Can't recall this being posted here earlier, but I don't look at all the old photo postings. This is said to be Cambridge MA, and came from the photos at this link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154369/Crash-bang-wallop-Fascinating-photos-capture-thrills--spills-golden-age-American-motoring.html
An interesting website Chris. Thanks for finding it.
The telephone pole in the above photo surely had to be rotten, to have so little damage done to the model T.
Herb
The telephone pole can't have been much more than 30 years old? - ok, without creosote they may rot faster than that. The accessory bumper must have helped a lot there too.
The windshield isn't broken. Not much of a crash. Is that a bumper, or what?
The pole doesn't look creosoted, does it? It should have had a good coating of .....
Modified Bitumen Roofing Tar
I suspect the car was parked and the pole fell part way onto the car. Lines from the other poles probably are supporting the pole from falling further.
Note there is no damage to the top -- and a sudden stop I believe there would have been more damage to the car. The accessory bumper is pushed more down than back indicating pole fell on the bumper and that the bumper did not impact the pole hard.
Nice starter equipped Ford 1921-22 (note top rest). Nice Distell or similar wheels.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
Is this picture staged? Is that a displaced bumper on the front of the car, or is it a v-shaped ram?
To have jumped the curb, sheared off the pole, and moved it sideways, the feather-light Model T would have wound up on its side in the middle of the street. The car has no sign of stress or trauma.
Looks like the pole was broken off by a truck that hopped the curb and managed to back away. The T was carefully positioned and a photo was snapped, demonstrating the indestructible power of the Ford automobile.
Jim
There looks to be a skid mark from the right rear tire?
I am wondering about the metal grate work on roof of the church next door. I sure would hate to come sliding down that roof and get impaled on it!
Probably to keep snow from sliding down the roof onto passersby.
Good point! Don't think about snow much here in wet-e-gon!
I believe he hit the pole and a piece of it snagged the bumper pulling it out to that V shape as the pole started down.
I think James is on the right track. The car just isn't damaged enough to have sheared off the pole. Look at the left front of the car. The pole is resting on the fender/headlight and they are not damaged. The headlight doesn't even look like it's aim has been disturbed.
It's a neat vintage photo Chris and thanks for posting it. I think it was staged for one reason or another. JMHO.
Lots more Leslie Jones photos can be found at the Boston Public Library.
Here is another one-
In the first picture the pole was on the corner where the T rear end is now.
You can tell by the amount of lean of the pole, it was originally under the top of the pole, except the top has moved back some.
So I would say the T was out of control, the driver hit the brakes and slid into the rotten pole, breaking it off and pushing it forward almost the length of the car.
The T might have been the winner but it was down for the count.