Man loses €20,000 in cash during convertible test drive

Do-more

Published: 14 May 09 08:15 CET
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090514-19273.html

While test driving a new convertible on Wednesday afternoon a man from Hannover lost some €20,000 – with which he’d planned to purchase the vehicle – becuase it blew away when he simply put it on the backseat.

The 23-year-old from Hannover was “apparently not an experienced convertible driver,” news agency DPA reported. He took the sporty new ride onto the A2 motorway after putting the money in the backseat for safekeeping, then watched in horror as the money fluttered away when he reached a high speed.

The man called police from the German state of Lower Saxony, who closed the A2 in both directions for 30 minutes between Garbsen and Hannover-Herrenhausen to help him search for the airborne cash.

He was only able to find a portion of the initial sum and it remains unclear whether he will still buy a new car.

DDP/DPA/The Local

Anan1

I wonder what was the total cost of closing a section of the A2 for 30 mins?

peasant

I don't think the police closed the motorway for his benefit.

Imagine the havoc a few whirling banknotes could create with people slamming on the brakes, getting out and trying to catch them, etc.

feel sorry for the guy... paying off a loan with nothing to show for it. plus the massive regret of losing it in such a silly way..

-Chris-

That's pretty special...

Graham_B18C

Poor Bastard! Wish I had enough to buy a new A4 Cabrio!

KTRIC

He's an idiot, plain and simple.

KTRIC

KTRIC wrote: »

He's an idiot, plain and simple.

no he's not.. seriously like, that could happen anyone.

Graham_B18C

KTRIC wrote: »

He's an idiot, plain and simple.

Ya gotta feel a lil bit sorry for him, he's only 23 and 20k is a lot of money to anyone!

-Chris-

Deleted User wrote: »

no he's not.. seriously like, that could happen anyone.

It can happen to anyone, but if it happened to me I would consider myself a bit of an idiot.

ki

Must be an idiot
A man in a convertible doesn't look right.(just like a mini)

Drummerboy08

In fairness, its asking for trouble leaving 20 grand lying on the back seat - whether its a convertible, saloon, cash in transit van, or a limo. If he stopped at traffic lights and an opportunist spotted it, he'd have lost it all.

In all fairness, it does take a bit of an idiot to do something like that.

KTRIC

Deleted User wrote: »

no he's not.. seriously like, that could happen anyone.

Only when you're stupid enough to leave loose money on the back seat of a cabrio :rolleyes:

Grahamo999 wrote: »

Ya gotta feel a lil bit sorry for him, he's only 23 and 20k is a lot of money to anyone!

Old enough to have more sense.

-Chris- wrote: »

It can happen to anyone,

As above.


I really , really , really find it hard to have any sympathy for this fool. He obviously has no respect for money and its value.

-Chris-

You were going fine until...

KTRIC wrote: »

He obviously has no respect for money and its value.

...if it was deliberate, I'd agree with you. But you can hardly make this statement based on a simple (and costly) mistake.

KTRIC

KTRIC wrote: »

I really , really , really find it hard to have any sympathy for this fool. He obviously has no respect for money and its value.

i bet he went to the dealer having looked at it before.. was about to take the testdrive and being more excited about the car than being careful with the money, threw it in the back seat.

KTRIC

Deleted User wrote: »

threw it in the back seat.

Loose money !!! On the back seat of a cabrio.

Am I the only sane person here ??

Naos

I'm aware this is all very serious and extremely upsetting for the young man but, LOL!

EPM

He shouldn't be allowed drive if he's that dim. I know how you can get excited about a new car but FFS if I had 20k on me I'd be clinging onto it for dear life

L-M

EPM wrote: »

He shouldn't be allowed drive if he's that dim. I know how you can get excited about a new car but FFS if I had 20k on me I'd be clinging onto it for dear life

+1

Well, at least it's not us. We can laugh.

Do-more

Limerick man wrote: »

+1

Well, at least it's not us. We can laugh.

