Also ya I have no clue how the investigator determined anything concrete by the single surveillance footage clip I saw. It looked pretty inconclusive, but that’s why they’re the experts I guess. Maybe they have another camera angle that isn’t public yet.

Only thing that makes sense is camera footage that shows the brake lights on, or internal GPS/black box data that shows pressure being applied prior to going airborne. I’m sure Bentley has the technology, considering similar technology is available to Hyundai/Kia, which allowed them to show that in the Tiger Woods…

It would not surprise me in the slightest if that accelerator was stuck. Back in the 60s, I had a ‘67 Camaro RS with a 327 and a 4 speed.

For about a year it had an occassional (and perplexing) habit of coming full throttle - and I mean full throttle - usually from a red traffic light turning green.

Not that the…

Another victim of the devil’s music (or lack thereof).

They weren’t heading to a KISS concert; the concert was canceled so they went to a casino instead, apparently.

I want to know how they’re sure he wasn’t impaired. Heading from a casino to a KISS concert? No way they’ve done blood tests yet.

Oh boy, “good one” and now that songs in my head

Barrier curbs (including on medians and edge of traveled way) are a known launching item above 45 mph; it’s why you have posted speed limits of 45 mph wherever curbs are. At that speed, they become the hazard. 

The recall was for dangling wiring from the fuse box which is located beneath the A-pillar and cannot affect the left-hand drive models. 

Super duper awkward that Jalop has a pop-up video reviewing the Bentley Bentayga as I’m reading this story.

Or “Mr. Villani was having a massive seizure that put the gas pedal to the floor and, at some time after leaving the ground, bumped the brake pedal.”

There really don’t seem to be many potential causes for the crash, but I feel you it seems unlikely that the driver was hitting the brakes unless he started braking once he was airborne. 

Ya it’s awfully convenient that Bentley had an unintended acceleration recall but only on right hand drive models. I wonder if the fancy shag carpets got dislodged or something and hindered accelerator pedal positioning. 

I also only saw a single angle of the incident on the NYT website and I have no clue how someone could determine that the driver was on the brakes. It’s possible the authorities have access to another recording that’s more telling, but we aren’t certain.

I fully agree, I’ve watched the YouTube videos where folks test different barrier designs and they’re supposed to be designed to avoid turning a car into a missile. It must have been a sloped divider that turned into a ramp.

I wonder what role the median design had in this. Medians should not be launching cars in the air.

Going to the Kiss Concert

“Mr. Villani was alert, not impaired, and was pressing on the brakes”

I only saw one piece of footage, is there more out there that would be able to show this?

Assuming this was a stuck throttle and not some sort of murder-suicide... I have thought what would be my strategy for a stuck throttle.

“A Bentley spokesperson said that the incident was not tied to a 2021 recall of some Bentley models over the risk of possible accelerator pedal sticking...”