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Re: Rolled my BMW at the Bridge

Charles,
Thanks for the detailed account.  My condolences.  A couple of comments on
your wish list.

>I wish I had a performance suspension. My car was a stock 1985 325e with a
>Dinan chip.  I was told this is fine for a beginner. It's good to learn on a
>regular car but I think I would have felt better with some modifications. It
>heeled severely in the corners and perhaps would not have slid so much if it
>had a stiffer suspension and better rubber. I was already drifting the car
>through many turns. This is the fastest way but also puts your car at it's
>edge of adhesion, something a beginner probably shouldn't be doing.

A performance suspension likely would have had you going faster when you hit
the debris, and had a faster response to your (over-)corrections as well.
1/2 mv^2 and all that.  My recommendation would be that you learn how to
drive a car dead stock.  Then MAYBE add track tires.  Unless you're within a
second or so of the lap record for showroom stock for your car, the weak
link is the driver.  Upgrade the chip between your ears first, etc.

>I wish I was wearing a neck brace and 5 point restraint. The neck brace is
>cheap insurance against neck injuries and a 5 point restraint really makes a
>difference at speed. I was lucky my seat belt held me in very well during the
>roll.

This is the important one.  Yes on the neck brace.  These should be
MANDATORY at all driver's schools.  NO on the five point harness, unless you
have a stout rollbar or cage.  Imagine you had your performance suspension,
five point harness, neck brace and then went off going maybe 15 mph faster.
Roof caves in and you are two feet shorter.  I admit, the stock belts are
lousy at holding you in place for speed, but that's what keeps you alive in
the cave-in scenario.  Also, by holding your body rigidly, a 5-point harness
causes MORE relative movement between your head and your torso in an
accident of any kind.  Add a helmet to the weight of your head, and your
neck takes a real beating.  Another reason for the neck brace (really a collar).

Finally, regarding your neck.  X-rays won't show anything but bone damage.
If it continues to bother you, you may have pulled some muscles or worse,
damaged some disks.  You need an MRI to see this.  I exploded the C4/5 C5/6
disks in a rollover accident and X-rays didn't show anything.  Eventually
required some major surgery to fix. Hope you don't need this.

Al Jenab