WHL rocks Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 PARIS — A driver hurtled through northern France at 200 km/h for more than 160 kilometres after his car speed regulator jammed and the brakes failed. Franck Lecerf had set out in his Renault Laguna 3 to visit his local supermarket in Pont-de-Metz, but ended up in a Belgian ditch after an hour-long white-knuckle ride escorted by police cars along the northern French coastal highway. The journey — in which Lecerf saw “his entire life flash before his eyes” — ended in Alveringem when he finally ran out of gasoline. Lecerf was on a divided highway when the speed dial of his car, which had been specially adapted for disabled drivers, jammed at 96 km/h. Each time the 36-year-old driver tried to brake, the car accelerated instead of slowing down, eventually hitting 200 km/h. As other cars honked and swerved from his path, Lecerf managed to call the emergency services. Several police officers, realizing that Lecerf’s only option was to keep going until his gasoline ran out, escorted him at breakneck speed across more than 160 km of French highway, past Calais and Dunkirk, and over the Belgian border. Three toll stations were obliged to raise their barriers as Lecerf shot through. “My life flashed before me,” he told Le Courrier Picard. “I just wanted it to stop.” He said he had suffered two epileptic seizures as a result of the ordeal. A Renault technician had sought to advise police on how to solve the problem as they gave chase, to no avail. Lecerf said it was not his first speed-jamming incident but that Renault had looked at the car and said that it had fixed the problem. “This time, they’ve gone too far,” he said. His lawyer said he would file a legal complaint over “endangerment of a person’s life.” Renault said it would await the results of an investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.DirtyDangles Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 INSANE ! poor guy must have soiled himself a few times Ima have to use this excuse next time I get pulled over for speeding :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Good old French car reliability. I hope this is on the news on Top Gear's episode for some good laughs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllHailSmyl Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I guess when you max out on speed and your brakes fail, the only thing to do is hope there is no traffic jams and curse yourself that you bought a fuel efficient vehicle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 That must have been scary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Turn off ignition? Put in neutral? If manual...push in clutch? (And another damn good reason people should drive manuals) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkeeterHansen Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Turn off ignition? Put in neutral? If manual...push in clutch? (And another damn good reason people should drive manuals) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Turn off ignition? Put in neutral? If manual...push in clutch? (And another damn good reason people should drive manuals) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.DirtyDangles Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Turn off ignition? Put in neutral? If manual...push in clutch? (And another damn good reason people should drive manuals) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 LMAO so you want no power steering or brakes at 200 KPH uuummmm yeah ,you do realize turning the motor off turns your accessories off right ? you would have to have the strength of at least 10 men to control the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The car was modified for disabled drivers. No way it was a manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Missed that in the article. Sounds to me like issues with the modifications, not the car itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokasmoka Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 gotta steer with the momo when you running from the popo Cops could of / should of got infront and slowly stopped his car while he laid off the gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudson bay rules Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 ^^^ does anyone even read the (very short) article? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimito Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 <p><br /> Yikes. Turning off the ignition at 200km/h?! Suicide.<br /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHL rocks Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 ^^^ does anyone even read the (very short) article? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightHawkSniper Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 That would've sucked more if you didn't have a phone and couldn't contact anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks#01fan Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The best he could of done is shoft into first gear or 1 on a standard, moved his car side to side to create more friction, going up hill of possible, if there were any guard rails he could of grinded along then to create friction (they are pear shaped so only your wheels touch), used e brake if possible, and drove on gravel or dirt if it was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:D Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 This is the very reason I keep my tank just above E at all times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks since 77 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The best he could of done is shoft into first gear or 1 on a standard, moved his car side to side to create more friction, going up hill of possible, if there were any guard rails he could of grinded along then to create friction (they are pear shaped so only your wheels touch), used e brake if possible, and drove on gravel or dirt if it was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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