Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
aller à la faute
English translation:
leave the track, or road
French term
United Kingdom
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English
aller à la faute
Sorry, not much context here, as these are the photo captions, but the expression seems to be widely (and exclusively?) used in sites related to rallies, where the misdemeanour/mistake has landed the competitor in trouble...
I'd be very grateful if anyone can tell me specifically what this means. Many thanks!
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Les femmes au Mans 1951. Mme Simon et Betty Haig sur leur Ferrari. Yvonne Simon ****___ ira à la faute ___**** et ensablera leur voiture un long moment.
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| 4 | leave the track, or road |
Sheila Wilson
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| 4 +1 | go off [into the sand] |
Colin Rowe
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| 2 | to make a driving mistake |
mohanv
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Proposed translations
Spain
20 years producing 100% natural English
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: English, French to English
leave the track, or road
Basically, it's to crash out, but not necessarily hitting anything - so sometimes you are able to rejoin the track and continue. In rallying, though, there's often such an uneven surface off the track that re-joining is impossible - something breaks.
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Note added at 50 mins (2008-09-24 11:11:28 GMT)
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Boy killed watching motor rally - This Britain, UK - The Independent
- [ Traduire cette page ]
The accident happened when a Vauxhall Nova left the road during a rally at Bennets ... part in the annual Apex Cheviot Motor Rally, veered out of control. ...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/boy-killed-watch...
ABC Sport - Motor Sport - Bana crashes car in Targa rally
- [ Traduire cette page ]
Hollywood actor Eric Bana has crashed his car in the Targa Tasmania motor rally on Saturday The star of Chopper and Munich left the road on the long winding ...
www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200704/s1903332.htm
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Note added at 55 mins (2008-09-24 11:16:54 GMT)
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And similar write-ups in French:
WRC - Japon, étape 1 : Grönholm à la faute, Loeb 2ème
27 oct 2007 ... Le leader provisoire du Championnat Pilotes Marcus Grönholm (Ford/BFGoodrich) est parti à la faute au cours de la première étape du Rallye ...
www.pitstop.com.fr/ads/art_f1.php3?id_article=11043
eBay.com.my: RALLYE D’IRLANDE RALLYE DE GRANDE BRETAGNE (item ...
- [ Traduire cette page ]
Après le match nul du japon, où MARCUS GRONHOLM et SEABASTIEN LOEB sont allé à la faute de manière éliminatoire, le deux prétendant du titre 2007 se ...
cgi.ebay.com.my/RALLYE-D-IRLANDE-RALLYE-DE-GRANDE-BRETAGNE_...
| Many thanks Sheila! The links I found do seem to suggest that this can be a "recoverable" error, which fits in with your suggestion. |
| neutral |
Colin Rowe
: *sont allé* ... *le deux prétendant* ... Your English references certainly sound more convincing than your French ones!
22 mins
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Is that the only reason for the 'neutral' - do you agree otherwise?
|
to make a driving mistake
| many thanks mohan for the helpful link! I'd tried Wordreference, but with "aller...", which showed nothing... I'm still hoping to find out more specifically what sort of a "mistake" this is |
Germany
Par Excellence Translations
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: German to English, French to English, Italian to English, and 3 more.
go off [into the sand]
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-24 11:40:37 GMT)
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"6 tours avant l'accident fatal de Greg Moore, l'Américain Richie Hearn était allé à la faute au même endroit dans des conditions similaire. (voir photo en bas)"
http://www.formuleusa.com/viewtopic.php?id=159
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-24 11:45:24 GMT)
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"Ce matin, vers 8 h 30, la Peugeot n°8 a, pilotée part Pedro Lamy, est parti en tête à queue. Le pilote portugais *est allé à la faute* à la sortie du virage d'Arnage, mais il a pu repartir sans marquer d'arrêt supplémentaire à son stand. La piste est toujours humide. "
http://www.ouest-france.fr/24-Heures-du-Mans-Audi-en-tete-a-...
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-24 11:48:53 GMT)
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The example from "ouest-france.fr" refers to racing at Le Mans. In this specific case, the error was clearly a recoverable one, as the driver was able to continue driving.
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Note added at 1 hr (2008-09-24 11:53:38 GMT)
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"Schumacher mate Hakkinen, mais pas les démons de Silverstone! ... Quant à Johnny Herbert, il était allé à la faute alors qu'il tentait de résister à Alesi ..."
http://archives.tdg.ch/TG/TG/-/article-1998-07-991/schumache...
Judging by the g-hits, the phrase "aller à la faute" seems to be equally applicable to numerous forms of motor racing (Formula 1, Nascar, motocross, ..., even mountain biking!"
But Mansell *went off into the sand* chasing the Brazilian on lap 10, and Aryton Senna had clinched his 3rd Formula One championship in four years.
Then on lap 68, Schumacher *went off the track* as he went wide onto the grass.
| Many thanks Colin! I take this as an "agree" with Sheila's, with added (and helpful!) links answer |
| err, that word "answer" seems to have got mislaid - but I expect you worked that out already! |
| agree |
Charles Hawtrey (X)
: Often there is a sort of sandpit extension to the track on tight corners to stop cars that run too straight, after brake failure or too much enthusiasm. As did Mansell. Also found on steep hills on roads to stop trucks with brake failure.
3 hrs
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Thanks, Charles! Just like boys, aren't they? Playing with cars and in sandpits!
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Discussion
Otherwise I would say she got into trouble. possibly disqualified?