Fisker Karma head-on on Ortega Highway
11-16-2012, 08:52 PM
#1
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Location: San Clemente, CA
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Fisker Karma head-on on Ortega Highway
Long story short, at about 2:30 this afternoon I came upon a head-on collision caused by the driver of a silver Fisker Karma on Ortega Highway. No fatalities, thankfully. Three vehicles involved, all totaled.
On my 83rd Ortega ride of 2012, I'd left Hell's Kitchen to head home at about 2:20 or so, just ahead of my wife on her GSX-R750. Westbound traffic is usually light, so I had basically an open road ahead of me, but starting at about 2pm Monday through Friday, uphill (eastbound) commuter traffic increases dramatically, with "car trains" of 10 to 20 to 30 vehicles. As I crossed the Orange/Riverside County line, I noticed that I hadn't seen a single eastbound car for the last 5 miles or so. Anticipating an accident around any corner, I slowed down on the corners that I couldn't see through. Then about 1 mile before the bottom of the canyon (the end of the really fun part), an RC51 and a sport touring bike went by, giving me the palm down signal to slow down. A few cars came by as well, some flashing their lights.
Several corners later, I saw the backup at the last left hander before the "old narrow bridge". I went around the first several cars, so I wouldn't get rear ended, and pulled into a gap right on the bridge. You have to know that this bridge is barely wide enough for vehicles to pass in opposite directions. Meeting a big rig, or an idiot driver, going the opposite direction is a genuine pucker moment. When my wife arrived, we made our way to the front of the stopped cars, about 40 yards ahead near the collision.
What happened is, the westbound driver of the silver Fisker Karma (see my thread from 5 months ago, titled "Chased by a Fisker Karma") came around the left hander way hot and ended up on the wrong side of the road as he came over the bridge. The 30 something guy driving a late model F-150 Quad Cab said he just saw the Fisker coming right at him, so he swerved to his right, scraping the road cut as the Fisker took out the entire left side of his truck. His left rear wheel and axle housing assembly was laying 10 feet behind his truck and his left front wheel was broken. 80w90 gear oil was leaking onto the road from the hole where the left axle housing should have been. There was a 40 yard skid mark, down the center of the eastbound lane, leading up to and along the left side of his truck. He and his passenger were okay.
The Fisker then hit a small late model SUV or hatchback (I couldn't tell what it was) head on. The SUV had been behind the F-150 and was carrying 4 people to a wedding. The driver and front passenger, both young women in their early 20's, were out of the car and very distraught. Two backseat passengers were trapped, one male unconscious, and one female bloodied. The air bags had saved the 2 in the front seat, who had no visible injuries. All had been wearing their seatbelts.
My wife walked over to the young women and comforted them as best she could. I talked to the driver of the F-150, who said, "He came around the corner, and he was coming right at me, out of control".
As emergency vehicles arrived, 2 ambulances and a park ranger, we left through the narrow gap between the rear of the Fisker (it was at a 45* angle from the impact, and blocked most of the westbound lane) and the cliff bordering the westbound lane. Riding westbound, slowly in case anyone in the backup decided to make a u-turn, we passed at least 2 miles of stopped cars. This is a very heavily traveled commuter route. That's why as a rule we only ride it between 10am and 2pm and only on weekdays. Before we reached San Juan Capistrano, a fire truck, 2 more ambulances, and 2 CHPs passed us going east.
That's the end of this novel. Thankfully, all appeared to survive, but I just wonder if that was the same silver Fisker Karma that was chasing me down the canyon last June. By the way, it had manufacturer license plates. And I'm glad I didn't leave Hell's Kitchen a few minutes earlier.
On my 83rd Ortega ride of 2012, I'd left Hell's Kitchen to head home at about 2:20 or so, just ahead of my wife on her GSX-R750. Westbound traffic is usually light, so I had basically an open road ahead of me, but starting at about 2pm Monday through Friday, uphill (eastbound) commuter traffic increases dramatically, with "car trains" of 10 to 20 to 30 vehicles. As I crossed the Orange/Riverside County line, I noticed that I hadn't seen a single eastbound car for the last 5 miles or so. Anticipating an accident around any corner, I slowed down on the corners that I couldn't see through. Then about 1 mile before the bottom of the canyon (the end of the really fun part), an RC51 and a sport touring bike went by, giving me the palm down signal to slow down. A few cars came by as well, some flashing their lights.
