Anton Yelchin (Chekhov from new Star Trek) dies

[Peregrine]

He died Sunday morning due to a freak car accident. This guy was good in the couple of things I had seen him in (new Star Trek movies and Charlie Bartlett) and seemed to be on the cusp of becoming a pretty big star.

Anton Yelchin, Star Trek actor, dies in car accident at age 27 | Film | The Guardian

[stevew]

Oh wow, sounds like a freakish accident.

He was pretty good in Alpha Dog too.

[Vince, Pt. II]

I can only assume that the e-brake failed.

[Peregrine]

Or that he forgot to put on the e-brake.

[stevew]

Some talk that the car he had(Grand Cherokee) was recalled due to a faulty shift mechanism.

[Chief Rum]

This blows. I liked this actor.

[Groundhog]

Horrible story, and a real shitty way to die.

[SackAttack]

The description of how he died made me wonder if maybe the bodachs got him.

(He played the titular role in the Odd Thomas movie; if you've read the books, you'll know what I mean.)

[cartman]

Originally Posted by stevew

Some talk that the car he had(Grand Cherokee) was recalled due to a faulty shift mechanism.

I have a 2015 Grand Cherokee, and there been a lot of discussions on the Jeep forums about the shifter. There indeed is a recall on them, but not for a mechanical issue. The fix is a software update to force the vehicle into Park in certain situations.

The shifter works more like a toggle switch than a gated shifter. You move the stalk forwards or backwards, and it always snaps back into the same position. Evidently people are ignoring the audio and visual clues the car gives if you exit the vehicle and it isn't in park. You can't turn off the engine if the car isn't in park, and there is beeping and a message on the display if you open the car door with the engine running. The ebrake is a mechanical one, so you'd notice if it wasn't engaging. But most people never ever use their parking brakes now that automatics have become so prevalent.

What appears to have happened in this unfortunate situation is that he put the transmission into N instead of P, didn't set the e-brake, and didn't notice the messages when he got out of the car.

[stevew]

I guess they released more reports and he supposedly died pretty quickly. I had feared that he may have anguished in pain for awhile, but it was only a minute or so.

[CU Tiger]

Its funny other communities Im a part of, that are car based, all the talk is around the vehicle recall with few if any even knowing who the actor was.

Apparently the major complaint is a lack of tactile feedback for gear position.

[Grammaticus]

I always use my parking brake.

[molson]

I've never heard to called the "E-brake" until I started reading that on the internet. Must be a regional thing.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by cartman

You can't turn off the engine if the car isn't in park, and there is beeping and a message on the display if you open the car door with the engine running.

Actually you can turn the car off you just can not extract the key or re crank it if its in drive or reverse.

If its in N you can turn it off, extract the key or crank it.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

Actually you can turn the car off you just can not extract the key or re crank it if its in drive or reverse.

If its in N you can turn it off, extract the key or crank it.

There isn't a key on this car. It is a push button start.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by molson

I've never heard to called the "E-brake" until I started reading that on the internet. Must be a regional thing.

Emergency brake? It's a drifting term I think.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by cartman

There isn't a key on this car. It is a push button start.

hrmm..
drove a rental Jeep thing (renegayde) last week and it had the joystick but also had a hard key.

Rental car only option maybe?

[MrBug708]

It's called the parking break out here. I know that it could be called the E-Brake or Emergency Break, but it's like hearing people call soda "Pop". Monsters

[Kodos]

I call it the Emergency Break.

And why can't kids drive stick anymore?

[cartman]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

hrmm..
drove a rental Jeep thing (renegayde) last week and it had the joystick but also had a hard key.

Rental car only option maybe?

It was a Grand Cherokee. I think everything else in the Jeep family has a physical key, not the fob and push button.

[Johnny93g]

It's a shame. I thought he was a excellent actor with a bright future. I enjoyed his work in just about everything i saw him in. Alpha Dog, Fright Night, Hearts in Atlantis, The Beaver to just name a few.