Teenage Girls With Cars Are More Lethal Than the Atomic Bomb

[carbonmotion]

My 17 year old niece, Nina, was picking me up from the airport in her brand new Ford Mustang GT500. We drive fifteen minutes out side of the airport and she blows a stop sign, slamming some poor bastard at 45 miles per hour right in passenger side door. Nina goes out to talk to some middle aged guy in his bent Nissan. They argue about who's fault it is (clearly hers). She calls her boyfriend to get him to convince the guy that he's at fault (high school football player). She hands middle aged guy the cell phone and quickly the conversation is reduced to profanities. The guy gets his cell phone out to call the cops to settle this. Nina, jumps back in to the car and races away. I was watching up to this point, but now I feel like I have to participate. When we're about a block away, I tell her to stop the car. I drive back, profusely apologized to the middle aged man and we exchange insurance information.

I don't remember being this irresponsible when I was her age. I wonder if its just a case of bad parenting or if its something more.

[mr.stinki]

I think i'll have to go with door Number 1...

[killmoms]

Remind me to never fly into IAD at the same time as you. ;)

[ArmyKnight12]

Jeez, that's pretty bad. You should have driven even though it was her car. I personally think the driving age should be raised to age 18. Sixteen is too early and most of the kids are very immature and take too many risks on the road (ie drag racing, excessive speeding, drinking while driving). Kids don't realize that this isn't a video game. Anyway, I think you did the right thing by driving back. Hope everything turns out ok.

[sammich]

Jeez, that's pretty bad. You should have driven even though it was her car. I personally think the driving age should be raised to age 18. Sixteen is too early and most of the kids are very immature and take too many risks on the road (ie drag racing, excessive speeding, drinking while driving). Kids don't realize that this isn't a video game. Anyway, I think you did the right thing by driving back. Hope everything turns out ok.

Totally agree. Down here is Australia, we aren't allowed to drive 'high performance' cars until we get our full licence (Learners at 16yo (min 1yr) -> Provisional 1 (1yr) -> P2 (2yr) -> Full). So we need to have driven for 4 years until we can drive anything with a turbo (minus diesels), or V8's.

Wow, a brand new GT500, absolutely, wow <drools>.

[killmoms]

Wow, a brand new GT500, absolutely, wow <drools>.

God. This is the part that gets my goat. Teenagers should never be given brand new cars, ever. Teenagers should never be GIVEN cars, PERIOD. If a car is that important to them, they can work for it, and pay for a used car themselves. They'll still be more careful and take better care of it, because they had to put the time into earning it.

[ryannel2003]

I think handing any teenager the keys to a brand new Mustang is a problem in the first place... I was lucky to have a $10k budget on my car, and as soon as I got it was job hunting. There was no joy ride for me.

[abiyng87]

...her brand new Ford Mustang GT500...
...I wonder if its just a case of bad parenting or if its something more.

The truth shall set you free!!!!!

Sounds like a case of too much money and not enough sense to me. Honestly, what were they thinking??? And by they I mean the parents. Hard to blame the kids when the parents are so obviously out in left field...

And on a side note, its not just teenage girls... ;)

[Prof.]

She hit and ran??? Dayum!:eek:

[dukebound85]

I think handing any teenager the keys to a brand new Mustang is a problem in the first place... I was lucky to have a $10k budget on my car, and as soon as I got it was job hunting. There was no joy ride for me.

10k is a nice amount to just be given for a car i think lol

regardless, if i were a parent, the car would be sold once isurance fixed it and she would have to but her own and deal with the rise in insurance

[marykay9507]

The truth shall set you free!!!!!

Sounds like a case of too much money and not enough sense to me. Honestly, what were they thinking??? And by they I mean the parents. Hard to blame the kids when the parents are so obviously out in left field...

And on a side note, its not just teenage girls... ;)


It is definitely not just teenagers either-- I am so sick of people paying more attention to their phone, drinks, etc (basically anything BUT the road) when they are driving-- the kids in my area are extremely spoiled and when you drive past the high school, all you see are Mustangs, BMWs, and large SUV's which they can barely see over the wheel-- very very dangerous, but at least the cops in my town are vigilant about being near the "main drag" n front of the high school when the kids get out to prevent them from racing.

