interesting news story

[a9x]

January 1, 2004 -- America builds its SUVs big and powerful - but this is ridiculous!
In a collision that gives new meaning to the slogan "Ram Tough," a 2001 Dodge Durango SUV plowed into the side of a hulking armored car in Queens yesterday - knocking the massive money carrier on its side.

After felling the bullet-proof behemoth, the SUV sustained a crumpled front end, but the window glass wasn't even broken and the wheels still appeared to be in place. "They collided and it looked like the armored car lost," said an NYPD detective who investigated the crash.

The SUV passengers, 75-year-old Costis Caviris of Mattituck, L.I., and his wife, Mary, were not seriously injured in the wreck - and had no trouble walking away from the crash zone.

Meanwhile, the three armed guards in the car, which was operated by American Armored of Westchester, had to be extricated by firefighters with special equipment.

Police said this collision of monsters happened at 10:30 a.m. in Corona.

The 26,000-pound armored car was heading north on 94th Street when it was hit in the side by the Dodge, which was heading east on 31st Avenue.



The SUV hit the armored car at just the right angle to make the six-wheeled, diesel-powered ordnance-stopper flop over onto its passenger side.

Both SUV operator Caviris and armored car driver Mark Cassella told police they had the right of way and that the other ran a red light. Police said they did not issue tickets and had not determined fault.

The two passengers in the Durango and the three members of the armored-car crew were taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where they were treated for what police described yesterday as minor injuries.

After the crash, police had to right the hefty armored car with heavy chains. "We righted it like we right all the vehicles," said an officer involved in the operation. "We hooked the chain to it and we hooked it up to one of our trucks and we turned it over."

Caviris could not be reached and American Armored declined comment.


here's the news link and picture (http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/14929.htm )

[Malik]

26000 pounds.. thats over 11 tons...

and the SUV weighs what? 3 ton tops?

[xa351gt]

Funny thing is these SUVs have there own Achilles Heels. 1. Moron drivers who think4WD is the be all and all. 2. Snow. the very thing these vehicles are meant to excel in seem to put them on their rooves and doors more than not due to Achilles heel # 1. They think that 4WD will allow them to drive that 3-4 ton monster at 90-110 KPH speeds in snow and Ice. They however always fail to realize that they must at some time stop or turn and as a result wind up wrecked.Just recently we had a 6-8 inch snow storm here in the NorthEast US. Whie news crews were out reporting on the storm they caught one of these genius' do about 3 360s in the middle of the road all by himself and not intentionally. He went by the reporter so fast he blew the hat off his head . The reporter was not amused.I wouldn't be surprised if the driver wasn't on a mobile phone at the time as it must now be a required that one of these things be stuck to your head at all times while driving

[Ford Boy]

"26000 pounds.. thats over 11 tons...

and the SUV weighs what? 3 ton tops?"


I can see where your coming from on the size/weight idea, but a few year ago, my mum was driving a Landcruiser, when she was T-boned by a lady driving a 1982 Laser who went through a give way sign, rolling our Landie over twice. Not the size that matter, but where ya hit them I reckon! Wrote our car off though!

[Nick Short]

xa351gt, 4WD IS the be-all and end-all if you're driving in very difficult conditions, like the streets of New York or the school run anywhere. The increased traction, plus the ability to hit other vehicles, both moving and parked, cyclists, pedestrians and speed bumps without having to slow down is very useful! Occasionally, where heavy traffic or snow occurs, it is occasionally necessary to have to engage the brain, but this is a function little used in these vehicles........If you had to guess who drove straight through that red light without noticing it, the 75 year old driving a huge SUV in New York, or a professional armoured car driver, which would it be?

[xa351gt]

[i]Originally posted by Nick Short
[If you had to guess who drove straight through that red light without noticing it, the 75 year old driving a huge SUV in New York, or a professional armoured car driver, which would it be? [/B]

Hi Nick,
I agree .They should be licenced as a deadly weapon. Here is something to ponder . the US government offered companys huge tax breaks if they boght a vehicle wieghing in excess of 6000 lbs. Now doesn't this contridict their quest for more fuel effiecent vehicles? How many vehicles that large are good on fuel? Best part is knowing my tax dollars are going to support a companys new vehicle so i can ride around in 15 year old cars so I can afford to eat and buy some diecast.Gotta wonder about the logic of politicians .
tom

[Nick Short]

How the hell does that work?! That is just irresponsible, and I wouldn't expect that from politicians.....I wonder if it's connected with secret documents released today by the UK Public Records Office under the 30 year rule - in 1974 MI6 chiefs reported that the US government had plans to invade both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to seize their oil, to counteract the US fuel crisis.......How scary is that? And I wonder if encouraging the use of huge gas guzzlers will then give them another excuse to raid other countries' oil reserves? No, I can't see that happening......:rolleyes:

[Malik]

Originally posted by Ford Boy
"26000 pounds.. thats over 11 tons...

and the SUV weighs what? 3 ton tops?"


I can see where your coming from on the size/weight idea, but a few year ago, my mum was driving a Landcruiser, when she was T-boned by a lady driving a 1982 Laser who went through a give way sign, rolling our Landie over twice. Not the size that matter, but where ya hit them I reckon! Wrote our car off though!

yeah but you could see the laser getting under the cruiser..

dont forget the SUV is high... so is.. (was) the armoured car..

[zeitgeist]

My summer car is a Miata, so I've seen more than one behemoth's bumper filling my rear view mirror!

XA351 is right. Sport-ute drivers do seem to think their 4x4 traction make them impervious to the elements. Ice is the great eqalizer, though.

Frankly, that whole high-speed blowout business a few years ago intruigued me. Ever see how fast people take corners in those things? No wonder the sidewalls blew out.

Aren't sport-utes and pickups currently exempt from CAFE figures? I think they were originally excluded because they were mainly for service/work duty. Now that they've entered the mainstream, they should be subject to the same rules. While it would be cool, no one takes the kids to football practice in a Kenworth.

BC