Gas pedal stuck doing 130mph for 60 miles

Following account taken from a British paper describing the harrowing
account of a BMW 318 with a stuck gas pedal at 130 mph. I have to
question the driver's sanity--when told his car is a write-off after he
had flipped it, he said..."I'd buy another BMW because, although there
was a problem, it saved my life in that crash." Yes, but if the pedal
didn't get stuck......


A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.

Kevin Nicolle: 'I couldn't get the pedal off the floor. His terrifying
journey, which was followed by four police cars and a helicopter, ended
when he smashed the car into a roundabout, flipping it on its roof.
Amazingly, the former lorry driver walked away from the accident
uninjured.

"The whole thing was just a blur," he said. "I can't get it out of my
head. I was terrified, hysterical and crying. "Every time I close my
eyes I remember it. "It's a miracle I didn't collide with another
vehicle or cause a pile-up, but I had a lot of close shaves with
lorries and cars and swerved about trying to avoid them."

Mr Nicolle was driving back from friends in Newcastle to his home in
Southsea, Hants, last Sunday, when the accelerator on his automatic BMW
318 jammed at Catterick, near junction 53 of the A1. He then travelled
60 miles in 26 minutes, passing through three counties.


"I had been driving for quite a while when I realised the accelerator
pedal was stuck down," he said. "I had gone into the fast lane and I
couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and
tried the AA to ask them what to do. At that point I wasn't panicking
because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to
a steady 70mph. "I told the AA I couldn't slow down. I thought they
might be able to give me some advice but they told me to hang up
straight away and phone the police. I dialled 999 and spoke to a woman
and by this time I was starting to panic because the speed of the car
had increased to 100mph."

Police alerted a helicopter and four traffic cars set off to try to
catch him as Mr Nicolle kept up a running commentary, all the time
flashing his lights and sounding his horn to warn other motorists.

"My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the
speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed
building to 120mph or 130mph. I remember starting to shake and freeze
up. I was really panicking and broke into tears. I couldn't help it
because I thought I was definitely going to die.I was trying to slip
the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and
red-lining I couldn't do it.

"I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
power steering and made it even more dangerous. I was even shouting at
the other drivers to get out of the way, I was getting hysterical. The
traffic was getting heavier and I had to take drastic measures.I
overtook someone on the verge outside the fast lane and police told me
to get on to the hard shoulder. But I passed three or four slip roads
and at one point I nearly T-boned someone trying to get on from the
slip road.

"The woman operator told me the police were about half a mile behind me
but they were finding it difficult to catch me. I told them to send an
ambulance because I was going to die. I knew I was going to die.

"Then I saw a sign saying it was 800 yards to a round-about. There was
a queue of cars and I swerved round them then I tried to go round the
roundabout itself. I didn't deliberately try to crash the car to stop
myself. I remember saying to the fireman, 'Don't cut my car, you'll
damage it' but they were saying, 'Don't worry about that mate, it's
written off'. I'd buy another BMW because, although there was a
problem, it saved my life in that crash." Mr Nicolle overturned the car
at the Blyth roundabout near Worksop. Nottinghamshire police confirmed
his version of events.

A spokesman said: "Kevin was monitored doing in excess of 100mph and is
lucky to have walked away with minor injuries. He phoned 999 to say
that his brakes weren't working and was terrified for his life." The
racing green R-reg car, which Mr Nicolle had had for a year, has been
examined by police and he has been told he will not face prosecution.

A spokesman for BMW, which wants to examine the wrecked car, said: "We
are unaware of any issues of that nature with that particular model."

mistral wrote:

> A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
> after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
> automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.

<snip>

> "I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
> power steering and made it even more dangerous.

What nonsense. At anything over 20mph, not having power steering would
have made little difference, and would certainly not have been unsafe.


--
Grunff

"mistral" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Following account taken from a British paper describing the harrowing
> account of a BMW 318 with a stuck gas pedal at 130 mph.

It's a scam that surfaces from time to time. Last time was only a few months
ago when it was a heavy truck involved. These drivers, if they exist, could
easily either turn the engine off of knock the gearbox into neutral or even
brake the vehicle to a stall.
If this one travelled at 130mph for 60 miles then there were no bends that
would justify his reference to power steering even if it could be an issue,
which it isn't.
If it is genuine then he is a retard who should be permanently in a padded
cell for the good of greater society.

