Hotel Valet crashes Lamborghini Spyder in Delhi - CCTV footage inside

[smartcat]

Although the Lambo was starting from near zero speed, it still managed to push away the car in front like it was made of cardboard!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Although the Lambo was starting from near zero speed, it still managed to push away the car in front like it was made of cardboard!

In fact, anybody in that car could have suffered some injury, eg whiplash.

Originally Posted by Cooltronics

This is what happened to the car
Driving a sports car is not a common man's job especially that of a valet guy who doesn't even know what sports car is and how notorious it can behave (for that matter even I also have not driven it in my life).

What you say is true for most of us, but it is not true of a five-star hotel in a major city. Probably most of their clients do not arrive in indicas and Swifts!

A business that has rich clients, that turn up in superpriced supercars should indeed be used to handling those cars, even if they have just a handful of staff with that experience.

It's hardly going to be the first time they've had a car like that at the front door.


(but hey, it might be the last )

[///RMan]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Although the Lambo was starting from near zero speed, it still managed to push away the car in front like it was made of cardboard!

It isn't called the bull for no reason.
That's bull power for you there haha.



But jokes apart, the video shocks me beyond imagination.
I agree it was too instant but ~35 seconds are enough to press the brakes IMO.

Also, the car will be back on the roads soon, as it can be repaired.
The way it pushed away the other car, I shudder to think if there was a group of people had been standing there instead.
They would've been thrown around like bowling pins.
Hence, all in all, no serious damage to anyone living is the positive side which I see from such a horrific crash

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

To suddenly then go crazy on the pedal as if his pants were on fire doesn't make sense to me.

Originally Posted by smartcat

Although the Lambo was starting from near zero speed, it still managed to push away the car in front like it was made of cardboard!

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's hardly going to be the first time they've had a car like that at the front door.

I have seen valets in five star hotels doing donuts, smoking the tyres and generally driving extremely fast and dangerously in the close confined spaces of hotel parking garages.

Over the years I have observed varying degrees to which cars are abused in reputed hotels of Dubai, New York City and in New Delhi

First couple of times I noticed, I even complained to the hotel concierge - may be some action was taken - I don't know and never followed up to know.

Years later, I asked an elderly valet in Taj hotel who had just witnessed my car (a palio at the time) , being driven away very dangerously by one of the junior staff.

He told me that their lives as valets are extremely monotonous. So ever so often, when they get behind the wheel, they do something, anything to break the monotony.

Believable? Perhaps. Universal reason? perhaps.

Ever since then, I have decided never to give the car keys to a valet - EVER!

[A.K]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

I have seen valets in five star hotels doing donuts, smoking the tyres and generally driving extremely fast and dangerously in the close confined spaces of hotel parking garages.

To add to that, I remember a scene in Bangalore when the valet of a posh mall here took a Rapide for a spin, floored it on the main road to give an earful of the V12 to the passer-bys, in the process of which he near missed a Swift. The owner was apparently looking on. Wonder if he gave the car to a valet ever again, leave alone allowing him a spin in it, that too, alone.

[Gannu_1]

That guard and the dude in the black suit must be thanking their stars right now! Extremely fortunate to have missed the Lambo by a whisker.





That sedan which the Lambo hit and pushed aside almost took a U-turn in the process!

[ajmat]

I you look in carwale, there are a couple of white Gallardo spiders for sale. I wonder if this was on the market?

[A.K]

Originally Posted by ajmat

I you look in carwale, there are a couple of white Gallardo spiders for sale. I wonder if this was on the market?

This indeed was on sale. Its a Mumbai resident. Was on sale with a Delhi dealer.

Quoting the hotel's statement :
" An inadvertent human error resulted in cosmetic
damage to the car bearing the registration
no:WB-06-J-04444.We are fully cooperating with
the owner of the car with respect to the insurance
claim.the registered owner of the car is Mr.Abid
Fateh Mohd.Khatri. Due to this inadvertent error,
our driver suffered minor injuries and was
provided medical assistance."


On the hotel's official statement owning up for this accident, they termed the damages "cosmetic" , well, seriously?! Screwed axle, suspension, chassis are all cosmetic?


PS- They messed up the regn too

[Thad E Ginathom]

What a load of bull-excrement.

Hello Hotel Marketing Department!

We've seen the video, right?

[Kumar R]

Originally Posted by A.K

Quoting the hotel's statement :
" An inadvertent human error resulted in cosmetic
damage to the car bearing the registration
no:WB-06-J-04444."

This is nuts !!! I just saw the CCTV footage video. It's certainly not a case of tricky approach or difficult curve -- the valet seems to have been out of his senses to accelerate the car like that with a guard in front and no space to go. Calling this an "inadvertent error" is akin to describing a hit-and-run case as 'bad judgment'. Maybe Le Meridien will plead insanity of valet as a defence next.

One would imagine a government department would shirk off responsibility in this manner but a 5-star hotel !? Shame on Le Meridien.

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Now, watch the video again. You can see that the driver/valet starts to exit the car at the 0:27 mark. The door opens and his head pops out, but then he gets back in the car immediately - and that's when it charges forward!
He probably got back on the wrong pedal? R

A very likely explanation. Valet drivers engage the handbrake as a part of regular procedure. He could have stopped the car by engaging the parking brake as soon as he got there. He could have slipped and stepped on the gas pedal, or pressed on the gas pedal instead of the brake. Either way - a mistake that will cost a lot of dough.

Now guys, be easy on the valet chap. He was just doing his job, and to err is human. It is not like the Hotel could rent all sorts of exotics and train someone. Even if they did - I cannot imagine valet job to have low attrition. I am not sure what the Hotel could have done either, this is the reason insurance companies exist.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by A.K

This indeed was on sale. Its a Mumbai resident. Was on sale with a Delhi dealer.


PS- They messed up the regn too

This will be fun - owner vs dealer vs valet vs hotel vs owner of the corolla

[carheadbanger]

Valet parking is indeed a cause of worry! I think the Biere Club, Bangalore is a place where the most dangerous of valet parking happens. The tavern doesn't have a good parking area, and since it is impossible to find a 'legal' parking slot along side of the road, one must surely have to entrust the valets driving and parking skills. I have seen cars being parked in every nooks and crannies without much care or attention!

[A.K]

Originally Posted by ajmat

This will be fun - owner vs dealer vs valet vs hotel vs owner of the corolla

You got a point there
Lets play a good audience

[dark.knight]

This is the fault of more than just one person. Valet's are basically an American concept but over there I suppose they have experience in big-engined automatics and in general are more aware of dimensions of large cars. The hotel should've really done some research on what skills a valet should have, or added a clause where if the valet isn't comfortable with driving supercars the onus to park is on the owner. Having a driving license is one thing, but each car is different in the way they steer, in throttle response and in dimension.

I always am very cautious if and when I'm test driving a new model I've never driven before or if I'm requested by a friend to search for a spot and park in crowded areas. I always test the clutch & accelerator response before I get comfortable. In automatics the brake must always be kept pressed lightly until one gets comfortable with the vehicle. Even then I will not touch a supercar for my own safety. The video clearly shows that the valet took the foot off the brake and got a little adventurous with the accelerator, and in a supercar with very high torque across all gears this is exactly what would happen. The fault lies with each party (except of course the Corolla) for they each made a mistake of assigning/implementing responsibility with little or no preparedness.