Google driver flees after Street View car crashes

A Google Street View car managed to crash into three other vehicles whilst out snapping pictures on the streets of Jakarta last weekend. The Google logo-emblazoned Subaru hatchback was driving through the outskirts of Indonesia's capital when it hit one of the city’s ubiquitous public minibuses, according to AFP. After …

[Antonymous Coward]

Wot no editor?

A Google Street View car [driver] managed to crash into three other vehicles whilst out snapping pictures on the streets of Jakarta last weekend.

The Google logo-emblazoned Subaru hatchback was [being driven] through the outskirts of Indonesia's capital when it hit one of the city’s ubiquitous public minibuses, according to AFP.

Please El Reg...

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you ever driven through downtown Jakarta?

Take you life into your own hands.... Though why he ran away was a mystery, unless, which is quite probable, he was threatened with a firearm or machete. Which is actually quite likely.

[Gray Ham]

A certain amount of sympathy for the guy ... for one thing, it's more or less impossible to drive around Greater Jakarta *without* hitting something ... plus, driving a car with the logo of US company, it's likely that the other parties were trying to extract a *lot* more than 200k from him, regardless of who was in fact at fault for the original prang. It's likely that the police wanted their cut as well ...

[Rampant Spaniel]

Very true. I also believe it will be cheaper for me to ship my motorbike over there for it's next major service then it will be to take it to the local stealership, probably higher quality work there as well.

I realise $11 is a lot there, but damn thats cheap!

I feel for the guy, but honestly, doing a runner in a vehicle with 360 degree camera coverage?

[raving angry loony]

Sounds about right.

This is a typical megacorp. They were probably paying the outsourced driver 1 quid a week, and also holding him responsible for any mishaps. "Do no evil" is just a marketing slogan, not an indication that they'll be any less evil than any other megacorp.

Not to mention that driving around with a target on your back that says "Hi, I'm from a rich company that can pay a lot if we're in an accident" is just asking for it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sounds about right.

Upvoted for the (remarkably apropos) moniker.

[jake]

Re: Sounds about right.

"They were probably paying the outsourced driver 1 quid a week"

Uh ... A car accident costing 11 quid (local) in damage caused the perp to bail?

The perp was probably being paid more like tuppence per week.

Do no evil. Avoid the gootards at all costs.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sounds about right.

This is a typical megacorp.

You'd think this particular megacorp would buy some insurance for their cars. If only there was some kind of online service where they could type "car insurance" into a little box in their browser and get back a list of car insurers. I think it may prove popular.

[Great Bu]

Re: Sounds about right.

I tried the typing 'car insurance' into the box thing, just got back a load of links to videos about car insurance porn.........

On another note, though, for £11 repairs it's almost worth driving to Jakarta next time by car needs work......

[James Delaney]

Re: Sounds about right.

Having just forked out the best part of £650 for some body work I'm wondering how it is that I can pay £650 in the UK for the work or ship it to India and get the work done for the same cost.

For the record, that doesn't include getting it back but still, if I'd needed anything more it might just have been cost effective.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sounds about right.

Quality and cost are not the same thing mate :)

[Parax]

Mob attack?

So looking at the multiple impacts on the windscreen and the smashed rear window I'd suggest there was a certain amount of mob activity involved too.. maybe the driver fled because of fear for his life rather than his money.

[Anonymous Coward]

New: Google crashview

I can see this happen. In some countries they already drive with cameras because of a certain flexibility with the truth by drivers when reporting accidents.

I presume the car's cameras were "accidentally" turned OFF during these events?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: New: Google crashview

Well, the cameras were on, but the evidence was thrown out of court because all the faces were blurred.

[Evil Auditor]

Karma

Don't mess with it.

[Arachnoid]

Smile please...........

Well there will be no shortage of evidence in those cases Watson

[ukgnome]

C'mon ElReg

We haven't had a playmobil reconstruction for a while.....

Reconstruction or it didn't happen!

[heyrick]

Huh?

I'm leaning with those who suggest that there might have been some sort of threat situation. I mean, who is dumb enough to try to escape in a car that tracks your every move...takes regular photos of it...and manages to lose control and hit something else (implying a level of distraction). Hopefully the photos taken will point Google to what happened.