Power NOT a factor with young drivers

[Sarumatix]

Very interesting post indeed! There has been many such studies in the past based on statistics which have revealed all sorts of interesting things, some of which have been acted upon, others of which have been largely ignored. I am reminded of the 80's and the push for seatbelts. All the research into it revealed that seatbelts, SERIOUSLY reduced the likelihood of death, but what did the public get worked up about?? OMG OMG if I have a seatbelt on, it will take longer to get out of the car!! Let's hope this research ends up improving the safety and well being of everyone on the road.

[4door_Sleeper]

On a similar line a story today on the radio listed Ford Festiva and Holden Barina as beeing amongst the most dangerous cars on the road (partly due to their light weight) but listed the larger family cars as beeing safer. The comment was then made that there were other surprize safe cars such as skylines.

At last some good press about an import, even if it was a bit of an off the cuff comment by the reporter.

[The_Paladin]

that report could be interpreted to read that 4WD's would be the ideal choice for young drivers as they have the highest mass of all the road going cars..............

i dont think there should be power restrictions though. just tougher penalties and more driver training. if you act like a farkwit on the road you should loose your licence and people who reaply for a licence should have to take the P's test again...........

[racsov500]

pentae- :werd:

I am building up a c210 to use as my first car. do you think, after hours and hours of work, all my money, which took hours and hours to earn on piss all wage...do you think I am going to go and fang it around a corner in the wet the day its finished? Even after the honeymoon period id over, do you think ill go out and thrash it?

NO

[racsov500]

its about time a report came out like this using common sense...

[Ronin 09]

Driver behaviour is more important here than powerful cars.

Younger drivers are often more immature and do not have the complete physiological skill set yet to deal with 'issues' - how many of us when younger would 'go for a drive to let off some steam'? Maturity goes a very long way.

But back on topic of this article... and common sense...

Common sense tells us that a 11 second GTR will get to 'dangerous' speeds more quickly, and is harder to control at the limit, than, say, an EA falcon.

People always 'read' articles the way they want to interpret them, what I'm saying is that you would have to have shit in your eyes not to see that a faster and more powerful car puts an inexperienced driver at greater risk, faster, than a shitter.

At the end of the day, if you are stupid enough to drive any car, be it powerful or not, at high speeds with no experience, feel free to kill yourself - we don't want you on the roads anyway. Sounds harsh, but true. BUT, don't take innocent people with you.

2c

[sindows]

benl: Why is it a good start? The Article has proven that performance of your car has nothing to do with it.

People at a young age with performance cars fall into the following stereotypes:

- Saved up whole life to afford car of dreams

- Built the car themselves or with help

- Worked their ass off or have a huge bank loan to get car

- Mummy and Daddy bought it

The last one is an exception because if the parents have the buying power what parent would want to buy their son/daughter a 'deathtrap'.. in most cases of parents buying cars that i've seen, they have usually forced the son/daughter to drive a close-to-new 4 cyl buzzbox.

I fell into the worked hard and had a loan category back when I was on my P's, as i'm sure many others do. I was one of the only people I knew my age who had a turbo car, let alone fast car. I'm SICK of hearing the following line:

"Back when I was on my P's, I sure am glad I didnt have a fast car, the CRAZY stuff I used to do..."

MOST of the time the person saying this was driving an old crapbox they had no respect or value for, did not built with their own hands, probably a parents hand-me-down car and consequently drove the ringer out of it.

The craziest driving i've ever seen has been in these buzzbox shopping trolleys, or old crap cars, because they aint getting no satisfcation otherwise.

Young people with expensive performance cars are enthusiasts, they are more skilled and generally have respect for what they are driving. They also have a hell of a lot more to lose.

Its despiccably stupid to look at some low life 17 year old with a trashed old commodore doing burnouts in the car park, then deciding therefore all other 17 year olds most not be allowed newer, more high performance cars.

The fact the P Plater banned cars list even exists is unfathomable, and it's fantastic to see Research to back up how stupid our government really is.

