Darwin Award
Shortbus
01-20-2003, 08:16 PM
Came across this tonite and it is funny as hell. Hope its not a repost.
Kind of long but worth the read.
The Arizona Highway Patrol were mystified when they came upon a pile of smoldering wreckage embedded in the side of a cliff rising above the road at the apex of a curve. The metal debris resembled the site of an airplane crash, but it turned out to be the vaporized remains of an automobile. The make of the vehicle was unidentifiable at the scene.
The folks in the lab finally figured out what it was, and pieced together the events that led up to its demise.
It seems that a former Air Force sergeant had somehow got hold of a JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off) unit. JATO units are solid fuel rockets used to give heavy military transport airplanes an extra push for take-off from short airfields.
Dried desert lakebeds are the location of choice for breaking the world ground vehicle speed record. The sergeant took the JATO unit into the Arizona desert and found a long, straight stretch of road. He attached the JATO unit to his car, jumped in, accelerated to a high speed, and fired off the rocket.
The facts, as best as could be determined, are as follows:
The operator was driving a 1967 Chevy Impala. He ignited the JATO unit approximately 3.9 miles from the crash site. This was established by the location of a prominently scorched and melted strip of asphalt. The vehicle quickly reached a speed of between 250 and 300 mph and continued at that speed, under full power, for an additional 20-25 seconds. The soon-to-be pilot experienced G-forces usually reserved for dog-fighting F-14 jocks under full afterburners.
The Chevy remained on the straight highway for approximately 2.6 miles (15-20 seconds) before the driver applied the brakes, completely melting them, blowing the tires, and leaving thick rubber marks on the road surface. The vehicle then became airborne for an additional 1.3 miles, impacted the cliff face at a height of 125 feet, and left a blackened crater 3 feet deep in the rock.
Most of the driver's remains were not recovered; however, small fragments of bone, teeth, and hair were extracted from the crater, and fingernail and bone shards were removed from a piece of debris believed to be a portion of the steering wheel.
Ironically a still-legible bumper sticker was found, reading
"How do you like my driving? Dial 1-800-EAT-SHIT."
Kind of long but worth the read.
The Arizona Highway Patrol were mystified when they came upon a pile of smoldering wreckage embedded in the side of a cliff rising above the road at the apex of a curve. The metal debris resembled the site of an airplane crash, but it turned out to be the vaporized remains of an automobile. The make of the vehicle was unidentifiable at the scene.
The folks in the lab finally figured out what it was, and pieced together the events that led up to its demise.
It seems that a former Air Force sergeant had somehow got hold of a JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off) unit. JATO units are solid fuel rockets used to give heavy military transport airplanes an extra push for take-off from short airfields.
Dried desert lakebeds are the location of choice for breaking the world ground vehicle speed record. The sergeant took the JATO unit into the Arizona desert and found a long, straight stretch of road. He attached the JATO unit to his car, jumped in, accelerated to a high speed, and fired off the rocket.
The facts, as best as could be determined, are as follows:
The operator was driving a 1967 Chevy Impala. He ignited the JATO unit approximately 3.9 miles from the crash site. This was established by the location of a prominently scorched and melted strip of asphalt. The vehicle quickly reached a speed of between 250 and 300 mph and continued at that speed, under full power, for an additional 20-25 seconds. The soon-to-be pilot experienced G-forces usually reserved for dog-fighting F-14 jocks under full afterburners.
The Chevy remained on the straight highway for approximately 2.6 miles (15-20 seconds) before the driver applied the brakes, completely melting them, blowing the tires, and leaving thick rubber marks on the road surface. The vehicle then became airborne for an additional 1.3 miles, impacted the cliff face at a height of 125 feet, and left a blackened crater 3 feet deep in the rock.
Most of the driver's remains were not recovered; however, small fragments of bone, teeth, and hair were extracted from the crater, and fingernail and bone shards were removed from a piece of debris believed to be a portion of the steering wheel.
Ironically a still-legible bumper sticker was found, reading
"How do you like my driving? Dial 1-800-EAT-SHIT."
-The Stig-
01-20-2003, 08:22 PM
Thats ollddd... but so great...
Go Impala!!! hahaha.
Go Impala!!! hahaha.
Neutrino
01-20-2003, 08:24 PM
Yeah this is the classical darwin award.
Repost.:D
Repost.:D
Oz
01-20-2003, 08:38 PM
JSATI Repost :finger:
But :lol2: because I haven't seen it for 2 years or more.
But :lol2: because I haven't seen it for 2 years or more.
Shortbus
01-20-2003, 08:42 PM
Originally posted by Oz
JSATI Repost :finger:
But :lol2: because I haven't seen it for 2 years or more.
I'll see your :finger: and raise you :finger: :finger:
:biggrin2: :D
JSATI Repost :finger:
But :lol2: because I haven't seen it for 2 years or more.
I'll see your :finger: and raise you :finger: :finger:
:biggrin2: :D
ac427cpe
01-20-2003, 09:09 PM
still funny, haven't heard the bumper sticker version before though
Cbass
01-20-2003, 10:37 PM
speediva
01-21-2003, 01:24 AM
Darwin Awards is one of my FAVE websites. Gotta love stupid people, eh?
It may be old, and it may have been posted, but DARN was it good to read again. :hehehe: :lol2: :hehe:
It may be old, and it may have been posted, but DARN was it good to read again. :hehehe: :lol2: :hehe:
YogsVR4
01-21-2003, 11:53 AM
I remember reading this on about eight years ago. But the classics last!
Cbass
01-21-2003, 12:13 PM
Anyone remember the one about two guys who tried to sneak into a rock show? That one was GOOD.
Silver82x
01-21-2003, 02:39 PM
here's a little better story http://www1.bored.com/rocketcar/ . be warned it a little long 10+ pages.:flipa:
"Pandamonium"
01-21-2003, 02:43 PM
Old as the hill he hit.
But.........still :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe:
The Panda made me do it!!!
But.........still :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe:
The Panda made me do it!!!
ci5ic
01-21-2003, 08:49 PM
Funny, but not true...
www.snopes.com
www.snopes.com
Graphik Styles
01-21-2003, 08:58 PM
Originally posted by ci5ic
Funny, but not true...
www.snopes.com
damn you ci5ic you ruined it....i was laughin at the idiots smartness and you ruined it all for me :( now he doesnt look so stupid...I DO :(
Funny, but not true...
www.snopes.com
damn you ci5ic you ruined it....i was laughin at the idiots smartness and you ruined it all for me :( now he doesnt look so stupid...I DO :(
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