Driver trapped in car going 130 mph
#1
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Driver trapped in car going 130 mph
The accelerator has jammed, the brakes have burned out and I'm trapped in my BMW doing 130mph
By Nick Britten
(Filed: 11/03/2006)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...ntrapped11.xml
By Nick Britten
(Filed: 11/03/2006)
A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles after the accelerator jammed.
Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
His terrifying journey, which was followed by four police cars and a helicopter, ended when he smashed the car into a roundabout, flipping it on its roof.
Amazingly, the former lorry driver walked away from the accident uninjured.
"The whole thing was just a blur," he said. "I can't get it out of my head. I was terrified, hysterical and crying.
"Every time I close my eyes I remember it.
"It's a miracle I didn't collide with another vehicle or cause a pile-up, but I had a lot of close shaves with lorries and cars and swerved about trying to avoid them."
Mr Nicolle was driving back from friends in Newcastle to his home in Southsea, Hants, last Sunday, when the accelerator on his automatic BMW 318 jammed at Catterick, near junction 53 of the A1.
He then travelled 60 miles in 26 minutes, passing through three counties.
"I had been driving for quite a while when I realised the accelerator pedal was stuck down," he said. "I had gone into the fast lane and I couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and tried the AA to ask them what to do.
"At that point I wasn't panicking because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to a steady 70mph.
"I told the AA I couldn't slow down. I thought they might be able to give me some advice but they told me to hang up straight away and phone the police. I dialled 999 and spoke to a woman and by this time I was starting to panic because the speed of the car had increased to 100mph."
Police alerted a helicopter and four traffic cars set off to try to catch him as Mr Nicolle kept up a running commentary, all the time flashing his lights and sounding his horn to warn other motorists.
"My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed building to 120mph or 130mph. I remember starting to shake and freeze up. I was really panicking and broke into tears. I couldn't help it because I thought I was definitely going to die.
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it.
"I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the power steering and made it even more dangerous. I was even shouting at the other drivers to get out of the way, I was getting hysterical. The traffic was getting heavier and I had to take drastic measures.
"I overtook someone on the verge outside the fast lane and police told me to get on to the hard shoulder. But I passed three or four slip roads and at one point I nearly T-boned someone trying to get on from the slip road.
"The woman operator told me the police were about half a mile behind me but they were finding it difficult to catch me.
"I told them to send an ambulance because I was going to die. I knew I was going to die.
"Then I saw a sign saying it was 800 yards to a round-about. There was a queue of cars and I swerved round them then I tried to go round the roundabout itself.
"I didn't deliberately try to crash the car to stop myself. I remember saying to the fireman, 'Don't cut my car, you'll damage it' but they were saying, 'Don't worry about that mate, it's written off'. I'd buy another BMW because, although there was a problem, it saved my life in that crash."
Mr Nicolle overturned the car at the Blyth roundabout near Worksop. Nottinghamshire police confirmed his version of events.
A spokesman said: "Kevin was monitored doing in excess of 100mph and is lucky to have walked away with minor injuries.
"He phoned 999 to say that his brakes weren't working and was terrified for his life."
The racing green R-reg car, which Mr Nicolle had had for a year, has been examined by police and he has been told he will not face prosecution.
A spokesman for BMW, which wants to examine the wrecked car, said: "We are unaware of any issues of that nature with that particular model."
Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
His terrifying journey, which was followed by four police cars and a helicopter, ended when he smashed the car into a roundabout, flipping it on its roof.
Amazingly, the former lorry driver walked away from the accident uninjured.
"The whole thing was just a blur," he said. "I can't get it out of my head. I was terrified, hysterical and crying.
"Every time I close my eyes I remember it.
"It's a miracle I didn't collide with another vehicle or cause a pile-up, but I had a lot of close shaves with lorries and cars and swerved about trying to avoid them."
Mr Nicolle was driving back from friends in Newcastle to his home in Southsea, Hants, last Sunday, when the accelerator on his automatic BMW 318 jammed at Catterick, near junction 53 of the A1.
He then travelled 60 miles in 26 minutes, passing through three counties.
"I had been driving for quite a while when I realised the accelerator pedal was stuck down," he said. "I had gone into the fast lane and I couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and tried the AA to ask them what to do.
"At that point I wasn't panicking because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to a steady 70mph.
"I told the AA I couldn't slow down. I thought they might be able to give me some advice but they told me to hang up straight away and phone the police. I dialled 999 and spoke to a woman and by this time I was starting to panic because the speed of the car had increased to 100mph."
Police alerted a helicopter and four traffic cars set off to try to catch him as Mr Nicolle kept up a running commentary, all the time flashing his lights and sounding his horn to warn other motorists.
"My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed building to 120mph or 130mph. I remember starting to shake and freeze up. I was really panicking and broke into tears. I couldn't help it because I thought I was definitely going to die.
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it.
"I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the power steering and made it even more dangerous. I was even shouting at the other drivers to get out of the way, I was getting hysterical. The traffic was getting heavier and I had to take drastic measures.
"I overtook someone on the verge outside the fast lane and police told me to get on to the hard shoulder. But I passed three or four slip roads and at one point I nearly T-boned someone trying to get on from the slip road.
