The fast and the furiously stupid on Orega HWY

[HM]

Right now, there is construction on the Ortega and is one lane. They do a decent job on traffic control, so it is really only a little longer. They are also doing some work down at Antonio Parkway and Ortega (the intersection where the dump road is). There are a couple passing zones where you can pass, but there is no point to passing right now as you end up waiting in line, only to be a few cars ahead.
So, this morning I am traveling the Ortega west. It is crowded, but moving nicely. We get down into the flats where the two passing zones are and I see in my rear view mirror a car coming up from behind pass 8-10 cars in the first passing area - it was a clean pass and he got back into traffic easily. Then, he passes another 8-10 cars in the second passing zone and stays out passing all the way into a corner. Very risky, but he does it cleanly. He is now two cars behind me and there are 5 cars infront of me in which a big dump truck is leading the pack. There are no more passing zones until you get into Capistrano. But, just after the passing zone, there is a signal (Quest Dignostic - Old Nichols Institute) and it is wide and straight for almost a quarter mile.
So, right as we crest to the light and you can get a good visual of on coming traffic, he bolts out across the double yellow and goes for the massive pass. The car is a lowered Infinity G35 two door. The car is pretty fast and he is rolling 90+ (we were going 55). He goes for the entire pass all the way to the dump truck and keeps going....even though they are entering the corner!
Well, his luck ran out. Coming the other way is a double trailer gravel truck...and the truck does not make any evasion manuevers. The kid just squeezes by a red kunt hair between the dump truck and the gravel truck. But, the kid overreacts and/or is just plain too fast and his car fish-tails. He loses control and goes off the road backwards off into a ditch clearing a 4 ft fence. His car only did a half roll and smashed to a stop, upside down against the upslope of the other side of this ditch.
I pull over and see his car upside down against the upslope and I think he is dead. As I am jumping the fence to get to him, he manages to crawl out and is basically uninjured - a small bump on his head. Turns out to be an 18 year old kid and says he is a "mortgage banker" for Lending Tree. He is pretty shaken up. After a couple minutes, he says...."You know, I shouldn't have braked." I just looked at the kid and said...."Or, you could have not passed going into a blind corner doing 100 MPH?" He just looked down and started swearing to himself.
Here are the pics (they are from my camera phone...so quality is so so):
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0008.jpghttp://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0009.jpg
Here is looking into corner. The car is off the road on the other side of the cars on the right.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0010.jpg
Here is looking at the end of the straight-away. Notice the double yellow, and it is double yellow on that entire straight.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0011.jpg
If you look to the right of this picture, you can see one of the wheels of the car.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0007.jpg

[Moneypitt]

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Sorry little prick could've taken out an entire family. The sad part is, rather than being under the jail, he'll be back behind the wheel of something else before sundown......I hope you stuck around to give some info for the report, maybe his insurance will deny his claim. Wouldn't that be bitchin'.........When you weigh stupid, against .08, I perfer .08 anytime.......Mp

[HM]

The whole area is a 'Construction Zone' and the 'double penalties' sign are up and down the road. The kid is so effin lucky he didn't kill himself or worse, anyone else. When the cops come, he tries to tell them that he was just finishing a legal pass and must have hit some gravel. The cop asks if he crossed the double yellow to pass and the kid says no! What a dumb ass....the passing zone is over a quarter mile back, down a small hill and around a blind corner. I gave the cops my version and left before the tow truck showed up.
More pics....
Here you can see his skid marks going off the road.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0002.jpg
Here are the marks in the dirt. It is hard to tell, but this area makes a nearly perfect launch pad.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0003.jpghttp://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0004.jpg
If you look close, you can see a wheel of the car in the just above center of the picture.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/447Mar23_0005.jpg

[Jrocket]

I dont ever wish bodily harm to anybody,but a really extreme scare might do some people good.

[ChumpChange]

Thanks for the story. Nice pictures. It's amazing what some people do for no reason at all.

