some facts about the incident,it wasnt a river or lake they drove into,its what we Brits call a ford,a small stream crossing a road which is normally easily driven through but because of the heavy rain over the past week or so,it was heavily swollen,so much so that it would easily fit the description of a river.
It was so swollen that the height markers was under the level of the river,now if the people are unfamiliar with the area then they really needed to think twice about proceeding,they took the wrong option,the car was overturned and floated 300 yards away from the road,making it very difficult for help to get to them,the lady got out but the man and his dog,sadly,didnt.
It was a very sad incident but one that highlights the problem of old people making poor decisions at critical times.
the only vehicles that could cross it were HGV`s and tractors,something with height and weight.
Tango

Maybe it was suicide attempt (dog wasn't volunteering).

Or, more seriously, heart attack. Didn't the one, who survived, say anything about it?

Quick example of a UK (flooded) ford...



Would you attempt to drive through that?

I'll try to get the "normal" picture in a sec...

And how it normally looks...



It's always wet, but it's only a bit of standing water... a car could easily drive through it (although the roads so broken up in practice you actually do need a 4x4 to cross it).

Quote from BeepBeepIMATroll :

Hello My name is Beep, who wants to be my friend ??????????

Jackdamaster. PM him.

Quote from Jakg :

Quick example of a UK (flooded) ford...



Would you attempt to drive through that?

I'll try to get the "normal" picture in a sec...

That's the thing. Personally I have no time for people who come up with excuses. In Bournemouth last year, the floods you may recall.
Well I was there. For the airshow that got cancelled, I think the Red Arrow's pilot died as well. But hey, probably wasn't from driving into a puddle. That was an unfortunate death of a skilled pilot, didn't deserve it.
Where as the old people died because they weren't skilled pilots, they didn't deserve it but the drive was an idiot and I think denying that would be silly.

Anyway I got caught in the thick of the floods in Bournemouth. I managed to drive through, by being careful. Cars got stuck because they drove straight through the middle. But I was slower, gauging it on other cars, I drove 2 wheels on the path, maximising air. No problems. Was a good laugh.

Still nice countryside in your neck of the woods. I may need to drive there on a summers day.

Quote from Jakg :

Quick example of a UK (flooded) ford...

Would you attempt to drive through that?

I'll try to get the "normal" picture in a sec...

There is a road near me that through heavy rain looks like that however I know the road and know that the water is only ever about a foot deep so no problem. With the colour of that water and no obvious signs of how deep it is I wouldn't even try it.

Quote from Jakg :

And how it normally looks...

It's always wet, but it's only a bit of standing water... a car could easily drive through it (although the roads so broken up in practice you actually do need a 4x4 to cross it).

Again wouldn't be sure of it but in this picture it looks like you would be able to walk upto the actual water and see how deep it is and assess if you could drive through it.

Back to the original story though, without knowing why the driver tried to drive though it is hard to say for definate whether it was idiotic or not. Maybe they knew the road and have been through it a million times before without incident and thought it would be ok this time too even with the water deeper than normal. While even that would have an element of stupidity it would be less in my mind than if they, for example, just blindly followed the sat nav.

Quote from Greboth :

Back to the original story though, without knowing why the driver tried to drive though it is hard to say for definate whether it was idiotic or not. Maybe they knew the road and have been through it a million times before without incident and thought it would be ok this time too even with the water deeper than normal. While even that would have an element of stupidity it would be less in my mind than if they, for example, just blindly followed the sat nav.

There were from like Blackburn or Middlesborough or something, the area in question is 15 miles West of Reading so a good old distance. The newspaper stated they weren't locals.. That's why I presume sat-nav

But even without a sat-nav I still think it's pretty silly. Then again I am intollerant of idiots. Which is hypocritical when I make some pretty obvious cock-ups. But never such as driving into a lake.

Quote :

The 52-year-old and his dog died when their car became completely submerged in 1.5m (5ft) of fast-flowing water while driving across Headley ford on the Hampshire–Berkshire border

Quote :

....the couple, from Teddington, west London, may have been following the directions on their satellite navigation system when they got into difficulties

Quote :

One source said it was believed the man who drowned had lost his life trying to save a dog which was in the back of the car.But as he was trying to release the animal the car was swept downstream 200 yards and overturned.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/top ... is-swept-along-river.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2 ... ver-newbury?newsfeed=true

Well the original news story which was in my local paper said up north. Either way they were foreigners :O

A day later after it had not rained for about 24 hrs and it was sunny, the height markers were about 4.2ft so it's believed at the time of the incident the water was 5ft deep.
It's a shame the person died and no-one deserved to, but ultimately whoever was driving was an idiot and caused the guys death.
_________
I see the problem. The sign was in English only. In the other fifty states, everything's bilingual. I don't know what's wrong with that British state, Someone in La Raza ought to write to their UK congressman to get that problem fixed.......
Seriously though. Why are you convinced it's an accident? It could very well be a carefully planned homicide. In a country with gun controls, you have to get pretty creative if you want to off your spouse.

Quote from Racer Y :

Seriously though. Why are you convinced it's an accident? It could very well be a carefully planned homicide. In a country with gun controls, you have to get pretty creative if you want to off your spouse.

I don't think dogs are that smart though.

Is racer Y some sort of American version of racer X? lol

Why not just build a bridge ?

So it transpires he didnt die driving, he'd gotten out and was trying to get back in to save a dog when the vehicle, being carried downstream, overturned on him.

If I die in a horrible accident I hope I am doing something noble at the time. Or having sex, either works.

Quote from Becky Rose :

If I die in a horrible accident I hope I am doing something noble at the time. Or having sex, either works.

Damn right !

So it turns out that he screwed up driving into the ford, but died trying to save his dog.

That counts as a win.

We all die sooner or later but that's pretty good Khama trying to save the dog.

Quote from Racer X NZ :

Damn right !

So it turns out that he screwed up driving into the ford, but died trying to save his dog.

That counts as a win.

We all die sooner or later but that's pretty good Khama trying to save the dog.

Looooool

Quote from Racer X NZ :

So it turns out that he screwed up driving into the ford, but died trying to save his dog.

Quote :

The man's wife, 54, who was driving, managed to swim free of the car.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-17896411

Quote from Anthoop :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-17896411

so he effectively got out of a marriage with a dumb wife and tried to save his dog? thats a double victory in my book

...maybe it was her dog?

Quote from Mustangman759 :

Why not just build a bridge ?

The government doesn't like spending money fixing pot holes, so there's no way they'd build a bridge over that.