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I'd like to give real credit to this driver.  150mph down the motorway on a jammed accelerator. He did really well to dodge all the cars.

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

The interview is a must. Do listen to it.

I can't understand why he didn't turn the ignition off.

I can't understand why he didn't turn the ignition off.

He was worried he'd not be able to control the car without powered steering and brakes...

...so he ended up at 130mph with no brakes and nowhere to steer.

Beyond belief... Maybe things like this should be covered in driver training.

Hmmm... I thought that when you leave the keys in the ignition but cut it, the steering wheel won't lock... ok, it'll be harder to steer, but at least you'd be loosing speed... I think...

Luckely he was smart enough to notify the authorities...

Some people obviously never listen to the interview.
It really is worth listening to Doug.

Some people obviously never listen to the interview.
It really is worth listening to Doug.

I didn't listen, but I read it in The Times...

Well they had Britains top female racing driver on. (think it was Susie Stoddart). She said he was quite right in not turning the engine off as it would have been the end. It would have locked the car steering and he would have crashed.

They never mentioned the handbrake.  ??? I don't drive - but couldn't that have helped at all?

Some people obviously never listen to the interview.
It really is worth listening to Doug.

Just listened to it. I think they're making a drama out of a crisis. I've never driven a BMW but I know enough about cars to suggest he's mistaken. Switching off the ignition would not lock the steering. He would have lost the power steering but it would still have been controllable. If he'd steered onto the hard shoulder & switched off the ignition before burning the brakes out the brakes would still have worked. Panic over.

Instead of doing this he took at least one hand from the steering wheel in order to phone the AA & also speak to the police while driving a car without effective brakes at over 130 mph for miles along a busy motorway. It's a miracle he never killed some unfortunate innocents along with himself. As Charlie said earlier, maybe a few lessons on how a car actually works wouldn't come amiss before being allowed to take them out on the roads.

PS.

Well they had Britains top female racing driver on. (think it was Susie Stoddart). She said he was quite right in not turning the engine off as it would have been the end. It would have locked the car steering and he would have crashed.  

I suggest she doesn't know what she's talking about either.

If it was life or death, I'd slam it into reverse and wave goodbye to my transmission in the rearview mirror! That would slow him down, problem solved. Then again if it's a Beamer it's probably an automatic..

If it was life or death, I'd slam it into reverse and wave goodbye to my transmission in the rearview mirror! That would slow him down, problem solved. Then again if it's a Beamer it's probably an automatic..

It is an automatic & he reckoned it wasn't possible to select neutral. I don't see what good putting it in reverse would do even if that were possible.

It is an automatic & he reckoned it wasn't possible to select neutral. I don't see what good putting it in reverse would do even if that were possible.

I was kidding really..

Well Doug I can't say - I know nothing about cars and you have driven for yonks. But surely if something could have been done it would have been suggested. Despite your slamming of the driver I think she must have some idea of what she is talking about.  ;)

[quote]Well Doug I can't say - I know nothing about cars and you have driven for yonks. But surely if something could have been done it would have been suggested. Despite your slamming of the driver I think she must have some idea of what she is talking about.

I'll try to add something into this. The handbrake, wouldn't have worked, I asked my driving instructor how useful a handbrake would be to stop a car going more than 30mph and he proceed to pull it on. We slowed a little but kept going with little problem. The only way to see how turning the ignition off while driving would actually effect a car in motion is to find a quite road and try it to see what actually happens. Some cars actually have the ability while in motion to remove the key completely without the car stopping. Our old Toyota was like that.

I'll try to add something into this. The handbrake, wouldn't have worked, I asked my driving instructor how useful a handbrake would be to stop a car going more than 30mph and he proceed to pull it on. We slowed a little but kept going with little problem. The only way to see how turning the ignition off while driving would actually effect a car in motion is to find a quite road and try it to see what actually happens. Some cars actually have the ability while in motion to remove the key completely without the car stopping. Our old Toyota was like that.

We're not talking about removing the key Craig. There's two things to consider here. Whether switching off the ignition will affect the steering & brakes. Most cars these days have power steering & servo-assisted brakes. These are both run off the engine but will both still work without it running although it will take more force to operate them. The handbrake might come in useful to assist the normal footbrake.

I still say he should have switched the ignition off, that's one click back on the key - not remove the key which is quite different & would amost certainly lock the steering.