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Spitfire driver killed in blameless crash


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This appeared in the Star Press, of Muncie, Illinois US,

https://eu.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2020/09/26/one-dead-crash-muncie-bypass-mcgalliard-road/3550583001/

Matthew Adams was killed instantly when a truck driver "failed to see" his 1972 GT6 stopped behind another car at red traffic lights.    The Triumph was crushed between the two.

It would be nice if we could say that a modern car would have withstood the onslaught, but pictures of the car in front show minimal damage, while those of the Triumph frighten by the devastation.

No doubt all Triumph owners will feel sympathy for Matthew's family.

Let's be careful out there!

JOhn

Edited by john.r.davies
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4 hours ago, john.r.davies said:

This appeared in the Star Press, of Muncie, Illinois US,

https://eu.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2020/09/26/one-dead-crash-muncie-bypass-mcgalliard-road/3550583001/

Matthew Adams was killed instantly when a truck driver "failed to see" his 1972 GT6 stopped behind another car at red traffic lights.    The Triumph was crushed between the two.

It would be nice if we could say that a modern car would have withstood the onslaught, but pictures of the car in front show minimal damage, while those of the Triumph frighten by the devastation.

No doubt all Triumph owners will feel sympathy for Matthew's family.

Let's be careful out there!

JOhn

Hi John

A great pity for him and his family.

The front of the GT6 looks relatively undamaged so doesn’t suggest that it was shoved heavily into the car in front.

However, looking at the damage to the rear half it’s difficult to imagine even a modern convertible Mazda MX-5 driver surviving that, especially a rear end shunt by a truck as hard as that. It looks like the body absorbed a lot of the impact, but rear end crashes are always worse. I wonder if he had more modern seats with head restraints etc?

Kevin

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Very sad. This is a bit of a concern of mine in the US whenever I see a pick up truck coming up behind when stopped at an intersection.

The article also says that the deceased drivers wife was with him and taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. When I look at the photo I wonder how that could be but thankfully it seems she will be OK.

 

Simon

 

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Difficult to see how it can be Blameless,   if he failed to see two cars stopping or stopped in front of him,  you have to ask why he didnt see them.

Sadly it wont bring the poor chap back to life  !

Conrad.

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I wonder what the breaking strain of a factory Triumph seat is? Can the frame snap on impact allowing the driver to fall backwards?

Modern inertia belt restraints are pretty efficient in a forward facing impact but will the standard seats collapse in a rear end collision? I have the MX-5 seats with adjustable head restraints so hopefully they also offer protection in a rearward shunt.

Wonder if you can get door bar upgrades and strengthening behind the rear seat/ bulkhead?

Kevin

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2 hours ago, boxofbits said:

I wonder what the breaking strain of a factory Triumph seat is? Can the frame snap on impact allowing the driver to fall backwards?

Modern inertia belt restraints are pretty efficient in a forward facing impact but will the standard seats collapse in a rear end collision? I have the MX-5 seats with adjustable head restraints so hopefully they also offer protection in a rearward shunt.

Wonder if you can get door bar upgrades and strengthening behind the rear seat/ bulkhead?

Kevin

It’s called a roll cage.

Even a minimal rear rollover cage hoop with a suitable diagonal does a great job of bracing the driver compartment side to side and helping preserve the fuel tank which combined with an alloy rear firewall to help keep the fuel out may preserve your life.

But in a pure rear end shunt with maybe a 3 1/2 ton 4x4 hitting you even that may not be enough So prevention is the way forward. A high level brake light attached to the roll cage hoop may do the job.
 

Mick Richards

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The problem here is the height of the pickup that rammed him, and looking at the damage to the rear end it looks like the wheel of the pickup was pretty much in the middle of the GT6 which might be why his wife survived.

The pickup must have pretty well driven over the top of the GT6 and I doubt that anything other than a full roll cage would have helped

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Agree with both. A roll cage might be a bit obtrusive for many owners, but would obviously afford a lot of protection, though some sort of rear firewall would be a good start. 

