Only got one thing to say about THAT....
Tool? Nah. Idiot? Yes!
Gary Noonan
'01 S/C VX / '18 Forester XT
Os--- After further in-depth analysis, I believe you're 100% correct!!! In addition to your points:
4. The driver made no obvious abrupt steering corrections or even the slightest attempt to avoid the crash once diverted off the solid highway surface (no steering input & no braking input). It perfectly glided off at the pre-determined spot with wheels pointed directly towards the water without braking.
5. The driver previously knew the exact water depth of the shallow lake/marsh in that particular spot, and knew it would not totally submerge the car (thereby minimizing damage).
6. There was no other traffic on either of the parallel highways (the Bugatti driver highway & the bogus cameramen highway). Both driver & cameramen knew exactly what time of day and on what particular day of the week (perhaps a weekend without commuter traffic) had the least possible chance of other conflicting traffic. It was probably very early morning (just after sunrize) because there is a lone fisherman nearby the crash scene trying to get an early jump on the fish.
7. The audio commentary by the cameramen filming the incident is totally bogus, as they initially say "that's my next car". Then, when asked what kind of car it is by his buddy, he say's "I don't know, I think it's a Lamborghini". That's total B.S.; if a guy ever says "that's my next car", he knows damn well what it is!!!
8. The captured video(s) were immediately posted on the internet as a "complete package set", complete with the tow truck recovery video. All videos were probably filmed by the exact same cameramen on location (crash video & recovery video).
9. It is obvious the "Recovery Video" is post-edited to minimize duration of internet playback time. Further, everyone in the video (including Law Enforcement personnel) is standing safely away from the tow truck near the edge of the highway and not in the adjacent muddy roadside. Only the cameraman filming the Recovery Video is standing in the mud and is allowed close proximity access to get the video shots. Most tow truck driver's do not like rubber-necker's nearby during vehicle recovery operations for safety sake in case a cable breaks or other possible mishap.
10. The video's include a direct website "link" to their exotic repair shop and show additional pictures of the actor-wrecked Ferrari Enzo for additional promotion publicity/advertising.
Undoubtedly; the whole thing was "pre-planned" for sheer publicity, just like the Balloon Boy incident!!! I sincerely hope the insurance company figures out this blatant fraud and denies any attempted claims.
In fact, their motive is probably three(3)-fold:
(1): They get free world-wide internet "publicity" for their exotic car repair business (complete with website "link").
(2): The insurance company pays them a huge settlement claim for any legitimate vehicle damage and any "falsely fabricated" vehicle damage (as determined by their own in-house repair shop inflated bogus repair estimate).
(3): They obviously plan on fixing the Bugatti themselves at their own exotic repair shop at a significant reduced wholesale cost on any parts and pocketing the huge insurance profits.
It's a total SCAM from every angle!!! If I knew which company they insured their Bugatti with, then I would totally rat on them with hopes their insurance company denies any claims and then further counter-sues them for attempted insurance fraud.
He just went back to his home planet, Michael Jackson too. Did you know there was a car invented that runs on water gets 100 MPG and causes no pollution and you lose weight and get better looking as you drive it? I would hate to see what the Men in Black put in the description in the VX owner profile when they read these.
Basically it is being said this guy intentionally ruined a $100,000 car and taped himself doing it. Now I know there are cases of idiots taping themselves commiting crimes but to assume this group was doing that is very unlikely. IMHO
circmand, your faith in humanity is touching, but I believe misplaced. I don't KNOW that this is a scam, but I generally think it is a combination insurance/publicity scam. After Balloon Boy, Bernie Madoff, Enron, Iraq WMD, and a zillion other examples of extraordinary human deceit, I look at things with a much more jaded eye than I would have just a few years ago. And this incident really seems to fit the bill. You don't have to be a 911 truther or a Obama birther to think that this crash seems mighty fishy.
as faith in stupidity and greed. I would beleive a publicity stunt if the car wasnt worth so much. I would beleive an insurance scam if it wasnt taped. Remember Occams Razor the easiest answer is usually the right answer. Idiot driving a powerful car stops paying attention and wrecks said car.
And I believe Occams razor favors my explanation as well. Perfectly filmed crash. No injuries. Ideal water depth. Driver owns exotic car repair garage. etc etc.
I have to disagree with the conspiracy theories
1. The video
a. The average joe doesn't know the difference between a lambo and a ferrari, the chances of joe knowing that is a $1.6mil Bugatti Veyron (and pronounce it correctly) are about 1/200, especially in the US of A, where he'd equally lust for a corvette as the Veyron.
b. The video sucks, they didn't even lower the window.
c. The recovery video was in the wires a good 6 or so hours before the crash video-- rich guy needs a better publicist if that was the plan.
d. If I saw a Veyron driving down the road-- My passenger is being ORDERED to grab the wheel while I take pictures/video of the work of art in my vicinity. (I've done this for lesser vehicles)
2. Insurance/Crash/Idiot
a. The guy is an idiot for:
1. Being on the phone in a VEYRON. From the reviews, this thing is TOO easy to drive fast, to not have all attention towards the road is idiotic
2. Avoiding a bird. Maybe it takes a bit of restraint to hit whatever creature instead of trying to avoid it, but I've even hit a turtle knowing that I had no safer option.
b. Part replacement on a Veyron, especially soaked interior goodies, is most likely to benefit Bugatti over any other involved parties.
c. Why risk totaling the vehicle?
3. Publicity
a. Sure, his shop is getting some publicity but...
b. Himself and his shop are getting BAD PR on Jalopnik. With jalopnik being one of the biggest pushers of this story, I can't think of anyone who'd bring the brutal commenters and editors upon themselves. (see SLR Guy) Ruthless to the point I don't think the montra "Any publicity is good publicity" really works.
And now I'll get back to studying for exams...