[ryannel2003]

10k is a nice amount to just be given for a car i think lol

regardless, if i were a parent, the car would be sold once isurance fixed it and she would have to but her own and deal with the rise in insurance

Oh I completely agree. My parents were originally going to do it at $5k, and even then I would have been happy.

[quagmire]

Surprised no one has no one has brought this up, but WHAT IS A 17 YEAR OLD TEEN( male or female) DOING IN A GT500!?!?!?! Buying them a GT is bad enough, but a 500 HP car? Wait, does she live in Potomac?

[ryannel2003]

Surprised no one has no one has brought this up, but WHAT IS A 17 YEAR OLD TEEN( male or female) DOING IN A GT500!?!?!?! Buying them a GT is bad enough, but a 500 HP motor. Wait, does she live in Potomac?

It's not as bad as the 18 year old that had a BMW M5 and then killed himself and 4 friends going 160mph and wrapping it around a tree. :eek:

[juanm]

I don't remember being this irresponsible when I was her age. I wonder if its just a case of bad parenting or if its something more.

Yeah, the short answer is that she's spoiled, but in my opinion it's deeper than that. You don't give such car (400+hp!) to some –obviously dumb– kid who doesn't know how to drive (running stops signs) and who's not mature enough to even admit it was her fault.

You obviously did the right thing (although I'd have slapped her before driving back :p).

[quagmire]

It's not as bad as the 18 year old that had a BMW M5 and then killed himself and 4 friends going 160mph and wrapping it around a tree. :eek:

While she didn't kill anyone, both the M5 and GT500 both weigh about the same, both have 500 HP( GT500 has the torque advantage) and does 0-60 in <5 seconds. It is just as bad, but luckily she didn't end up killing them.

[ryannel2003]

While she didn't kill anyone, both the M5 and GT500 both weigh about the same, both have 500 HP( GT500 has the torque advantage) and does 0-60 in <5 seconds. It is just as bad, but luckily she didn't end up killing them.

Yeah true, never thought of that. What does an '08 M5 cost, i'm too lazy to look it up? No kid needs a GT500, let alone a M5.

[quagmire]

Teens shouldn't have anything with more then 252 HP( I only add the two HP because my Aura has 252 HP :p ). They need a car that has enough power to pass and get them out of a sticky situation, but won't cause a situation.

[swmr]

How many of those posts are actually from teenagers. Most of you made generalizations that are not fair. I have plenty of friends who are fantastic drivers, and I have plenty more that I would never let drive me around. Teens can be different, and the type of car they are in has no effect on it. If anything, my friends with nicer cars try harder to not crash them. As far as power, I have a '99 Acura 3.2TL w/ V6 engine that was FREE from my grandparents. 225 HP with 216 foot pounds of torque. Yet I still follow speed limits, stop at stop signs, and I am accident free.

Hopefully your niece has learned a lesson. I was in a serious car accident where we wrapped around a tree. No drinking or drugs, no poor decisions, just a blown out tire and we lost control. Fortunately, all three of us lived. It was a 80's Wrangler with no airbags and it was a miracle that we did not roll that thing over. The driver of that car is still a good friend of mine and he is one of the best drivers I know.

Also, age is not a factor. In CT you cannot get a permit until 16 and a license six months later at the earliest. Most people are 17 before they get it. It comes down to practice and hours on the road, skills with driving, and overall maturity. If you start early enough, a fourteen-year-old could learn to be a better driver than any of the people who belong to these forums. However plenty of my friends still wreck their cars because they are just immature and stupid on the road. I have not lost anybody I know personally, but CT has recently lost 7 high school kids to teen driving...

I guess the point I am trying to make is that the generalizations some of you have made do not apply to all teenage drivers. Your niece obviously made a really bad mistake, and I am in no way trying to defend her, but not all drivers in high school are as bad your her. Who knows, maybe she just missed the stop sign that one time and had a bad day? (Yea right...)

Teens shouldn't have anything with more then 252 HP( I only add the two HP because my Aura has 252 HP :p ). They need a car that has enough power to pass and get them out of a sticky situation, but won't cause a situation.

That is ALOT of horsepower...

maybe if you meant 152? lol in like a honda straight 4 cylinder? As I said above, I have 225 horse in an Acura 3.2 TL and my car will certainly pass when I need it to.

[apsterling]

I'd gladly take a '90 or later Civic. That's all I want/need when I get a car in a few years.

