Yet another reason to drive safely on the street...

[pavanbabut]

pity for the guy, by the time he realized... its all over and slipped from his hands onto his fate...

Enjoy ur drive, but drive carefully...

-Pavan

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

Please voice your opinion as I really want to hear what others have to say. I am open minded and am not trying to start an argument but merely want to hear what you have to say.

Furthermore I am not saying the companies should be legally held liable for poor decision making of the boy in this topic. I am saying that maybe someone should pick up on this and impliment a speed limiter on models that may cause this mayhem. Just a thought

Tom,

you should pick up a Ford Fiesta - 230hp SVX's can reach unsafe speeds.

i'll stick with fast and fun cars.

oh, and IBSRT4isfastAr

[robyo23]

Originally Posted by crazyhorse

IMHO I believe there needs to be a better driver's education system in place in the USA. Here in the us, a person can literally get their license with ZERO experience behind the wheel, except for the driving test. A lot of the wrecks involving teens & Hi-Po cars are a lack of experience, and parents with more money than brains. Who gives their teenager, no matter how responsible, a top line performance car as their first car? The SRT/4 is a competent car in all respects, in the right hands it COULD hand a stock SVX it's hat. As could a stock WRX STI.

I'm not aware of every State law in regards to driving licenses, or even the legal driving age in most states. I am from Ontario (Canada not California) and we do have somewhat of the system you describded.

You can get a beginners license at 16. This means you MUST AT ALL TIMES drive with a person who has had thier Experienced License for more than 4 years. You also cannot drive on highway's or roads over 55mph(90km). This is a written test.

After a Year with beginners license you can get your secondary license - which allows you to drive alone on any road. You must have a ZERO blood alcohal level, and after 12:00am you are only allowed ONE passenger under the age of 19. You must pass an in car test with an examiner to get this license

After another year, and another in car test, you get your Full license.

Perfect system? No, nothing is, it' opinionated. But I beleive it is better than write a test and drive wherever with whomever.

Just sharing some cross boarder info.
Rob

[NikFu S.]

I think it stands to reason that for the majority of people 4 to 5 years of driving in every climate are required to become a truly good driver. The age limits and waiting periods are almost totally arbitrarily picked and full liscenses are handed out like candy to people whom cannot resist to abuse them.

I got my learners permit and first car at 14 and it's not until about 7 or 8 years after that I really became adept and threw away childish devices of mind about driving. Even something like tipping my motorcycle (got m class at 16, real DL at 18 with second car) before an intersection for going too fast after getting out of school didn't change my mind about driving recklessly.

There is no substitute for maturity coupled with experience. In the case of this SRT-4 guy, that may not even be maturity but more he was humbled in the face of his own mortality and financial loss.

/random ranting

[Manarius]

I got my license at 16.5 years old and I have yet to have an accident (I'll be 20 in December). I also have driven cars that go plenty fast and have no speeding tickets or any record to speak of. Are you saying then that I am an incapable driver? I would surely hope not. In fact, I'd argue that I'm better than most drivers out there. I rarely drive while talking on my cell phone for more than maybe a minute, I don't drive in the inside lane unless I'm passing, and I don't hold other people up - all the meanwhile avoiding speeding tickets like it's my job.

I don't feel like people like me should be penalized just because of age.

[NikFu S.]

You replying to me? If so, two things. Qualifier "majority of people" in second post regarding maturity. Differentiation between naturally aware and highly responsive drivers in first post. If you are either a mature, solidly law abiding driver, or lucky/highly skilled driver, or a mix of the two, then the rule of experience does not apply quite as much to you.

I also believe I am better than a great majority of people on the road, due to my ability to calmly handle a situation that would cause a normal person to freeze up or panic, but there is always more to know and learn about the physics and cause and effect involved in various siutations and environments. I also believe using a cellular device has little bearing on whether a driver is "good", because some cell users pay attention to the road, others do not. Cell phones are a cop out. Something easy to blame. People may disagree with me on this, but there is no reason one cannot operate an automatic vehicle with one hand. I do it often, without incident, and still maintain better control over my vehicles than most people.

