SMB Crash

armlock · 08-20-2007, 02:51 PM

I was reading Surfline and came across this story. Incredible!
The fifth picture is amazing.
http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/articl ... m?id=10471

saline · 08-20-2007, 06:26 PM

Holy shnikees! Glad they all recovered.
That's the 2nd sportsmobile i've seen smashed flat from a rollover. I wonder if an internal cage could be an option on a SMB?

**BroncoHauler** · 08-20-2007, 09:25 PM

First and foremost, I'm glad everyone was OK, or is at least recovering. Second, there are a lot of contributing factors in this crash (poor roads, van heavily loaded with passengers and no doubt cargo, significant weight on the roof (at least I assume that many surfboards have to be significantly heavy), towing a tailer). Unless this was a strict passenger model or a Transformer model, I have to wonder if everyone was properly belted in. A bad situation, but again, I'm thankful that everyone is OK.

Herb

jage · 08-27-2007, 04:12 PM

I had the belted in thought myself... seems that all the rear passengers were "thrown from the van", which to me indicates no seatbelts, whatever the configuration.

Also the driver stated that the trailer seemed to take over the van, which makes me think that between catching the soft shoulder and the wreck there was enough time to experience the trailer taking over the van.... a feeling which I've experienced on a few occasions.

Still, it's a shame for the van and the people who got hurt.

**BroncoHauler** · 08-27-2007, 09:43 PM

I don't know about Baja, but the below quote concerns me. In most of Europe, the left blinker means it's NOT safe to pass.

""We were behind a semi truck, and he gave me the left blinker, which meant it was OK to pass,"

Herb

sdwindansea · 08-27-2007, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco_hauler

I don't know about Baja, but the below quote concerns me. In most of Europe, the left blinker means it's NOT safe to pass.

""We were behind a semi truck, and he gave me the left blinker, which meant it was OK to pass,"

Herb

Herb - that is the "standard" signal used in Baja. Most courteous drivers, truck drivers, etc will turn on their left signal when it is ok to pass them. It does take some time to get used to though.

Jeffrey · 08-27-2007, 10:38 PM

Yeah, I'll risk MY life because some trucker (in a foreign country where tequila is the national beverage, yet) thinks it's OK. Perhaps I'll just take a little peek myself, thanks, and make my own decision.

But, surfs up, dude....we're missing the curl.

sdwindansea · 08-28-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Yeah, I'll risk MY life because some trucker (in a foreign country where tequila is the national beverage, yet) thinks it's OK. Perhaps I'll just take a little peek myself, thanks, and make my own decision.

But, surfs up, dude....we're missing the curl.

It goes without saying that you should also assess the situation, look up the road and make your own decision before passing. You do not do it in blind faith. The use of the left turn signal is just helpful in allowing you to decide whether it is safe to pass or not...nothing more, nothing less.

Also, drivers in Baja are way more courteous than those in the US.

jage · 08-28-2007, 09:57 AM

I know in central Mexico some years ago passing was done on the mountain roads by going three wide. If a vehicle was coming the passing vehicle and the vehicle being passed would just move over, as would the approaching vehicle and the two lane would be temporarily three.

Once you'd driven there for a while this just became natural to see and do, although I always wondered what happened when someone was passing going up and someone else was passing going down.