I feel you pentae,

I am 17 on my Reds, i currently own an R33 GTS... I have had it for nealry 3 months... Before i had it i owned a Mitsubishi Colt 87 model, big peice...

I drove that car as hard as i could just for the sake of it, yes i sped and drove it hard, because i was under the stereotype that its not powerful and small and shit so i couldnt die easyily...

I then got an R33 GTS and even tho its a non-turbo it goes pritty hard compared to what im use too... It woke me up, as soon as i got in the car, i was responable it was as if the power had got to my head and woke me up as to if i am, how do i say this UNRESPONSABLE, i wil DIE!!!!

So yes, every now and then when the road was empty or i was on the highway i would give it a boot full to see what the car had, but when people were in the car or i was in a highly builtup surburban area i would take it easy and no street drifting.

To conclude my experience, what i am trying to say, is the total opposite of what mightnight said, the smaller less powerfull cars promote speeding and stupid thing more than a Twin turbo GTR, i know when i drove a GTR i was scrared and didnt push too hard...

Yes, im only 17 and i have not had enough experience as many others, but i know how my experiences have bettered me...

Even tho the laws dont affect me, i feel for all the people who wont be on their P's when the law come in....

But on the other hand, having a less powerfuller car to start with was a good thing cause it showed me that i could be quite stupid, but when time came to get in a turbo or V8 car i could say, this car could kill me i will go easy.

Im not sure if i went off the mark on this post, but thats my two cents!

-sindows

[[[d a n n y]]]

people who genreally work hard for there cars dont abuse it as much as people

who have got there car for free or even a gift

seen this alot of cases

R32 GTR's RX-8's EVo's the whole lot of em

whens it's for free they thrash it

[eXc]

note it talked about *fatal or serious* accidents. It doesnt mean that there arent more accidents...

Same as "speed was a contributing factor" cops use this term, but it doesnt mean they were speeding, just means if they were doing 10kph they'd be ok.

Gotta remember media is out to make money...

[ossie_21]

Attatched is said article.

[browny]

IMO what these laws are more about is reducing the temptation to do something stupid.

We as a performance car oriented forum are naturally going to be opposed to something like this, however I can't actually see any negatives for the vast majority of young drivers who can neither afford nor want to drive a 'performance car'.

Maybe all it does is reinforces the idea to P platers that they are inexperienced drivers, which is a good thing is it not?

[scottman]

seen this alot of cases  

R32 GTR's RX-8's EVo's the whole lot of em

whens it's for free they thrash it

So true my mates trash there cars

i like **** that i ain't poping it sideways i know i can

Whatz the point if i crash i paying to fix it and my insurance will go up and i will never get full comp

Turbos r So much Different to NA manly in the wet i have spead a week learning how to drive in the wet stayign outa boost controling it when the arse kicks out

I don't think ppl should just jump into turbos thinking there drift kings or pro drivers i know i am shit so i drive slow so i have heaps of room to brake

Yesterday it slide outa a street a little i got it back with easy Dam rain

then i come to a round about i was still a little pissed about it spining

I didn't look good didn't see a car till it was in front of me

Lucky i was driving slow as i just push on brakes had heaps of room to stop

I am a P plater Just got my reds last week i know i am a shit driver i just doing my best to learn without ****ing up

i have heaps of mate they think there alsome drivers and there not

[browny]

I am a P plater Just got my reds last week i know i am a shit driver i just doing my best to learn without ****ing up  

i have heaps of mate they think there alsome drivers and there not

Actually you have illustrated one thing that concerns me after reading the various discussions on car forums that I frequent. I get this perception that a lot of P platers have the attitude that they are no longer learner drivers as soon as the L plates come off and the P plates go on. Rather the provisional period is just viewed as a token waiting period before a full licence can be obtained. Now IMO a P plater is just a learner that is deemed to have the ability to drive without direct supervision, nothing more.

So scottman, good on you for actually realising that you are still learning!

