Runaway BMW X5? Really?
02-13-18, 04:50 PM
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
Runaway BMW X5? Really?
On the national news tonight there was a story about a BMW X5 that was speeding out of control on I-95 in Florida because the guy driving it said his gas pedal was stuck. He called 911 on his cell phone. The operator told him to put the car in neutral. His response, “Ma’am, I’m in a BMW and if I slam that over, it’s going to drop down a gear and I really don’t want that to happen,” he told her. “It could spin me out.” Really? Neutral is out of gear.
She then suggested he use the emergency brake. His response, “Yeah, but I’m not pulling that at no 100 miles an hour, ma’am,” he said. “I’m sorry.” Really? Yes, better to go 100mph than try to slow the car. Why the 911 operator didn't tell him to simply shut the ignition off I don't know. It was reported that 3 times the police laid down spike strips but he "avoided" them. Eventually they did catch him with the spike strips and the car was stopped. Additionally, BMW states that if the brake pedal is applied simultaneously with the accelerator, engine power is reduced so that the car can be stopped.
This does not pass the smell test.
She then suggested he use the emergency brake. His response, “Yeah, but I’m not pulling that at no 100 miles an hour, ma’am,” he said. “I’m sorry.” Really? Yes, better to go 100mph than try to slow the car. Why the 911 operator didn't tell him to simply shut the ignition off I don't know. It was reported that 3 times the police laid down spike strips but he "avoided" them. Eventually they did catch him with the spike strips and the car was stopped. Additionally, BMW states that if the brake pedal is applied simultaneously with the accelerator, engine power is reduced so that the car can be stopped.
This does not pass the smell test.
02-13-18, 04:54 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
On the national news tonight there was a story about a BMW X5 that was speeding out of control on I-95 in Florida because the guy driving it said his gas pedal was stuck. He called 911 on his cell phone. The operator told him to put the car in neutral. His response, “Ma’am, I’m in a BMW and if I slam that over, it’s going to drop down a gear and I really don’t want that to happen,” he told her. “It could spin me out.” Really? Neutral is out of gear.
She then suggested he use the emergency brake. His response, “Yeah, but I’m not pulling that at no 100 miles an hour, ma’am,” he said. “I’m sorry.” Really? Yes, better to go 100mph than try to slow the car. Why the 911 operator didn't tell him to simply shut the ignition off I don't know. It was reported that 3 times the police laid down spike strips but he "avoided" them. Eventually they did catch him with the spike strips and the car was stopped. Additionally, BMW states that if the brake pedal is applied simultaneously with the accelerator, engine power is reduced so that the car can be stopped.
This does not pass the smell test.
She then suggested he use the emergency brake. His response, “Yeah, but I’m not pulling that at no 100 miles an hour, ma’am,” he said. “I’m sorry.” Really? Yes, better to go 100mph than try to slow the car. Why the 911 operator didn't tell him to simply shut the ignition off I don't know. It was reported that 3 times the police laid down spike strips but he "avoided" them. Eventually they did catch him with the spike strips and the car was stopped. Additionally, BMW states that if the brake pedal is applied simultaneously with the accelerator, engine power is reduced so that the car can be stopped.
This does not pass the smell test.
02-13-18, 04:57 PM
#3
Moderator
Thread Starter
Good one!
02-13-18, 05:34 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
yep sounds like another idiot driver to me and BMW is claiming the same thing....
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/gas-pedal-...opstories.html
A runaway BMW SUV tore down a Florida interstate for nearly 40 miles Monday, but the motorist managed to keep his cool while authorities made several attempts to stop him, telling a 911 dispatcher calmly "my gas pedal is stuck," according to the Florida Highway Patrol and dramatic recordings.
In a statement a BMW spokesperson called the scenario "implausible" and said there were numerous ways in which the driver could have stopped the car. "We would be happy to work with the Florida State Police to investigate the cause of this incident," the company added.
The driver, Joseph Cooper, was alone in his SUV on I-95 near Vero Beach just before 1 p.m. when he lost control, he told emergency dispatchers. Authorities helped control traffic as he careened as fast as 95 mph with a flashers and a green strobe on.
