# Car plunges 250 feet, all occupants survive **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 3, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612 "2023-01-03T23:27:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/1 "2023-01-03T23:27:19Z")
Mind-boggling. The car was a Tesla that went off a 250-foot cliff 20 miles south of San Francisco, hit, and flipped several times. The two adults suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the two kids (both in car seats) survived unharmed. The Tesla was not in self-driving mode. No word on the accident’s cause. > **[Tesla plunges 250 feet off a California cliff, all 4 occupants survive | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/03/us/tesla-crash-cliff-california-cec/index.html)** > > Two adults and two children somehow escaped serious injuries after their Tesla plunged off a cliff along California's Pacific Coast Highway and crashed on a rocky beach some 250 feet below. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/2 "2023-01-03T23:32:32Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > The Tesla was not in self-driving mode. It might end up being _positive_ PR for Tesla, if it was driver error that caused the crash. It’s astonishing that they survived. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/3 "2023-01-03T23:59:13Z")
“Firefighters rappelled down the cliff to the car while other first responders watched through binoculars.” 😱 🤯 ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/4 "2023-01-04T00:28:50Z")
I live near there and drive that road quite frequently. It’s a winding road with some spectacular ocean views, so it’s possible the driver was just distracted and missed a curve. Still, it pretty unusual for such an accident to happen there, especially since the tunnel opened about 10 years ago. I got an alert yesterday morning on my phone that the road was closed; now I know why. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/5 "2023-01-04T01:07:05Z")
Note that: > **[Father Deliberately Drove Car Off Cliff, Authorities Say After Dramatic Rescue](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/business/devils-slide-cliff-car-california.html)** > > Dharmesh A. Patel was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and child abuse after his Tesla careened off a treacherous cliff in Northern California with him, his wife and two children inside, the authorities said. I hope they throw the book at him. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/6 "2023-01-04T01:11:57Z")
It’s paywalled - does the article say how they know? It doesn’t seem like an area where there would be surveillance cameras, but I’m guessing that Teslas record a lot of information about the car’s movement. Or maybe one of the victims is conscious? Let’s hope it’s that, grim as the situation is. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/7 "2023-01-04T01:14:29Z")
Some other articles: > **[Driver of Tesla That Went 250 Feet Over Calif. Cliff Arrested for Attempted...](https://people.com/crime/tesla-driver-that-went-over-calif-cliff-charged-for-attempted-murder/)** > > A man behind the wheel of a Tesla that went over an infamous California cliff is being charged with child abuse and attempted murder > **[Man intentionally drove Tesla over Devil’s Slide cliff, CHP says. He will...](https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Man-intentionally-drove-Tesla-over-Devil-s-17692768.php)** > > Investigators believe Dharmesh Arvind Patel of Pasadena crashed the vehicle intentionally. > **[Tesla Driver Who Plunged His Family Off California Cliff Did So on Purpose,...](https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/peninsula/tesla-crash-devils-slide-driver-arrested/3119705/)** > > The driver of a Tesla that went off a cliff at Devil's Slide in San Mateo County has been arrested for attempted murder and child abuse. > **[Devil’s Slide Tesla crash was intentional, driver arrested for attempted...](https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/devils-slide-tesla-crash-was-intentional-driver-arrested-for-attempted-murder-chp/)** > > SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — The driver of a Tesla that crashed off Highway 1 in San Mateo County Monday was arrested for attempted murder and child abuse, California Highway Patrol said… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/8 "2023-01-04T01:45:52Z")
So, is the driver really lucky or really unlucky? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/9 "2023-01-04T01:58:57Z")
Driver: Unlucky. Go to jail. Wife and kids: Lucky. Goodbye to abuser. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/10 "2023-01-04T02:03:28Z")
A car went off the cliff in almost the same place about three years ago and someone caught it on their dashcam. Pretty scary stuff. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/11 "2023-01-04T02:16:02Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A car went off the cliff in almost the same place about three years ago and someone caught it on their dashcam. Pretty scary stuff. - That’s one incredibly strong dashcam. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/12 "2023-01-04T02:21:27Z")
The KRON article says > CHP used a helicopter to repel down the cliff So, they were using magnets? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/13 "2023-01-04T02:29:24Z")
And where was Toonces while all this was going on? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5fvsItXYgzk/maxresdefault.jpg "Toonces the Driving Cat: Driver's Test - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fvsItXYgzk) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/14 "2023-01-04T02:43:11Z")
Tip o’ the hat to those who engineered the passenger restraints and crash cage. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/15 "2023-01-04T02:51:00Z")
Well, that took a dark turn. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/16 "2023-01-04T04:14:01Z")
It seems a lot like that [couple that killed themselves and their adoptive children](https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/06/us/hart-family-crash-inquest-searches/index.html). StG ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/17 "2023-01-04T07:55:19Z")
Still good publicity for Tesla. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/18 "2023-01-04T10:21:43Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Well, that took a dark turn. As did the driver. 🤡 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/19 "2023-01-04T13:07:56Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Still good publicity for Tesla. Are you kidding? They just lost the murder-suicide market! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612/20 "2023-01-04T13:10:18Z")
It’s a dead-end niche. Although you have a customer for life, there’s few, if any, repeat buyers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-plunges-250-feet-all-occupants-survive/977612.md?page=2)