In Control

A disabled French driver had a terrifying experience when the accelerator pedal on his specially- adapted vehicle failed. The man was making a trip to the supermarket when the accelerator jammed at a speed of 100km/h. But when he tried to brake, the car accelerated instead of slowing down. The driver used his cellphone to call the emergency services and several police cars came rushing to his assistance. The police cars escorted him as he roared along a major highway in Northern France, with t
April 23, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A disabled French driver had a  terrifying experience when the  accelerator pedal on his specially- adapted vehicle failed. The man  was making a trip to the  supermarket when the accelerator  jammed at a speed of 100km/h.  But when he tried to brake, the car  accelerated instead of slowing  down. The driver used his  cellphone to call the emergency  services and several police cars  came rushing to his assistance. The  police cars escorted him as he  roared along a major highway in  Northern France, with three toll  stations raising barriers to let him  through until his vehicle eventually  ran out of fuel 200km later, in  neighbouring Belgium. The driver  is taking legal action against the  vehicle manufacturer, saying that  he had experienced a problem  with the accelerator on a previous  occasion and repair work was  supposed to have dealt with the  issue. He also said that he has had  two epileptic attacks as a result of his traumatic experience.

Related Content

  • Carry on Movin’ On - Michelin’s mobility event
    October 15, 2018
    Many of the great and the good in the global mobility sector gathered at this year’s Movin’ On event in Montreal. Measured regulation of technologies and safety issues were major themes, reports David Arminas Autonomous vehicles, platooning, smart intersections and safety – these were the talking points over two and half days of the Movin’ On event in Montreal. Everyone in the mobility sector is at the same point, trying to see what mobility will look like in the future. Apparent at the event was just
    Read More
  • Flashing
    January 27, 2017
    A driver in the UK had an unwelcome surprise recently. He had been trundling along the M60 motorway well within the speed limit and using the middle lane, despite the inside lane being free from traffic. Seeing this, a police car drew behind the driver and the officer flashed the headlights, warning the man to use the inside lane. Instead of moving over however, the driver used his cellphone to call the emergency services and say that another driver was flashing his lights aggressively. The officers involve
    Read More
  • Better excuses needed
    February 19, 2014
    A number of British drivers are now counting the cost for their feeble excuses for poor driving. One man was travelling at around 210km/h in his mother’s Mercedes, roughly twice the speed limit for the stretch of road, when he was spotted by police and stopped. When asked in court to explain his reasons for the inappropriate speed, he explained that the vehicle did not have cupholders and was therefore unable to hold his cup of tea. This was why he had to secure it on the seat, between his legs instead.
    Read More
  • Driving to dinner
    February 21, 2012
    A British man has set a speed record for the world's fastest item of furniture by driving a dinner table at 182km/h. The table comfortably beat the previous record of 147km/h set by a sofa in 2007. At its peak on one run the table hit 208km/h along the 500m drag strip although the vehicle's driver and builder said he felt he was travelling somewhat faster
    Read More

Highlighted Content