[racsov500]

I don't think ppl should just jump into turbos thinking there drift kings or pro drivers i know i am shit so i drive slow so i have heaps of room to brake

:werd:

[The_Paladin]

the argument that high powered cars shouldnt be banned for p-platers because small cars etc can reach 160kph is like saying that guns shouldnt be banned because you can kill someone with a baseball bat if you tried. the logic is flawed.

great posts scottman and browny. p platers are just learners. that's how i see myself.

[SuAvE-1]

I know laws are different around australia, but in victoria, where I live, you get your P's at 18 (and how much the wait killed me when NSW could drive at 17). My point is, you are considered an adult when you are 18 (and in some courts, 17). You should be allowed all the rights and freedoms available experience as possible.

If you commit a crimial offence and you are 18 years old, you are looked at just as badly as someone who is older. You are considered to be just as responsible, therefore, if the law acconts us this much responsibility, why believe we are not responsible enough to drive any vehicle we desire?

Everyone on their P's passed their test at one stage or another, and should not be treated different simply because they are inexperienced. It comes down to the driver: if they are going to be stupid in a high performance vehicle, they are going to be stupid in a s***box.

I'm not entriely clear what the objective or motivation for this law comes from, i believe it is to contribute to the overall effort of reducing death on our roads. Given this, there are many better laws that could be introduced. If everyone had to pass a mandatory advanced driver course, our roads could be a lot safer.

[Raikkonen]

Nicely put Pentae....people who spend more on their cars do respect them a hellova lot more

Don't get me wrong I totally agree with the article......but driving too slow, too fast or not knowing how to put the left indicator on and pull over is inexperienced road driving and badly mannered I think

Kimi Raikkenon was the youngest ever F1 race driver at 22 (I think he was). I know thats racing and should be off the streets, but he would "classed" as inexperienced on the roads along with the rest of us

You better believe it

[browny]

If you commit a crimial offence and you are 18 years old, you are looked at just as badly as someone who is older. You are considered to be just as responsible, therefore, if the law acconts us this much responsibility, why believe we are not responsible enough to drive any vehicle we desire?

So are you saying that driving skills are only age related?

It comes down to the driver: if they are going to be stupid in a high performance vehicle, they are going to be stupid in a s***box.

I'm not convinced about this one. You CAN be stupid in any car, correct. Whether there is the same temptation to be stupid in something underpowered and boring I am not sure. But yes, it all comes down to the driver.

Woops accidentally hit the post button.

I'm not entriely clear what the objective or motivation for this law comes from, i believe it is to contribute to the overall effort of reducing death on our roads.

Response to a media beat up.

[racsov500]

I'm not convinced about this one. You CAN be stupid in any car, correct. Whether there is the same temptation to be stupid in something underpowered and boring I am not sure. But yes, it all comes down to the driver.

maybe so, but if you have a little old corolla that you bought for $1000, and it didn't really mean anything if you wrote it off, wouldn't you thrash it to bits? Ive got friends who do..

I still think that if you have worked your ass of for years so you could buy a r33 ect, i think you would be rather protective of it. maybe not, but its a bit different if the car was given to you. you didn't have to work so hard for it so you may not appreciate it as much. still, i think most people hwo have been given their cars on this forum would appreciate it, as an entheusiast..

yes in the end, it comes down to the induvidual.

[wishaw]

I feel that if they want to try and get rid of the stupid drivers then they need to be resitricting the raods to people who earn the privilage. I don't know about the other states but the learners test is a joke. It's a waste of time and money and doesn't really test your knowlegde of the rules. Then there is people who fail this test 8 or 9 times and don't give a stuff about it. I believe that before you can get into a car by ourselves we need to learn how to contol the car in the first place.

With regards to being given a car as opposed to earning a car i think that unless you earn it you will have no respect for it. If you don't respect the car then why would you get if it gets smashed up.

Powerful cars have nothing to do with crashes. I know someone who has been 190km/h in a hyundai getz. power has nothing to do with it. What you do with the power and how you use it does.

Overall the government needs to find a better way to stop the idiots from getting onto the road instead of trying to control them once they are on the road.