[Debbolas]

I use to work in the Cleveland National Forest (off Ortega Hwy) and the fireman there spend most of their time picking people up off the pavement.
It's one of the most dangerous highways in the US:jawdrop:

[shockwaveharry]

He's right... He shouldn't have braked... http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/shockwaveharry/gr_driving3.gif

[BadKachina]

We have that same car, it's over powered for the handling. Skid marks would lead me to believe that he had the traction control off. I had ours do a complete 360 making a left turn with the traction control off. It was late at night, no one was around and ended up sliding down the middle of the road. That's the last time I played around with the traction control in the off position. What he did was way out of line, driving those kinds of speeds in traffic putting everyone else at risk.

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

Are you sure it wasn't a sentra with infinity stickers on it?:)
http://www.v-drivevideo.com/jerrysgallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_DSCF0941.JPG

[77charger]

Rode that road man many times on motorcycles about 15 years ago did alot of passing too,had a couple close calls but wont ever pass with my truck or car let alone a no pass zone.Knew every turn and corner since i drove it multiple times on the weekends using it as race course back then maybe only have to pass 3-4 cars total each day on sat or sun doing multiple runs
Drove over on motorcycle couple years ago to drive to my brothers was mid week around 2-3pm after passing about a what felt like a 100 cars i gave up.And it is way easier to pass with a fast motorcycle vs a car

[lewiville]

I think that little shit has been doing that for a while. I have been going over that ridge for a while ( haven't been for a while ) and have seen that fook passing everyone up like they are standing still. Sorry little shit.

[Jrocket]

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=20255866
Next time try this.

[HM]

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=20255866
Next time try this.
ROTFLMAO!

[Rexone]

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=20255866
Next time try this.
:D

[MR.rvrluvr]

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Sorry little prick could've taken out an entire family. The sad part is, rather than being under the jail, he'll be back behind the wheel of something else before sundown......I hope you stuck around to give some info for the report, maybe his insurance will deny his claim. Wouldn't that be bitchin'.........When you weigh stupid, against .08, I perfer .08 anytime.......Mp
he is damn lucky he didn't hit the truck.. As a driver of an 80,000 lb. gravel truck that has hit a couple of cars in the 17 years of driving, He would have been DEAD... and the truck wouldn't have felt a thing...
I had a car try to pass me on that road once, he ended up clipping my front bumper and spinning out into an oncoming car put 3 people in the hospital. Sent 2 cars to the scrap yard and the only damage to the truck was a scratch on the bumper and $2.50 worth of chrome covers for the bumper bolts. All I felt was a little nudge. I have felt worse hitting a pot hole..
sorry I can't spell very well.....I am a truck driver ya know

[Jrocket]

The monkey comes in very handy sometimes.:D

[IDRPSTF]

I have driven that road too many times and had too many close calls with people passing. The county is doing everything possible to make the road safer. One business at the top of the hill has been protesting the roadwork like crazy because he cant afford to loose any more customers. Little known fact is that he tried to run someone off that road two years ago in a rage, and his brothers ex girlfriend killed two bikers in a drunken stuper in his truck when driving ortega. That road sucks the smarts out of some people.
I have personally pulled 2 people from overturned cars and seen a few more not worth pulling. I'll take the 241 and go the long way thank you!

[OCMerrill]

My father used to commute in M-F from Murrietta to Costa Mesa. He used to describe that stretch of the 74 as his M-F road race. Sometimes he was so jittered once he got to work he would swear it off "Never Again" but a few days of the long way around and right back at it.
Every time I drive through there its some accident to see or someone riding you at 70 mph to piss you off. Every freaking time. It amazes me sense the CHP just lives in there.

[78Hondo Cruiser]

I drive that road anywhere from 3-5 days a week. You see the same crappy drivers everyday all commuters who think they belong on a road race course. I feel the same way everytime someone passes me I just think why when you are going to have to wait in line at either end! Friggen elsinore end at grand can be a 30 minute wait some nights. How about getting some of them to pay attention on the corners your phone only works in a couple spots up there just put it down and wait!