Current Date: 28 Aug, 2025
{{entry.title}}

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken-Down Car to Save His Life

A man who became lost in the desert disassembled his broken-down car and turned it into a functional motorcycle, which he used to escape.

Emile Leray, a Frenchman, was driving his Citroen 2CV—a lightweight vehicle similar to the Tata Nano, but with a debut in the 1940s—alone through Morocco in 1993. He was on his way to Tilemsem when Moroccan authorities stopped him and ordered him to turn around due to disturbances in the city of Tan-tan.

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken Down Car to Save His Life 1
Photo Credit Abhishek Saksena / indiatimes.com

Despite turning around, he was determined to get to Tilemsem. He made the decision to avoid Moroccan authorities by going the long way around. He eventually found himself through rural terrain without any roads. He pushed his automobile, which had already become very heavy from the supplies he was taking on his own trip, to the limit in an attempt to escape the forces.

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken Down Car to Save His Life 2
Photo Credit: 2 CV magazine

However, Murphy’s law intervened and the automobile slammed into a stone so hard that the swing-arm and axle were broken. The automobile was standing still. He concluded that the best course of action was to turn the car into a motorcycle and ride it to safety because he was far from civilization and frightened of getting arrested.

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken Down Car to Save His Life 3
Photo Credit Abhishek Saksena / indiatimes.com

He took the body off the automobile and set it up as a temporary tent to work on the motorcycle. The engine and transmission were placed in the middle of the chassis after it was shortened and the wheels were reattached to the ends. This “motorcycleseat “‘s was made from a car’s bumper! He even fastened the car’s license plate to the bike. He had intended to complete all of this work in three days, but it took him twelve.

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken Down Car to Save His Life 4
Photo Credit Abhishek Saksena / indiatimes.com

The astonishing part is that he accomplished this without using any tools. He may have benefited from having electrical training and prior experience traveling in Africa. Still, given the circumstances, this is a success.

Man Trapped in the Sahara Desert Constructs a Bike From His Broken Down Car to Save His Life 5
Photo Credit: 2 CV magazine
Similar Stories
How Being Bugs Bunny Helped This Voice Actor Out of Coma

How Being Bugs Bunny Helped This Voice Actor Out of Coma

Mel Blanc; the voice of Bugs Bunny, had been in a serious car accident that put him in a coma. After many unsuccessful attempts to get him to talk, a doctor asked “Bugs, can you hear me” Mel responded in the voice of bugs bunny, “Whats up, Doc? The doctors used this to lead him out of his coma.

Who invented the three-point seat belt?

Who invented the three-point seat belt?

While employed by Volvo in 1959, Swidish engineer Nils Bohlin created the three-point safety belt. Volvo first had the design patented, but soon as they discovered its importance as a new safety measure, they made the patent open to everyone. Millions of lives were genuinely spared by Volvo’s gift to the world.

Before "The Rock," There Was "Rocky Maivia"

Before "The Rock," There Was "Rocky Maivia"

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s first WWF persona was Rocky Maivia, a face (good guy). The audience rejected him due to his cheesy character, with chants of “Die, Rocky, die!”. After this, he became a heel (villain), referring to himself in the third person as “The Rock” and insulting the audience.

The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes

The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes

Stefano Mariottini was snorkeling off the coast of Monasterace near Riace in 1972 when he noticed a human hand sticking out of the sand and called the police, thinking it was a corpse. It was actually two statues of "Warriors from Riace" - 5th century BC Greek bronze statues.

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed

There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.

China Weather Control on 2008 Olympics with missile

China Weather Control on 2008 Olympics with missile

One thing is certain: when it comes to ensuring nice weather for the world's largest party, the Chinese cannot be accused of being subtle. The Chinese government authorized the use of 1,104 cloud seeding missile launches from 4:00-11:39 p.m. on Friday night to reduce the possibility of rain ahead of the 29th Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing

A U.S. Submarine Collides with a Japanese Fishing Ship in 2001

A U.S. Submarine Collides with a Japanese Fishing Ship in 2001

In 1998, 14-year-old Michael Crowe was charged with the murder of his sister. The police started targeting him after he seemed “distant and preoccupied” when his sister’s body was discovered, and during interrogation, police coercion led him to make a false confession. He was later declared factually innocent and the family won a lawsuit of $7.25 million in 2011.

A little girl survived a 1-hour submersion in freezing creek water

A little girl survived a 1-hour submersion in freezing creek water

On June 10, 1986, two-and-a-half-year-old Michelle Funk fell into an icy creek and was submerged for 66 minutes. When rescuers pulled her out of the water, she was not breathing, had no pulse, and appeared lifeless. The doctors used various techniques to rewarm her blood and bring her back to life. She was successfully resuscitated and went on to lead a healthy life.

'Press Your Luck' Was Hacked in 1984 by an Ice Cream Man

'Press Your Luck' Was Hacked in 1984 by an Ice Cream Man

in 1984 an contestant made it onto the game show Press Your Luck. He discovered using his stop-motion VCR that the presumed random patterns of the game board were not random and memorized the sequences. On the game he was on, he won 45 consecutive spins. winning $110,237 in cash & prizes.

ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time

ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time

The ILOVEYOU Virus, also known as Love Letter for You or Love Bug, had a high infection rate due to its ability to spread itself by copying entries from users' email address books. It is a virus that was created in 2000 by a college student in Manilla, Philippines, and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst computer virus of all time, causing more damage than anything before it.