well
 

this is from a teens point of view. I have had my liscense for about six months and i drive the 5.0 with my dad alot. My dad wont let me drive alone until he feels im skilled enough to handle it. I am a responsible teen and smart and i hate rice(hard to fine now adays:D ) but i think that is stupid of him to wreck a great car. just my .02 cents.
mike

Did you every think that maybe us "regular" Joe's (or Bob's as the case may be) are just jealous... the little rich kids didn't get to pick their parents, so it's not really their fault at all. Most of the snot-nosed punks that get nice cars handed to them, get to go to nice Colleges (fully-paid by their parents), then graduate with no student loans, again get a new car from the family for graduating, then get hooked up with a nice job by someone their daddy knows. Many of the people who get everything handed to them don't really appreciate it as much as the guys who worked hard for it - but they still have all the cool stuff nonetheless.

All true but I had rather have my pride and knowledge in my vehicle that I have not only worked hard to buy, but also worked hard to get it where it is. I work at least 40 hours a week and go to school at night. I work on my car when Im not in school or at work. I had much rather do this than call a shop and tell them to build me a car. I had much rather work and make my payments on a truck that is no where near what these kids that were talking about are driving. My parents bought me my first vehicle. It was a 1992 Toro Wheel Horse lawn mower. Dad told me if I wanted to drive when I turned 16 I would work for it. I am so glad he done this. I had much rather have that lawn mower than a new vette to this day.

I know of a person whose daddy just bought him a 2002 Vert Vette about three months ago. Two weeks ago at the track when the Vette owner had his *** handed to him in a grudge race against a 89 gt with a 150 shot and slicks, the father said that the boy couldnt drive. The father drove the car in the next race against the same stang. Same thing again. The Vette is now sportin a 200 shot, slicks and some other goodies that we arent supposed to know about. All paid for by daddy just so this "KID" can beat a well known racer who has several dollars and several hours invested in. These people are stupid and shouldnt be allowed to drive anything but a Yugo. I think part of this is showing off how much money they have also. If Yugo's cost 50 grand and a Vette was 10, I bet every rich kid in the world would have a Yugo.

Brad

I never once blamed the kids, I only stated that there is a vicious (sic) crash course that inexperianced, new drivers need to take before becoming totally cool and confident in high powered cars, respect for its power, and confidence in themselves in handling it.

I totally agree that that stupid ricer movie only fueled the idiot flames of uprofessional, untalented streetracing, but it can't be blamed for every mishap. Did it happen with American Graffitti? I dunno. I wasn't around back then but I saw the same childish driving antics leavin the premeire of Gone in Sixty Seconds.

Pop Culture is very impressionible on teens who are looking for social acceptance and a definition of themselves. The guy who turned me on to Mustangs is rich, but he's a hell of a nice guy, an he works retail while still in graduate school. My good friend and guitarist buddy is a rich kid. The kid only knows what they are accustomed to.. and its not all rich kids, its just certain personality types. I'm mad at the people who put the highpower deathtraps even on the table... !tada! the parents.

Case in point, my lil 13 yr old sister told me that her friend's "daddy" asked her daughter what kinda car she wanted when she turned 16. her answer: a Porsche. His answer: "O.K."

I agree with all of you. My first car was a 79 Mercury Zepher with a under powered straight six(damn I miss that car). I got a lot of experience driving that car.I went to change the angle of the A/C vent when I was going 45 and hit a foot tall concrete median. The car went on 2 wheels for a little bit blew out both left side tires, bent the rims in half, bent and cracked the lower A-arm. Finally the last peice that was ruined my nerves. That scared the schit out of me.

We just had a very bad accident here in Las Vegas due inexperience where 5 kids ages 15 - 17 were seriously hurt and one died. They were heading back to school from their lunch break and were doing an estimated 60mph in a 45mph zone ON A TIGHT TURN lost control, slid more than 200ft, struck a light pole and split the car in half. the car was a mid 80's turbo coupe
17yr old passenger now dead
16yr old had her leg amputated and is in critical condition
15yr old critical condition
15yr fair condition
16yr old(driver) only alive on life support machines.
The worst part of the whole thing is that the driver is 16 has NO license and her parents still let her drive.

I don't blame the kid at all. If my dad asked me if I wanted a brand new Vette I'd say HELL YES! Is my dad going to ask me that? HELL NO! First of all, the $$$ isn't there, and even if it was, my parents are too damn smart for that. My dad taught me how to drive. Not only normal driving techniques, but also techniques that put me on the spot. We'd go out in the country and find an empty highway, and he'd make me do all kinds of things to learn how to correct, but not over-correct, etc. He'd set up cones in the road that I'd have to swerve out of the way of and then regain control. All this was done in a '92 Escort, on a flat road, wide shoulders, and a good surface with no one around. This is why my parents trusted me with my Mustang, besides the fact that I put a ton of money, time, and work into it.