MOTORIST'S LUCKY ESCAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1919, Page 3

MOTORIST'S LUCKY ESCAPE.

CAR FALLS 500 FEET. Seated 111 a inotor-ear dangling over tho edge of a precipice, with the momentary prospect of being dashed to pieces 50Cft. below That was the thrilling experience of Mr Morris Curotta at Sublime Point, near' the top of Bulli Pass, says an Australian paper. 'lt was the nearest escape 1 ever had, and the nearest I wish to have," sa:d Mr Curotta, telling tho story The car, he said, was prevented from going over immediately by a small nut, about iin. in diameter, under the crank case. That nnt held the car, and enabled 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 the car about six yaftls from the cliff's edge. After lunch Mi' Curotta noticed that the car was Moving slowly in the direction of the jjrceip.ee. He rushed over and caught hold of the hand-brake, but it would r.ot catch. It had been in default a moment previously, and had allowed the car* to start 1 down the incline

The ear was by this time only two or three feet from the edge, but Mr Curotta, in liis excitement, not realising the dai l :-'.-'. jumped into the drivers seat ami ', 'jd the foot-brake. Before he co 1 i . 7' il up, the two. front wheels were over J.ie edge. It was then that the seriousness of his position came home to him. He immediately jumped out. On exaination it was found that the car was held by a small nut that had caught in a groove in the rock, only -lin. lrom the edge c.f the precipice. There were a number of other cars at tho spot, but no rope of any strength was available for hauling purposes. In a few minutes' time the car fell headlong over tho edge, bounced on c ledge about ten feet ddwn, and then somersaulted to the bottom