A brother who was at the parade on Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but who was not a part of the Shriner dune buggy (not mini-car, as earlier reported) brigade, has emailed me further information on the collision between two of the Shriner cars. He did not see the accident, as he was on a band float further back in the parade, but his wife, who was near the reviewing stand, saw what happened.While doing a figure-8 maneuver in front of the reviewing stand, a part broke on one of the cars, causing a loss of control. The driver struck another dune buggy, that then went into the crowd.
Ironically, the people injured by the car were family members of the brother driving the second car. The driver's wife had a broken ankle, and a young girl was cut and bruised on her legs.
Five (not eight, as news sources originally reported) people, including children, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Shriner dune-buggy group was reportedly from the Yaarab Temple of Atlanta, Georgia.
Thanks, brother, for this update.
Read our original story.
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I still say these guys shouldn't be toolin around in these things. Either get on a float, walk, or use a walker.
ReplyDeleteThat way if the fall or something fails they only bust a hip. They won't hurt anyone but themselves.
Shriners' are not allowed to use alcoholic beverages before or during a parade. It is very unfortunate that an accident occured. We (Shriners') love to entertain children. The Nobles spent countless hours raising funds so that children have the best medical attention available. There are no cash registers at any of the Shrine Hospitals. Does drugs or alcohol case accidents in NASCAR? NO!!! That's why they are call ACCIDENTS.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to an update
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wrcbtv.com/news/index.cfm?sid=10424
I am investigating this story.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Sandy Frost
There is serious disinformation being circulated about this accident.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the vehicles were not performing a figure of eight, they were driving in a circle -this is significant, read on.
Second the claim that a "part broke" is spurious, non specific, and, frankly unbelievable.
Third the claim of the police that the red buggy was propelled into the crowd because it hit the yellow buggy is laughable. the Red buggy was already out of control and heading for the crowd when it clipped the yellow buggy.
The reason for the crash is self evident.
The reason the driver lost control was most likely from disorientation. Any pilot can confirm this.
After driving in a constant turn for an extended period of time, which these guys had been doing, the fluid in the inner ear balance mechanism, the semicircular canals, reach an equilibrium and no longer provide the brain with the sensation of rotation.
This causes a disorientation in the brain because the eyes are sending messages to the brain that the person is rotating but the balance organs send conflicting messages saying the body is traveling in a straight line. The reaction of the disoriented individual is to rotate in the opposite direction to correct the visual image, which is precisely what the driver did. It was during this disoriented maneuver, circulating to the right, not left, that he struck the yellow buggy and ran into the crowd.
That was the cause of the crash, the yellow buggy had nothing to do with it.