I do have a bracing strut across both rear wheel arches which is CDS tubing in my 4a, but as Mick mentioned a higher level brake lamp at the top of the backlight would also be a good idea, especially as the TR’s are so low.

Kevin

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It happens more than I would like here. Our cars are small, low down and dont have many of the visual cues that people are expecting. In addition people are paying less attention to the task at hand and more attention to who is liking their post on Facebook. Many of us fit a high viz LED brake light and I have a habit when I have to stop at an intersection to keep my foot on the brake until I see the vehicle behind slowing down.

Stan

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12 hours ago, foster461 said:

It happens more than I would like here. Our cars are small, low down and dont have many of the visual cues that people are expecting. In addition people are paying less attention to the task at hand and more attention to who is liking their post on Facebook. Many of us fit a high viz LED brake light and I have a habit when I have to stop at an intersection to keep my foot on the brake until I see the vehicle behind slowing down.

Stan

 

Plus fitment of Bob's (Lebro) LED rear stop/tail bulbs on my TR3A in the normal tail lamps plus a stroboscopic controlled LED centre brake lamp. So, 3 brakes lights.  One either side that go ON and one in the middle that strobes.  These all come on immediately the pedal is pressed as I have replaced the old hydraulic actuated switch with a pedal  operated microswitch from a BMW.

That certainly irritates/wakes up the SUV muppets who are watching the road over the top of a TR with aeroscreens.

Cheers

Peter W

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12 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

plus a stroboscopic controlled LED centre brake lamp

Hmmmm.  I understand the need for safety but the Vehicle lighting regulations 1989 say in regulation 13:

Lamps to show a steady light

13.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which automatically emits a flashing light.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of–

(a)a direction indicator;

(b)a headlamp fitted to an emergency vehicle;

(c)a warning beacon or special warning lamp;

(d)a lamp or illuminated sign fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;

(e)a green warning lamp used as an anti-lock brake indicator; or

(f)lamps forming part of a traffic sign.

Are you claiming it as a "warning beacon or special warning lamp" Peter? 

(actually that also means all those strobing bike lamps are illegal)

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I have set the controller to give 6 light flashes before entering into a steady Brake Light ON condition.

If challenged I could say it was clearly an electrical fault on the car caused by luggage moving about and rummage in the boot and simply disconnect the bullet connected controller. Failing that, mention it to be a special warning lamp like a modern Ferrari or Aston Martin.

Good thing the car is pre 1989 and these regulations cannot be back dated ? Discuss.

So how do Aston and Ferrari get away with it then?  or cyclist (when they can be bothered to have any lights)

My 2011 Citroen Picasso is constructed and designed to turn on the hazard flashers if I brake enthusiastically.  So how does does that compare?  Call me old fashioned but I thought hazard flashers should only be used when stationary.

Peter W

Edited by BlueTR3A-5EKT
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2 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Call me old fashioned but I thought hazard flashers should only be used when stationary.

Peter W

Peter you are old fashioned 

;)

you can use hazards whilst moving on motorway or similar to warn of hazard ahead. 
section 116 Highway Code 

I do this if I’m approaching very slow or standImg traffic on a motorway to hopefully stop someone ploughing int the back of me. 

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What an awful and sobering incident. I wonder if the pick up driver was using a phone, DUI or stoned. Yes Stan, a high level brake light at the top of a rear screen is a good idea. Mine is shown below on the 4A. The standard brake lights on our cars are set low compared to most moderns and the third light has a sporting chance of being seen through the glazing of an intermediate passenger car or SUV/4x4 when travelling at speed. After coming to a halt I am also in the habit of keeping my foot on the brake pedal when stationary until I am confident the next vehicle behind has stopped, I then of course set the handbrake and release the brake pedal in accordance with our Highway Code Rule 114.

Tim

 

 

Effect.JPG

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  • 1 month later...
9 hours ago, richardb said:

Hi Tim, i have a 4a with a surrey rear screen and am looking to fit a hi level brake light, would be interested to knpw what you used and how you fitted it please. cheers richard

 

I used this type of thing as it sticks on the inside on the window without glare. 
 

