Bad rap for James Dean's Porsche

Just watched a documentary on the speed chanel about James Dean's death in 1955. I had always heard that Dean wiped out in his Porsche Spyder on the way to the track. Truth is, he didn't wipe out at all, but rather some moron (named Turnipseed of all things) made a left hand turn right into his lane on an undivided highway. The CHPs investigation at the time found Dean at fault beause they said Dean's car was silver and so low slung that it blended right in with the asphalt, and they calculated that Dean was traveling at a high rate of speed. And guess what that was determined to be... 70 mph. Turnipseed, never even recieved a ticket, and lived to a ripe old age in obscurety, dying in 1995.

That reminds me of a story from my wife: Some woman in a Range Rover switched into my wife's lane without looking and almost hit the C4S. It turned out that the woman lived nearby. So my wife went over to "notify her of her poor driving skills" and the woman says... "Your car was too low for me to see it." So my wife says: "Then maybe you should buy a smaller freaking car that you can see out of!"

Mark, you know what the difference between a porcupine and a Range Rover are....in a Range Rover the ****** are on the inside. BTW, I owned a Range Rover and never had trouble ogling Porsches from that high up. You car is BRIGHT RED, how the hell could she miss that!?!?!?

That's a shame. Blame is sketchy, but since he was the hotshot of the day it became his fault when in fact he had the right of way and the other guy didn't. Did you know he only made 3 movies and became world famous in a very short time? He was of my era, much like Steve McQueen was in the next generation.

That was my first thought as well (after I stopped laughing)

I learned a very long time ago, shortly after buying the 78 Targa, that most drivers look right over the top of it before deciding to turn, change lanes, etc. Like with motorcycles, defensive driving, expect the unexpected, in a Porsche better be the rule of the day. Yet another problem is that folks often get "fixated" on watching the approaching Porsche in their rear view mirror and end up drifting into your lane. Not addressing the James Dean issue one way or another.

Damn Land Rovers. In July of last year I was following a Discovery in a parking lot and then she stopped to park on the left. She turned on her signal so I just stopped and waited behind her. I guess she decided that she needed to back up a little more so she could make it into the left hand parking space and put her car in reverse and then started backign up. I started honking because there was a car behind me so I couldn't back up. Obviously she couldn't see me in my lotus (which is pretty low) and then she didn't even look back. She was looking in her rear view mirror but she didn't bother to turn her head back to look. BAM! She had a tow hook on her car and smashed right into the front right side of my car and took out the headlight, the bumper and the pushed the frame down. I was so pissed. All she kept saying was... your car was so low I coudlnt' see it. And I told her, "look lady, all you had to do to see my car was to turn your head around. Obviously your mirror was perched too high up only able to see other suv's and not regular cars or sports cars." Needless to say, her husband soon showed up and was pissed at her as well. she started crying and all that... whatever... her insurance covered it either way. I also hated that car which was never fully running right and lucky for me I got it fixed and it sold within the next few months. now I have the p-car which is so much better and reliable... gotta love it. but, back to the point... damn ladies in their suv's!

oops... that might've sounded sexist... no offense... just a bad experience...

Anytime a fellow PCar driver (especially a racer headed to the track) would lose his life I am saddened. A bit of trivia on the accident though.... In the car behind them (support vehicle) and who would help mechanic on his car for the weekend ? Down | \/ Down | \/ A young Dan Gurney... world famous race car driver/ builder.

Hey I saw that documentry, it was interesting since I am too young to know that much about Dean. I thought it was a drunk in his lane. Also I agree most drivers are idiots, they can't see out of small cars even. Well I live in LA there are too manny of them. You just have to be defensive and that might not even be enough.

Guess I am giving my age away........S. McQueen.......coolest guy ever.......

I am just happy nothing happened to your wife. I especially applaud her guts in facing the idiot.

george carlin said: "your average person is not that bright and nearly half the people are dumber than that!" cynical but true. i try never to forget this fact when riding next to a nitwit in an suv or a "sport pickup". the darn things should be illegal!

Not a joke but could certainly be taken that way - but I think the US should institute a Whack A'Mole test for all drivers, regardless of age, to renew your license every couple years. Whack A'Mole - visual and auditory perception, reflexes, timing. I swear, you can't pass, you can't drive.

if you see a large suv or minivan being driven by a woman, or worse then that a woman with a truck full of kids, watch out! i would keep away. i have a touring bike, and i have learned to expect the unexpected in this scenario. i know it sounds sexist, but i maintain that it is accurate. women and suvs (especially large ones) or vans and driving don't mix. they are probably in the middle of a hectic day, but they will drag you into their situation if you are not careful.

It's not the car, it's the driver. If you're in a small, "invisible" car, drive like you're riding a motorcycle and learn to be defensive to the point of paranoia. It might relieve the stress to complain about bad drivers in larger or smaller vehicles, but that's all it does -- vent the frustration. And by the way, I have a Range Rover in the garage beside the 911 and the all-round visibility from the Range Rover leaves no excuse for not seeing another car.