Entire Family Killed In Car Crash

[AssKissinger]

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20040727p2a00m0dm012000c.html

Seven bodies were subsequently pulled from the debris of the two vehicles. Mamoru Yamamoto, 48, a company employee of Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, his wife, their daughter and two sons are believed to have been riding in the car. They were on their way to a hot spa resort in Nagashima, Mie Prefecture, relatives of the family told police.

I've driven there before. That whole area is a death trap. Japan really needs to improve its auto-safety. People drive like idiots here.

[Big Booger]

Why do cars not have built in fire extinguishers? I mean hell they have air bags.. certainly a fire extinguisher system would be helpful in cases of explosions and the link.. something like a foam agent that fills the cabin with foam, like in Demolition Man..

I am assuming they died as a result of the fire.

[AssKissinger]

I am assuming they died as a result of the fire.

At around 7: 25 a.m., a truck and a car collided head-on in Hirayama Tunnel on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway in the Yamato district of Gujo, and burst into flames, police said. The blaze was extinguished about 30 minutes later

Hopefully they died instantly from the trauma of the impact. The thought of them trapped in there burning to death is horrible. But your theory seems pretty likely.

[Big Booger]

I'm going to guess that the front passenger and driver died instantly, but I am going out on a limb and say the rear passengers were toasted to death..

Cars should have systems built in to prevent fires, minimize damage, and so on.. of course in a head on collision, nothing is really going to help, but you never know.

I wonder if they were wearing their seatbelts? The larger question is how do you hit someone head on, on the expressway??? Most of them have dividers where you can't get over to do this... I'm guessing this must have been in one of the places where the dividers are not present...

[maraboutslim]

Cars should have systems built in to prevent fires

Some racing series' require this type of system to be in place. They are not terribly expensive to have installed in one's car.

But obviously the market economy has decided that it is more beneficial to have lower priced new cars than prevent the few deaths each year by car fire. Personally I'm not much a fan of the free market economy deciding such things and wouldn't mind a government regulation requiring such systems in passenger vehicles, but I realize this view of mine is in the minority.

[GuyJean]

The larger question is how do you hit someone head on, on the expressway??? Most of them have dividers where you can't get over to do this... I'm guessing this must have been in one of the places where the dividers are not present...

You guessed right. The term 'expressway' is used loosely in Japan.

Basically, it was a two lane road with one lane going in opposite directions, and little rubber pylons to separate. The trucks front tire blew out, causing the truck, carrying a load of pipes, to swerve into the on-coming lane.

The collision happened in the tunnel, but the truck hit the car so hard, it pushed it 50 meters outside the tunnel. I think everyone in the car died instantly from impact.. Too sad.

GJ

[canman]

Its quite scary driving here in Japan with the lack of shoulder space. If a another vehicle swerves into your lane, you have nowhere to go. I know that land and space is very limited, but I really think they need to make bigger shoulders. Also what's the deal with putting those large concrete slabs to prevent people from going over to the shoulder. Are they afraid everyone will start driving there. Those too cause a lot of trouble. At least here in Aomori-ken.

[AssKissinger]

Its quite scary driving here in Japan with the lack of shoulder space. If a another vehicle swerves into your lane, you have nowhere to go. I know that land and space is very limited, but I really think they need to make bigger shoulders. Also what's the deal with putting those large concrete slabs to prevent people from going over to the shoulder. Are they afraid everyone will start driving there. Those too cause a lot of trouble. At least here in Aomori-ken.

Well put. A lot city folk don't realize this but country driving in Japan is scary as Hell. The reason the roads are so narrow is not lack of space. That is total BULLSHIT. Because the deeper in inaka you go the narrower the roads get. The reason the roads are so narrow is political corruption. They get a contract to make the road, they get some funds allocated, they save money by using less concrete and they pocket the dividend. And Yakuza is involved too. They force do nothing over-charged road constructions and skim the profits.

And Aomori, oh Christ, those roads in the winter! It snows everyday, as you know Canman, the afternoon temps are usually around 3 degrees and the night temp about minus 3. The snow removal is almost non-existant. They won't salt the roads, they say because of environmental concerns or car rusting, but anybody with half a noggin' knows it's because they're too fucking cheap! So the roads are a sheet of ice all winter. Thank God it snows as much as it does because the fresh snow is the only traction you'll get.

And one last point about Aomori and other 'snow countries' in Japan. Anyone confined to a wheelchair is trapped indoors all winter. I know they have these sled/wheelchairs usable in the snow but I've almost never seen one. I assume because they don't work that well or they're prohibitively expensive. I used to live in Utah and it snows a lot there. But people clear the walkways so disabled folks can get around easier. I used to work with hadicapped people so I know how important this is. If you're in a wheelchair and a walkway is obstructed it's a major pain in the ass.

[Taro Toporific]

I..Also what's the deal with putting those large concrete slabs to prevent people from going over to the shoulder. Are they afraid everyone will start driving there. Those too cause a lot of trouble. At least here in Aomori-ken.

Pleeeeeeeease give me MORE of those "large concrete slabs." Yes, I can't believe I'm saying I want more concrete in Japan.

In a few days I 'll be driving on the rice ranch in Shikoku and all they have are roads with DEEP concrete ditches at edge of the roadway. Any tiny mistake and WHAMO you're upside down in the pissditch.


The road to my coppice.

[AssKissinger]

I..Also what's the deal with putting those large concrete slabs to prevent people from going over to the shoulder. Are they afraid everyone will start driving there. Those too cause a lot of trouble. At least here in Aomori-ken.

Pleeeeeeeease give me MORE of those "large concrete slabs." Yes, I can't believe I'm saying I want more concrete in Japan.

In a few days I 'll be driving on the rice ranch in Shikoku and all they have are roads with DEEP concrete ditches at edge of the roadway. Any tiny mistake and WHAMO you're upside down in the pissditch.


The road to my coppice.

goodgodallmighty That is fucking scary

[GomiGirl]

Why am I sensing that this thread and the drifting thread have something in common?

Alot of people - usually very nice people - become absolute arseholes when they get behind the wheel of a car. I have never understood it - especially as cars are so lethal. They kill more people than drugs every year...

I used to do a heap of country driving throughout Queensland, NT and Northern NSW for my job and I have seen some terrible things mainly caused by people thinking that their vehicles are an extension of their race-car fantasies. And it is always the fault of the other person when there is an accident........

/rant