Universal 5 LED 12V Car High Mount Third 3RD Brake Light Stop Lamp Tail Light

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193574248707

 

it is a little bulky tho. 
 

the others all seem to fit on the outside which is less convenient for us 

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hi Hamish, ta for the link, i had seen that and thought the same thing about its bulk so will probably discount it.  not sure yet if i want to use a strip of LEDs as oposed to a custom made hi level light, from what i can see the spacing and therefore intensity of the LEDs on the strip is much lower than custom made,  but which ever way i go i think i am going to need to fabricate a bracket of some sort to mount it on.  cheers richard

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I fitted this type to my roll bar. But only wired up the red. Didn’t bother with the indicators. 
I fitted a simple female plug to the car that terminates at the bottom of the roll bar and this roll bar light has a male connector as does the hard top ( the hard top has an extra feed from rear light to work interior lights on the basis I only need them if it’s dark and lights would be on anyway)

so I can plug either high level brake   Depending on the car set up. And if hardtop on the roll bar light does not flood the interior with red glare  

Flexible Motorcycle Motorbike LED Strip Rear Tail Indicator Brake Turn Light UK

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313207151002

 

Edit

looks like this one sticks on the inside of the rear window

FLEXIBLE LED CAR TAIL LIGHT STRIP AUTO WINDOW HIGH MOUNT REAR BRAKE STOP LAMP

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274554357844

 

Edited by Hamish
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hi Hamish, that car strip strip looks promising, i have emailed the suppliers to enquire the length of cable between LED strip and the plug, as long as i can get it down to the panel behind the B post it will look neat, the pictures appear to show two different lengths. and i was going to fit a combined rear/brake/indicator cluster to the back of my Triumph speed triple, but got a heads up from a friendly MOT tester that the combined ind/light clusters were about to be made illegal, so saved myself about 100 quid! will keep you posted on the car strips cheers richard

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So sorry Richard, I only just saw your post. I found a suitable item on eBay with 24 LEDs and two end brackets designed to be stuck to the rear screen with double sided adhesive pads. I removed these end brackets, preferring to secure the light in place with two clips formed from two 10mm wide strips of thin steel sheet, which I covered in rubber tubing as shown in the pictures. These clips are tucked under the substantial screen rubber and hold the light firmly in place.

The light came with a generous length of wiring of the thin, alarm type and this was easily slipped underneath the screen rubber out of sight. I then fed it under the screen finisher and behind the quarter panel thence into the boot where one wire is earthed and the other connected to the feed to the near side brake light. I stuck a piece of thin black ABS sheet under the lower surface of the light to minimise glare inside the car although this still allows enough light to be seen in the rear view mirror to confirm that the third light is working.

I am afraid I haven't mastered how to post a link to an  eBay item but I note the light I bought is available today for just £6.26 including postage from a UK seller, busandbits-uk (104735).

Tim

Bracket for 3rd Brake Light.jpg

Attachment of third brake light.JPG

DSC00622.JPG

Position of 3rd brake light.JPG

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hi tim, no worries ref delay, playing with our cars is much more fun:-) thanks for pics. since my last post the LED strip that is reported as being adheisve on the screen side has appeared. for the sake of 10 quid i have orderd one, but i am not sure it is how it seems, as they sugest not washing the car within 24 hours of fitting it, and why would that be an issue if it were inside? anyway i will report once it arrives, and if all else fails i will use the clear double sided sticky i have to stick the LED side to the rear screen. i will report on progress. cheers richard

 

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Hi tim, the LED strip arrived today and the double sided sticky is indeed on the LED side so it will stick on the inside of the rear screen. the strip has a curve on it which causes the DS sticky to ruck up when straightened but as clear DS sticky is available replacing it if needed is not a problem. the wire from the end of the strip is around a metre long so enough to get behind trim panels neatly, once i have offered it up to the car and played about a bit more i will report further

20201212_111150.jpg

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