Wheelchair user taken on wild 50-mph ride

[2112]

PAW PAW, Mich. - A man was taken on a wild ride when his wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer and was accidentally pushed down a highway for four miles at about 50 mph, authorities said.

The 21-year-old man, whose name was not released, was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt.

“The man spilled his soda pop, but he wasn’t upset,” said Sgt. Kathy Morton of the Michigan State Police.

About 4 p.m. Wednesday, a caller told police dispatchers, “You are not going to believe this: There is a semi truck pushing a guy in a wheelchair on Red Arrow Highway,” state police said in a release.

Prank call?
Authorities initially wondered whether the report was a prank call until others called with similar reports.

Officers stopped the truck — wheelchair still attached — at a trucking company. The driver didn’t believe officers until he stepped from his cab and saw for himself.

“When he saw us, he was like, ’What’s going on?”’ Morton said.

An investigation revealed the man in the wheelchair had pulled in front of the truck at a gas station and it somehow became lodged by its handles to the front grille.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070607/070607_wheelchair_hmed_10a.hmedium.jpg


link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19088976?GT1=10056)

[JimNasium]

I'm ashamed to admit this but I actually laughed aloud at the following line: “You are not going to believe this: There is a semi truck pushing a guy in a wheelchair on Red Arrow Highway,”

[chasedude]

For 4 miles and all he did is spill his soda??? Very lucky he's still alive.

The wheels on that chair must be well made.

[Splat420]

No freaking way.

[Demonpenz]

rollercoaster

[Fish]

Where do I sign up?

Ohh nevermind........

[el borracho]

I'm BJ McKay and this is my best friend Bear!

[PhillyChiefFan]

He spilled his soda...Ida sh*t my pants! How in the world did that happen, how does wheelchair just get stuck to the front of a semi???
And Jim don't feel ashamed...I did too.

[2112]

He spilled his soda...Ida sh*t my pants!
I would have had the brown eye in my pants also.

[Mile High Mania]

I definitely would have shit my pants ... wonder what drivers in the other lane thought.

[jidar]

I wonder if he maybe isn't a little loopy and did it on purpose. It seems impossible that it could have been accidental.

[Mile High Mania]

...and it's probably b/c the kid wasn't harmed, but the first thing that came to my mind (likely going to hell for it) was... "TIMMAY".

[PhillyChiefFan]

...and it's probably b/c the kid wasn't harmed, but the first thing that came to my mind (likely going to hell for it) was... "TIMMAY".


ROFL

[JBucc]

Sounds like something those Jackass guys would do. Might be fun if you weren't afraid of your wheelchair ripping apart.

[Mr. Plow]

Very strong wheelchair.

[BigMeatballDave]

LMAO

[Rain Man]

You know now that all of the rappers are going to have guy-in-a-wheelchair hood ornaments now.

[Phobia]

It is fortunate he had his seatbelt on. He's up in a part of the country where the cops charge people for anything they can find on the books, like hacking into a computer network sitting outside a coffeehouse using their wifi.

[Reerun_KC]

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[The Franchise]

Wow....one little rock in the road and that guy would have been toast.

[Reerun_KC]

Wow....one little rock in the road and that guy would have been toast.


Good thing it didnt happen in OK or MO.. One pot hole and he would of been FUBAR!

[Mr. Laz]

i don't see how that's possible

the wheels on the chair are so much smaller they couldn't turn fast enough to keep up.

They would of been skidding and melting at 50 mph


surely there is a mathematician in the house that can figure out how fast a 4 inch wheel would have to turn to keep up with a 4 foot wheel at 50 mph.

[Reerun_KC]

i don't see how that's possible

the wheels on the chair are so much smaller they couldn't turn fast enough to keep up.

They would of been skidding and melting at 50 mph


surely there is a mathematician in the house that can figure out how fast a 4 inch wheel would have to turn to keep up with a 4 foot wheel at 50 mph.