Asked if he could shift to neutral, he told the dispatcher, "I can't, ma'am, I tried that already. I'm trying to hold onto the wheel and talk to you at the same time."
He told the dispatcher he almost hit someone.
"Get out of the way!" he yelled, according to the recording.
When authorities tried to slow down the car using spiked stop sticks, Cooper avoided them, the highway patrol reported. The officials tossed out stop sticks again, blowing out the right two tires, which slowed the car down to about 60 mph, the highway patrol said.
Dashcam video released by the Fellsmere Police Department shows an officer deploying spike strips on the interstate in their third and final deployment of strips to try to stop the car. The BMW is seen going over the spike strips which hit the left two tires.
That slowed the car to 40 mph, but Cooper was still unable to stop. "The vehicle was traveling on all 4 rims with no tire," the highway patrol said.
Minutes later, the video shows the SUV coming to a complete stop, and as smoke surrounds the vehicle, the driver got out to talk to authorities
At that point Cooper had traveled more than 40 miles. Miraculously, no one was injured, Lt. Alvaro Feola of the Florida Highway Patrol told ABC News.
Feola said Cooper made the right choices in the dangerous situation.
"He did call 911, he wore a seat belt, he kept the dispatch aware of the mile markers," Feola said.
"Thank God in this situation nobody got hurt," Feola added. "Traffic was maybe a little light, it wasn't rush hour."
The BMW spokesperson said in the statement that "BMW drivers have long been able to rely on integrated safety systems that help ensure safe operation of every BMW vehicle.
"All BMW vehicles, including the 2003 X5 described in this incident, employ an electronic accelerator pedal which uses software logic to override the accelerator whenever the brake pedal is pressed while driving. This fail-safe software means that if the vehicle detects that both pedals are depressed, the on-board electronics will reduce engine power so that the driver may stop safely.
"Furthermore, the accelerator pedal in BMW vehicles is hinged at the bottom, and mounts to the floor. Therefore an object or floor mat cannot slide under the accelerator pedal and jam it. Original BMW floor mats are custom-fitted for each vehicle, and are installed with anchors to keep them properly located in the front footwells of each vehicle.
"The vehicle could also have been stopped by two additional means: By placing the transmission in neutral and coasting to a stop and/or by shutting off the ignition without removing the key. This is accomplished by turning the key counterclockwise. The engine would have shut off and the driver could have safely coasted the vehicle to a stop."
ABC News' Daniel Steinberger contributed to this report.
In a statement a BMW spokesperson called the scenario "implausible" and said there were numerous ways in which the driver could have stopped the car. "We would be happy to work with the Florida State Police to investigate the cause of this incident," the company added.
The driver, Joseph Cooper, was alone in his SUV on I-95 near Vero Beach just before 1 p.m. when he lost control, he told emergency dispatchers. Authorities helped control traffic as he careened as fast as 95 mph with a flashers and a green strobe on.
Asked if he could shift to neutral, he told the dispatcher, "I can't, ma'am, I tried that already. I'm trying to hold onto the wheel and talk to you at the same time."
He told the dispatcher he almost hit someone.
"Get out of the way!" he yelled, according to the recording.
When authorities tried to slow down the car using spiked stop sticks, Cooper avoided them, the highway patrol reported. The officials tossed out stop sticks again, blowing out the right two tires, which slowed the car down to about 60 mph, the highway patrol said.
Dashcam video released by the Fellsmere Police Department shows an officer deploying spike strips on the interstate in their third and final deployment of strips to try to stop the car. The BMW is seen going over the spike strips which hit the left two tires.
That slowed the car to 40 mph, but Cooper was still unable to stop. "The vehicle was traveling on all 4 rims with no tire," the highway patrol said.
Minutes later, the video shows the SUV coming to a complete stop, and as smoke surrounds the vehicle, the driver got out to talk to authorities
At that point Cooper had traveled more than 40 miles. Miraculously, no one was injured, Lt. Alvaro Feola of the Florida Highway Patrol told ABC News.
