Wrecked FR-S Crash Already - Not Mine

[Vracer111]

Neutral, don't beat yourself too hard... yes you messed up, but you know you messed up and are taking responsibility for it in a mature fashion. Use it as a learning experience and move on. If you get the car fixed or go on to another one (or different car) maybe think about attending some autocross schools or Driver Education events on tracks to get your skill set up and have an outlet to learn more about vehicle dynamics and what to do in different situations - it's valuable education for all drivers!

[dietz]

Thanks for letting us know what happened. I took the traction control off for a second, then said no this is stupid in the mountains, and put it back on. This reaffirms that, so thank you.

[engee]

First props to neutral for owning up to it. Glad to hear you are ok. I hope you learned your lessons and will get everything sorted out. Hope everything works out and don't let this stop your love of cars.

Originally Posted by Brett

Our local Corvette mechanic is also a racing instructor (Danny Popp AKA RAFTRacer), and he told me I needed to start auto cross for two reasons. 1 to get my fix of driving like a moose in heat. 2 to learn to control the car at it's limits. BTW we're going auto crossing on Sunday. Back on the horse!

It can always be worse.

Brett

ALSO, I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH:

LEARN YOUR CAR'S LIMITS AT A TRACK OR AUTOX OR A SAFE AREA. NEVER DO THINGS ON THE STREET.

Be safe everybody and enjoy your cars.

[MannyO]

Originally Posted by neutral

I hope I can stand as an example of what can happen even at relatively low speeds when you're being stupid. Please for the love of god don't be me. Drive safe, keep traction control on on public roads, and don't try to be Ken Block.

After reading that, I will never turn traction off while driving the streets again.

Really gotta give you props for coming on here and owning up to the unfortunate event...but like others have said, don't be so hard on yourself. Glad you and your passenger were able to walk away from it.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by neutral

...I hope I can stand as an example of what can happen even at relatively low speeds when you're being stupid. Please for the love of god don't be me. Drive safe, keep traction control on on public roads, and don't try to be Ken Block. Unless you are Ken Block, in which case, keep being awesome.

First neutral, as others have said you owe us no explanation, if you drive enough you will eventually get to serve for an example for others many times. Someday over a drink I'll share all the times I've been a "perfect example".

I told this tale in my Owner's Journal, but the only thing that saved me from making you the 2nd example was traction control.

Briefly, within the first 100 miles I had the back end slide around on me 3 times making a right turn from a near dead stop by putting power into it in the rain. Triaging it with folks here, I decided it was a combination of new tires, detailing gook put on the tires by the dealer that bled over to the tread, and just plain stupid driving on my part when I didn't know the car. Traction control is the ONLY thing that saved me from being an example.

Now, I can't make it do it if I try. It was just one of those things, as is yours. However, I can guarantee you any thoughts I had of turning traction control off on public roads was washed from my mind by those 3 incidents.

It has nothing to do with youth or inexperience in my case, I'm 53 years old have literally driven nearly 2 million documented miles some of it in much less well behaved and forgiving cars than the FR-S.


I know I am, and everyone else here I believe, is just glad you and your passenger are OK, and the car did its job, sacrificing itself to save its passengers.

The car will be fixed/replaced. Learn from it, and a year from now, be grateful you can tell the story of being the "first" and have a laugh at your own expense. It will do you good.

[DubGUy]

Originally Posted by neutral

Hey everyone.

I'm the idiot that crashed the FR-S. Not really sure where to begin, so I'll start with how it happened.

I was on my way to lunch with a coworker. There's a right turn I've taken a million times over the past 4 years that's very wide and has huge visibility, and I would sometimes get on the gas a little in my B16-swapped CRX through the turn. I never went over the speed limit, and I only did it if there was absolutely no one else around. Being a FWD, the front tires would break free a little and it would make the turn a bit more fun. Well, before leaving work I decided it would be a good idea to turn off the traction control and try something similar in the FR-S. That was my first mistake. I entered the turn at about 20mph, and halfway through it I got on the gas and I honestly can't remember exactly what happened after that. I remember being extremely surprised and then all of a sudden I was careening for a telephone pole, and then bam. I don't even think I hit the brakes. I must've hit the clutch pedal at some point because the car was still running when I stopped. Both airbags deployed. My passenger said he didn't even touch the airbag, I grazed it a little bit and it felt like I got hit in the face with a soft pillow. I must've been going 15-20mph at the impact. I couldn't believe how much the car just crumpled. I just looked at it and sat on the ground. I can't even describe to you the feeling of seeing it like that. I just wanted to cry.

