A Caprice Lost in Minnesota Bridge Collapse

[PeteA216]

I was looking through pictures of the Minnesota bridge collapse and happend to stumble upon a picture of a dark red 1996 looking Caprice partially hanging off a broken piece of the bridge. It hit the car in front of it hard enough to deploy the air bags, but to me looks salvagable. Odds are it'll probably go to a yard though. Here's the picture:

[silicon212]

To be honest, I'd worry more about those involved in the collapse. A car can be replaced, it's just a machine. One problem with the car above, however, is that there's likely to be much more damage than what you see. The undercarriage has to be pretty well screwed.

[mike561]

I see what you mean by that, since the front wheels are hangin off. looks like it was probably a 94 since it doesnt have the rounded rear side windows

[PeteA216]

To be honest, I'd worry more about those involved in the collapse. A car can be replaced, it's just a machine.

I agree 100%. The people that were in that car were among the lucky ones who actually stayed above water. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it'd be like to be in that sort of situation where the road below you is falling apart and you have no contol whatsoever, or the intense fear that a friend, spouse, sibling, or relative coming home from work could be in that wreckage, or the torment of loosing a loved one. It's tragic no matter how you look at it, and was something that could have probably been avoided had the bridge been more carefully inspected. I know bridge builders and they all say that they are sometimes scared to cross bridges due to the carelessness that's often involved during bridge construction. It'd be something that'd stick with me for the rest of my life if something like this happened with a bridge I was involved building, knowing that it all could have been avoided if I wasn't lazy with riveting the I-beams, or if I put those extra few pieces of re-bar in. It wasn't my intention to grieve for a car, as you say it's nothing more than a machine, an organization of parts and materials that can easily be replaced. A human life however... there is no true replacement for. It's true that time heals all wounds, but scars are forever.

[Blue Bowtie]

The finger-pointing over the incident hasn't even begun yet. That bridge was under repair, and some sections of concrete had been removed. As they were, the understructure lost its torsional damping and bracing. Workers were quoted on CNN as remarking that the bridge became more wobbly with every section they removed, yet the work continued. Beyond the tragic losses there, there is probably going to be one massive legal action involving the construction company, state engineers, federal interstate system, and anyone else with money to be taken.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

The finger-pointing over the incident hasn't even begun yet. That bridge was under repair, and some sections of concrete had been removed. As they were, the understructure lost its torsional damping and bracing. Workers were quoted on CNN as remarking that the bridge became more wobbly with every section they removed, yet the work continued. Beyond the tragic losses there, there is probably going to be one massive legal action involving the construction company, state engineers, federal interstate system, and anyone else with money to be taken.

In today's litigation-happy society, I'm afraid you're right.

If that's correct about the bridgework leading to the collapse, then something needs to be done and someone needs to be held accountable.

In the end, we need to get back to a time when jobs weren't so rushed, especially jobs with possible tragic outcomes such as this.

Oh, and a bridge under construction about 12 miles east of me fell down yesterday like dominoes. Nobody was hurt in that one, thank God. The only thing are some crumpled concrete girders.

[GreyGoose006]

another theory that i heard was that the jackhammering and such set up sympathetic vibrations in the structure of the bridge, and the whole bridge kinda just vibrated its self to death

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by GreyGoose006

another theory that i heard was that the jackhammering and such set up sympathetic vibrations in the structure of the bridge, and the whole bridge kinda just vibrated its self to death

It might have been that way, but they dedicated an episode of Mythbusters to that very thing, and it was 'myth busted'.

