It can kill you.

A YOUNG P-plater drove his car with the engine turned off and keys out of the ignition because he thought it would save petrol.

It instead resulted in his death and one of his passengers losing half her face ...

Apparently some people don't realise this, so now you now. Don't do it, people will lose faces.

I don't know if this story is more sad or stupid? Have any of our resident dumbarses ever done this? I've been in a car that almost pranged cos the idiot driver took the keys out and locked up the steering, was very scary at the time.

natural selection for the driver
unfortunate that his friend couldn't save face though

edit for above question:

I haven't read the whole story, but why couldn't he break or handbrake before the crash?

once the engines off you have no hydraulic pressure to operate the main brakes, also your handbrake is s*** and only works on the rear wheels



last edited by tequila at 14:28:22 25/Aug/09

He probably spazzed and panicked. And yeh I think steering lock doesn't engage until the keys are removed.

In the case I remember, the d******* was driving his girlfriend's car and she wanted something off her keyring (had massive amount of s*** hanging off it). So he shifted to neutral and passed her the keys ...

where was this, zimbabwe?!

Almost.. It was near Hobart, so close enough to Zimbabwe.

The steering wheel would've been locked even if he turned the car off (ie the key is at the off position), but didn't remove the keys wouldn't it?

Correct.
This is a silly thing to do. I know i've done some stupid s*** whilst driving over the years, and i've certainly turned the engine off to coast, but i've never gone back more than one click before on (ie acc)

http://www.themercury.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/08/25/Crash1.jpg

last edited by Mr Hardware at 15:15:07 25/Aug/09

yes it is. I don't think people realise how little fuel is used at idle, for most cars it's around 1 Litre per hour.

My car was having trouble with the gearbox and wouldn't reverse. So my dad decided to tow it up our steep curved driveway using his van and a piece of old rope.

When the van got to the top, the towed car was only halfway up the drive and needed the steering wheel turned.

So the car had to be started to unlock the wheel, but starting it caused something in the gearbox to jump (remember the gearbox is f***ed) and the whole car moved forward.

This in turn pulled the van back down the hill, and both cars smashed into the house, crushing the small car between the van's bullbar and the brick wall.

Yeah so... if you're at the top of a hill with a car roped to your car, and you need to jump out to turn the steering wheel of the other car - put your hand brakes on.

I was asleep man.

Back in the day when I used to drive my parent's old camry the ignition key would occasionally fall out while driving, luckily the engine stayed on.

except with lpg they keep pouring gas in

Car becomes rolling paper weight, had a mate grab my keys while turning the corner at work( doin 15-20km max) and yeh steering locks up, little breakes.
Ass Hole. lol

had a mate grab my keys while turning the corner

What a d***.

except with lpg they keep pouring gas in

troll account. And no, they have stepper motors there to stop the flow if it's not required.

Yeh, I knew this, but only because my engine died once while I was driving and the breaks stopped working properly. If I had never had that experience, I would have never been told about keeping the engine on.

So, I don't think it's natural selection, but I guess the good that can come of it is that hopefully he message will get out there that people shouldn't turn off car while driving.

My car engine stopped while I was on the freeway. I went to pull over and the brakes hardly worked. I learned a lesson and no one was hurt.

Now taking you keys out of the ignition while driving, thats just plain stupid.

offer them another couple of hundred on top of that they wont expect it

lol thermite, that story explains a lot - the apple never falls far from the tree

teh davwoo has no powersteering, i consider driving a work out now

Sorry thermite but that story sounds like a bad "charter boat? What charter boat" sequel.

Yeah, steering lock is covered in Australian Design Rules 25.2:

25.2. DESIGN OF LOCK
25.2.1. The lock shall be a 5 or more tumbler lock or other lock of �Approved'
type giving equivalent protection. The probability of the key operating
the lock of another vehicle in the same model range shall be not greater
than one in one thousand.
25.2.2. The lock shall provide for at least the functions nominated in Section
25.1
25.2.3. It shall not be possible to adjust the lock from the �engine on� position to
the �anti-theft� position without passing through the "engine off�
position
25.2.4. When the key is removed the lock shall be in the �anti-theft" position
25.2.5. With the lock in the �anti-theft" position it shall be impossible either to
steer the vehicle, or to engage the forward drive gears, or to release a
brake, without removal or destruction of the device.
25.2.6. Where the requirements of Clause 25.2.5 are met by a device which
prevents steering of the vehicle, the following additional requirements
shall apply:
25.2.6.1. It shall not be possible to adjust the lock from the �engine on� position to
the "anti-theft" position by a single rotary or linear motion of the key.
25.2.6.2. Where the design of the lock to achieve the requirements of Clause
25.2.6.1 embodies 2 or more separate rotary movements of the locking
device, adjustment from the �engine off� position to the �anti-theft�
position must require either:
25.2.6.2.1. a design linear axial movement of the key of not less than 2 mm; or
25.2.6.2.2. actuation of an additional blocking device separately controlled. The gear
selector may constitute such a blocking device.

^ Pretty sure that in your driving test you aren't allowed to neutral or even clutch coast let alone turn the engine off in motion...
So I'm not seeing how the fault is there.

I have a feeling the keys in my mum's Excel can be taken out in the drive position so obviously its still driving, but its still not the best idea.

The keyslot in my VT won't let you pull the key out until its off.

hahah thats really silly, turning your car on and off actually consumes a fair bit of petrol compared to idle.

Speaking of natural selection, I saw someone get... "selected" yesterday by walking out in front of a car doing the speed limit. There was no crossing there, and its a fairly dangerous road.

Was just across the road from the Albion pub on the corner.

Pretty sure that in your driving test you aren't allowed to neutral or even clutch coast let alone turn the engine off in motion...

Yep that's correct. Truckies of old refer to neutral as 'angel gear', as it's the gear most likely you'll become and angel in, apparently.
I know the cabbies used to say that the accellerator was just as important as the brake when getting yourself out of trouble.

Was just across the road from the Albion pub on the corner.

^^ I'm surprised there aren't any more people killed on that blind corner... seriously so many morons crossed that road in the blind corner

ram it hard enough and it will go in

esp in some old s***box like that


edit; paveways mother

The keys fall out of hubby's ignition all the time. Car keeps on trucking!

FaceMan, this version is better:

yeah thats right mooby, whilst under compression braking (sort of) your injectors are doing pretty much nothing.

yeah, if you want to save $ at the pump, do something un-dangerous like LPG

fuel = $

oh jim you troll

speeding is a c*** act and against the law.. made especially more of a c*** act when its shown how many people are killed from it..

hahah thats really silly, turning your car on and off actually consumes a fair bit of petrol compared to idle.

I bet you believe turning the lights on and off wastes lots of electricity as well.