That said, I was nearly run over three times today on my bicycle, once this morning (I was wearing a bright blue shirt, too) when an SUV pulled out and didn't see me. I managed to stop 5 or so feet short. Second was also on the way to school, in the parking lot, I wasn't watching both ways and almost got tapped by a minivan.

Worst one was this afternoon. Some guy was watching a car crash scene and didn't see the light had turned red. I saw, and the guy on the road next to me (thinking I was heading in to the road) honked at me and the light-runner as a warning. Three police saw the guy, too. (Needless to say a patrol car took off after him)

Gotta love teen drivers!

[quagmire]

That is ALOT of horsepower...

maybe if you meant 152? lol in like a honda straight 4 cylinder? As I said above, I have 225 horse in an Acura 3.2 TL and my car will certainly pass when I need it to.

Well the Aura is a Mid Size family sedan. Not exactly designed for speed, but the 252 HP out of the 3.6 V6 is nice. I like the fact I only have to rev to 2000-2500 RPM to get decent acceleration from a stop and not 3000 RPM in 4 bangers. I also like that the 251 lb of torque is made down low( 3200 RPM) so again I don't have to rev high like 4 bangers require. 252 HP in a family sedan won't create a situation, but anything more will start to cause trouble.

[abiyng87]

Teens shouldn't have anything with more then 252 HP( I only add the two HP because my Aura has 252 HP :p ). They need a car that has enough power to pass and get them out of a sticky situation, but won't cause a situation.

If I can get around fine in my Hyundai Elantra 1.8L I-4 on the 405 in Los Angeles California, anyone saying they need more to get out of a "sticky situation" is pulling your leg so hard they should be arrested for assault.

[chrmjenkins]

With all due respect, I think the author needs to talk to his sister/brother about their child. No parent should allow a 17 year old to own that kind of car.

1. If it is handed to them, they have no sense of personal accomplishment or responsibility.

2. Buying them a car that gets that poor gas mileage is setting them up to be poor citizens. No one should get the idea that it's cool to drive something that gets 13 mpg just because their friends will be jealous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

[quagmire]

With all due respect, I think the author needs to talk to his sister/brother about their child. No parent should allow a 17 year old to own that kind of car.

1. If it is handed to them, they have no sense of personal accomplishment or responsibility.

2. Buying them a car that gets that poor gas mileage is setting them up to be poor citizens. No one should get the idea that it's cool to drive something that gets 13 mpg just because their friends will be jealous.

Absolutely ridiculous.

2 is absolutely ridiculous. The rare teen driving a sports car like that is nothing compared to the teens driving all these SUV's. 2 is that a car like that will get them killed and it almost did in this case( and did with the M5).

[ryannel2003]

My car has 135hp, and yet I still manage to speed a little bit. It really depends on the driver though in some situations. I drive my grandpas Impala SS sometimes and do not act like an idiot. It really comes down to how you handle yourself, and some teens can not do that.

[jb60606]

What was the statistic that just came out recently? Something like 1 in 4 teenage girls have at least one STD? Whether she has a car matters not - 1 in 4 teenage girls are irresponsible, ignorant half-wits. The last thing they should be given is a f'in automobile. Especially a fast one like a Mustang GT. Same goes for teenage boys.

[juanm]

You americans... 100hp is more than enough for everything legal! In France most cars have less than (just a wild guess) 140hp with a maximum speed limit of 130kph (80mph, more than most US states, with narrower lanes) and they work fine. Actually, the faster I've driven (I've been a dumb kid too) is 175~180kph (110mph) at the wheel of a Citroen ZX (http://www.citroen-compactes.com/zxeurs/zxeurs/Bertrand/P0004452.jpg) 1.4L (!) with, according to wikipedia, only 75hp (!!) and a manual transmission, and I was still far from the top speed (which I guesstimate at ~200kph/125mph). I'm still surprised by its speed, actually, although I admit that I was going on purpose to Barcelona to pick up my Nikon D2X and with a bicycle, I'd have also got over the speed limit. :D

Apart from the need to move a heavy vehicle, I just don't see the need for a faster (or more powerful) car.

[chrmjenkins]

2 is absolutely ridiculous. The rare teen driving a sports car like that is nothing compared to the teens driving all these SUV's. 2 is that a car like that will get them killed and it almost did in this case( and did with the M5).

