This is directed to everyone, but with special attention to the teen's and early 20 year olds who read this forum.

I was reading another thread https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...threadid=118808 Where several of the writers were discussing something not related to the topic of the thread, that being speed and youth.

"You know, I hate it how younger people are stereotypes as bad drivers. I know some people who are 16 that could probably teach an older person a thing or two about driving. And second of all there are some younger people who can handle driving a fast car (maturity wise) than some old people can.
" - VTECS2000

"I'm 18 now, and have had my S for over 3 years. Yes, your math is correct, I had an S2000 at 15.) But to assume our young age negates driver skill, is stupid, in every definition of the word. I've been karting since I was 5; I know how to drive. " - alexf20c



The following is coming from a 27 year old trauma nurse who is about to turbo his s2k, so take it for what it's worth.

Driver of high speed accidents: Majority are males under 21.
Injured patients from the accident: All ages and sexes.

First, it is common knowledge that we were all invincable in our youth. Nor did we except the experiences of those before us. We refuse their advies and had to do it on our own.

The inexperience I think which is being discussed here is NOT your ability to navigate the road effeciently. It is your inexperience of when to shut it down, and when not to go, and the other million things that can happen while driving on the street. My grandma can drive a stick, so by ability she can drive an S and she can speed. BUt she knows her limitations, so she won't, and although you are a better driver, it does not make you a safer one. And unfortunately it takes experience to learn your limitations.

One for example at the track no one is going to cut you off when they are leaving a parking lot b/c they see your lights are still far off. They are not expecting you to be doing 100 plus... How do you handle the situation? what if you pull a little too hard to the left to avoide the car, then your car comes out from behind ya, then you pull to the right to get it going straight, the rear comes out again, maybe there's gravle in the road lose the rear again as you try to correct, loop the car into the lanes with coming traffic...

You do not know how you will handle the car until you are in such a situation. Yes the track can help you with corrections and the experience of the basics to counter it, but it WILL also teach you that there is more room for error than on the road. In the above, You do not have the with of a race track to correct the problem. You will not hit a wall. A flag will not come out to slow down and warn others. The cars involved did not have rollcages. Typically drivers on the road are NOT looking as activly a racecar driver making an accident more likely. The people involved did not have on helmets. And the other people on the road did not get into their car today with the same ability (either because it's an SUV, or not a sports car, or they are not as good as you) to "correct" over stears which you can cause them to have from their attempt to avoid an accident. They also did not get in the car with the intent of racing and the knowledge of all the risks which go along with it.

My point here is that if you feel you ARE a great driver, than you are dangerous to us all. Once you stop thinking you can die or cause the death of others by haphasardly doing what you want because you have a badass car, and lose respect for what you are handling, than you are not afraid to keep pushing the envelope. If you go into a turn 5 miles an hour faster every day to see how fast the car can handle, something going to give one day, and it won't be the ground. That is where MY life becomes involved because of "inexperience". The inexperience of when to shut it down. That is what you are hearing on this board.

Further more if you disagree with the above then think of this. You are 18 for example. Do you honestly think you will not be a better driver when you are 27? What will make you a better driver? You can already shift, handle turns... You know HOW to drive by your own admission and practice will not perfect perfection any more than it already is. Where will you improve and how will you improve? By making mistakes and learning from your own experience. Hence why young drivers are inexperienced REAL WOLD DRIVERS. You might have thousands of hours behind a wheel on the track, You might be a gifted 18 year old driver. But you do not have thousands of hours of braking on a narrow tree lined damp road down a hill on a curve to avoid a kid crossing the road. You can only hope that you have enough small "experiences" to prevent the big one.

Like I said, take it for what it's worth. And Becareful.
Don't be a stereotype!
scott

 

Unfortanately, most drivers under 25 are not as good as drivers in their 30s and 40s. That is just a known fact. Other wise the insurance companies wouldn't give us that slick lil break. I am sure there are exceptions to this "stereotype". However, stereotypes exist for a reason. I wouldn't doubt that many of the drivers under 25 on this forum and other forums are better than average. Most of the members are into cars and into driving. You would assume that they are just better by nature. However, I guess when I was 16, I thought I knew it all and each year, I just find out how dumb I was the previous year.

Such is life. Don't be a stereotype.

-Shawn

 

Because all teens are new to the responsibilities and experience of driving, Washington and more than 30 other states, have passed restrictive licensing laws.

Umm..

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PWRMKR
[B]Because all teens are new to the responsibilities and experience of driving, Washington and more than 30 other states, have passed restrictive licensing laws.

 

my 2 cents.
All humans have faults and make errors regardless of age. Younger drivers tend to take more chances, but on the otherhand older drivers tend to pay less attention. In the end taking chances causes more accidents than lack of attention as not paying attention because the chance of an accident is imenent and higher. Add onto that the typical younger driver is driving faster than the average older driver and the accidents will not be unreported fender benders, but uh oh better get maaco accidents.
If you can't enjoy your car however then what's the point of buying it? Might as well sink the money into an investment and buy a cheap econobox. I'm not in favor of license restrictions. Young people are no less capable than older people.
I do wish there was a way of demonstrating exactly the stakes are when people start gambling, but there isn't. Maybe more alternatives to street racing can be provided ...
More tracks, or alternatives to get that testosterone out, like taekwondo or sparring.
I know I need to get off my butt more and it seems like a good deal of people are in the same boat.

 

Great post. Too bad it's gonna fall on deaf ears.