"The woman operator told me the police were about half a mile behind me but they were finding it difficult to catch me.
"I told them to send an ambulance because I was going to die. I knew I was going to die.
"Then I saw a sign saying it was 800 yards to a round-about. There was a queue of cars and I swerved round them then I tried to go round the roundabout itself.
"I didn't deliberately try to crash the car to stop myself. I remember saying to the fireman, 'Don't cut my car, you'll damage it' but they were saying, 'Don't worry about that mate, it's written off'. I'd buy another BMW because, although there was a problem, it saved my life in that crash."
Mr Nicolle overturned the car at the Blyth roundabout near Worksop. Nottinghamshire police confirmed his version of events.
A spokesman said: "Kevin was monitored doing in excess of 100mph and is lucky to have walked away with minor injuries.
"He phoned 999 to say that his brakes weren't working and was terrified for his life."
The racing green R-reg car, which Mr Nicolle had had for a year, has been examined by police and he has been told he will not face prosecution.
A spokesman for BMW, which wants to examine the wrecked car, said: "We are unaware of any issues of that nature with that particular model."
#3
exclusive matchup
iTrader: (4)
wow, damn, almost 30 mins, that's going to be scary enough going at whopping 130mph....
it's kinda weird, what's wrong if he shifts it to neutral? coz' the car is at redline the engine can't disengage?!?!
and no, shutting the car off would be BAD idea, coz' it kills the whole steering mechanism, you can't even turn your steering wheel!!!!! try to turn your steering wheel when the car is shut down, it locks up itself right the way
it's kinda weird, what's wrong if he shifts it to neutral? coz' the car is at redline the engine can't disengage?!?!
and no, shutting the car off would be BAD idea, coz' it kills the whole steering mechanism, you can't even turn your steering wheel!!!!! try to turn your steering wheel when the car is shut down, it locks up itself right the way
#4
Although that must have been a horrible experience...
Some adventurous part about me wishes I could do that in a nice car on an empty road if I could solve the problem whenever I wanted.
Honestly, how awesome would it be to be able to top out over 130 mph without getting a ticket and then simply stop and say you fixed the problem.
It would almost be like driving on the Autobahn *drools*.
Some adventurous part about me wishes I could do that in a nice car on an empty road if I could solve the problem whenever I wanted.
Honestly, how awesome would it be to be able to top out over 130 mph without getting a ticket and then simply stop and say you fixed the problem.
It would almost be like driving on the Autobahn *drools*.
#7
Originally Posted by mikal
i wonder if he could have shut off the engine complete but turn the key back to the ON position to undo the steering lock.
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#8
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by xioix
He should've thrown it into neutral
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it."
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Yeah, the killing the engine one is good, no steering while driving 130 and needing to get around slower traffic is what you want
I've had a car with power steering shut down on me and it's really hard to steer it at moderate speeds, I can't imagine what it would be like at 100+
I've had a car with power steering shut down on me and it's really hard to steer it at moderate speeds, I can't imagine what it would be like at 100+
#10
Originally Posted by Richie
Yeah, the killing the engine one is good, no steering while driving 130 and needing to get around slower traffic is what you want
I've had a car with power steering shut down on me and it's really hard to steer it at moderate speeds, I can't imagine what it would be like at 100+
I've had a car with power steering shut down on me and it's really hard to steer it at moderate speeds, I can't imagine what it would be like at 100+
You can steer the car with the engine off, just don't put the ignition to lock, having it on "on," it's like how people who have to push the cars because it died or ran out of gas are able to steer the car to the shoulder or anywhere with out the engine on
#11
Originally Posted by mikal
this was what he said
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it."
"I was trying to slip the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and red-lining I couldn't do it."
He even thought he was going to die, but he still didn't want his car to get damaged
#13
Lexus Champion
"I didn't deliberately try to crash the car to stop myself. I remember saying to the fireman, 'Don't cut my car, you'll damage it' but they were saying, 'Don't worry about that mate, it's written off'. I'd buy another BMW because, although there was a problem, it saved my life in that crash."
His car was already beat up and he still didnt want to cut it. Tsk tsk. He must love it too much.
His car was already beat up and he still didnt want to cut it. Tsk tsk. He must love it too much.
#14
Originally Posted by rominl
wow, damn, almost 30 mins, that's going to be scary enough going at whopping 130mph....
it's kinda weird, what's wrong if he shifts it to neutral? coz' the car is at redline the engine can't disengage?!?!
and no, shutting the car off would be BAD idea, coz' it kills the whole steering mechanism, you can't even turn your steering wheel!!!!! try to turn your steering wheel when the car is shut down, it locks up itself right the way
it's kinda weird, what's wrong if he shifts it to neutral? coz' the car is at redline the engine can't disengage?!?!
and no, shutting the car off would be BAD idea, coz' it kills the whole steering mechanism, you can't even turn your steering wheel!!!!! try to turn your steering wheel when the car is shut down, it locks up itself right the way
wouldn't turning the car off but leaving it at the second notch give you steering?
#15
Lexus Champion
Originally Posted by BLK98GS3
wouldn't turning the car off but leaving it at the second notch give you steering?
This guy had the wrong things on his mind when he was going through this.