Peter Brock dies in accident

[I_wanna_Shed]

The 'gold box' they referred to isn't the magical "Energy Polarizer"..

The box they are referring to is the MOTEC data logger. These are damn good at logging data from all over the car. Depending on what sensors are installed, constant values are recorded; things like throttle and brake pedal percentage, tyre temps, tyre pressures, speed, RPM, what gear the car is in, amount of steering input, engine temp, fuel pressure, colour of the driver's helmet and their shoe size.

I've personally seen these pick up a temperature drop in a cylinder's exhaust for three hundreths of a second, indicating that there is a pending problem with that cylinder - these things are good! It will tell the investigators EXACTLY what happened.

[Stuart]

Peter Brock believed in foilies Pity he wasn't a forum member - he would have fitted right in!

(hey Al - ever thought of taping a couple of magnets into your foilie, Brockey style?)

As to the data recorder, I doubt it will reveal any surprises - not likely to show any equipment failure etc, and I would feel worse if it did I think. What it is very likely to show, is a loss of traction of the rear of the car, and all the correct driver responses (at much higher speeds than the average for a 61 yr old), all to no avail.

[ozwinner]

I read a story just recently about how the British police are useing the cars own computer to nail people.

Apparently all new cars with computers store data about speed.
It may be rubbish I dont know?

Al

[woodbe]

Al,

Well, I know my VW records everything it can, so I wouldn't be surprised. What it doesn't know is where you were at the time. If they start putting GPS's in, Watch out...

RIP Brocky. It's a shame, but it sounds like a combination of factors got him.:

* He'd only just got back from overseas.
* He apparently hadn't done much or any familiarity testing on the roads of the rally, and the corner that got him is notorious.
* It was wet.
* He was Brock. Spectators said that he drove into the area a lot faster than other competitors before him. He always delivered excitement for his fans, even if he wasn't the fastest at times.

Tarmac rallies are more dangerous than circuit racing because of the greater variety of terrain and the proximity of immovable objects close to the course with no armco in between.

When it's all said and done, I think Peter would have preferred to go this way than with a heart attack or other mundane death that awaits most of us.

Rest In Peace.

woodbe.

[sliver]

The only one of 'them' I saw wasn't gold, it was white. Supposed to help handling too, but not too many bought that claim either.

The 'gold box' is very VERY possibly a Motec data logger in the car. Since it was built by Mr. Motec, the car would logically be equipped with all kinds of data collection points, that all go into that box.

Prolly easy to find out exactly what happened, provided the data is intact, not that anyone really needs to know. In fact, I don't want to know since it will prolly point out something about Brocky that I don't want to hear.

We all have our heroes. Mine happens to be Nigel Mansell. HE made mistakes in his racing career & so did Peter Brock, so did Ayrton Senna, Juan Manuel Fangio, etc, etc, etc. Any human being will make error now & then. What results from that mistake can either be passed off later with the person concerned saying "whoops, f**ked it up that time didn't I? ha, ha. or the other side of the coin.....The news breaks of a famous death, this occurs worldwide daily, but not to famous people on a daily basis. (Hell, who'd want to be famous if it did?). I don't mean to say he DID make error, but be ready to accept it if that is the case, they may be gods to us, but they are human, mere mortals & do get it wrong from time to time. If the black/gold/pink/green/blue with yellow spots on box says he made a mistake, don't think any the less of him, he was doing what we all do, his daily job. It can go wrong now & then.

Hope I didn't go on too long or muddy the waters too much. sliver.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Bleedin, the bio I've read is by Bill Tuckey, it's called "the rise & fall of peter brock" I think. It was a pretty good read.


Cheers.................Sean

Thanks for the reference Scooter,
I'll try tracking a copy down.
Cheers

[I_wanna_Shed]

They just replayed the Peter Brock episode of "Talking Heads" on ABC. I noticed that Brocky had a Triton Workcentre in his garage, used it to make a fairly nice dining table.

[keith53]

The Sunday Mail in Brisbane had tributes to both Peter Brock and Steve Irwin this weekend. The most moving for me was a cartoon, the background of which was in the sky. It shows a rear view of an FJ Holden with a 'brocky' number plate and 05 on the boot. The passenger door is open and a khaki-clad figure with a crocodile under one arm is walking along side it. The caption from inside the car is "want a lift?" Personally, I think this has been one of the saddest weeks I can remember.

[Cliff Rogers]

Not sure if this has been done already but somebody will tell me if it has....

The croc hunter is standing in line at the pearly gates & the king of the mountain joins the line.....
"Crikey.... how come you've already got a halo Pete?"
"Look again Steve, it's a bloody steering wheel"

[cub3]

The Sunday Mail in Brisbane had tributes to both Peter Brock and Steve Irwin this weekend. The most moving for me was a cartoon, the background of which was in the sky. It shows a rear view of an FJ Holden with a 'brocky' number plate and 05 on the boot. The passenger door is open and a khaki-clad figure with a crocodile under one arm is walking along side it. The caption from inside the car is "want a lift?" Personally, I think this has been one of the saddest weeks I can remember.

Neither, will have a shortage of mates, to carry them on their shoulders, for the last walk.

RIP cub's