[Gannu_1]

The X3's top speed is mentioned as 210 km/h at BMW's technical specs link.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Impossible to have an impact speed of 220 kmph - I know photos don't lie, but this one definitely is. That is the max speed of BMW X1. The driver would have definitely braked & slowed before hitting that truck. To me, looking at the car damage, the impact speed is likely to be 100 kmph+

Maybe, because of impact, something got messed up with the electronics, and the needle moved to the maximum position?

On that note, many cars (and the pulsar bike too) have a system of needle sweeping a full turn and back to zero before the 1st crank. So why didnt it go to max 280~ and 7-8K RPM. If someone can validate that SUV does 220 at 4.2ishK RPM then there could be some truth behind the picture. (Ps Validate doesnt mean take out your SUV and repeat this feat! -- some googling will also help)

[Vik0728]

Here is an interesting article from the TRB (Transportation Research Board).

Abstract here is:

Based on these findings, it is not recommended that post-collision speedometer readings be included in a reconstruction as evidence of that vehicle’s speed in most cases. However, some vehicles are equipped with instruments whose indicator needles demonstrate an increased resistance to movement combined with a lower susceptibility to needle motion during orientation, vibration and shock changes.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

The X3's top speed is mentioned as 210 km/h at BMW's technical specs link.

That would be true speed, so infact the X3 could hit 220 on the speedometer which would display speeds a bit faster than the actual speed.

Originally Posted by veedub89

The rear cabin is intact to a great extent and therefore I highly doubt that the car was doing 220kmph.
Also, and more importantly, it is next to impossible to achieve speeds of 220kmph on regular public roads. Sure you might be able to do it on an super expressway or something but on a standard highway in India? No chance. You would need a lot of straight road to get there.
Glad to see no one else got hurt.

You would be surprised how quickly some of these cars cross the double ton. The crash too looks to me like it happened at a high speed.

[veedub89]

The rear cabin is intact to a great extent and therefore I highly doubt that the car was doing 220kmph.
Also, and more importantly, it is next to impossible to achieve speeds of 220kmph on regular public roads. Sure you might be able to do it on an super expressway or something but on a standard highway in India? No chance. You would need a lot of straight road to get there.
Glad to see no one else got hurt.

[Sahil]

Originally Posted by veedub89

The rear cabin is intact to a great extent and therefore I highly doubt that the car was doing 220kmph.
Also, and more importantly, it is next to impossible to achieve speeds of 220kmph on regular public roads. Sure you might be able to do it on an super expressway or something but on a standard highway in India? No chance. You would need a lot of straight road to get there.
Glad to see no one else got hurt.

The crashed speedo won't lie. Infact, he probably was doing 240-250(hit the limiter) and after braking slightly the final speed at impact was 220.
It is definitely possible to hit speeds in excess of 200 on certain expressways in India provided you have a powerful car. Nonetheless it is not something I would encourage.

Heart goes out to the driver and his dear ones. RIP.

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

That would be true speed, so infact the X3 could hit 220 on the speedometer which would display speeds a bit faster than the actual speed.



You would be surprised how quickly some of these cars cross the double ton. The crash too looks to me like it happened at a high speed.

I agree, and the fact that the RPM is also stuck at 4K+ indicates that the X3 was doing some obscene speeds. However if it was really at 200+, then the vehicle has taken it well, since the rear cabin is still intact. May the deceased soul rest in peace.

[Rehaan]

Interesting discussion about the speedo, with some good points!

Originally Posted by Vik0728

"However, some vehicles are equipped with instruments whose indicator needles demonstrate an increased resistance to movement combined with a lower susceptibility to needle motion during orientation, vibration and shock changes."

I'm shooting from the hip here, but back in the day (till about 1990 in India?), speedometers were mechanical and worked on eddy currents affecting a piece of aluminum attached to the needle. The faster the magnet on the speedo cable would spin, the more the piece of aluminum would rotate.

The chances of one of these staying in place after an impact would be extremely low.

Nowadays, speedo needles are controlled by electric motors like so:


From the little i know, they are not direct drive motors. They seem to be geared stepper motors (hence, the test-sweep at startup).

image source


Now the very fact that it has gears in it means that it is more likely to hold position when the power is cut. Add to that, it was a longitudinal impact, which is less likely to force the needle or gears to move about their natural axis (as opposed to, say, a rollover or T-bone).

However, a severe enough impact (even head-on) could definitely wind the whole system a bit, or even cause the plastic teeth to jump. Coming to sudden stop even from 60 km/h can impart a LOT of force.

I guess the only point i am trying to make here is that we shouldn't use the frozen speedo as a definite indication of impact speed.

----

Also, this doesn't look like a 220 km/h impact to me - especially if the truck didn't have an under-ride bar.

However, the truck might have also been in forward motion, say @ 80 km/h.

220 - 80 = 140 km/h relative impact speed - which does seem more in-line with the damage shown, in my completely non-expert opinion.


Either way, you can't beat the laws of physics. Drive safe.

[JD1]

Originally Posted by dj sulz

Yeah true! I guess the only good thing from all this is that we can learn from this and make our roads safer. That could have been any of our dear ones in the auto and we need to together make a conscious effort to be safe and look out for the safety of other people who are on the road too.

I happen to know the driver of the car, and let me tell you - this isnt his first accident. Theres been an A8L and XJL crashed by him previously too. Q7 now added.

I know that he'l manage to get away with it due to influence, and other factors, but i really hope he too has learnt something from this and changes for the better. In the mean time lets all just make our streets safer!

Looks like Rajesh Reddy is in news again - this time for road rage in BMW. Per the report, he got rear ended by Etios and then demonstrated his road rage-
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga.../47253209.cms?

[RohanDheman]

Got this on whatsapp. Looks like happened somewhere in Punjab. Judging by the pic, seems to be a nasty crash (I think that's foam on the car- probably there was a fire post the crash). Sincerely hope that the person driving the car and any co-passenger are safe.



PS: don't know when it happened.

Rohan

[aerohit]

Looks like a BMW 7 series coupe

[taranonline]

Its an e93 m3. Crash happened near ludhiana.

[A.K]

Originally Posted by aerohit

Looks like a BMW 7 series coupe

7Series coupe?! One, that is a BMW M3. Two, it's a convertible. Three, there is no 7Series coupe.

[Sahil]

Clearly hardtop convertibles aren't half as safe as regular coupes. The state of the roof is devastating. I guess the car turned turtle. Hope no casualties!

[aerohit]

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