The daughter of late movie star Paul Walker is suing automotive giants Porsche for the tragic car crash that caused him his life.
Walker was a passenger in a Porsche Carrera GT when it struck a power pole as well as some trees.
A ruling coroner stated that it had been driven by Roger Rodas at a speed of 100mph at the time of the crash, but this was later contradicted by police who claimed it was travelling at 90mph. Either way, the speed recorded was above and beyond the 45mph legal limit.
Nothing mechanical was found to be at fault, but Walker’s 16-year-old daughter is seeking “unspecified damages” from Porsche, with her suit claiming that the 2005 Carrera GT “lacked safety features that are found on well-designed racing cars or even Porsche’s least expensive road cars.”
The suit goes onto claim that had these features been included, they could have saved Walker’s life, or even prevented the accident entirely.
The lawsuit contradicts both the coroner’s and the police’s determined speed of the traveling car, stating instead that the Carrera was driven at speeds of between 63 and 71mph.
Walker’s Lawyer, Jeff Milam, said: “The bottom line is that the Porsche Carrera GT is a dangerous car. It doesn’t belong on the street. We shouldn’t be without Paul Walker or his friend, Roger Rodas.”
Pope’s Fiat Almost Crashes The Internet
If American’s had never heard of a Fiat 500L before Pope Francis rocked up in his over the weekend, they certainly have now.
After the Pope was driven around the streets of Washington DC, waving to his adoring public from the back seat, Google searches for Fiat, Fiat 500 and Fiat 500L spiked.
Interest piqued so much that the term “Fiat 500” received nine times as many searches as normal.
The majority of the searches took place in Washington DC, where the Pope began his sojourn, as baffled locals had to ask the question, “What in the goddamn Hell is that goddamn phoney piece of pussy-assed crap?”
It stunned the locals who couldn’t get their minds around a car that was twenty-times smaller than their usual SUVs and pickup vehicles.
“Can people, like, actually fit in that? Like, for real? Your Pope ain’t playing no magic trick on me, bro?” asked a local.
In fact, it bewildered them so much that many of them were opened up to a whole new world of car. Social media was awash with users tweeting about the fact that they now want a Fiat.
“For some reason unknown to me I kinda want a Fiat,” said @griswoldkmtv.
@charlesthomas agreed when he said, “I want a Papal Fiat!”
Mark Cowdin, general sales manager at a Fiat dealership just outside DC, said: “We sold one (a Fiat 500L) to a lady who had been looking at other cars. Last night she came in and said the Pope had convinced her.”
There has been no news reports that American’s now want to wear white cassock’s like the Pope though.
Texas To Sue Volkswagen For $100M
If the chiefs over at Volkswagen haven’t already reasoned that they should have just played by the rules, the news that a U.S. state is planning to sue them for $100m over pollution should knock a few heads together.
Texas, which is home to America’s fourth biggest city, is looking for the big pay-off after claiming that VW knowingly subjected their county to unnecessary pollution.
Houston Lawyer Richard Mithoff was pretty cocksure that he would be working on his easiest case ever when he said: “I think the fraud is going to be relatively easy to prove.”
Indeed, VW have already admitted to installing software on 11million of its vehicles to allow them to cheat emissions tests.
One or two, they might have got away with it. But 11 million? No. Just no. You don’t get away with that.
“Volkswagen vehicles released nitrogen oxide at levels that far exceed allowable standards,” argued the lawsuit. “NOx is a contributor to ozone formation, for which Harris Country is currently designated as non-attainment.”
VW had already been faced with numerous lawsuits from individuals, but this is the first time an entire county has taken umbrage with their naughtiness.
MPs Claim Millions In Motoring Expenses
In some news that might make your teeth itch, Auto Express this week released figures that showed British MPs have claimed over £4million in motoring-related expenses since 2012.
This means that £1.4m is claimed each year by MPs, averaging out at around £130K per region.
MPs in the South West claimed the most in 2014/15, but it is the MPs in the West Midlands who have claimed more than anyone else over the three year period, claiming just over £550,000 for cars to ferry them from A to Posh Dinner Hall.
And at the risk of inciting personal attacks, trolling and memes, Auto Express even went as far as unmasking the biggest claimants.
Controversial Bradford West MP George Galloway was top of the list, with Tory Laurence Robertson closely following him in second place. Both had claimed over £11,000 in motoring expenses.
The news will come as a surprise to the public as it was thought that shamefaced MPs would be too embarrassed to carry on claiming expenses after the great expense scandal of 2009 sent shockwaves from Parliament to Salford.
“Sorry, can’t comment, dears! I’m off to Cloud Cuckoo Land in this Volkswagen!” said one MP we asked to speak to.
Speeding Continues To Be Top Road Offence
According to a report released by the Institute of Advanced Motorists this week, speeding continues to be the biggest motoring offence in the UK.
Alarmingly, the numbers of defendants in court for speeding offences have actually risen over the last year, rising from 115,935 to a staggering 148,426.
It’s the highest number since 2005, when the boiling hot summer sent boy-racers mad and turned OAP’s angry.
After speeding, vehicle-insurance related crimes is the second highest motoring related offence. This crime is up by 7%, yet down by 84% since 2005.
Drink driving has dropped, as have vehicle registration offences.
Sarah Sillars, IAM Chief Executive Officer, had this to say: “We can see from these figures that as the UK comes out of recession traffic levels have risen, speeding appears to be becoming more prevalent and regrettably casualties are rising again.”