Huw

Urban legend. Never happended.

mistral wrote:
> Following account taken from a British paper describing the harrowing
> account of a BMW 318 with a stuck gas pedal at 130 mph. I have to
> question the driver's sanity--when told his car is a write-off after he
> had flipped it, he said..."I'd buy another BMW because, although there
> was a problem, it saved my life in that crash." Yes, but if the pedal
> didn't get stuck......
>
>
> A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
> after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
> automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
>
> Kevin Nicolle: 'I couldn't get the pedal off the floor. His terrifying
> journey, which was followed by four police cars and a helicopter, ended
> when he smashed the car into a roundabout, flipping it on its roof.
> Amazingly, the former lorry driver walked away from the accident
> uninjured.
>
> "The whole thing was just a blur," he said. "I can't get it out of my
> head. I was terrified, hysterical and crying. "Every time I close my
> eyes I remember it. "It's a miracle I didn't collide with another
> vehicle or cause a pile-up, but I had a lot of close shaves with
> lorries and cars and swerved about trying to avoid them."
>
> Mr Nicolle was driving back from friends in Newcastle to his home in
> Southsea, Hants, last Sunday, when the accelerator on his automatic BMW
> 318 jammed at Catterick, near junction 53 of the A1. He then travelled
> 60 miles in 26 minutes, passing through three counties.
>
>
> "I had been driving for quite a while when I realised the accelerator
> pedal was stuck down," he said. "I had gone into the fast lane and I
> couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and
> tried the AA to ask them what to do. At that point I wasn't panicking
> because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to
> a steady 70mph. "I told the AA I couldn't slow down. I thought they
> might be able to give me some advice but they told me to hang up
> straight away and phone the police. I dialled 999 and spoke to a woman
> and by this time I was starting to panic because the speed of the car
> had increased to 100mph."
>
> Police alerted a helicopter and four traffic cars set off to try to
> catch him as Mr Nicolle kept up a running commentary, all the time
> flashing his lights and sounding his horn to warn other motorists.
>
> "My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the
> speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed
> building to 120mph or 130mph. I remember starting to shake and freeze
> up. I was really panicking and broke into tears. I couldn't help it
> because I thought I was definitely going to die.I was trying to slip
> the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and
> red-lining I couldn't do it.
>
> "I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
> power steering and made it even more dangerous. I was even shouting at
> the other drivers to get out of the way, I was getting hysterical. The
> traffic was getting heavier and I had to take drastic measures.I
> overtook someone on the verge outside the fast lane and police told me
> to get on to the hard shoulder. But I passed three or four slip roads
> and at one point I nearly T-boned someone trying to get on from the
> slip road.
>
> "The woman operator told me the police were about half a mile behind me
> but they were finding it difficult to catch me. I told them to send an
> ambulance because I was going to die. I knew I was going to die.
>
> "Then I saw a sign saying it was 800 yards to a round-about. There was
> a queue of cars and I swerved round them then I tried to go round the
> roundabout itself. I didn't deliberately try to crash the car to stop
> myself. I remember saying to the fireman, 'Don't cut my car, you'll
> damage it' but they were saying, 'Don't worry about that mate, it's
> written off'. I'd buy another BMW because, although there was a
> problem, it saved my life in that crash." Mr Nicolle overturned the car
> at the Blyth roundabout near Worksop. Nottinghamshire police confirmed
> his version of events.
>
> A spokesman said: "Kevin was monitored doing in excess of 100mph and is
> lucky to have walked away with minor injuries. He phoned 999 to say
> that his brakes weren't working and was terrified for his life." The
> racing green R-reg car, which Mr Nicolle had had for a year, has been
> examined by police and he has been told he will not face prosecution.
>
> A spokesman for BMW, which wants to examine the wrecked car, said: "We
> are unaware of any issues of that nature with that particular model."
>

JimV wrote:
> Urban legend. Never happended.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4796264.stm


--
Grunff

"Grunff" > wrote in message
...
> JimV wrote:
>> Urban legend. Never happended.
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4796264.stm
>
>

I can't believe that he thinks he will get away with such bull****. Lock the
lying imbecile up for everyone's protection.
If anyone believes that he couldn't easily have stopped it then they too
should be put away. If he were an animal he would be put down as it is cruel
to keep him and he is a danger to others.