Feola said Cooper made the right choices in the dangerous situation.
"He did call 911, he wore a seat belt, he kept the dispatch aware of the mile markers," Feola said.
"Thank God in this situation nobody got hurt," Feola added. "Traffic was maybe a little light, it wasn't rush hour."
The BMW spokesperson said in the statement that "BMW drivers have long been able to rely on integrated safety systems that help ensure safe operation of every BMW vehicle.
"All BMW vehicles, including the 2003 X5 described in this incident, employ an electronic accelerator pedal which uses software logic to override the accelerator whenever the brake pedal is pressed while driving. This fail-safe software means that if the vehicle detects that both pedals are depressed, the on-board electronics will reduce engine power so that the driver may stop safely.
"Furthermore, the accelerator pedal in BMW vehicles is hinged at the bottom, and mounts to the floor. Therefore an object or floor mat cannot slide under the accelerator pedal and jam it. Original BMW floor mats are custom-fitted for each vehicle, and are installed with anchors to keep them properly located in the front footwells of each vehicle.
"The vehicle could also have been stopped by two additional means: By placing the transmission in neutral and coasting to a stop and/or by shutting off the ignition without removing the key. This is accomplished by turning the key counterclockwise. The engine would have shut off and the driver could have safely coasted the vehicle to a stop."
ABC News' Daniel Steinberger contributed to this report.
02-14-18, 08:06 AM
#6
Speaking from personal experience, Florida has the fastest and most aggressive drivers. California's I-5, 405, and the 10 have nothing on FL's I-95 drivers.... (probably cause we're stuck in traffic)
I'd like to hear the recording of the driver supposedly putting car before life and not wanting to shift it into neutral which would have just coasted the car to a stop. I have to agree that this person probably just decided they needed an excuse for x, y or z.
I'd like to hear the recording of the driver supposedly putting car before life and not wanting to shift it into neutral which would have just coasted the car to a stop. I have to agree that this person probably just decided they needed an excuse for x, y or z.
02-14-18, 08:44 AM
#7
Lexus Champion
https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/lo...ver/329924002/
per the audio...
doesn't want to put in neutral
doesn't want to use brakes
doesn't want to use emergency brake
Last edited by bagwell; 02-14-18 at 08:50 AM.
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02-14-18, 09:15 AM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
I'll never forget those famous words, "Um, you said, um, we did it for the show."
There have been many imitators, but I will always consider the Ballon Boy Hoax to be the pioneer.
I think the psap operators do need better training, however, it's like they're reading a script from 1955.
There have been many imitators, but I will always consider the Ballon Boy Hoax to be the pioneer.
I think the psap operators do need better training, however, it's like they're reading a script from 1955.
02-14-18, 10:47 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
So cops use blowout spikes, to stop vehicles that have runflat tires? I've always thought the rule is 50/50--50 mph for 50 miles. So the blow they tires out, then drive 50 miles up the road and wait? We're as a society smarter than this I believe, I have to. If he stopped minutes later, and didn't go 50 miles, then it would not seem to be the blown out tires that allowed him to stop. Just doesn't make a lot of sense.
02-14-18, 10:58 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
So cops use blowout spikes, to stop vehicles that have runflat tires? I've always thought the rule is 50/50--50 mph for 50 miles. So the blow they tires out, then drive 50 miles up the road and wait? We're as a society smarter than this I believe, I have to. If he stopped minutes later, and didn't go 50 miles, then it would not seem to be the blown out tires that allowed him to stop. Just doesn't make a lot of sense.
02-14-18, 11:03 AM
#14
Agree, the details say it is a 2003 BMW X5, that was before BMW moved into their love affair with runflats. Let alone the number of customers that continue to purchase and use runflats after the OEMs wear out. It was also before the days of the joystick gear selector.
02-14-18, 11:16 AM
#15
Lexus Champion
Road spikes tear up the tires, even run flats.
Even if he would have had them, the run flats would not have survived.
Even if he would have had them, the run flats would not have survived.