[PeteA216]

No no no... I actually just watched that one a few days ago. It was Myth Busted that a small vibrating device at the right frequency could take a bridge down. The small oscillating rig they made did get the bridge moving decently, but didn't seem to threaten it's structure. Remember, they also performed this experiment on a much larger, much newer, completely empty bridge, with a very small device. But picture that vibrating rig they made as a powerful pneumatic jackhammer while the bridge was under the load of rush hour traffic. I'd say that since the bridge was already in some consideration of replacement, and many sections of concrete were removed during construction (which would weaken the bridge even more) that it could be plausable.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by PeteA216

I was looking through pictures of the Minnesota bridge collapse and happend to stumble upon a picture of a dark red 1996 looking Caprice partially hanging off a broken piece of the bridge. It hit the car in front of it hard enough to deploy the air bags, but to me looks salvagable. Odds are it'll probably go to a yard though. Here's the picture:

Not to be morbid or anything but that post reminds me of "back in the day" about 20 years ago or so when a friend and I both owned Monte Carlos. Back then there wasn't many in the junkyards yet as they were fairly new, so used parts were hard to come by. I remember on a few occasion we'd see a story in the local paper of an accident or something similar and there would be a picture. If a Monte Carlo was involved, we'd immediately think,"Parts!" as we figured the car would eventually end up in a local yard when everything was said and done with it. I remember seeing one around that time that crashed head on into an old oak tree killing the 4 teenagers inside,( If I remember correctly thy had just left a party.) There was NOTHING left of that car that was salvageable, and at first glance couldn't even tell it was a Monte, gruesome

[PeteA216]

Ironically here locally while driving to work everyday I see this gorgous '86 Caprice. A few weeks back it got into a wreck, and that was my first thought as well (Actually it was my second thought, my first was "Aw damn, that really sucks.")... I love buying a car for parts because then you can take your sweet time picking and pulling without having a junkyard owner breathing down your neck. Unfortunately the car went to a yard before I got the chance to make an offer.

[bobss396]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

The finger-pointing over the incident hasn't even begun yet. That bridge was under repair, and some sections of concrete had been removed. As they were, the understructure lost its torsional damping and bracing. Workers were quoted on CNN as remarking that the bridge became more wobbly with every section they removed, yet the work continued. Beyond the tragic losses there, there is probably going to be one massive legal action involving the construction company, state engineers, federal interstate system, and anyone else with money to be taken.

BINGO! The first thing that I said after I saw the news was, "looks like someone took out one bolt too many". Just too much of a coincidence to have a major bridge construction project going on in parallel with the collapse.

Bob

[GreyGoose006]

well if there can be one thing to say about the caprice, it is that the people inside were probably safer than if they had been in a kia spectra.
you just cant beat a full body on frame car in terms of keeping the occupants safe.

[bobss396]

Originally Posted by GreyGoose006

well if there can be one thing to say about the caprice, it is that the people inside were probably safer than if they had been in a kia spectra.
you just cant beat a full body on frame car in terms of keeping the occupants safe.

I've stress tested a number of cars in my day. I've been hurt, but wouldn't be here if I drove a unibody peepot of a car.

I drive by this drive in insurance claim place every day. Well.. they got a couple of cars in that were obviously TOWED in. Both imports, the smallest has the rear bumper mushed in on a 45 degree angle up to the driver's seat back. If someone was in the back seat on that side, they needed a blotter to get them out of the car.

Bob

[96capricemgr]

While tragic for those involved this was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. I remeber something about a bridge in AK that was hit by a barge and with the crown of the bridge nobody could tell it had colapsed till they were too close too stop. Fisherman launched a flare up onto the road which got a semi to stop which blocked traffic. I do not know the casualty count on that one but it has to make you think what would have happened if a busy bridge like that had had flowing traffic. Would have been much worse.

Far as the car, long as they were wearing seatbelt I think they were 100% OK. With the age of these a non-ss with deployed airbags is pretty much guaranteed totalled. Been there done that, was just a deer andt he insurance guy stopped adding when he hit 100% in repairs too value. I fixed it but that was in my driveway which was MUCH cheaper. They had valued it as being low milae too because it was in such nice shape other than the immediate damage, the digital odo and no keys kept him from seeing 160K.