Death Proof: Adriano de Souza “can’t stop!”

The Brazilian champ won't let nothin' stand in his way!

How much do you believe in your job? Would you do illegal things for it? What about illegally drive in an emergency lane to get there on time? Well then you don’t believe in your job as much as Brazilian champion Adriano de Souza. And I can’t tell the story any better than the Geelong Advertiser so without further ado:

A WORLD surfing champion crashed into a taxi while running late for a heat at this year’s Rip Curl Pro, a court has heard.

Police allege Adriano de Souza was illegally driving in an emergency lane at Bells Beach when he collided with the front of the taxi, which was performing a U-turn.

The incident on Easter Monday this year happened soon before de Souza crashed out of the event during a third-round loss to American Conner Coffin.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday the 31-year-old was in such a rush for the heat that he did not stop and exchange details after the collision.

It is alleged the Brazilian told the taxi driver: “I’m really sorry. I can’t stop.”

De Souza was not in court yesterday and there was no lawyer acting on his behalf.

Instead, the 2015 World Surf League champion sent an email to the court, explaining he was currently in Brazil and that his Australian visa had expired.

De Souza also said he was busy competing in professional surfing events around the world, including an upcoming competition in Bali.

He has been charged by police with careless driving and failing to keep left to the centre of the road.

The court had initially planned to deal with the case as an ex-parte hearing, which would have seen the charges decided without de Souza present.

But after further investigation by the prosecution, it later emerged he could have been following directions given by organisers of the Rip Curl Pro when he crashed.

“At the time of the alleged offending, the pro surfers were given instructions that, if running late, they would be allowed to go on the wrong side of the road … within a designated area. This happened outside that area,” prosecutor Senior Constable Kylie Jane said.

Now that is commitment.

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Lindalovelace
Lindalovelace
8 years ago

Most cars on Australian roads have 5 wheels, thats a fact.

nicky buttonshaw
nicky buttonshaw
8 years ago

ADS is a good fella.
If that was Kelly crashing his car at Bells, he’d still be whinging now about having to pay the excess insurance.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
8 years ago

Like a miracle ? Has Fringe Science discovered a method to combine the super ego of Laird with the humble world champ from the favéla ?

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago

He forgot to mention :
Live in Hawaii
Have lots of money
Make your job surfing
Be born with real good genes for physical shit.

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago

INTERWEB JEBUS BE PRAISED.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
8 years ago

Have ADS and Laird become one article or is there a tech problem With the comments ?

Dooma
Dooma
8 years ago

I like laird

astro
astro
8 years ago

[bleat]
Can we fix Comment links in this brave new layout world ?
I’m wearing out my screen here.
[bleat]

?uzzled
?uzzled
8 years ago

He had to poop.

Strider's Gobble Neck
Strider's Gobble Neck
8 years ago

Can he see over the steering wheel?

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago

It’ll be curious to see how he competes in Oz in the future.
Perhaps from a boat anchored offshore?

Watch closely as either all Australian events are replaced next year or they come up with ‘innovative’ floating locker rooms just outside of territorial waters.

Tomas' silky smooth arms
Tomas' silky smooth arms
8 years ago

Can BeachGrit do an article on CT surfers cars? I’m still trying to work out how Mercedes and Audi busted into the surfing scene. Is surfing really good for their “prestige” brand image? Do real surfers actually drive these cars? I’m so lost. Surfing is confusing..

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
8 years ago

Stab did an entertaining series “Ferrari Boys”, well worth a look if you haven’t seen it!

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
8 years ago

The best was Carwyn Williams driving his car off a small cliff while checking the surf (photo was in Tracks or ASL). I think the quote was “you are not a real surfer until you’ve crashed your car while watching the surf”.

Troy Jackel
Troy Jackel
8 years ago

Surely Wiggs was the taxi driver.

Doobalachy
Doobalachy
8 years ago

So what is the verdict, no more visa of token fine?

Don Stine III
Don Stine III
8 years ago

He should be locked up soon as he sets foot on Australian soil. End of story. Who’s fault was it that he was late? Adriano’s. His responsibility.

small fins
small fins
8 years ago
Reply to  Don Stine III

He should be locked up for getting in a fender bender? Lmao

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago
Reply to  small fins

He’s not of Anglo-Saxon ethnic heritage so he must be extra guilty. Stands to reason. Off with his head!

astro
astro
8 years ago
Reply to  channelbottom

Tara says: He’s male. He’s as guilty as sin.

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago
Reply to  astro

I thought I detected some MPB on his guilty head also!!!
BASTARD.
THROWETH THINE KEY AWAYETH!!!

