Te Anau Crash

[Paul in NZ]

Hmmm - You would seriously have to ask how this sort of thing could have occurred... There have been so many incidents down there that you would need to think twice about visiting that part of the country during the peak season?? Is the pressure of tourism and time tables just too much for the infrastructure??

I mean its a terrible thing - the driver (and maybe passenger) in the car burnt to death.... I couldn't think of a worse fate than this, and my heart goes out to their families...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9068...st-into-flames

So - How did both vehicles ended up were they did?? Is it just me or is that bus on the wrong side of the road?

Jeeze

[oldrider]

That report made me feel sick!

[EJK]

I wonder if the bus swerved to try and avoid hitting the car making a U turn. If the car was making a U turn in front of the bus this would be the second fatal crash caused by a tourist making a U turn this year. Luckily this time it was the tourists themselves and not inoccent others. I went past the scene of the Akaroa road bus crash at the weekend and the bus driver claimed to the media his brakes failed but there were big skid marks where the bus went off which would not indicate brake failure to me.

Some Korean witnesses following the tour bus said the car coming the other way crossed over the line prior to collision.

But if that statement is true, then how the hell did the bus end up on the other side of the road over the bank? Shouldn't the bus be forced off the road?

[EJK]

I would question how people following behind the bus could see what was happening in front of the bus anyway.

They have eyes, you know. Not big tho.

But upon further thought I redact my initial statement. The bus driver may have turned hard right trying to avoid the oncoming car, if that statement is true.

[Paul in NZ]

Either way there's something really wrong here... Or maybe not... I dunno... Too much traffic on that road, maybe the mono rail wasn't such a daft idea.

[TheDemonLord]

Either way there's something really wrong here... Or maybe not... I dunno... Too much traffic on that road, maybe the mono rail wasn't such a daft idea.

[Katman]

Because a thread about someone burning to death in a car accident is just crying out for a Simpson's skit.

[JimO]

all the touristy areas have problems with bad driving (mostly by tourists) at the weekend we flew to Nelson and on Saturday drove over to Takaka the road is narrow and winding. I lost count of the number of rental cars over the centre line then on Sunday drove over to Picton, same thing, abysmal driving, add to that the freedom camper types in their shitty old vans holding traffic up, no passing lanes and no where to pass

[R650R]

So - How did both vehicles ended up were they did?? Is it just me or is that bus on the wrong side of the road?

Jeeze

On a big linehaul truck theres very little holding the front axle on, couple half inch bolts clamping it (or similar setup) to leaf springs/shock/control arms. Off course those bolts are strong in one direction but not in shear for the side load (as far as bolt concerned) of a front head on collision. I expect on small/light bus the bolts are even smaller.
Its quite common in truck accident for the truck to lose its steering on impact because of this (and then end up pointing anywhere), newer trucks have front under run protection which helps a little.

I had a DUI double cab Datsun take the front axle off my 44 tonne linehaul truck, worst thing was I turned to try use them empty side of the road he was supposed to be on, impact turned the tractor unit more then viola, no steering, no lights and half my brakes available ( service line sheared). Its an errie feeling to be surfing across the road on your engine sump with no lights heading towards a tree lined property. Ended up on someones front lawn, back of trailer on footpath.

[jellywrestler]

So - How did both vehicles ended up were they did?? Is it just me or is that bus on the wrong side of the road?

Jeeze

head on on bus's side of the road but due to the weight differences and the bus's steering probably being fucked it kept on going further than the impact point veering over the wrong side of the road, or the bus driver fucked up, medical incident and crossed into oncoming cars path....., be pretty easy to see when the smoke clears.

[Gremlin]

But if that statement is true, then how the hell did the bus end up on the other side of the road over the bank? Shouldn't the bus be forced off the road?

A car isn't going to change the direction of a bus, merely slow it down a little. That all said, the drivers that are carefully trained (tankers etc) know they're best to steer straight ahead and brake as hard as possible. Most efficient way to lose as much speed as possible in minimum distance, plus you don't risk the stability of the load as much.

[caspernz]

all the touristy areas have problems with bad driving (mostly by tourists) at the weekend we flew to Nelson and on Saturday drove over to Takaka the road is narrow and winding. I lost count of the number of rental cars over the centre line then on Sunday drove over to Picton, same thing, abysmal driving, add to that the freedom camper types in their shitty old vans holding traffic up, no passing lanes and no where to pass

Yes tourists show up in some situations, but in my experience the local drivers with bad training, no patience and scant regard for the road code...just as bad. Purely anecdotal evidence of a few million kms driving.

A car isn't going to change the direction of a bus, merely slow it down a little. That all said, the drivers that are carefully trained (tankers etc) know they're best to steer straight ahead and brake as hard as possible. Most efficient way to lose as much speed as possible in minimum distance, plus you don't risk the stability of the load as much.

The mantra of hold your line whilst you drop speed, before considering direction change is not going to be liked by civilian tin top pilots. Hard to drum into some lads, until they've had a go in the tanker with training wheels that is.

[BMWST?]

75 percent at least of the actual cars on that road would be rentals.Add in busus and aforementioned "camper vans" and actual camper vans and you have a terrible mix.I would say that the vast majority of kiwi drivers would find that road cjallenging,let alone tourists who may have never driven on a rad like that before.Athe final positions of vehicles AFTER and accident is not always indicitave of where they were going before the accident..If the car was on the wrong side of the road the bus proabaly swerved to the right,swerving to the left would put them off the road

[Berries]

Some big assumptions in this thread at such an early stage.

Any road, if anyone really is worried about bloody tourists, there were eight fatal crashes on state highways in Southland last year. One involved a tourist, Korean as it happens. As is always the case, you are far more likely to be killed or maimed by a local, it is just that that no longer sells papers because we are immune to it.

Take buses out of the equation and what do you reckon, 80% of traffic on the Milford Road being tourists? Stands to reason that 80% of crashes will involve them. It surprises me that people are surprised by this.

[Katman]

Some big assumptions in this thread at such an early stage.

Any road, if anyone really is worried about bloody tourists, there were eight fatal crashes on state highways in Southland last year. One involved a tourist, Korean as it happens. As is always the case, you are far more likely to be killed or maimed by a local, it is just that that no longer sells papers because we are immune to it.

Take buses out of the equation and what do you reckon, 80% of traffic on the Milford Road being tourists? Stands to reason that 80% of crashes will involve them. It surprises me that people are surprised by this.

Hey, at least TDL is trying to make a joke of it.