Several corners later, I saw the backup at the last left hander before the "old narrow bridge". I went around the first several cars, so I wouldn't get rear ended, and pulled into a gap right on the bridge. You have to know that this bridge is barely wide enough for vehicles to pass in opposite directions. Meeting a big rig, or an idiot driver, going the opposite direction is a genuine pucker moment. When my wife arrived, we made our way to the front of the stopped cars, about 40 yards ahead near the collision.
What happened is, the westbound driver of the silver Fisker Karma (see my thread from 5 months ago, titled "Chased by a Fisker Karma") came around the left hander way hot and ended up on the wrong side of the road as he came over the bridge. The 30 something guy driving a late model F-150 Quad Cab said he just saw the Fisker coming right at him, so he swerved to his right, scraping the road cut as the Fisker took out the entire left side of his truck. His left rear wheel and axle housing assembly was laying 10 feet behind his truck and his left front wheel was broken. 80w90 gear oil was leaking onto the road from the hole where the left axle housing should have been. There was a 40 yard skid mark, down the center of the eastbound lane, leading up to and along the left side of his truck. He and his passenger were okay.
The Fisker then hit a small late model SUV or hatchback (I couldn't tell what it was) head on. The SUV had been behind the F-150 and was carrying 4 people to a wedding. The driver and front passenger, both young women in their early 20's, were out of the car and very distraught. Two backseat passengers were trapped, one male unconscious, and one female bloodied. The air bags had saved the 2 in the front seat, who had no visible injuries. All had been wearing their seatbelts.
My wife walked over to the young women and comforted them as best she could. I talked to the driver of the F-150, who said, "He came around the corner, and he was coming right at me, out of control".
As emergency vehicles arrived, 2 ambulances and a park ranger, we left through the narrow gap between the rear of the Fisker (it was at a 45* angle from the impact, and blocked most of the westbound lane) and the cliff bordering the westbound lane. Riding westbound, slowly in case anyone in the backup decided to make a u-turn, we passed at least 2 miles of stopped cars. This is a very heavily traveled commuter route. That's why as a rule we only ride it between 10am and 2pm and only on weekdays. Before we reached San Juan Capistrano, a fire truck, 2 more ambulances, and 2 CHPs passed us going east.
That's the end of this novel. Thankfully, all appeared to survive, but I just wonder if that was the same silver Fisker Karma that was chasing me down the canyon last June. By the way, it had manufacturer license plates. And I'm glad I didn't leave Hell's Kitchen a few minutes earlier.
Last edited by VTRsurfer; 11-16-2012 at 09:03 PM.
11-17-2012, 05:45 PM
#5
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Wow, so many words I feel like I was there. Or at least read a book about it. Really glad you were that close to tradgedy but escaped unscathed. Hand of God.
I have a kinda punk *** racing buddy who I just did and endurance team race with. After doing 10 seconds/lap slower than me during the race he proceeded to drive us 300 miles home in his bmw in like 3 hours. Obviously trying to prove he was fast (at something).
I really dont think the street is the place to prove you lack of manhood. At least do it on the track where you can realize how patheticly slow you are and go back to something you are good at like drinking.
Glad your ok silversurfer.
I have a kinda punk *** racing buddy who I just did and endurance team race with. After doing 10 seconds/lap slower than me during the race he proceeded to drive us 300 miles home in his bmw in like 3 hours. Obviously trying to prove he was fast (at something).
I really dont think the street is the place to prove you lack of manhood. At least do it on the track where you can realize how patheticly slow you are and go back to something you are good at like drinking.
Glad your ok silversurfer.
11-17-2012, 07:49 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,033
Surfer, you are dead nuts on. My buddy was foot to the floor, 4 wheel drifting trying to show me the bmw traction control he financed over his head. All while we were on an elevated highway turn with like a 30ft drop to the ground.
Its pretty sad that people are so sure the cars will bail them out. At least on a bike you only hurt yourself and those guys get weeded out quickly.
Its pretty sad that people are so sure the cars will bail them out. At least on a bike you only hurt yourself and those guys get weeded out quickly.
