MOTORISTS’ LUCKY ESCAPE.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 January 1919, Page 5

MOTORISTS’ LUCKY ESCAPE.

0 CAR FALLS 500 FEET

Seated in a motor-car dangling over the edge of a precipice, with the momentary prospect of "Doing dashed 10 pieces 500 ft boiow. That was the thrilling experience of Mr. Morris Curotta at Sublime Point,, near the top of Bulli Pass, says an Australian paper.

j “It was the nearest escape 1 ever had, and the nearest I wish to have,” said Mr. Curotta, telling the story. The car, he "said, was prevented from going over immediately by a small nut, ! about lin. in diameter, under the crank [ case. That nut held the car, and cn--1 ablcd him to scramble out.

In company with a number of friends, Mr. Curotta set out for a pleasure trip to the South Coast. They arrived at Sublime Point about two o’clock, and' decided to have lunch. There were a number of other vehicles in the vicinity, and the party was forced to drive past these and leave their car about 6yds from the cliff’s edge. After lunch Mr. Curotta noticed that the car was moving slowly in the direction of the precipice. He rushed over and caught hold of the hand brake, but it woud not catch. It ban been in default a moment prevfously, and had allowed the car to start down the incline.

The car was by this time only two or three feet from the edge, but Mr. Curotta, in his excitement, not rcalis ing the danger, jumped into the drivers scat and applied the foot brake. Before he could pull up, however, the two front wheels were over the edge. It was then that the seriousness of his position came home to him. He immediately jumped out. On examination it was found that the car was held by a small nut and caught in a groove in the rock, only Sin. from the edge of the precipice.

There were a number of other cars at the spot, but np rope of any strength was available for hauling purposes. In a few minutes’ time the car fell headlong over the edge, bounced on a ledge about 10ft down, and then somersaulted to the bottom.