Excellent body of Mitsubishi Lancer - experienced in an accident!

[vasanthn21]

It was the night of October 8, 2003. It was my cousin's birthday. One of the other cousin's had got his father's Mitsubishi Lancer instead of the usual M800 . He told he had managed to steal it as his dad was asleep.

We had a nice dinner at a dhaba after the hebbal flyover. After the dinner, the other cousin who had go the Lancer wanted to show off the power of the Lancer and said "Let me show you the power of Lancer" and took the vehicle to the Outer Ring Road.

He was driving at pretty high speeds with 5 of us in the car, when one cousin started saying "not so fast please". Just then there was a curve in the ring road which was more than expected by the cousin who was driving, he over steered to the right, and to get back control he tried to steer it back to the left abruptly (at almost 120 KMph).

Anyone who knows about the laws of motion can guess what happened next. The car moving forward at 100kmph but the front two wheels suddenly turned to the left... The momentum could not be resisted, the car did a summer sault! The car's bumper hit the floor first, it lifted the car, as it was coming down (the car was almost upside down in the air) hit the right side top (bottom when we were falling) of the car next to the driver, jumped again and landed on the wheels!! All this happened in a fraction of a second!

If the hit on the top of the car flips the car back and makes it come back to its wheels, you can imagine the amount of impact on the car.

The outcome of the accident:
The there of us in the rear seat - not even a scratch! - a bit shaken though!

The non-driver on the front: not even a scratch - thank GOD he had the seat belts on!

The cousin driving the car: Had some glass pieces from the wind shield sticking to his forehead. Did not look good, but pretty less damage considering the beating the car had taken.

All 5 could walk out of the car, after somehow managing to take the car away from the roads (after the wheels were jammed)!

We had an agonizing night running to the hospital, then to the police station, then with the insurance guys etc.

But, when I think of this accident, I can only say one thing! Thank GOD for the quality of the body of Lancer!

Note: the driver was not new to driving a 4 wheeler at all but was new to driving a Lancer, and may be new to driving a vehicle with Power Steering!

Mods: Please move this to appropriate section, if this is the wrong section.

[Technocrat]

Thank God you guys are safe. Its these stupid acts which costs people there life & at time others too.

Please thank your guardian angels & make sure that this stupidity is not repeated.

[akshay1234]

i doubt it was the 'body' of the lancer that saved you. what saved you is luck.

[theMAG]

vasanthn21,

Nice to know nobody was injured much, but why are you posting this almost 5 years after the accident happened ?!

[Sam Kapasi]

Dude, don't thank the Lancer. Thank your good fortune and don't ever place yourself in a situation like this one again.

You are not going to hear any comments from Team-BHPians like WOW what a great car the Lancer is, after you experienced a near death situation.

Be safe, think of all your friends and family.

why are you posting this almost 5 years after the accident happened

An excellent point Mag, lol. I'm dying to know the answer.

[vasanthn21]

I know it is a very stupid thing that we did, and trust me, I will never put myself in a situation like this again!

Yes, I know we were lucky, had the vehicle hit the edge of the footpath instead of the flat road while hitting it upside down, no one knows what would have happened.

I am putting this after 5 yrs of the incident, because I was not a member of team-BHP then. Probably wouldn't have let this happen, if I was a member. Getting a lot of gyaan here after reading the various articles on different topics.

[Dippy]

Thats a very horrific and scary accident indeed. You are lucky to get out of that alive. This is a second life for you. Its the young blood attitude thats leads to situations like these.

Hope this is a lesson to you. Always remember there are loved ones waiting for you at home.

[spadival]

Next time your cousins/friends tell you "Let me show you the power of XYZ", you know where to run !!

"The cousin driving the car: Had some glass pieces from the wind shield sticking to his forehead." - Perhaps god's way of telling your cousin to start using his brains !!

[razor4077]

Thank your lucky stars dude. Hope your cousin drives more responsibly now.
But yes, I do know that the Lancer is a very protective car. I had an accident myself quite a few years back (my driver was driving), when the Lancer went into the back of a stationary Opel Astra at over 60 kph. Bumper, grille were smashed but the entire force of the impact was absorbed by these. Engine, cabin were untouched, and we were fine. Drove another 100 kms in that condition. Quite a testament to the car's quality

[gd1418]

The only answer I could think of is that for every single day of the last 5 years, that asleep Dad whose car was slyly stolen for a party, continued whacking all the 5 occupants regularly. Now he must have got tired of it..

Originally Posted by theMAG

vasanthn21,

but why are you posting this almost 5 years after the accident happened ?!

[vasanthn21]

Originally Posted by gd1418

The only answer I could think of is that for every single day of the last 5 years, that asleep Dad whose car was slyly stolen for a party, continued whacking all the 5 occupants regularly. Now he must have got tired of it..

lol

no comments, and yes I know where to run when someone tells me "let me show the power of xyz"

Originally Posted by razor4077

Thank your lucky stars dude. Hope your cousin drives more responsibly now.
But yes, I do know that the Lancer is a very protective car. I had an accident myself quite a few years back (my driver was driving), when the Lancer went into the back of a stationary Opel Astra at over 60 kph. Bumper, grille were smashed but the entire force of the impact was absorbed by these. Engine, cabin were untouched, and we were fine. Drove another 100 kms in that condition. Quite a testament to the car's quality

I hope it is not the Lancer you modded with so much care!

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

I hope it is not the Lancer you modded with so much care!

Actually, it is
Car was under warranty then. Bumper, grille, lights etc were replaced and other surrounding areas repaired and painted. Like I said, no vital components were damaged... so no issues!

This is also the reason I am very attached to this car. Saved us from a lot of harm... I've seen people get hurt very badly in smaller accidents.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

I know it is a very stupid thing that we did, and trust me, I will never put myself in a situation like this again!

Yes, I know we were lucky, had the vehicle hit the edge of the footpath instead of the flat road while hitting it upside down, no one knows what would have happened.

I am putting this after 5 yrs of the incident, because I was not a member of team-BHP then. Probably wouldn't have let this happen, if I was a member. Getting a lot of gyaan here after reading the various articles on different topics.

on the lighter note: One more reason for being a member


Anyway, good to hear that no injuries. But 120kmph is really dangerous speed. I am sure some have driven at this speed on highways, but always remember, we have so many living being (yes not only humans, dogs, cattle, all cross the NH ) crossing right in the middle of the highways.

Even in places like US the top speed on highways is like around 120Kmph. That too with such a good infrastructures with many lanes etc.

So, drive at safe speed. Not just for your safety, but also other common persons on the road.

[vasanthn21]

Originally Posted by razor4077

(my driver was driving)

If it was the car modded by you... why was the driver driving it!? How could you give a car built with so much care in the hands of a driver?

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by theMAG

but why are you posting this almost 5 years after the accident happened ?!

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

An excellent point Mag, lol. I'm dying to know the answer.

After coming to T-BHP, he has seen reason & feels bad about what he had done so long ago. Nothing wrong in sharing that, i guess. Might stop someone from doing the same. The thread title could have been different though.

@vasanthan, No 'body' can save anybody. Someone's been watching out for all of you. Thank God, not the Lancer.