[sicksubie]

Maybe certain cars should be classified as performance cars and require a different license. A license that requires special classes where they learn how to handle power at the wheels.





Now I will play my own devil's advocate. A "performance" license may give some drivers the feeling of invisibility and only increase their self confidence in driving fast

[pavanbabut]

Originally Posted by Landshark

you should pick up a Ford Fiesta - 230hp SVX's can reach unsafe speeds.

i'll stick with fast and fun cars.

oh, and IBSRT4isfastAr

Yeh.... SRT4 is very fast... but very bad in handling... I can be sure and confident while doing 140mph in svx (for example) compared to doing the same in SRT4.

There is a difference between performance car and a fast car and not all cars meet both at the sametime and this makes a huge difference. Anyway thats wht I think in my book .

-Pavan.

[TomsSVX]

Originally Posted by sicksubie

Maybe certain cars should be classified as performance cars and require a different license. A license that requires special classes where they learn how to handle power at the wheels.





Now I will play my own devil's advocate. A "performance" license may give some drivers the feeling of invisibility and only increase their self confidence in driving fast

I sure wish I could be invisible Then I could be a peeping Tom and no one could see me

Tom

[subi-crosser]

Originally Posted by Manarius

I feel bad for the guy that he got injured that badly. I don't think anyone deserves that kind of pain and what not for an accident. However, that doesn't nullify the fact that drove poorly and nearly killed himself and possibly others.

That is WHY the interest in AUTO-X is a GREAT thing!
I have shared a 'corner' with Doctors, Lawyers, Real Estate guys and 'commoners. They ALL sat the same thing to say.....



" I don't drive nearly as 'aggressively' since I started doing this"!!!

We should try to encourage ALL young drivers to 'partake of our sport!

It will give them a 'PLACE' to drive like a nut and SEE just how their 'skills' measure up to the 'old farts'. ( WITHOUT personal injury, damage to the car or a 'MANSLAUGHTER' charge!)


AUTOCROSS, FOREVER!!

[NikFu S.]

Originally Posted by sicksubie

Maybe certain cars should be classified as performance cars and require a different license. A license that requires special classes where they learn how to handle power at the wheels.

Now I will play my own devil's advocate. A "performance" license may give some drivers the feeling of invisibility and only increase their self confidence in driving fast

I agree on both fronts. A performance liscense will keep slow thinkers away from high powered vehicles.
However, the people often attracted to high powered vehicles are speed addicts and adrenaline junkies, so it would have little effect on whom buys what.
It also might instill a sense of "I'm better than you" ego boost in the same type of people likely to drive recklessly and cause an accident.

One solution is to require an extensive auto maintenance and road safety program to obtain such a liscence, maybe combined with rewards for completing the program like discounts for track days, insurance plans, etc.

Offenders would have to lose their perf liscence and be demoted at least temporarily per offense. (:

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by pavanbabut

Yeh.... SRT4 is very fast... but very bad in handling... I can be sure and confident while doing 140mph in svx (for example) compared to doing the same in SRT4.

the SVX gives no clinics on handling - its heavy, has mediocre brakes, skinny tires, and plows around corners.

i felt much more confident in a Porsche at 155mph than i did in the SVX at 115mph - its all relative.

[Speedklix]

Originally Posted by Sean486

Anyone know what song that was?

Believe it or not that is Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
the name of the song is something like "guardian angel"

[pavanbabut]

Originally Posted by Landshark

the SVX gives no clinics on handling - its heavy, has mediocre brakes, skinny tires, and plows around corners.

i felt much more confident in a Porsche at 155mph than i did in the SVX at 115mph - its all relative.

LOL... you are bringing Porsche into discussion which is in totally different league. You cant compare SVX to cars like Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari... . Yes, SVX has its faults, but it feels safe at those speeds compared to SRT4 in the discussion.

-Pavan.

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by pavanbabut

LOL... you are bringing Porsche into discussion which is in totally different league. You cant compare SVX to cars like Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari... . Yes, SVX has its faults, but it feels safe at those speeds compared to SRT4 in the discussion.

-Pavan.

yes, but you're comparing an SVX to an SRT-4 - same difference.

you shouldn't be driving at 140mph anyway.