Legoland951

Driver's license testing should be made much more tougher. I look at the skills of a teenager (including myself when I first started) and often think if they got their driver's license from a cracker jack box. Anything a person has to work hard to earn makes them respect and value it more, even to a teenager. I agree with k27 that the number of crashes will decrease.

T.Asay44

I'll add to what some of you have already said, that usually when a teen buys their own car they have more respect for it. It's true for me, I'm only 17 and paid for every cent of my car which is one reason why my friends never see me racing any of their mustangs or civics on the street.

I will also say that my dad has set some pretty strict guidelines for my driving. He always tells me that if I want to push a car to its limits the only place for that is the track. So to keep me away from that temptation on the streets he allowed me to get my SCCA racing license when I turned 16. Not only is it more fun racing together, but he also knows he'll be getting his kid back in one piece with no tickets every night.

Legoland951

You got a cool dad.

Luke

i guess i'm just an old soul

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by adrial:
<strong>POS first, then move up.
I'm 19. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Funny, iwent the other way

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by adrial:
[QB]
Yes there's plenty that didn't wreck their first car, but there's WAY more that have...myself included.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Well we all know what a crappy driver you are <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Waterguy

Training helps, but teens (and old farts) will always get into accidents.

I saw some pictures of the wreck. The Mustang got sideways in the left lane and was broadsided by the Firebird. The car ripped in half behind the front seats and ejected all four passengers.

It seems like there have been a couple of other single vehicle accidents around here where Mustang V8s have been ripped in half. The Mustang seems to be a high powered car that offers little in the way of crash survivability. Not a good combination.

Mind you, I survived doing stupid things on motorcycles in my youth, so luck also enters into it. I like having a Porsche wrapped around me now, though.

Peckster

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Waterguy:
<strong>
Mind you, I survived doing stupid things on motorcycles in my youth, so luck also enters into it. I like having a Porsche wrapped around me now, though.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I agree, but I think I'm still more careful on a bike, because you pay more for your mistakes.

In Japan and Britain, they have graduated licenses for bikes where you're restricted to certain cc levels depending on your experience.

UDPride

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by K27:
<strong>Why do we even bother training our brain surgeons then??</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">First, they pay for the schooling so they pay for it. Second, they are doing it for their own personal success (in other words saving people and making six figures). More drivers classes a) costs money like med school but unlike med school b) you do not get paid six figures to drive to and from Krogers.

If you want to take it further, most people in med school have some brain matter up top. Most people with a driver's license have no idea Canada and Mexico border the USA. So teaching from the scripture to med school students will sink in much easier. Yet many people with a drivers license have a 3rd grade reading level.

Im just not convinced more classes will solve anything. Kids are too smart. They will play along and score 97% on everything, then on the weekend they will still do 95mph like a moron just so Little Suzie gets impressed and feels like shes with a real man. As much as I would like, I dont think we can ultimately legislate stupidity.

I feel like the driving age should be something like 21 at the very least. Most of the people I knew in HS who drove a car were a total utter danger to society. Im omitting myself of course, but then again, how dangerous can you be with a 1988 Suzuki Samauri outfitted with a 55hp glorified lawnmower engine under the hood.

Best thing we can do to cut down on young morons and bad driving habits is to keep our kids away from other young morons with bad driving habits. I was never allowed to get a ride from anyone my parents didnt verbally approve of. Theyd spy through the window and see if they tore *** up the street as they picked me up. If they did, they were blacklisted. Also I was also never allowed to take more than one other person in my car (ok nobody would want to sit in the back of a Samauri anyway) so I wouldnt have a car full of people to distract me from driving.

