Dave E

It doesn't necessarily have to cost any more here, just adding the number of questions asked on the written exam, say from 10 multiple guess to 50, would require more studying by the applicant, which is basically free.

Kool

Good point Dave but would it solve the problem?

Is a multiple choice test with more questions going to make someone a better driver.

Luis de Prat

I agree that the 944 can get you in trouble. Even when you're not necessarily looking for it. For instance, police tend to scrutinize your driving more when you're in one of these cars, often with unfavorable results for the young driver. Look at Matt Olde's recent post where he and his friend got written up for "street racing," when they were just tooling around town and Matt's tires accidentally chirped while taking a tight corner.

I've had a ridiculous amount of tickets driving 944s in the States. Never because I caused any trouble, but rather because I was suspected of it (i.e. various lame speeding scenarios). Conversely, I've sped countless times in nondescript rental cars for my job and never had any problems in several states. Maybe it was luck. Yeah, maybe.

Here in Europe I drive my 944s exactly the same way I did in the States, if not faster, and I never have any problems. You can't imagine the relief of pushing it a little on the highway and not having the constant paranoia of seeing red and blue lights behind you because you're speeding. Sure, you might get your picture taken in a radar trap and pay a hefty fine, but that's what radar detectors are for.

I have the highest respect for the U.S. traffic and legal system, but I must admit that driving a Porsche in America didn't help my driving record any.

Red 944

Mustangs are cheap and can be made ridiculously fast for little money. Hence the appeal. My heart goes out to those families

UDPride

If you cant afford $20 for a drivers license, how can you afford to drive an automobile and put gas in it. Im not sure I buy that argument.

Im not sure driving schools and all this will help either. The kids will take these courses, pass with flying colors, then 10 minutes after they leave and get their license, will do 105mph down Santa Monica Blvd because they dont give a ****.

Youths by their very nature are immature, boneheaded, yet smart enough to use the system and follow the status quo to eventually get what they want.

I think the best way to avoid tragic accidents like this is to ban stupidity.

Maybe its just me, but I dont like to drive much faster than the speed of traffic (whatever that mph is that day) because JESUS I GET SCARED. The last thing I need in my life is to t-bone some family with kids in the car and wrap them around a telephone pole. I have enough aggravation already.

Another reason I dont use a radar detector. I dont want to know where the cops are. Not knowing builds in a certain caution I must use everywhere I drive.

mouse

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by UDPride:
<strong>
Another reason I dont use a radar detector. I dont want to know where the cops are. Not knowing builds in a certain caution I must use everywhere I drive.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Very, very true.

shortyboy

the thing you said about a teen being protected in a 944 n/a is VERY TRUE.i've lived through a crash with my first 944 n/a.we spun out and fell into a ditch due to some stupid hydroplane(i wasn't driving at the time,my dad was)front end of the car got smashed in(like a vw bug).lucky thing we had some european metal or our legs would of been broken(thats what the cops said too).

its true that a DL is too easy to get,especially if a youngster keeps asking thier parents.here in hawaii,5 people died due to beer and speed.the car crashed into a treee and wraped around it!the worst thing about it was that one of the passengers mothers was following right behind them and saw the whole thing!even worse,there were 2 brothers,when the cops found them they were hugging each other DEAD!just make me tear up to hear about people dying.

adding more questions to the exam would be a plus,but it would be hard to keep teens from speeding on the highway or what not.

944S2NUT

Yah I think our dumbass Premier was DUI in hawaii. Gordon Campbell

iloveporsches

March 14th I lost two friends...

There were four in the car, and the driver was 16. She had just gotten her license a month ago. They were leaving my friend's house, which is on a pretty bad road. It's only wide enough for one car, hilly, and surrounded by trees 1 foot off the road. They were speeding, and not paying attention. From what the police can best tell, they swerved to avoid something, the car skidded sideways, hit a boulder at *very* high speed, flipped up and wrapped around a tree 6 ft in the air. My two friends were killed instantly. The driver and passenger survived, but barely. The driver is most likely paralyzed, and the passenger is still in a comma.