Gorik Badinskas
Gorik Badinskas
8 years ago
Reply to  Don Stine III

Maybe Rip Curl and the Event Organisers who did a proper shit job of traffic management this year. Not only do you have to pay for the admission, you now have to pay $5 AUD for parking, whereas before it was a gold coin donation (not mandatory)… before someone says I’m a stingy bastard, such measure caused cumulative hold-ups at the 1 point of entry with people fumbling for cash in their cars, parking “officials” fixed on not letting a single car move up until payment finalised and a single lane, non-reversible access… brilliant!

Gorik Badinskas
Gorik Badinskas
8 years ago
Reply to  Don Stine III

We don’t lock up people for fender benders, whereas you seppos shoot some…
So, who’s at fault for your asininity?

surfmom
surfmom
8 years ago

Not expressing opinion, merely pointing out that leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging info can get you a few days in the clink even as a first time offense (although not the norm). Saying “we don’t lock up people for fender benders” is doubly misleading in that, Adrianno’s legal jeopardy is mostly in regards to leaving the scene of an accident and also that Victoria can lock you up for it.

https://www.legalaid.vic.go…

Low wide stinkbug stance
Low wide stinkbug stance
8 years ago
Reply to  Don Stine III

Poor guy will have trouble getting a visa next time he comes to Aus.

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
8 years ago

Really rooting for ADS these days, not the prettiest surfer to watch but is he committed!

J H
J H
8 years ago

ADS is a good dude. Works his ass off. He got into a fender bender…it happens.

janeausten
janeausten
8 years ago

I’ve turned around now, also. I’m convinced he’s worked on his style as well, much easier to watch than he used to be, well done you, AdS.

J H
J H
8 years ago

I believe ADS when he says he’s truly sorry.

Now about John John’s knee…

Otto
Otto
8 years ago

“happened soon before de Souza crashed out of the event during a third-round loss…”.
I think we should no longer use the term “eliminated” in round ___, but from this moment forward use the far superior “crashed out of the event” in round ___.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
8 years ago
Reply to  Otto

Not surprising he crashed out of the event when he realized the taxi driver he collided with was none other than Travis Bickle .

channelbottom
channelbottom
8 years ago
Reply to  Otto

“… must’ve been a taxi in that tube, Potts, because he hasn’t emerged.”

paulo de tarso
paulo de tarso
8 years ago

Bullshit!
Australia doesn’t exists!
Heres the proof:

https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
8 years ago
Reply to  paulo de tarso

Funnily enough when the British arrived they said the same thing about the indigenous population when they declared the island continent « Terre Nullius « . EDDIE MABO WOULD GO all the way to the High Court of Australia which decided in his favour in 1992 that his people ( the MER PEOPLE ) had owned their land prior to the annexation by Queensland.

Poop Stance
Poop Stance
8 years ago

Damn, so Brazilians drive just like they surf?

Gorik Badinskas
Gorik Badinskas
8 years ago
Reply to  Poop Stance

Hmmm… Ayrton Senna?
Guess they do.

Poop Stance
Poop Stance
8 years ago

Well played, sir.

Seas Nail
Seas Nail
8 years ago

Not sure if that’s the best example considering how he died?

The Bitchy Crab
The Bitchy Crab
8 years ago
Reply to  Seas Nail

Mechanical failture was the supposed cause, no? “On-board footage showed his Williams-Renault seeming to snap to the right while he negotiated the left-hand Tamburello corner. He was not able to significantly adjust the angle of impact and hit the wall almost head on. In this respect, and based only on a superficial viewing, it looks more like a mechanical failure than driver error. Senna was by no means beyond mistakes, but this was a strange accident for a man of his vast experience, and one in which the car appeared to behave unusually.”

Poop Stance
Poop Stance
8 years ago

Oh that’s just great, we’ve cursed him. I’ll feel guilty for life if ADS breaks a fin and dies from his surfboard. Probably a windfall for WSL viewer ratings though.

Seas Nail
Seas Nail
8 years ago

Illuminati confirmed?

Jimmy the Saint
Jimmy the Saint
8 years ago

From what I gathered it was a succession of unfortunate events, there was a bump in tamburello corner that the drivers had complained about before the accident. At the beginning of the race there was a big accident with JJ Letho and someone else, I can’t recall, and for the first time ever they brought out a safety car. The safety car drove too slowly around the track, the tyres of the race cars cooled down and hence contracted in diameter, once the safety car pulled in in Senna was free to speed off. As he was the lead car, he was the first into tamburello at speed, when his car hit the bump in the corner the car bottomed out, and unfortunately his car left the track!

paulo de tarso
paulo de tarso
8 years ago

Not forget the steering bar… it had been soldered to make adjustments … and another joint hypothesis, is the break of the steering bar in the middle of the Tamburello

Dooma
Dooma
8 years ago
Reply to  Poop Stance

How is this laird artcicle related to Adrianos driving?


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