Paul Walker Reported Dead in Car Crash

Even if you look at the picture of the crash scene with the car gone, you can see that the light pole was likely chopped from the bottom and the bottom ended up closest to the crash, but what also strikes me is that there isn't a lot of upset dirt or scratches in the curb along that area. The car could have been airborn from when it hit the corner curb and light pole until it hit the tree.

 

That is a very violent impact they went through and one can only hope they didn't survive the start of the fire.

 

Very gut wrenching to hear Rodas' young son was at the scene.

 

Judging by the scenario and impact with light pole and how deep it ripped straight through the center of the cabin, I would really hope it was instant and fire wasn't a factor at that point.

 

RIP, makes my skin just crawl thinking about it.... really sad

Wasn't the car coming from the other direction?

 

And if they left the shop and were flooring it right away down that street into that long right hander, cold tires and any tail happy car... unfortunately you can see the likelihood of the accident. They were only a few feet from spinning in the driveway or launching into the parking lot below, both of those scenarios and they would probebly be here today. Looks like the Light pole was the fatal variable

 

My quick hypohesis is they started losing it out of the right-hander and the ass spun out (think ass facing forward) and had first contact on driver side with the light pole almost splitting the car completely in half while taking the pole down... momentum spun the nose of the car back around where it stopped laid against the tree. (full 360 spin going clockwise)

 

Thats why the drivers side is split completely open and Paul side kept car together. When they hit that pole the ass of the car was facing forward. Again this is just my quick thoughts based on a map and a picture of the car...

 

A. Is the Shop that they Left and B. is Crash Site!

 

 

I think you are right. They likely lost the control of the car (car slipped with the rear) at high speed AT THE END OF the long big turn from Kelly Johnson parkway to Hercules street when they raised the foot from the gas to start the approach at the 90 ° right turn to the Constellation, maybe due to a judgment error, or cold/old tyres or a mechanical failure. Could it be? i do not know at all those places, but looking at the map it looks to be a very likely scenario. May them rest in peace: what an horrible death.

 

ciao

The inherent problem with mid engine cars is that once you breach it's high limits, very very hard to recover... With older mid engine cars, slightly thicker tires and flex allowed some warning, whereas modern cars with super low profile and very stiff side walls, when tire breaks away, it's sudden, and much much faster without warning... That's why most car manufacturers either dial in a lot of under steer at limit or through 4wd to add some safety net... Frankly, when the car came out, I was surprised since I felt it was a pretty gutsy move by Porsche since high hp with lax traction control and mid engine rwd usually means Hairy beast...

The inherent problem with mid engine cars is that once you breach it's high limits, very very hard to recover... With older mid engine cars, slightly thicker tires and flex allowed some warning, whereas modern cars with super low profile and very stiff side walls, when tire breaks away, it's sudden, and much much faster without warning... That's why most car manufacturers either dial in a lot of under steer at limit or through 4wd to add some safety net... Frankly, when the car came out, I was surprised since I felt it was a pretty gutsy move by Porsche since high hp with lax traction control and mid engine rwd usually means Hairy beast...

 

God bless automatic stability control

 

Looks like skid marks on the scene to me. Maybe someone who knows their tyres can tell what is on the front by the tread pattern?

 

RIP.

 

There are definitely skid marks but they are straight skid marks which is why they believe there might be a mechanical failure. The skidmarks don't go back and forth.

There are definitely skid marks but they are straight skid marks which is why they believe there might be a mechanical failure. The skidmarks don't go back and forth.

 

Ah, ok: then my scenario is wrong.

 

ciao

 

 

The inherent problem with mid engine cars is that once you breach it's high limits, very very hard to recover... With older mid engine cars, slightly thicker tires and flex allowed some warning, whereas modern cars with super low profile and very stiff side walls, when tire breaks away, it's sudden, and much much faster without warning... That's why most car manufacturers either dial in a lot of under steer at limit or through 4wd to add some safety net... Frankly, when the car came out, I was surprised since I felt it was a pretty gutsy move by Porsche since high hp with lax traction control and mid engine rwd usually means Hairy beast...

 

You are so correct. I have taken a couple of CGT's to the track, played with one of them on a skid pad the first time out and that is when I came up with the decision that there is no way I would drive one 100% on any track without a full rollcage and safety equipement. I found the car quite nervous and very tail happy and I would go as far to say that you almost need immaculate conception to keep the car from crashing once it goes on you as it's limits are very high and I found there is very little or no warning when the rear end lost traction.

The mechanical failure scenario is highly unlikely imo, but it keeps the myth alive that an experienced driver was the victim of unforeseen circumstances. Fact is, if the driver was as experienced as it is said, he should have know better and left some room for error, especially since he was on the street.

Bad judgment, bad luck and a terrible ending.

All modern supercars command huge respect and unfortunately, this will not be the last we will be witnesses to such a terrible tragedy.

Allan, to you if you get one, and anyone else owning a CGT, for the love of God, drive safe!

Seems like a fuckedup car to own and if I ever seen one I will walk up to the owner and tell him to drive safe!