Eh, what exactly do you mean? If you are spending your own money and are prepared to pay for the gas (and understand the consequences), then fine. However, if they are handing this car to a girl because she thinks its cool to have a fast car and is ignorant to any other fact than that, then she doesn't need to be driving it on top of all the other reasons stated above.

[quagmire]

Eh, what exactly do you mean? If you are spending your own money and are prepared to pay for the gas (and understand the consequences), then fine. However, if they are handing this car to a girl because she thinks its cool to have a fast car and is ignorant to any other fact than that, then she doesn't need to be driving it on top of all the other reasons stated above.

Sorry I misunderstood. Thought you were going on a Prius-loving eco trip with it. Now I understand. Sorry.

[jb60606]

You americans... 100hp is more than enough for everything legal! In France most cars have less than (just a wild guess) 140hp with a maximum speed limit of 130kph (80mph, more than most US states, with narrower lanes) and they work fine.

Think that has anything to do with how much europeans pay for fuel in comparison to how much we dirty americans pay?

Don't get me wrong though - I'm pretty content with my Saab (166hp). Contrary to what you Europeans think, we don't all drive SUVs and Mustangs.

[amanda kathryn]

Yeah true, never thought of that. What does an '08 M5 cost, i'm too lazy to look it up? No kid needs a GT500, let alone a M5.

the M5 was that kid's father's car. he was all over the BMW forum and said it was his, but once he killed himself it all came out that it was his father's.

my first car was a 1988 VW fox, it had like 80HP. giving a kid the keys to a mustang, M5, whatever, is just a disaster waiting to happen.

[ryannel2003]

the M5 was that kid's father's car. he was all over the BMW forum and said it was his, but once he killed himself it all came out that it was his father's.

my first car was a 1988 VW fox, it had like 80HP. giving a kid the keys to a mustang, M5, whatever, is just a disaster waiting to happen.

Oh yeah I remember that story now. I watched a video about it on YouTube, and was in shock. The parents should have never given him the keys to a 500+ hp car.

It also said he had 4 traffic violations in 2 years. Uh, a red flag?

[juanm]

Think that has anything to do with how much europeans pay for fuel in comparison to how much we dirty americans pay?

Probably, yes, it does hurt! Although lately there's a trend in Spain towards SUVs... Where I live (certainly not a poor district, I reckon) it's like you can only see Cayennes, Rextons and X5s.
"Teen" showoff cars (18+, since you cannot drive before that) around here would be:
Seat Leon
http://www.boerse-online.de/static/bilder/auto/seat_leon/seat_leon_1_bg_040106.jpg

or Opel Astra GTC
http://faimg1.forum-auto.com/mesimages/91697/opel-astra-gtc-4765.jpg

Apart from the gas price, look at the price difference
Entry level Astra GTC (small city "sports" car) MSRP: 17000€ ($26000)
Entry level Ford Mustang (quite a sports car) MSRP: $19500 (12500€)

If the trend in Spain keeps this way (and it'll depend on gas prices) I can see myself importing Mustangs en masse. :D

[amanda kathryn]

Oh yeah I remember that story now. I watched a video about it on YouTube, and was in shock. The parents should have never given him the keys to a 500+ hp car.

It also said he had 4 traffic violations in 2 years. Uh, a red flag?

it was recently, like two months ago maybe? on some private airstrip in florida. i don't know if he actually had permission to take the car or not.

and to whoever said that anything more than 252HP is too much, come on now. my rabbit has 150HP (2.5L I5) and it moves. it's not neck-snapping, but it's plenty of power for day to day. we had an audi TT225R, chipped and up to about 280HP. THAT was excessive, but it was also earned and appreciated, not handed to a child.

kids can do stupid stuff in a car with 80HP or 480HP. i'm not saying i'm perfect, i got my license at 17 and in the first year and a half got three tickets driving my 80HP fox, but i've gotten no more since then. one was for going 42 in a 25 zone, anyone in any car can do that. but a high-powered car is just asking for them to start to show off, and handing it to them means it has no value to them, so they don't care if they hit a pole parking or something.