I am no mathematician, but my guess is "very fast"

[crazycoffey]

...and it's probably b/c the kid wasn't harmed, but the first thing that came to my mind (likely going to hell for it) was... "TIMMAY".


:LOL: that's funny.....


Poor kid, I'd just passed out, hyperventilated and with the smell of stinky drawers.

[Phobia]

i don't see how that's possible

the wheels on the chair are so much smaller they couldn't turn fast enough to keep up.

They would of been skidding and melting at 50 mph


surely there is a mathematician in the house that can figure out how fast a 4 inch wheel would have to turn to keep up with a 4 foot wheel at 50 mph.
This is why you shouldn't be allowed to have conspiracy theories.

Who needs a mathematician for that kind of math? The smaller wheel would turn 12 times for every single revolution of the bigger wheel.

[Reerun_KC]

This is why you shouldn't be allowed to have conspiracy theories.

Who needs a mathematician for that kind of math? The smaller wheel would turn 12 times for every single revolution of the bigger wheel.
how so?

[Phobia]

how so?

I'm assuming that we're talking about wheels with 4" and 4' circumference. A 4" wheel is going to cover 4" with each turn. A 4' will cover 4 feet. 4 feet = 48" 48"/4=12

[The Franchise]

Why isn't the kid wearing shoes? lol

[Phobia]

I can't wait for the guy to make a mint by suing the carrier. You know there were 30 ambulance chasers just outside the shot in that picture waiting for an opportunity to make their pitch.

[Rain Man]

I'm assuming that we're talking about wheels with 4" and 4' circumference. A 4" wheel is going to cover 4" with each turn. A 4' will cover 4 feet. 4 feet = 48" 48"/4=12

I think wheels are typically measured in diameter.

A 4" diameter wheel would have a circumference of about 12 inches (2*pi*r).

A 48" diameter wheel would have a circumference of about 144 inches (2*pi*r)

The little wheel would be spinning exactly 12 times for every one revoluation of the big wheel.


And the guy's not wearing shoes BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WALK.

[Radar Chief]

i don't see how that's possible

the wheels on the chair are so much smaller they couldn't turn fast enough to keep up.

They would of been skidding and melting at 50 mph


surely there is a mathematician in the house that can figure out how fast a 4 inch wheel would have to turn to keep up with a 4 foot wheel at 50 mph.

That was my first thought also. The bearings in the front wheels had to be glowing hot by the time they got that truck stopped.
I did some quick calculations and, assuming a 4” wheel, come up with only about 70 RPM’s for a wheel that size at 50 MPH.

[Phobia]

I think wheels are typically measured in diameter.

A 4" diameter wheel would have a circumference of about 12 inches (2*pi*r).

A 48" diameter wheel would have a circumference of about 144 inches (2*pi*r)

The little wheel would be spinning exactly 12 times for every one revoluation of the big wheel.

So, what you're telling me is that I'm right but you didn't like the "show your work" section of my homework? I hate you.

[Reerun_KC]

I'm assuming that we're talking about wheels with 4" and 4' circumference. A 4" wheel is going to cover 4" with each turn. A 4' will cover 4 feet. 4 feet = 48" 48"/4=12


:hail:

[Phobia]

That was my first thought also. The bearings in the front wheels had to be glowing hot by the time they got that truck stopped.
I did some quick calculations and, assuming a 4” wheel, come up with only about 70 RPM’s for a wheel that size at 50 MPH.

I'm guessing you're not a mathematician.

[Phobia]

That was my first thought also. The bearings in the front wheels had to be glowing hot by the time they got that truck stopped.
I did some quick calculations and, assuming a 4” wheel, come up with only about 70 RPM’s for a wheel that size at 50 MPH.

I was mostly concerned for his motor. I figure he was able to drop that baby in neutral otherwise he'd have been sitting on a furnace.

[Rain Man]

So, what you're telling me is that I'm right but you didn't like the "show your work" section of my homework? I hate you.