Back then I said, "Why me God?" but now Im the one thanking them. <img border="0" alt="[byebye]" title="" src="graemlins/wave.gif" />

IMB951

I'm 16, and I'll have to say that I did not pay for my 944, although I was completely willing to. I had some money saved last year when my Dad went to Hershey and found my car and couldn't pass up the great deal. I have put the rest of all the money (after a cam-chain tensioner replacement and wheels) into my car myself, including 975$ insurance I'll be paying every 6 months. I have just recently just done an autocross school which taught me soooo much on how to control my car. I plan on doing many more. I also agree that 944's do have enough power to get anyone in trouble. They have much better brakes and handling than they do horsepower. I also think they are just as safe as most other cars on the road. It's also a noticable car. I've had two cops follow me this week most likely because they want to catch me speed or do something wrong. I get pretty scared when I go too fast on public roads. I can't enjoy it when I'm risking so much. On another note, I really wish PCA would lower their DE age down from 18 to 16...I really want to do one, ESPECIALLY now since they're running at Barber Motorsports Park. I heard SCCA's age is 16, but the SCCA guys around here are pretty crazy... <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />
I'm done.

<img border="0" alt="[icon107]" title="" src="graemlins/icon107.gif" />

Legoland951

Incentive for medical school = 6 figures. Incentive for better drivers = priceless (considering its your life the surgeon wont have to seav)

Legoland951

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UDPride:
[QB][QUOTE]Originally posted by K27:
[qb]
If you want to take it further, most people in med school have some brain matter up top. Most people with a driver's license have no idea Canada and Mexico border the USA. So teaching from the scripture to med school students will sink in much easier. Yet many people with a drivers license have a 3rd grade reading level.

The extra testing is to make sure they have some brain matter.

Fishey

There is an easy soulution to this... Everyone should be forced to own a 1988-1993 volvo 240DL
114hp and its indestuctable (well not really its just the safest car on the road....) anyways if that were to happen no one would want to race because the car would be to slow.... Oh lol I am compleatly Joking (so don't take any of this seriously.)

Patricia

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Fishey:
<strong>There is an easy soulution to this... Everyone should be forced to own a 1988-1993 volvo 240DL
114hp and its indestuctable (well not really its just the safest car on the road....) anyways if that were to happen no one would want to race because the car would be to slow.... Oh lol I am compleatly Joking (so don't take any of this seriously.)</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

except, it's not totally a joke. I had an '80 Volvo 240DL wagon - a real tank (just what you want to haul babies around in, then the scouts, the soccer team, etc.). But with a 4 speed, it wasn't as bad as you think! When my oldest turned 16, it became his car. He drove it for several years, but when car was 16 years old, with 120+ miles on it, some idiot who was speeding ran a stop sign in the rain and hit him. Thank goodness he was driving that tank! The car was totaled, but no one was hurt. I think it was a perfect first car.

Pat

kingsspot

It is a laugh how easy getting a DL is here in Utah. The kids running the DMV counter will flat out give the answers. Especially if you can't READ!!! Automobiles are weapons. I will stand by that statement until I die. It is shocking how little respect is given to our cars (even those not Porsche). I would just prefer to not give my daughter a loaded weapon until she has matured and can handle a large responsibility like that. Hopefully she won't be 25 y/o when I hand her my keys.
I would whole heartedly support moving the drivers age to 21.

Dead - 951

My first car,,, 79 Olds Custom Cruiser. Picture this...

Fake woody,

Pea green,

Beat up front end,

Green vinyl interior.

403 big block.. Yea!!!!

My dad's reasoning was that if I got into an accident, I would win. He was right.... Three times. I'm Glad those days are behind me.

ahofam123

I am only 18 and although I have the maturity to drive, the majority of the teens out there do not. The people at the DMV are idiots who don't even know the laws concerning the lisences that they are handing out. My school is filled with terrible drivers who embarrass me as a teenager and as a classmate. With all of the GPS systems that are on the market, new cars should be required to have them installed so that police or other personnel can remotely monitor the speed and driving conditions of high risk drivers. Even though we do not have this at the moment, it would be a big improvement if the police were stationed around schools or other popular teen hangouts. Lastly, the consequences for wreckless driving are too lenient. There are several kids at my school that have had DUIs and are still driving. After the first at fault accident, I feel that the lisence should be revoked immediately for at least a year. I am also largely in favor of a higher tax on teenager's cars that is proportionate to the horsepower or value of the car. I feel that this would keep many of the parents from giving their kids a brand new, dangerous sports cars.