Huw

Grunff wrote:
> mistral wrote:
>
>> A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
>> after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
>> automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
>
>
> <snip>
>
>> "I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
>> power steering and made it even more dangerous.
>
>
> What nonsense. At anything over 20mph, not having power steering would
> have made little difference, and would certainly not have been unsafe.
>
>
Well, duh, of course the guy was a moron. If he used the brakes just to
maintain a steady speed of 70 mph untill they fried. If as soon as he
noticed the problem he would have mashed the brakes he would have
stopped. he also should have manually downshifted to the lowest possible
gear, or just put the car in nutral. (let the engine kill itself not you).

--
========================================

Todd Zuercher


========================================

"Grunff" > wrote in message
...
> mistral wrote:
>
> > A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
> > after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
> > automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
>
> <snip>
>
> > "I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
> > power steering and made it even more dangerous.

Totally ignoring the fact that the steering doesn't lock until the key is
actually removed.
Mike.

In article >,
JimV > wrote:
> Urban legend. Never happended.

Like the Apollo 11 mission? ;-)

It's just been on the BBC news here with interviews with the driver and
police who followed him.

--
*If a thing is worth doing, wouldn't it have been done already?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"mistral" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> A motorist was trapped in his car driving at almost 130mph for 60 miles
> after the accelerator jammed.Kevin Nicolle, 25, was unable to stop the
> automatic BMW going at top speed after the malfunction on the A1.
>

>
> "I had been driving for quite a while when I realised the accelerator
> pedal was stuck down," he said. "I had gone into the fast lane and I
> couldn't get the pedal off the floor. I used my hands-free phone and
> tried the AA to ask them what to do. At that point I wasn't panicking
> because I jammed my foot on the brake and that was keeping the speed to
> a steady 70mph. "I told the AA I couldn't slow down. I thought they
> might be able to give me some advice but they told me to hang up
> straight away and phone the police. I dialled 999 and spoke to a woman
> and by this time I was starting to panic because the speed of the car
> had increased to 100mph."
>
> Police alerted a helicopter and four traffic cars set off to try to
> catch him as Mr Nicolle kept up a running commentary, all the time
> flashing his lights and sounding his horn to warn other motorists.
>
> "My brakes were burning out and starting to fail - that's when the
> speed really started to build," he said. "I could see the speed
> building to 120mph or 130mph. I remember starting to shake and freeze
> up. I was really panicking and broke into tears. I couldn't help it
> because I thought I was definitely going to die.I was trying to slip
> the car into neutral but because the car was over-revving and
> red-lining I couldn't do it.

I don't think so, although the engine would scream a bit and maybe blow up.

>
> "I couldn't turn off the ignition because it would have disabled the
> power steering and made it even more dangerous.

It would disable the power steering and hydraulic brakes, the former is not
required over about 25mph, and the latter would mean he would have to press
hard to get a major effect, but hey a fit young man of 25? I would
certainly prefer trying to pull up from 100+mph with no engine to trying to
negotiate a busy dual carriageway at that speed.

Of course the driver might have feared activating the steering lock (which
did happen to a colleague when he got his car back after theft), however he
only has to turn back to auxiliary.

> I was even shouting at
> the other drivers to get out of the way, I was getting hysterical. The
> traffic was getting heavier and I had to take drastic measures.I
> overtook someone on the verge outside the fast lane and police told me
> to get on to the hard shoulder. But I passed three or four slip roads
> and at one point I nearly T-boned someone trying to get on from the
> slip road.
>
snip
>
> A spokesman for BMW, which wants to examine the wrecked car, said: "We
> are unaware of any issues of that nature with that particular model."
>

I have witnessed the result of a similar occurrence. About 25 years ago, a
little old lady near me set off for the shops in her Triumph Dolomite 1850HL
automatic. When setting off from junction of her street and the main road,
she must have uncharacteristically floored it and the throttle stuck open.
The car accelerated down the road, and she managed to miss a bus and just
clip a Citroen, but quite soon she was doing 60mph+, and as she swung back
in after overtaking some cars she overcompensated and ran the NSF into a
cast iron lamp post near the kerbside. Somehow the box now jumped into
reverse, and despite the damage the car now shot off backwards in a large
arc, and although it missed any more cars it managed to hit another lamp
post on the other side of a [very] wide road, more or less in the middle of
the boot. This impact saw the post reach the rear screen and snapped the
drivers seat back. The woman was taken to hospital and I presume the car
was written off. The main difference is that in this case the elderly
driver probably only had at most thirty seconds to decide what to do,
whereas in the case above the driver was young and professional