You are so correct. I have taken a couple of CGT's to the track, played with one of them on a skid pad the first time out and that is when I came up with the decision that there is no way I would drive one 100% on any track without a full rollcage and safety equipement. I found the car quite nervous and very tail happy and I would go as far to say that you almost need immaculate conception to keep the car from crashing once it goes on you as it's limits are very high and I found there is very little or no warning when the rear end lost traction.

The mechanical failure scenario is highly unlikely imo, but it keeps the myth alive that an experienced driver was the victim of unforeseen circumstances. Fact is, if the driver was as experienced as it is said, he should have know better and left some room for error, especially since he was on the street.

Bad judgment, bad luck and a terrible ending.

All modern supercars command huge respect and unfortunately, this will not be the last we will be witnesses to such a terrible tragedy.

 

tks for sharing your experience whith it

having someone like you, with a lot of experience driving fast cars on road and track, telling this gives us a good idea of the car behaviour

and this is quite the same thing i heard from all experienced drivers and supercar owners after testing a carrera GT ...

 

looks like it is NOT easy and not forgiving at all

and demands huge respect

 

there are many stories about famous and not famous drivers that lost one on the road and track...and even some of multiple exotic owners that sold theirs GT shortly after purchase because it was too dangerous to drive fast for them

 

so while i do not feel is right to blame the car (i never drove one but i was arware they were "tricky" before this terrible accident), we are safe to say Porsche could have set it to be a bit more forgiving before it went on the market.... even if it would cost it to be a bit slower on a lap time on the track

we have a lot of 600 + hp road legal cars today and none looks to be so nervous, even its period competitors (Enzo, Zonda S etc...) are not known to be so difficult to master

There are definitely skid marks but they are straight skid marks which is why they believe there might be a mechanical failure. The skidmarks don't go back and forth.

 

Not sure if I understand, do you mean "don't go back and forth" as in not crossed up?

 

I'm struggling to find any more pics of the skid marks, does anyone know if the 4 color markers represent the 4 wheels?

 

I saw an analysis somewhere of the tire marks that are present at the crash site and it was determined by the authorities that some of them were made by a different car (cars) with narrower tread diameter.

Keep seeing one of PW's quote going around "if I die speeding, don't cry because I was smiling."

 

Wasn't that just his line from a Fast & Furious movie? Obviously Walker loved cars, but raising a 15-year old daughter I doubt he would say anything like that about dying in a car crash.

they really only make 2 different tires for the car. they were either the original pilot sports or the new super sports. if they were never upgraded to the new SS tire, than this makes a lot more sense to me. the old pilot tires on the cgt were like driving on ice, especially when cold.

I wonder if graham upgraded the tires when he owned it or if they were already on the car.

 

its amazing to me is that heres a guy that most of us never met, but his death has such an impact on the entire world and all of us. great character and a real stand up guy. all the stories coming out really show who PW was! great role model and inspiration.

- Promise me Brian, no more funerals.

- Just one more.

 

Not sure if I understand, do you mean "don't go back and forth" as in not crossed up?

 

I'm struggling to find any more pics of the skid marks, does anyone know if the 4 color markers represent the 4 wheels?

 

If the reflectors are the tire marks leading in, it looks like they spun into the pole.

Sheesh enough with the LP CIS crash investigation already guys.

 

It's interesting to see the details pop up from the initial "going 45mph in a 45mph zone and ending up with a CGT split in half and on fire" to seeing the real information of the area and likelihood of how they were actually driving. When things go horribly wrong, sometimes it's interesting to get a general idea of what happened.

 

Also, before this thread, I had no clue the CGT was known for spinning.

A good friend of mine that owns a CGT noticed this when watching this clip. If you stop the video at .24, the right rear tire looks very worn, to the point of being bald.

 

 

Here's a closer look at the Right rear tire.

 

they really only make 2 different tires for the car. they were either the original pilot sports or the new super sports. if they were never upgraded to the new SS tire, than this makes a lot more sense to me. the old pilot tires on the cgt were like driving on ice, especially when cold.

I wonder if graham upgraded the tires when he owned it or if they were already on the car.

 

its amazing to me is that heres a guy that most of us never met, but his death has such an impact on the entire world and all of us. great character and a real stand up guy. all the stories coming out really show who PW was! great role model and inspiration.

I'm thinking they were the originals or the old style at least. Here are some pictures from two weeks ago when the car was in for a major service, notice the tires. Here is a link to an article and picture of the new style, definitely not what was on the car two weeks ago.

 

 

 

they do look like the old sport tires. lets just hope they weren't the original tires that came with the car. im sure in a 8 year period someone put new tires on.

 

I have a vid of my car spinning at 70mph on the OE tires. ill try and post it.

 

Whenever a tire makes a night and day difference on how the car handles, it clearly means the car's handling is really knife like and on edge... It almost made me wish it would be more appropriate if they had made this car in a awd

Is it true that this car doesn't have any sort of electronic traction aids?

Sheesh enough with the LP CIS crash investigation already guys.

 

Thoughts and prayers to the families.

1202_carrera_gt_2.pdf

 

Porsche memo regarding the cgt

"The Carrera GT is as close to a race car as we will ever get. This car has all the disadvantages of a race car."