[jb60606]

Probably, yes, it does hurt! Although lately there's a trend in Spain towards SUVs... Where I live (certainly not a poor district, I reckon) it's like you can only see Cayennes, Rextons and X5s.
"Teen" showoff cars (18+, since you cannot drive before that) around here would be:
Seat Leon
http://www.boerse-online.de/static/bilder/auto/seat_leon/seat_leon_1_bg_040106.jpg

or Opel Astra GTC
http://faimg1.forum-auto.com/mesimages/91697/opel-astra-gtc-4765.jpg

Apart from the gas price, look at the price difference
Entry level Astra GTC (small city "sports" car) MSRP: 17000€ ($26000)
Entry level Ford Mustang (quite a sports car) MSRP: $19500 (12500€)

If the trend in Spain keeps this way (and it'll depend on gas prices) I can see myself importing Mustangs en masse. :D

Don't import Mustangs unless Spaniards only drive in straight lines at high speeds, because that's all the (stock) models are good for. :D

Last time I was in Spain, I rented two Vespas for me and my girl and I couldn't imagine traveling any other way in such a beautiful country...
that plus the fact that I sincerely doubt I could fit a decent sized car down some of the roads. :confused:

[amanda kathryn]

Apart from the gas price, look at the price difference
Entry level Astra GTC (small city "sports" car) MSRP: 17000€ ($26000)
Entry level Ford Mustang (quite a sports car) MSRP: $19500 (12500€)


the saturn astra XR here in the US is only like $18k or so. the entry level five door XE starts at around $15k. the GTC is a trim level the US didn't get.

[juanm]

the saturn astra XR here in the US is only like $18k or so. the entry level five door XE starts at around $15k. the GTC is a trim level the US didn't get.

GTC is the European name for your XR, I think. At least it looks the same to me. :confused:

That would be more than a 40% price difference... (and I even think the engine is smaller here, at least for the entry level) Even worse than when buying a Mac!

[SamIchi]

Jeez, that's pretty bad. You should have driven even though it was her car. I personally think the driving age should be raised to age 18. Sixteen is too early and most of the kids are very immature and take too many risks on the road (ie drag racing, excessive speeding, drinking while driving). Kids don't realize that this isn't a video game. Anyway, I think you did the right thing by driving back. Hope everything turns out ok.


What they should do it raise the driving age to 18 and the drinking age to 16. Seriously, if kids were to experience alcohol earlier on, I don't think they would make such a big deal up to when they are actually 21. 16 with no car, but a 40 in hand :D Kids are going to get alcohol if they want. Grabbing a pair of keys and driving underage is something they would be less likely to do.

[amanda kathryn]

GTC is the European name for your XR, I think. At least it looks the same to me. :confused:

That would be more than a 40% price difference... Even worse than when buying a Mac!

the GTC is a 2.0T, the XR here is the same engine (1.8L) just with sporty looking trim. we didn't get the 2.0T.

[chrmjenkins]

Sorry I misunderstood. Thought you were going on a Prius-loving eco trip with it. Now I understand. Sorry.

Well, I would certainly love if people started realizing that's a better way to go than what we are doing now. However, if I had a choice of whatever car I wanted for free, I'd take a 2.0 liter mitsubishi lancer, so I'm obviously not an ultra tree-hugger :D

[idonotliketostu]

I think its OKAY to generalize teens because statistically speaking, teens get into more accidents that older folk, whether is due to inexperience or immaturity.

[juanm]

Last time I was in Spain, I rented two Vespas for me and my girl and I couldn't imagine traveling any other way in such a beautiful country...that plus the fact that I sincerely doubt I could fit a decent sized car down some of the roads. :confused:
Where were you? I recko that we develop some good skills at driving in narrow streets and roads. :D

the GTC is a 2.0T, the XR here is the same engine (1.8L) just with sporty looking trim. we didn't get the 2.0T.

This link (http://opel.es/action/go?page=astra_gtc_technical&cntryCd=ES&langCd=es&webSiteId=GBPES#2) shows the choice in Astra GTCs in Spain. Starting at... wait for it... 1.4L! And up to a 1.9L Diesel beast! :p

[jb60606]

Where were you? I recko that we develop some good skills at driving in narrow streets and roads. :D


That time, to and around San Sebastian, Bilbao, Pamplona, then up to France.

some streets were more like glorified sidewalks by modern day standards. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[amanda kathryn]

This link (http://opel.es/action/go?page=astra_gtc_technical&cntryCd=ES&langCd=es&webSiteId=GBPES#2) shows the choice in Astra GTCs in Spain. Starting at... wait for it... 1.4L! And up to a 1.9L Diesel beast! :p

hmm, must vary around europe i guess.

from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Astra): During 2005 Opel introduced the OPC version of the Astra GTC (Astra VXR in the UK) which is powered by an updated version of the 2.0 L turbo ecotec engine producing 240 PS (177 kW) and 320 N·m (236 ft·lbf) of torque. Standard features of the OPC version include sports bodykit and interior, a six-speed manual gearbox, xenon headlamps and 18" alloys wheels amongst others.