Sure it could never happen here with the bleedin' summer we get!

puntosporting

Could he not have kept the money in view at least in an envelope or somthing!
Cant believe someone would be so flipant with that kinda money!
Id never leave a tenner on show in my car not to mind 20k!

P.C.

Why would someone go to the bank and withdraw € 20 thousand in cash? :eek:

In this day and age, there are a few better options avalable - Credit Card, Bank Draft, cheque are a few that come to mind.

And then to go and put it on the back seat of a convertable :eek:.

And, some lucky person is going to find the balance of the money - proabaly a 'poor' farmer.

CyberGhost

How does someone just throw 20k on the back seat? I mean, no, really, how do you just toss twenty grand on the back seat and drive off?

I don't drive a convertible, out of the four I only sometimes have one window, half opened when I drive and I never ever put any loose papers/receipts on either back seat or the front seat, how the fock do you just put 20 thousand on the back seat? I'm sorry I just don't get it.

Eoin

The report I read said that he lost 23K and recovered 20K. Also the money was in an envelope in the passenger door pocket, not in the backseat (though an equally strange place to leave it).

cianclarke

<mod snip>

Just report posts please.

</mod snip>

Eoin

ki wrote: »

Must be an idiot
A man in a convertible doesn't look right.(just like a mini)

Save it for a different "all <whatever> drivers are <whatever>" generalisation thread please.

puntosporting

eoin wrote: »

The report I read said that he lost 23K and recovered 20K. Also the money was in an envelope in the passenger door pocket, not in the backseat (though an equally strange place to leave it).

This does not sound as ridiculous maybe it was someone trying to tell him he needs to buy an s4 instead:P

Muckie

:eek: Feckin nutter! expensive lesson, for carrying large sums of money

always zip up the duffel bag,or close the brief case :P

Alun

P.C. wrote: »

Why would someone go to the bank and withdraw € 20 thousand in cash? :eek:

In this day and age, there are a few better options avalable - Credit Card, Bank Draft, cheque are a few that come to mind.

This is Germany remember, where cash is king and credit cards are still viewed with some suspicion. There's no such thing as cheques there either any more or in many other countries for that matter, and probably not bank drafts either (I'd never heard of such a thing until I moved here).

Matt Simis

Alun wrote: »

This is Germany remember, where cash is king and credit cards are still viewed with some suspicion. There's no such thing as cheques there either any more or in many other countries for that matter, and probably not bank drafts either (I'd never heard of such a thing until I moved here).

Is that not changed a lot now? Seems so backward..

DarkJager

Its like the car was saying "You can't have me"

partyatmygaff

DarkJager wrote: »

Its like the car was saying "You can't have me"

Audi's have a built in "Muppet Screening" system in all their cars.
:pac:


Now seriously though, I dont really blame the guy all that much but hes still a bit dim, If I was out to get a brand new A4 Cabrio (At 20k who could say no?, 40k in this damn country:rolleyes:) I would be definitley excited but I would not be clumsy enough to leave money in the passenger door. I would be keeping it in my pocket etc and would check on it every 10 seconds :rolleyes:


Shame really, He's either been saving that for the majority of his working life or he got a loan with nothing to show for it.

Atleast next time he can save up and buy an RS4 Cabrio
http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/Y/E/1/ag_08rs4cabrio_frtrt_td.jpg

Oh...... Yes

VolvoMan

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Now seriously though, I dont really blame the guy all that much but hes still a bit dim, If I was out to get a brand new A4 Cabrio (At 20k who could say no?, 40k in this damn country:rolleyes:) I would be definitley excited but I would not be clumsy enough to leave money in the passenger door. I would be keeping it in my pocket etc and would check on it every 10 seconds :rolleyes:

It obviously wasn't a brand new car. As well as not even being the facelift model, the A4 Cabriolet isn't in production anymore.

-Chris-

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Audi's have a built in "Muppet Screening" system in all their cars.
:pac:

I'm waiting for the responses to flood in for this one... :p