BMW Ring-Taxi involved in TF crash
If ever you needed a reminder that the Nürburgring can bite then this pic is it. According to a German Police report eight cars were involved in this accident which included a BMW Ring-Taxi and a hired Corvette.
The incident happened near the Bergwerk section of the track and the damage bill is reported to be north of €100,000 (approx AU$140,000). Thankfully nobody was killed, although one driver has been seriously injured and two others were kept in hospital overnight.
Accidents at the Ring do happen regularly and it is vital to have the right attitude if you plan to make the trip over to drive the track.
Don’t think you can get out there and rip it up right from the word go. Do research as much as you can about all aspects of driving during Touristenfahrten (TF) open days and make sure that safety and not lap times is your highest priority.
The incident has caused respected blogger and Nürburgring-based worker Dale Lomas to question the long-term future of TF open days. On his website Bridge to Gantry Dale says: “When I first started to collect BTG times and videos in 2004 and store them online, the track was a different place. This was before Top Gear and really before the internet and social media made everything so easy.
“Ben Lovejoy’s website and his ‘Ringers email list was the *only* source of reliable Nürburgring information. Thanks to the guys who did it, thousands of visitors to the ‘Ring arrived here with the right attitude.
“Now I worry that too many people are arriving here with the wrong attitude.”
Lomas says Nürburgring management could and should do more to promote safety for public open days. I tend to agree. It certainly sounds even busier than my trip back in 2006. On that day the track still closed several times to clear up accident damage.
[Thanks to Micky & Tiaan for the tips]