air bags deployed, the Team Tech seatbelts(tie a rawhide string to the upper cross over strap to the D-ring so you can find it easily) and the craftsmanship of Team Viper ALL worked perfectly. There is no damage to the inside cockpit of the car.

Yes there is a group of us who have something in common, the loss of our Vipers, please DO NOT join US. Not in my worse dream would have believed this would happen to me....

Thanks for letting me vent. Our good Lord saw fit that Sean Roe and I walked away without scratch, He had us in the palm of His Hand all the time and I give Him all the Glory and Praise for allowing me to share his with all of YOU!.

 

[pj]

So sorry to hear about that, Sam. I'm glad to hear you and Sean are okay. The story can wait til you are ready to tell it.

 

[Afy]

 

[VOI9 ASP]

I am one of the lucky ones also. I lost my 1996 GTS in the cork screw at Laguna Seca. The car didn't look that bad from the outside, but it had major frame damage. I broke three ribs and now have have disc and hip problems to deal with. Just finished my first round of shots in my back and hip. Ouch! The good news is I only have to do this 2 or 3 times a year.

Sam,

Are you going to replace your Viper? If not what will you do with your trailer?

 

[JonB]

SAM...thanks for sharing, and we'll wait for chapter II. My interest is in the brake failure, and the safety success.

I have always enjoyed places or events that humble me to my core........that "WHOA" feeling in your gut.

-The vistas across Alaska......as on the Iditarod, or a high-range climb. Just turn a corner, and you get that W H O A feeling.... a Grand Canyon moment. Like when 20,000 swans descend over/alongside your canoe........WHOA.
-Watching a space shot....or just a meteorite shower....
-Viewing the World Trade Centers for the first time...and last.

All those WHOA events take you by surprise, and take your breath.

Driving a supercar, like the Viper, is that kind of feeling. WHOA! Doing it on track is in a higer zone still.

But you can be completely humbled at any minute. Your breath, taken away. On a slippery glacier, or a racetrack. WHOA. That's why we do it. But do it safely. You want to get your breath BACK.

If I was the emperor of an event, NO ONE would be allowed above hi-way speeds (75-85)without full harnesses for all occupants. The Viper is a well-built, but plastic car. I thnk Jerry agrees. Having had the experience of towing a totalled ACR from inside and under a tire wall, and sending an instructor-colleague to hospital...I sympathize. WHOA. Be Safe Out There............

 

[Mark Red GTS Cooper]

Sam,

Very very sorry,,you are lucky to walk away. The car can be replaced or fixed, dads and friends cannot!

I will call you Monday. Shoot me an e-mail and let me know if I can help,

Mark

 

[Sean Roe]

First off, there's a video. Sam should be persuaded to upload the Mpeg of the accident, which lasts about 4 seconds.
Second, safety belts did their job in frontal hit and endover. They didn't do much for the rolls and hits, but that's due to the stock seats (versus race seats which hold you in laterally better) and is no fault of the belts. I can honestly say I probably would not have moved as much in the car if the anti sub belt did not extend around the front of the stock seat. With the force of your body getting tossed around, it allows more movement as the seat cushion compresses. An occupant of a Viper is prone to rib injury if the seat and belt configuration is not such that it secures you in side impacts (otherwise, you hit the center console). Though I emerged with only some cuts on my left hand (I was holding onto the e-brake after I'd pulled it, when we came down and hit the ground, the impact was such that I pulled the upolstery off the handle and there's sharp metal underneath the covering), the extended pain has been my left ribs. Still can't move much faster than a brisk walk without pain. Waited to go to a doctor after I got back from SEMA (that's called a mistake)(left for SEMA 2 days after the accident). Bottom line, Sam and I both were lucky to have walked away. We went end over end and rolled, I'm not sure how many times, before landing in the woods on the drivers side. Sam can fill you guys in on details as possible.

 

[VOI9 ASP]

I agree with Jon B - No car for me on the track without 5 point belts. If I'm lucky enough to get the Comp Coupe - it has the belts, race seat, and better brakes. Maybe that plus some more good instruction will help my next track experience feel safer.

Glad to hear you are both ok. I can attest to the pain of broken ribs and the sore back. But I'm not ready to stay off the track.

 

[jimandela]

venom 2k,
I have had 2 back surgeries and multiple injections. I would not wish back problems on my worst enemy.
I pray every thing goes well with your back!!!Ouch is right!!!


I have 5pts only for the street. and ebc go on in the spring.
I will probably never go on a track with my car but still want the added safety features.

glad both of you walked away!!!!

 

[Dion Fisher]

I feel your pain and definetly can relate to the brake failure as well the lack of support that's available in the stock seat for track usage.. (Didn't keep my fluid fresh at a recent event and ended up with a rock hard pedal when entering a corner at nearly the limit, but saved it, I was very "lucky")

The best point I can make here is keep your fluid fresh if you like to press the limits..

It's funny how even a "scrape with disaster" such as mine on June 8, 2000 @ PIR removes the invincible feeling and seems to come to mind before I get started which helps keep me in check..

Can't say that i'll be worrying too much about crashing though as this is only one of my dangerous sports and i've found that worry inhibits focus which leads to bad events.. People like us are hooked on the adrenalin so KEEP ON RACIN'!!

 

[Janni]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sean Roe:
...Second, safety belts did their job in frontal hit and endover. They didn't do much for the rolls and hits, but that's due to the stock seats (versus race seats which hold you in laterally better) and is no fault of the belts. I can honestly say I probably would not have moved as much in the car if the anti sub belt did not extend around the front of the stock seat. With the force of your body getting tossed around, it allows more movement as the seat cushion compresses.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sean is right - we should all consider race seats. In the interim - 6 POINT HARNESSES. The antisub strap location using the stock seat is NOT GOOD - I discussed this with Curt from Team Tech at Mid Ohio and he suggested that I have my belts redone to 6 points. What a difference. You are held in place using - ok I hate to say it - a diaper like configuration. 2 straps attach back to the lap belt eye bolts, route under your thighs (strongest bone in the body) and PULL you back towards the seat- it takes the seat cushiness OUT of the equation in an accident. This also improves your ability to feel the car, as you move even less than with the 5 points. Safety AND a performance improvement.

TIGHTEN your belts - not once, but SEVERAL times before you go out and even during your run session. You tend to "shrink" as the laps add up.

TeamTech will convert your 5 points to 6 points for a small fee. It requires no additional holes and if you are considering belts - ask JonB - go straight for the 6 points.

Glad Sam and Sean are safe.

 

[SEASNAKE]

I'm glad you and Sean made it through relatively unscathed. Sorry about the car - it was awesome.

 

[MaxedGTS]

That's not good. I would start looking for comparisons. The insurance company may try to settle for less. Get all your receipts together now.

It's good you made it out alive,
Max M.

 

[jimandela]

Janni,
there was talk of cutting the stock seat for the sub belt.
did that ever work out?
if so do you have instructions or pics on how? (without destroying the seat of course)
thanks
JIM

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Here's my 5th belt; I cut the stitching between the sections, not the leather material itself. If you really wanted to, you could sew the hole closed. If you don't want it to show, you can stuff it down the hole and pull it out for track day.

The belt attaches to a bar that bridges between the two rear seat bolts. I suppose one could figure a way to attach it to the seat belt bolts also, I just didn't think of it.

You must be registered for see images

 

[99t1]

nice job Tom!

 

[zoomie]

Sam, so sorry to hear, glad you and Sean as well as other
recent accident occupants are all safe and ok.