[juanm]

hmm, must vary around europe i guess.

from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Astra): During 2005 Opel introduced the OPC version of the Astra GTC (Astra VXR in the UK) which is powered by an updated version of the 2.0 L turbo ecotec engine producing 240 PS (177 kW) and 320 N·m (236 ft·lbf) of torque. Standard features of the OPC version include sports bodykit and interior, a six-speed manual gearbox, xenon headlamps and 18" alloys wheels amongst others.

Well, I think we used to have a 2.0 GTC version (I think I saw something about that in the catalog when we bought our Astra) but as you can see, $26000 for a 1.4L 90hp sports-looking city car is a little overpriced, compared to the US!

[Counterfit]

Also, age is not a factor.

Age most certainly IS a factor. Under 25 (which includes me :() and above 65/70/75 (i.e. Old people) have similar fatalities per driven mile, which happen to be the highest of any age group. At one end, inexperience and/or immaturity, the other, degraded senses, reaction times, and sometimes strength.

Combine that with the ****-tastic driver's education we have in the U.S., the complete disregard of important aspects of driving such as lane discipline and proper following distances, and the continued isolation of the driver from their surroundings, and the result is crappy driving conditions all over the country.

I just wish all the ZOMG SPEEDING!!1 people would complain about a REAL hazard on the road.

[Rodimus Prime]

God. This is the part that gets my goat. Teenagers should never be given brand new cars, ever. Teenagers should never be GIVEN cars, PERIOD. If a car is that important to them, they can work for it, and pay for a used car themselves. They'll still be more careful and take better care of it, because they had to put the time into earning it.

I disagree on that point. I think it is fine giving a teenager a brand new car with in reason. When I was 16 my parents gave me a 92 sentra SE-R it was christmas 99 when I got it. My sister got a 06 cobalt for her 16th. My brother god a 95 ram that used to be one of my Grandparents.

The problem comes in giving kids sports cars. My 92 unknown to my parents when they got it was one of the first pocket rockets. It made car and driver top 10 all 4 years it was produced. I will argue to this day that a SE-R was to much of a car for a new driver. It has to much power to put on the ground and picks up to fast but it is still one of the weaker sports car.

I think really teenagers are best with "family cars" like the civics, accords, cobalts. Cheaper cars that are great first cars and do not have the power to put on the ground to encourage any more unsafe driving that a car already does.

[zioxide]

How many of those posts are actually from teenagers. For the record, I'm 19.
I have plenty of friends who are fantastic drivers, and I have plenty more that I would never let drive me around. Teens can be different, and the type of car they are in has no effect on it. Agreed.

Also, age is not a factor. In CT you cannot get a permit until 16 and a license six months later at the earliest. Most people are 17 before they get it. It comes down to practice and hours on the road, skills with driving, and overall maturity.

Age is definitely a factor. The younger you are, you have less experience because you haven't been driving that long. Additionally, many teens are immature, make stupid decisions, and think they're invincible.

Here in MA, the licensing and permit ages are the same as you have in CT: 16 for permit, 6 months of permit to get a junior license. Personally, I think they should change it. Make it 15 1/2 for the permit and make you have it for a year (or even 15 and 18 months). More permit time gives the kid more experience in a controlled environment (with their parent who hopefully will make sure they don't do any stupid/reckless ****).

Age most certainly IS a factor. Under 25 (which includes me :() and above 65/70/75 (i.e. Old people) have similar fatalities per driven mile, which happen to be the highest of any age group. At one end, inexperience and/or immaturity, the other, degraded senses, reaction times, and sometimes strength.

Combine that with the ****-tastic driver's education we have in the U.S., the complete disregard of important aspects of driving such as lane discipline and proper following distances, and the continued isolation of the driver from their surroundings, and the result is crappy driving conditions all over the country.

