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'Why isn't he stopping?' Mini driver describes being pushed sideways by dump truck

Yesterday, a video out of Toronto made the rounds on social media. It was scary to watch, as a dump truck pushed a Mini sideways a half-kilometer (third of a mile). But there were no details about why this accident happened or who was involved. Today, we know more:   This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Courtenay Erhardt, 26, is a nurse who was driving her Mini to a coronavirus vaccination site to administer shots to homeless people. She says she was waiting at a stoplight before heading up an onramp. “I was in front of him at that stoplight. We were both trying to get onto the Gardiner (Expressway)," she told the Toronto Star, which has a photo of Erhardt and a close-up look at the Mini stuck to the Kenworth's bumper. "He hit me from behind when we were merging." "[The dump truck] just sort of bumped my back rear-end and unfortunately I went sideways and the truck just continued to go up the ramp," Erhardt told CTV News Toronto. "I just remember holding my horn and my steering wheel and just screaming. Just like bawling and screaming. I honestly didn't know if my Mini was going to flip, or veer out into oncoming traffic on the Gardiner," she said. "I just remember thinking, 'Why isn't he stopping? Why is he still going?'" A couple in another car behind the truck saw smoke coming off the truck and knew something was wrong, Erhardt said. They pulled up alongside her, saw what was going on, then pulled ahead of the truck and forced it to stop. They called 911 and helped Erhardt escape her car. The truck driver, Erhardt said, emerged. “He said, ‘I didnÂ’t see youÂ’ and asked me not to call the cops. He asked if he could pay for the damages. He was young.” He has been charged with several offenses, Toronto police said.  Police Sgt. Murray Campbell released a statement to CTV saying, "Operators of large vehicles do not have the benefit of such lower/smaller vehicles, in their ability to see out of windows in all directions," implying the truck driver couldn't see the small car beneath his hood. Campbell advised motorists to make sure they can see truck drivers so the truck drivers can see them.  Which is good advice. That said, this truck driver surely felt that something was wrong — and heard the sounds that we can hear in the video. Erhardt, though terrified, was not injured. She credits the couple who helped her, along with the Mini Cooper.

Remember that world-record jump crash? Here's every angle, including the human one

While there are those who watch automotive exploits hoping (secretly or otherwise) for a spectacular crash, most of us are happy when everything goes smoothly. But at the end of the day, a daring stunt wouldn't be a daring stunt if there weren't some element of danger. And make no mistake about it, Guerlain Chicherit's recent long-jump record attempt was a daring stunt if ever there was one.
Chicherit, for those unfamiliar, is a French athlete who made the rare transition from "conventional" sports to motor sports. An accomplished professional skier, these days Guerlain drives a specially-prepared Mini Countryman in off-road events like the Dakar Rally and in death-defying stunts. Last year he managed to backflip his Mini and land in the record books, and this past winter he went after Tanner Foust's record by attempting a 360-foot jump at a ski resort in the French Alps. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
Despite several practice jumps at closer distances, the final attempt ended in a massive cartwheel crash in front of the gathered crowds. Several spectators published footage of the crash soon after it happened, but now GoPro has released a more comprehensive compilation showing the lead-up to the event and the jump itself from every angle - inside, outside and away from the vehicle. It's guaranteed to make you cringe, but remember that Guerlain miraculously escaped with minimal injury and will live not only to tell the tale, but likely to take another crack at it. Whether you're the kind to gawk at such a crash or not, the video below is worth watching.

Mini Yours parts-ordering service lets you personalize your car

Mini is stealing a page from more upmarket luxury brands by offering customers the opportunity to add individualized parts starting next year. The Mini Yours Customised service will let owners create and order customized side scuttles, dashboard trim panels, and LED-projected door sills and door projectors that illuminate a welcome design or message or their choosing, all via a configurator on an Online Shop. Customers will be able to choose different colors, patterns, surface finishes, icons, texts and even their own signature into the designs. Imagine customizing your Hardtop to read "Melissa's Mini" or maybe "Willyz Wheelz." The custom parts will be manufactured in Germany using 3D printing and laser etching, then delivered within a few weeks. They can then be installed either by the customer or a Mini dealer. If the vehicle is sold to someone else, the new owner can order new custom designs. Mini says the service will be made available over the course of 2018 "in Europe and other large markets," presumably including the U.S., though Autoblog is seeking clarification on that point. Mini says the move is in keeping with the spirit of individualization the brand is known for. "This unparalleled freedom of design allows customers to transform their Mini into a unique special defined by their personal style and their own creativity," the company said in a release.Related Video: