A warning to my vette friends

R

rabiddawg

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
60
Location
Lafayette, LA
Last Saturday my sister was at the track with her husband when the fly wheel on a competitor's car disintegrated and sent a piece thru her hand, thru a cell phone in her pocket and into her hip. My b-in law said you could put a golf ball thru the hole in her hand. Fortunately, it narrowly missed the main artery in her hip, otherwise she would have bled to death right there next to the track. Thursday they will remove her ring finger on her right hand; she has use of her thumb and pinky; the middle finger and index finger are pinned right now and hopefully she gets use of those when healed.

She was standing off the track near the burnout area. In hindsight, not a good place to be. I just wanted to share this with you guys and remind everyone to be careful out there and use your best judgement. God Bless.

Side note, b-inlaw said the car in question was very strong 5 second 140 mph in 1/8 car with very high quality components, ie not a junker at the local track. Even the good stuff can break.
 
WOW that's horrible. I had an accident and had to have my finger operated on, still going to PT and that is debilitating. I can' imagine doing that level of damage.

It's going to be a long, painful recovery, all the best.
 
SHIT, sorry to hear that man, best to her....

I seen a engine go years ago at the track, looked for any crowd reaction, but we all got lucky that day, it all went UP.....

and we all remember Garlitz....

:goodevil::amazed:
 
DeeVeeEight said:
And yes, do not let me forget the original post.... I DO wish the Lady a speedy recovery!
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Surely we ALL do, obviously, wife here encourages me to go with some guys to events, shows, track, what ever....but as with the invention of the 'net' lots of that itch gets scratched....so have no super over riding reason to GO....BTDT for some 50 years....

but maybe that's just MY generation...age 65 here....anyone else???:skeptic:
 
rabiddawg said:
Last Saturday my sister was at the track with her husband when the fly wheel on a competitor's car disintegrated and sent a piece thru her hand, thru a cell phone in her pocket and into her hip. My b-in law said you could put a golf ball thru the hole in her hand. Fortunately, it narrowly missed the main artery in her hip, otherwise she would have bled to death right there next to the track. Thursday they will remove her ring finger on her right hand; she has use of her thumb and pinky; the middle finger and index finger are pinned right now and hopefully she gets use of those when healed.

She was standing off the track near the burnout area. In hindsight, not a good place to be. I just wanted to share this with you guys and remind everyone to be careful out there and use your best judgement. God Bless.

Side note, b-inlaw said the car in question was very strong 5 second 140 mph in 1/8 car with very high quality components, ie not a junker at the local track. Even the good stuff can break.
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Wow, that's god awefull. Best wishes and speedy recovery.
 
Shit, that's horrible. How is she holding up? Does she know how close to her artery the piece was? I certainly hope she makes a speedy recovery. For what it's worth, please pass on my sympathy :thumbs:

I've had several girlfriends over the years, one who became my first wife, who enjoyed going to the drags as much as I did - I never "dragged" one along with me :confused:

I saw the aftermath of a flywheel seperating from a drag car and even since then, I won't stand in the "plane of rotation" when the cars are staging. I was also "lucky" enough to crawl over a jet truck that some cowboys had built. No way will I stand near that thing when it's running :tth:
 
saudivette said:
How is she holding up? Does she know how close to her artery the piece was?
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I spoke to her yesterday morning and she is doing ok. Just very uncomfortable from having to lay in the bed so much. They wont let her up to walk because of the wound vac on the hip. She has decided to have the ring finger removed today.

As for the artery, the surgeon felt that had this piece not hit her hand then the cell phone it very well could have made it deep enough into her hip to have cut the artery. Had that happened, she would have bled to death right there. The good Lord was looking over her that day.

Also, she said the impact spun her entire body around. Kinda like being shot I guess.
 
The surgery to remove the finger went well and she may be able to come home over the weekend. She will require a few more surgeries for bone grafts and skin grafts to repair the index and middle fingers, but those will come later.

Thanks for everyone's well wishes and please be careful around any machinery! God Bless.
 
I've got to know. A car that fast surely had a scatter-shield....didn't it? If it didn't, how did it pass tech? Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
 
big_G said:
I've got to know. A car that fast surely had a scatter-shield....didn't it? If it didn't, how did it pass tech? Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
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IF it did and proper installed, what IF ANY is the liability of the shield maker???

didn't they used to wrap them in like Kevlar blankets??

:crap:
 
mrvette said:
big_G said:
I've got to know. A car that fast surely had a scatter-shield....didn't it? If it didn't, how did it pass tech? Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Click to expand...

IF it did and proper installed, what IF ANY is the liability of the shield maker???

didn't they used to wrap them in like Kevlar blankets??

:crap:
Click to expand...

Blankets are used on automatics.Most are made of high-tensile webbing and steel plates.
 
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Saw my sister today. She is doing well and may get to come home by Wed. at the latest. I wanted to ask about the shielding and inspection but didn't really get a chance to and of course point out that someone could/should be held respsonsible if it was faulty or missing.
 
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