That, and you failed to answer the question about why the guy didn't have shoes.

[Radar Chief]

I'm guessing you're not a mathematician.


Show me where I’m wrong then.
4” diameter = 12.56” circumference or the distance it will roll in one revolution.
1 MPH = 88 FPS (Feet Per Second) http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001729.html
or 1056 in inches so 50 MPH = 52800 Inches traveled per second.
52800 / 12.56 (our wheel circumference) =4203.8 revolutions per second.
4203.8 * 60 = 252,228 RPM's.

I see it, never mind.

[Radar Chief]

I was mostly concerned for his motor. I figure he was able to drop that baby in neutral otherwise he'd have been sitting on a furnace.

For that we’d have to know the gear reduction, or ratio, to the driven wheels.

[Phobia]

Show me where I’m wrong then.
4203.8 / 60 = 70.1 RPM, which I would assume is within the bearings specs. Could probably stand to be repacked with grease though.
Rather than dividing by 60, you should be multiplying by 60 here.

[Mr. Laz]

That was my first thought also. The bearings in the front wheels had to be glowing hot by the time they got that truck stopped.
I did some quick calculations and, assuming a 4” wheel, come up with only about 70 RPM’s for a wheel that size at 50 MPH.
could a wheelchair handle 70 rpms for 4 miles on a rough asphalt road?


i wouldn't think so


unless it sort of lifted him off the ground when the truck raise up at the higher speed. I suppose he could of been carrying instead of pushed.

[Rain Man]

That was my first thought also. The bearings in the front wheels had to be glowing hot by the time they got that truck stopped.
I did some quick calculations and, assuming a 4” wheel, come up with only about 70 RPM’s for a wheel that size at 50 MPH.

I'm coming up with 4,204 revolutions per minute for a wheel with a 4" diameter.

50 miles/hour * hour/60minutes * Revolution/12.56 inches * 5280 feet/mile * 12 inches/foot.


I think your calculation is revolutions per second unless I'm missing something.

[Micjones]

Talk about great publicity.

I'm sure the manufacturer of that wheelchair will want to cash in on this story.

[Radar Chief]

Rather than dividing by 60, you should be multiplying by 60 here.

Yup, spotted it. And that makes it over 250K RPM's.
That's a bit of a difference.

[Phobia]

Yup, spotted it. And that makes it over 250K RPM's.
That's a bit of a difference.

I wasn't intending to come off as a prick. I figured we've known each other long enough that I didn't have to sugar-coat it.

[Eric]

Thats something no one would have dreamed up.

[Radar Chief]

could a wheelchair handle 70 rpms for 4 miles on a rough asphalt road?


i wouldn't think so


unless it sort of lifted him off the ground when the truck raise up at the higher speed. I suppose he could of been carrying instead of pushed.

70 RPM’s isn’t much, but my calculations weren’t correct.
+250K RPM’s is a shit ton. I’d be amazed if the bearings survived that.

[Radar Chief]

I wasn't intending to come off as a prick. I figured we've known each other long enough that I didn't have to sugar-coat it.

It's cool. You were absolutely right.

[The Franchise]

And the guy's not wearing shoes BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WALK.

That doesn't mean crap. I've met plenty of people who spend their whole lives in wheel chairs....and they wear shoes.

[gblowfish]

I'm envisioning a brand new marketing opportunity and offshoot from NASCAR...

The Wheelchair Push 500!

Now THAT's an extreme sport!

[Mr. Laz]

70 RPM’s isn’t much, but my calculations weren’t correct.
+250K RPM’s is a shit ton. I’d be amazed if the bearings survived that.
all the more reason to think that if this is true then the semi truck lifted the wheel chair off the ground as it gained speed.

wheels on the chair would of simply melted off if it was really being 'pushed' at that high of speed.

