Messerschmitt accident on A38?

[Jim Janecek]

this showed up in my News Alerts box:

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Micro-car-involved-in-A38-crash-02072011.htm

Micro car involved in A38 crash July 2 2011

TWO people in a micro car have been taken to hospital by air ambulance after a road traffic collision on the A38 this afternoon (Saturday).

The incident happened on the A38 southbound at Wychnor between Barton Turn and Alrewas at around 2pm and involved a Messerschmitt micro car and a Citroen Saxo.

The two people travelling in the Messerschmitt were both flown by air ambulance as a precaution with head injuries, one to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and one to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

One lane of the southbound carriageway had to be closed while recovery work took place causing some delays for motorists in the area.

[Stuart Cyphus]

 Somewhat ominus indeed as the A38 is the road to the West Country, bath & Bristol areas & Bath rally is underway at this very moment....   

[marcus]

Hope they will make a speedy recovery.

[Big Al]

That is a clear route from the north east of Birmingham to the Bath area where several driven Microcars are expected. The only thing is I would have thought that they would have been travelling on Friday. Speculating is probably pointless but it it is a worry. Just as I was getting all fruity about driving one again to. That said I have avoided that road as I never liked it in a van or car. Very busy dual carriageway with not great features to keep folk concentrating.

[marcus]

I passed the A 38 eight days ago, and again 2 days ago going the wrong way, but in a FAR better part of the world, Dorset, Devon and Kernow.
On the way back on the A 30 I saw a Pemberton (Morgan-style 3 wheeler kit car) going the other way, and looking much better in motion than in photos.

Some Saxos are popular with boy racers, could this be of significance?

[Barry]

What about the poor Messerschmitt - does no one care?

[richard]

with the possibiity of head injuries.  or any injuries involving the neccessity of an air ambulance i cannot imagine for a moment anyone giving a damn about the car . and its obviously someone we will know.

[Daniel Rodd]

cars hardly important,its not rare,it could possibly be rebuilt,and im sure the insurance valuation would be more than enough to pay for another one.

regarding that saxos are popular with boy racers,very true,but messerschmitts are often owned by lets say,much older people,so is the same sort of generalisation.for them to have head injuries it sounds like its been hit hard and then rolled,perhaps.

[marcus]

Absolutely, a car can be repaired or replaced.

Agree about responsibility Daniel, that's why I asked about Saxo drivers' reputation as a question rather than as a statement of blame! It could even have been another driver cutting one of them up, sometimes the one to blame is able to get away unscathed.

[Big Al]

Two up, hot day, fast road, potential rear tyre deflation comes to mind which would mean the Saxo is an innocent contributor to calamity. As I say one can speculate. Returned from Bath. No known missing Schmitters but the Germans are over on the holiday week before reaching the Solway coast for next weeks rally. Seems unlikely these chaps would be two up though. Has anyone contacted Grant as he is mad enough to come down to Bath, back to Maryport and on home but I think he will be working? Andy Carter? Colin Burton?

[Basket case]

Grant is working abroad at the mo, but back for the rally. Hope those involved are ok.

[Big Al]

BBC state it was 'an open topped Classic Car'  with the occupants being a couple in there 50's all of whom were in collision with a second car who's driver was treated for shock. So a little less specific other than the reporters insistence on quoting ages. - Big Al, 32 (well no one said they were accurate!)

[Barry]

I hope everyone is well and make a full recovery.
There is always a chance that you will have an accident in any vehicle.
It could be your fault, it could be someone elses, it could be mechanical failure etc.
Are the chances of getting involved in an accident greater or reduced if you are in your cherished microcar?
Are the chances of avoiding an accident greater or reduced if you are in your cherished microcar.

You probably won't be travelling at 70mph so the resulting accident won't be as bad - or will it
Is the fact that you are travelling at 40 - 50mph more likely to cause an accident?

If a Saxo travelling at 70 hits a Smart car travelling at 50 would the result be the same as hitting a Messerschmitt travelling at 50?
Probably not.

Therefore we take that risk when travelling in our little cars.
We know that any accident could be much more serious than in a modern car.
If I had an accident in my Micro I would expect it to be much more serious than if I were in a 5 star multi airbag machine.
I am constantly aware of the possible results and drive accordingly.  But at what point should we be banned from the road for our own preservation, never I hope.
It's a chance we take, and we are all aware of the consequences.

[marcus]

Good words there. There is always a risk and we should all be allowed to make our choice. When driving my Trojan I always keep especially alert. Likewise when I cycle around London. People sometimes ask about the "safety" of driving a micro, and I reply with the "safety" of cycling. Ingeneral, the more safe you feel, the more risks you take with your safety and that of others. That is why people in big luxury cars are the ones to be most wary of.

[Big Al]

Statistically motorways are the safest roads. However they specifically ban slow and small vehicles. Clearly there is a reason for that and part of it will be stistically they cause accidents. Unfortunately unlike some countries we do not have a minimum speed limit. It is the responsibility of the driver of small and underpowered vehicles to drive safely and within the law. That makes provision for not blocking the highway without defining the law. That means I tend to avoid 'dangerous' dual carriageways, A34 round here, and look for alternative routes from the motorway network in such machines in preference for a large under utilised A road. See A4 instead of M4 to Bath. I believe the statistics would support smaller cars being safer on these roads, the ones they were designed for after all. Going on back roads feels even safer but statistically they are dangerous because of burks in massive moderns who seem to think they are the only person on the road. Wherever you drive if you get a queue you are meant to pull over and let them passed when convenient. I follow this not so much out of a duty to the law but because a twit who cannot overtake a microcar in a modern is a danger I want as far away from me as possible! THere are plenty of these types about. Its self preservation.
That said a good Schmitt should be fast enough on most A roads to keep up and not create to much of a blockage. Two up on a hot day the potential for issues and a tardy pace would suggest I would not want to be on the A38, which from memory is like the A34 round the accident area and has no run off area, busy and boring being a rat run between motorways. Then I do not know the area well enough to know if there is a viable alternative route. Likewise if in a Trienkel my threshold of busy roads I can use reduces further as while they climb well the flat out crusing speed is lower, and so on by degree of decrepitude and performance. Clearly I consider some cars as pretty unusable, Larmar?, other than during an organised road event or where there is suitable road infrastructure but I think we should retain the right to drive the things safely as other road users also have a duty of care. Sadly proving this from the morgue slab is beyond the line of duty I think. Be interest to here opposing views as I think the topic is very wide open to interpretation.