Making the license more expensive/ harder to get really won't change a thing. I might keep a few people off the road, but no matter what, we're going to drive like idiots at some point. Just go drive by a highschool right when school is getting out, and you'll see how bad teen drivers can be. Numerous retards doing burnouts, almost hitting pedestrians, almost hitting other cars, cutting people off, not paying attention...just bad driving in general. I've been hit twice this year in my Lumina. Teens, in general, are inexperienced, inattentive, and feel they are invincible.

That being said, I also feel safer in my 944. I know that it just is better designed than many cars out there and therefore much safer for me and any passengers. Just look at the "944 destroyed by drunk" thread to see how well these cars can take a beating.

I'll also agree that making kids pay for their cars might make them respect the cars more. I've dropped way too much money into my car now to do anything too stupid in it. Many kids at my school have brand news cars that mommy and daddy bought and will replace if they screw up. I remember reading in article in Autoweek a while back where the guy's neighbor's daughter totaled her new Camaro. The father's response? "All teens total their first car!" And then promptly wrote a check for a new car.

Ok, so that sorta turned into an unorganized quasi-rant...oh well. Still got a point across...I think...

944S2NUT

"All teens total their first car!" And then promptly wrote a check for a new car."

That father is one STUPID MAN.

Legoland951

The 944 is fast enough to get you in trouble, just like a geo metro or a yugo and even a amc gremlin. As a matter of fact, anything that can get you to 30mph can get you killed if you do it right. The point is that the 944 has much more safety features (battering ram configuration of engine/torque tube/transmission) for the horsepower/torque than a 5.0 mustang or most of the cars of that era and newer. If you want to detune the car (like what I did with my ex's 88 951S) just adjust the throttle cable so it does not have full throttle or anything close to it. It takes minimum work for very good results and most kids probably wouldn't know any different. It is sad to say but there is no cure for stupidity. I was just lucky to survive my teen years and lots of teens are pretty stupid and full of hormones. I guess darwinism wins this one.

Luke

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 944S2NUT:
<strong>

I wish our government would impose a age to power ratio. What kind of parent buys their kid a 5.0L mustang for their first car. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">EXCUSE ME?????? go suck an egg jerk! I"m sorry that anybody had to be hurt. But it didn't happen because somebody was "too young" to drive a powerful car. It was because they were "too STUPID"

Age has nothing to do w/ stupidity or immaturity.

K27

If you are young and drive a sports car you are more likely to get goaded into racing, they won't usually challenge you if your in a Geo.

To say that it would make no difference if the training was harder and more expensive has got to be the most illogical thing I have ever heard.
How can you honestly believe that more training and the refusal of a DL to a poorly skilled person is not going to make a difference, thats just plain dumb.
Sure crashes will still happen, but I guarantee you will reduce the number dramatically.
Why do we even bother training our brain surgeons then??

Luke

You're all republicans too, aren't you <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

I take an active intrest in watch bad drivers on the road, and profiling them.

I would be willing to bet that ALOT of accidents are caused by more "expirienced" (as they would call themselves) drivers, that are on the telly or EATING AND FEMALE drivers, than younger "inexpirienced" adolecents <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

I'm 19, have had my car for THREE YEARS! . I own 2 cars right now. the P car is my 2nd car.

Ive never hit anyone.... i've been rear ended while I was physically "stopped" at both lights and signs...... both times.... OLDER folks..... republicans <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

adrial

Luke, I wouldn't want a sports car for my first car.

POS first, then move up.

Age isn't the only determinant...but a first car shouldn't be a powerhouse. Yes there's plenty that didn't wreck their first car, but there's WAY more that have...myself included.

I'm 19.

By the way, I agree it should be much harder to get a drivers license than it is now. The current license test in NY is a friggin joke...