[Phobia]

all the more reason to think that if this is true then the semi truck lifted the wheel chair off the ground as it gained speed.

wheels on the chair would of simply melted off if it was really being 'pushed' at that high of speed.
Which is true if we're talking about the $99 wheelchair most of us have seen in our lives. But this is a pretty high end wheelchair with bearings and durability engineered. Naturally, it's not engineered to travel at high speeds on the highway, but those wheels can turn for a while.

Now, it really would take a mathematician to determine how long those wheels would last under the drag conditions, road conditions, chair specs, etc. The guy is incredibly lucky to be alive. Had he been pushed sideways I'm guessing the chair tips and he's roadkill.

[Rain Man]

Show me where I’m wrong then.
4” diameter = 12.56” circumference or the distance it will roll in one revolution.
1 MPH = 88 FPS (Feet Per Second) http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001729.html
or 1056 in inches so 50 MPH = 52800 Inches traveled per second.
52800 / 12.56 (our wheel circumference) =4203.8 revolutions per second.
4203.8 * 60 = 252,228 RPM's.

I see it, never mind.

It's been annoying the heck out of me why our numbers dont' match, and I finally found it. Your reference actually say that 1 MPH = 88 ft/min, not 88 ft/sec, so your figure is 60 times too high. The answer is 4203.8 RPMs.

[Rain Man]

That doesn't mean crap. I've met plenty of people who spend their whole lives in wheel chairs....and they wear shoes.

Yeah, but that's just because they're show horses.

[2112]

How did my thread get turned into a RadarChief/Rainman/Laz/Phobia Physics class?

[listopencil]

I'm not so sure the guy in the wheelchair is wearing shoes. From the pic he could be wearing just socks with little designs on them. I need a higher quality pic of his feet.

[listopencil]

Then again, maybe they took his shoes off because the poop ran down his leg and into them. Seems like his socks would have stains though.

[Rain Man]

How did my thread get turned into a RadarChief/Rainman/Laz/Phobia Physics class?

This is not just about laughing about unfortunate people in wheelchairs stuck to the front of semis. It's also about learning.

Though it's still mostly about laughing about unfortunate people in wheelchairs stuck to the front of semis

[Fat Elvis]

Which is true if we're talking about the $99 wheelchair most of us have seen in our lives. But this is a pretty high end wheelchair with bearings and durability engineered. Naturally, it's not engineered to travel at high speeds on the highway, but those wheels can turn for a while.

Now, it really would take a mathematician to determine how long those wheels would last under the drag conditions, road conditions, chair specs, etc. The guy is incredibly lucky to be alive. Had he been pushed sideways I'm guessing the chair tips and he's roadkill.

That looks to be about a $15K-20K wheelchair. It could probably handle it.

[Radar Chief]

It's been annoying the heck out of me why our numbers dont' match, and I finally found it. Your reference actually say that 1 MPH = 88 ft/min, not 88 ft/sec, so your figure is 60 times too high. The answer is 4203.8 RPMs.

I see, you’re correct.

[Simply Red]

i don't see how that's possible

the wheels on the chair are so much smaller they couldn't turn fast enough to keep up.

They would of been skidding and melting at 50 mph


surely there is a mathematician in the house that can figure out how fast a 4 inch wheel would have to turn to keep up with a 4 foot wheel at 50 mph.
IF IT WAS ON AN AWESOME NETWK. LIKE MSNBC; IT HAS GOT TO BE TRUE!

[Simply Red]

equal to the god damned NY Times/Post in accuracy of reporting.

[Simply Red]

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[greg63]

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LMAO

[rtmike]

I would think his chair would have some sort of govenor since it's a motorized one. I imagine the internals are burned up.

I have a set of Spinergy wheels on mine. Where do I sign up?

[Mr. Laz]

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5 minutes of my life i'll never get back.

[boogblaster]

Hooked a childhood pest on his bike to the back of my car once..60 mph it was still upright...when we slowed down he bailed off and ran off ....

[DMAC]

When asked what he was doing to get himself attached to the semi in the first place, the
man replied, "I was looking for my baseball.......have you seen my baseball?"