Totally agree with that. People in this country are terrible drivers. They're always talking on their ****ing phones, texting, women putting makeup on in their mirrors, people trying to eat while driving, etc. Oh, and tailgating, not using turn signals, swerving in and out of lanes on the highway. I could go on and on.

[carbonmotion]

My cousins are significantly older than me, so I'm closer in age to my niece than. When I was her age, I did many foolish things as I am sure we all did when we were teenagers. However, I feel it is important to take responsibility for what you have done. Nina wasn't punished, she wasn't grounded, she wasn't even yelled at. She spent the day crying to her boyfriend, he had the gulls to come up to me to tell me that "if the police come looking, you're gonna cover for her right?"

Perhaps the fact that my cousins are very well established further enabled her to live her life without any social regard. But, I firmly believe that somewhere alone the line, the parents failed to imbue upon their children the important lessons of decision and consequence. It is not only a problem with teenagers, but adults as well. Does anyone remember all the crazy stunts Paris Hilton pulled, only to be rescued from punishment by her mom and dad? I will certainly have a conversation with them about this.

[it5five]

That said, I was nearly run over three times today on my bicycle, once this morning (I was wearing a bright blue shirt, too) when an SUV pulled out and didn't see me. I managed to stop 5 or so feet short. Second was also on the way to school, in the parking lot, I wasn't watching both ways and almost got tapped by a minivan.

Worst one was this afternoon. Some guy was watching a car crash scene and didn't see the light had turned red. I saw, and the guy on the road next to me (thinking I was heading in to the road) honked at me and the light-runner as a warning. Three police saw the guy, too. (Needless to say a patrol car took off after him)

Gotta love teen drivers!

I see you live in Scottsdale. I'm also in the Phoenix-Metro area (Glendale).

Bicycling and walking here is awful. When I rode my bike regularly (before it all went to hell and almost every imaginable part of it broke at the same time) I'd almost get hit by a car every single day. I'd get the middle finger almost every day, too. Most often by drivers who don't care about/know the rules regarding cyclists legally riding their bikes in the street. I eventually just started riding on the sidewalk to avoid getting hit by a crazy driver.

I've almost been run over in the crosswalk while walking about 5 times now; three of those within 3 seconds of one another. And they all got mad at me, even though I was legally crossing when I had the "Walk" signal.

It seems Tempe is the only city that cares at all about cyclists and pedestrians. Most of the bike lanes I've seen in this city are in Tempe.

All of this said, though, I can't wait to get a new bike in a few months and ditch my car once again.

[windowsblowsass]

giving kids to uch car is an issue,my first car was a rusted out 88 s10 (im 19). after a year it wasnt worth fixing for inspection so i got a used 90 chevy 1500 pickup. t had a 5.7 v8 in it and may have been just a bit much for me, because i thought i was invincible. i stopped thinking that way when a friend of mine died in a motorcycle accident (hit a van that cut him off while doing well over 100 (think he was about 20 at the time) everyone died he was decpitated). and rally stopped thinking that after my friend wrecked his neon (with me in it) into a tree breaking my femur. he was going about 5 above the limit and jsut cant drive worth a **** and lost it because he was driving to far on the shoulder.

[kymac]

Teenagers should never be GIVEN cars, PERIOD. If a car is that important to them, they can work for it, and pay for a used car themselves.

different people do different things in their lives, not ever kid is in a position to earn money, and parents can reward their kids by giving them a car. its all personal choice. but thanks for trying to make guidelines for everyone with your superiority.

[PowerFullMac]

Jeez, that's pretty bad. You should have driven even though it was her car. I personally think the driving age should be raised to age 18. Sixteen is too early and most of the kids are very immature and take too many risks on the road (ie drag racing, excessive speeding, drinking while driving). Kids don't realize that this isn't a video game. Anyway, I think you did the right thing by driving back. Hope everything turns out ok.

We in the UK have to wait until we are 18 :(

Anyway, thats why teenagers shouldnt have brand new cars! Even I know that and I am 13!