11-27-2012, 10:40 PM
#7
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Squid
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
Hi VTRsurfer,
I am the mother of the 3 young women involved in the head on collision you talk about in your blog. Your wife was very kind to comfort my daughters at the accident site. We also appreciate that both of you took the time stop and talk to others involved in the accident. Could you please contact me at ganpar@verizon.net. Thank you for your kindness. Cinthia
I am the mother of the 3 young women involved in the head on collision you talk about in your blog. Your wife was very kind to comfort my daughters at the accident site. We also appreciate that both of you took the time stop and talk to others involved in the accident. Could you please contact me at ganpar@verizon.net. Thank you for your kindness. Cinthia
11-28-2012, 07:48 AM
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: altoona, pa
Posts: 2,934
certainly glad that no one killed and hopefully not severly injured. that's never good.
40 ft of skidmarks down the middle of the road? I assume they were off-on skid marks if his ABS was working.....then you have to wonder if he target fixated/froze or what caused him to hit verses let off the binders and avoid the truck?
not justifying anything or anyone in this particular case because I don't know what really happened here, but I will say this. Over my lifetime so far, I demo'd an xke, a vette and several bikes on publc roads, except for two on the track. I have 2 million miles experience driving a semi in everything from NYC rush hour to narrow rural cowpaths and can say unequivocally that I prefer driving with aggressive drivers verses these ******** that are sleeping at the wheel anytime and everytime. At least these are actively driving their own vehicles as well as paying attention to what is happening around them as opposed to many who are passively, self-absorbed and virtually oblivious to everything going on around them traffic-wise. These are the extremes of course as there are plently in between.
Aggressive drivers have an unjustified negative connotation today for many reasons, but if you objectively investigate, you'll find that these aren't necessarily the people responsible for causing most of the accidents. I like my mantra, "aggression with discretion" ,as it allows you to move safely through slower traffic and to be aware, get out of the way, or at least not hinder the path of those who choose to go faster. Everyone does their own thing with respect to and for what everyone else is doing, but because everyone is moving, there has to be a degree of active alertness and this is minimal witha lot of today's drivers.
not justifying this guy, just stating that it may be premature to judge and condemn at this point.
40 ft of skidmarks down the middle of the road? I assume they were off-on skid marks if his ABS was working.....then you have to wonder if he target fixated/froze or what caused him to hit verses let off the binders and avoid the truck?
not justifying anything or anyone in this particular case because I don't know what really happened here, but I will say this. Over my lifetime so far, I demo'd an xke, a vette and several bikes on publc roads, except for two on the track. I have 2 million miles experience driving a semi in everything from NYC rush hour to narrow rural cowpaths and can say unequivocally that I prefer driving with aggressive drivers verses these ******** that are sleeping at the wheel anytime and everytime. At least these are actively driving their own vehicles as well as paying attention to what is happening around them as opposed to many who are passively, self-absorbed and virtually oblivious to everything going on around them traffic-wise. These are the extremes of course as there are plently in between.
Aggressive drivers have an unjustified negative connotation today for many reasons, but if you objectively investigate, you'll find that these aren't necessarily the people responsible for causing most of the accidents. I like my mantra, "aggression with discretion" ,as it allows you to move safely through slower traffic and to be aware, get out of the way, or at least not hinder the path of those who choose to go faster. Everyone does their own thing with respect to and for what everyone else is doing, but because everyone is moving, there has to be a degree of active alertness and this is minimal witha lot of today's drivers.
not justifying this guy, just stating that it may be premature to judge and condemn at this point.
11-28-2012, 08:17 AM
#9
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SuperBike
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
Posts: 1,689
Nath - I completely agree with you. I was an agressive street rider, passing on double yellows and generally pissing off cagers. I have also been an aggressive driver, since the time I started driving and continue to be so. It is one of the few things that require an extremely high level of concentration and integration with the machine. I put a new set of tires on my car in April and by the end of October, there was nothing left.
But if I cause a wreck, it's because I F&^d up. If somebody loses it because he went beyond the limitations of the driver, or the vehicle, or both, there is no excuse. I don't care what the circumstances were. Ortega highway is not a race course. It is a crowded highway and the wrong place to be at the limit.
I hope the girls are alright.
But if I cause a wreck, it's because I F&^d up. If somebody loses it because he went beyond the limitations of the driver, or the vehicle, or both, there is no excuse. I don't care what the circumstances were. Ortega highway is not a race course. It is a crowded highway and the wrong place to be at the limit.
I hope the girls are alright.
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