As some might have heard, I had a little "incident" Sunday morning. We had about 30+ NSX's set up to do a drive up Malibu Canyon for a nice Sunday cruise and breakfast. But I had to screw this up royally. I was to lead the second group of three up the freeway, out the 10 to Santa Monica and Pacific Coast Highway and then up the canyon. Problem was I barely made it on to the freeway.
As we cleared the last traffic at the light and we began to merge onto the 405 freeway, we accelerated and quickly up the ramp and onto the freeway. I was in third gear getting ready to up-shift and the rear of the car when dead left. No warning, no drift, tire squeal, nothing. It just went dead left and I was looking at a concrete wall 10 feet in front of me. I had no time to react and hit the wall dead on straight. I watched it all. I saw the air bags deploy and the smoke filled the cockpit. I can still hear the sounds of the car striking the wall. I remember thinking to myself, "what just happened?" I was conscious as I was spinning down the side of the freeway and waiting for the car to stop. I looked up over the inflated airbag and the hood that was now sitting a bit higher than I remember and seeing the freeway and traffic going by me. But I was dazed and confused. How did this happen?
Moments later, fellow NSX'ers are there with me. Mike has an extinguisher in his hands as the smoke for the airbags billows out by driver side window. I roll down the other window and it begins to dissipate. Danny is asking me if I'm all right. I can't answer him as the belts tightened during the crash and my chest is in such pain that I can't even croak out an answer. The ignition is still on so I turn it off, undo my belt and slowly crawl out of the car. Danny is saying something about blood running into my eyes. He tries to wipe it away with his hand. I tell him I have some towels in the trunk and he retrieves one for both of us. I look behind my car and see a line of NSX's down and around the corner, all parked on the side of the freeway. Sorry guys, you really don't want to follow my lead anymore.
CHP shows up and asks some questions. The LA firefighters show up in force with four trucks responding. They ask me if I'm hurt. My response? "Only my chest and broken heart". One of the officers gets it as he is a car guy. They check my vitals and ask if I want to go to the hospital. I decline. Danny and Shirley are hanging with me to make sure I'm OK. And T is hanging too. A freaking circus on the side of the 405 with a bunch of NSX's, three CHP units and four fire trucks. All because of me. I'm feeling a little small now.
The tow rig arrives and I'm thankful it's a low boy drive on. They are used to handling low vehicles here. I tell everyone to get on their way with the drive, don't wait on me because there is nothing any one can do. I wave goodby to a bunch of them as they drive by, shooting pictures or waving at me. But T stayed behind. He was riding solo and volunteered to bring me back home. I asked him where he lived and he said Moreno Valley. I told him he didn't have to but he insisted. He drove me 90 minutes south to my house and then home to have lunch with his wife and 9 month old son. Unbelievable. And there was nothing I could do to compensate him, he refused all offers. In fact he gave me 2 of the new NSX t-Shirts he is making! the redeeming part is T is an Emergency Room nurse. So my wife, who I call on the way home, is not satisfied with my answers of being ok. So I hand my phone to T so that he can inform my wife. she is very relieved at his answers of my current state. Thanks T, I owe you big time.
So what caused this? I don't have a clue. It happened so fast. I've driven the car for four years and she has never done this before. Could it have been something on the pavement, a broken half shaft? I really don't know as I have never experienced this in the car. It was like someone literately picked up the rear of the car and set it back down 90 degrees left of where it was. One moment I'm looking at 6 lanes of I-405 and the next moment I'm looking at concrete and catch fence.
So the two pictures below are of the car 10 minutes apart. I think you'll be able to sort which one was taken first. And so now comes the rebuild, part deux, of Layla.
I think I'm going to need a couple of parts so if you can help, I'd be truly appreciative. I'm alive, my wife still loves me and I have the best family in the world with my fellow NSX'ers. Thanks to all.
As we cleared the last traffic at the light and we began to merge onto the 405 freeway, we accelerated and quickly up the ramp and onto the freeway. I was in third gear getting ready to up-shift and the rear of the car when dead left. No warning, no drift, tire squeal, nothing. It just went dead left and I was looking at a concrete wall 10 feet in front of me. I had no time to react and hit the wall dead on straight. I watched it all. I saw the air bags deploy and the smoke filled the cockpit. I can still hear the sounds of the car striking the wall. I remember thinking to myself, "what just happened?" I was conscious as I was spinning down the side of the freeway and waiting for the car to stop. I looked up over the inflated airbag and the hood that was now sitting a bit higher than I remember and seeing the freeway and traffic going by me. But I was dazed and confused. How did this happen?
Moments later, fellow NSX'ers are there with me. Mike has an extinguisher in his hands as the smoke for the airbags billows out by driver side window. I roll down the other window and it begins to dissipate. Danny is asking me if I'm all right. I can't answer him as the belts tightened during the crash and my chest is in such pain that I can't even croak out an answer. The ignition is still on so I turn it off, undo my belt and slowly crawl out of the car. Danny is saying something about blood running into my eyes. He tries to wipe it away with his hand. I tell him I have some towels in the trunk and he retrieves one for both of us. I look behind my car and see a line of NSX's down and around the corner, all parked on the side of the freeway. Sorry guys, you really don't want to follow my lead anymore.
CHP shows up and asks some questions. The LA firefighters show up in force with four trucks responding. They ask me if I'm hurt. My response? "Only my chest and broken heart". One of the officers gets it as he is a car guy. They check my vitals and ask if I want to go to the hospital. I decline. Danny and Shirley are hanging with me to make sure I'm OK. And T is hanging too. A freaking circus on the side of the 405 with a bunch of NSX's, three CHP units and four fire trucks. All because of me. I'm feeling a little small now.
The tow rig arrives and I'm thankful it's a low boy drive on. They are used to handling low vehicles here. I tell everyone to get on their way with the drive, don't wait on me because there is nothing any one can do. I wave goodby to a bunch of them as they drive by, shooting pictures or waving at me. But T stayed behind. He was riding solo and volunteered to bring me back home. I asked him where he lived and he said Moreno Valley. I told him he didn't have to but he insisted. He drove me 90 minutes south to my house and then home to have lunch with his wife and 9 month old son. Unbelievable. And there was nothing I could do to compensate him, he refused all offers. In fact he gave me 2 of the new NSX t-Shirts he is making! the redeeming part is T is an Emergency Room nurse. So my wife, who I call on the way home, is not satisfied with my answers of being ok. So I hand my phone to T so that he can inform my wife. she is very relieved at his answers of my current state. Thanks T, I owe you big time.
So what caused this? I don't have a clue. It happened so fast. I've driven the car for four years and she has never done this before. Could it have been something on the pavement, a broken half shaft? I really don't know as I have never experienced this in the car. It was like someone literately picked up the rear of the car and set it back down 90 degrees left of where it was. One moment I'm looking at 6 lanes of I-405 and the next moment I'm looking at concrete and catch fence.
So the two pictures below are of the car 10 minutes apart. I think you'll be able to sort which one was taken first. And so now comes the rebuild, part deux, of Layla.
I think I'm going to need a couple of parts so if you can help, I'd be truly appreciative. I'm alive, my wife still loves me and I have the best family in the world with my fellow NSX'ers. Thanks to all.
