HI Fred
Whilst I agree in principle with what you have said about too much car for
his ability, I found it possible to get into trouble when aged 17 with a
Herald estate car, definitely not the fastest thing on four wheels. Best bit
about it was that the road holding was never at fault as the road holding
never proved less powerful than the engine.
The best thing my Dad ever said to me was it's not how fast it will go that
counts it's how fast it will stop! This has proved its worth on many an
occasion. Most of the road related deaths seem to be in modern small engined
pocket rockets that appear to fall of the road and hit immovable objects,
our local council is talking about a blanket speed limit of thirty or forty
MPH throughout the Island, I don't think this will help as these drivers are
already breaking the limit by many tens of MPH so why would punishing the
rest of us prevent their death or them from killing others? We had one last
week in a Cosworth (I think) went round a bend that I can safely negotiate
at the speed limit (60) and estimate that I could get round with a safety
margin at 80 MPH he fell onto the wrong side of the road and the car (Polo)
with a Mother and two Daughters in coming the other way was hit, and caught
fire, Mother and one Daughter are in the neurological unit and the other
Daughter has had her foot amputated all suffered burns. The driver of the
speeding car suffered only minor injuries. Hopefully the judge will be a
Mother!
Graham.
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Thomas <vafred@erols.com>
To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2000 1:38 AM
Subject: teen driving
>
> Last year, a local 16 year old kid was given as his first car a 5.0
mustang,
> 2 months after he had it, and 1 speeding ticket to his credit, while
> attending his sisters wedding, enjoying a few beers with his family, 25
> miles from home, he takes off with his girl friend also 16, with his 18
year
> old sister driving, he makes them stop, takes the wheel, kills his sister,
> his girl friend became a total cripple with every bone in her body
> destroyed, the family converted the house for her use, then she died. The
16
> year old boy was unhurt, lost his license for 5 years, 500 fine for DWI,
and
> nothing else, not even his parents who helped with the drinks had to
answer,
> 2 lives gone because a 16 year old had way too much car for his ability.
Sad
> story. Teach your kids to drive, just make sure they know they have you to
> answer too on the very first ticket they get, or any trouble involving the
> car, I think they will act accordingly. "FT"
>
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