I'm 24 years old, been driving since 16, and this is my first accident/ticket. I was ticketed for "failure to maintain reasonable control", which honestly was extremely generous given the circumstances. I feel like the world's biggest idiot. I feel like I've shamed myself and done a huge disservice to the community. Sorry just doesn't say enough. I swore I wouldn't be one of those guys everyone was saying would do something stupid and wreck the car and drive up the insurance rates. Now I'm not only that guy, but it seems I'm the _first_ guy. Not exactly the best way to make an impression. I want you guys to know that I truly feel awful about the whole thing. I am truly sorry for letting my fellow FR-S owners down, and through making a complete ass out of myself, I feel I've learned a valuable lesson, albeit a hard one. I know some of you (a lot of you) will hate me, call me an idiot, tell me I shouldn't have even tried anything like that on a public road, etc. And I agree with you 100%. I made a stupid, stupid, irresponsible choice, and now I'm paying for it. I don't think any of you can hate me more than I hate myself.

I hope I can stand as an example of what can happen even at relatively low speeds when you're being stupid. Please for the love of god don't be me. Drive safe, keep traction control on on public roads, and don't try to be Ken Block. Unless you are Ken Block, in which case, keep being awesome.

Well I was thinking of doing the same thing when my BRZ will come, but many thoughts came to my head, what if I got into an accident and what if other people are involved in the accident? Well I had my fair share of accidents 2 only and thank God that it was with my truck, because it's very heavy but durable. If it were a car, it would turn to shmeh. All I can say is thank God that you and your passenger are both okay and there were no injuries or other parties involved. It's called experience in life s**t happens.

[neutral]

Jeez, you guys are really kind. I'll try to be less hard on myself, but I think it's part of what helps me to learn not to be stupid again. I look forward to meeting you guys in person. Just please don't punch me.

The insurance adjuster looked at the car today and had no idea what to do since the car is so new. I'm waiting on the body shop to give my insurance company an estimate, and was told that should be done come Monday. I really hope it isn't totaled. Even though I only had the car for five days, I formed quite an attachment to it. I haven't driven a car that gave me that direct-connected feeling since acquiring the CRX. To me, it's the closest I'm gonna get to a true "driver's car" from a modern day car. Toyota and Subaru have really created something amazing.

[ozne99]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Actually that sucks quite a bit. Did they explain how it happened?

This is why you learn how to drift on a brand new car.

[Khyron686]

Didn't see it in the post - did you turn it off with just the quick button push (ie, sort of off, sport mode) or did you do the full 5 second "all nanny off" mode?

Can't really see a full slide with it in sport mode, but would be good to know.

[neutral]

Originally Posted by Khyron686

Didn't see it in the post - did you turn it off with just the quick button push (ie, sort of off, sport mode) or did you do the full 5 second "all nanny off" mode?

Can't really see a full slide with it in sport mode, but would be good to know.

I did the full 5 second off. Just hitting the button once will turn off just traction control up till like 30MPH (but keeps VSC enabled). I imagine this is for launching.

VSC Sport would have accomplished what I wanted. It lets the back end come out just a little, and then pulls it back in for you.

[Jayde]

Glad you're ok, but I think I died a little bit on the inside...

[neutral]

Originally Posted by Jayde

Glad you're ok, but I think I died a little bit on the inside...

Yeah, imagine being the owner

[Jayde]

Originally Posted by neutral

Yeah, imagine being the owner

I can only imagine how you feel. Hopefully it'll be fixable, if not, maybe you can get a new one out of it. Although, I'm not really sure how insurance companies work on totaled cars.

[DubGUy]

Originally Posted by neutral

Jeez, you guys are really kind. I'll try to be less hard on myself, but I think it's part of what helps me to learn not to be stupid again. I look forward to meeting you guys in person. Just please don't punch me.

The insurance adjuster looked at the car today and had no idea what to do since the car is so new. I'm waiting on the body shop to give my insurance company an estimate, and was told that should be done come Monday. I really hope it isn't totaled. Even though I only had the car for five days, I formed quite an attachment to it. I haven't driven a car that gave me that direct-connected feeling since acquiring the CRX. To me, it's the closest I'm gonna get to a true "driver's car" from a modern day car. Toyota and Subaru have really created something amazing.

At least you weren't this guy.