[21stcenturykid]

Personally i think before people are allowed a licence they should have todo a certain amount of hours/miles in driving as with flying to get the experience. I also think you should be shown car crashes during the driving test and with like a computer generated re-enactment of the details of the crash etc to deter people from using excessive speed. I know i would have been annoyed to have had to sit through this during my driving test but i've seen crashes and had driving experience of tractors and quads etc since i was about 12. Still new drivers should definitely have a certain amount of hours or miles on the clock before they are allowed on their own. Annd in the UK why don't we teach people to drive on motorways? It's an absolute joke that you don't get ANY experience of motorway driving before you have got your full licence.

In relation to the OP's story, i would say giving a 17yo girl/ or boy a GT500 is completely out of their mind! I agree with whoever said that teens should NEVER be given a new car or any car for that matter. They should work for it! I use my mums 1.9TDi Golf but i'm only allowed to use it aslong as i help out on the farm to pay for fuel etc. Also the fact i've had years and years of driving experience means i know how to handle a vehicle and am trusted.

[21stcenturykid]

We in the UK have to wait until we are 18 :(

Anyway, thats why teenagers shouldnt have brand new cars! Even I know that and I am 13!

You can get your provisional at 17 as far as i know mate... Someone's been telling you fibs.

[PowerFullMac]

You can get your provisional at 17 as far as i know mate... Someone's been telling you fibs.

Yeah, true...

[iMpathetic]

We in the UK have to wait until we are 18 :(

Anyway, thats why teenagers shouldnt have brand new cars! Even I know that and I am 13!

I agree completely. I will be given a car, most likely, to drive when I get my license. I'm 14 now.

Anyway, it's a 1975 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe. That's thirty-three years, folks.

It's not like I'm getting a perfectly restored classic car, either. I don't think it's been driven since, oh, eleven years ago.

However, I get it instead of my cousin, who's a year older than me, because I am the only one who bothers to take care of it. It's sitting in my grandmother's garage right now. It was my late grandfather's, and he died eight months before I was born. She keeps it there to make it look like someone's home all the time. :rolleyes:

Anyway, yeah, just kinda a random though.

[iBlue]

Why is this specified as teenage GIRLS? Plenty of bad teenage drivers of both sex to go around.


Jeez, that's pretty bad. You should have driven even though it was her car. ...
It's a bit presumptuous and rude to make such a request.
If I were picking someone up and they insisted on driving I would tell them to kindly piss off and if they don't like it, they can find another ride.

God. This is the part that gets my goat. Teenagers should never be given brand new cars, ever. Teenagers should never be GIVEN cars, PERIOD. If a car is that important to them, they can work for it, and pay for a used car themselves. They'll still be more careful and take better care of it, because they had to put the time into earning it.
That may be true but when you're a teenager and being offered a car, you're hardly going to say "no", are you?



(generally speaking) Teenagers ARE lousy drivers. It's just how it is. Old people are often even worse. Still, you cannot assume ALL of these groups of people are hazards on the roads though so not much can be done about it.
Complaining about it is a worldwide pastime and a right, so have at it.

[PowerFullMac]

(generally speaking) Teenagers ARE lousy drivers. It's just how it is. Old people are often even worse. Still, you cannot assume ALL of these groups of people are hazards on the roads though so not much can be done about it.
Complaining about it is a worldwide pastime and a right, so have at it.

My dad "hates all women drivers", although I keep saying how stupid that is... Ah well.

[iMpathetic]

My dad "hates all women drivers", although I keep saying how stupid that is... Ah well.

I'm gonna have to go with just plain moronic on that one, yeah.

[Mindflux]

What on earth is a 17 year old doing with a RWD car in the first place?

Bad juju all around.

[quagmire]

What on earth is a 17 year old doing with a RWD car in the first place?

Bad juju all around.

RWD doesn't make the car dangerous. It's the HP. Just imagine if the 500 HP was going to the front wheels? That would be more dangerous then the 500 HP going to the rear wheels. What would you say if the girl had a Dodge Charger with the 2.7 V6? It only has 178 HP and 190 lb of torque. Would you still be against her having it due to the Charger being RWD? Plus, it weighs 3727 lb. It's a heavy vehicle. The 2.7 will be pushed hard to get it moving at a decent rate( my mom's old Sebring had the 2.7 V6, it's a POS when it comes to acceleration. Our Equinox out accelerates it).

[Mindflux]

RWD doesn't make the car dangerous. It's the HP. Just imagine if the 500 HP was going to the front wheels? That would be more dangerous then the 500 HP going to the rear wheels. What would you say if the girl had a Dodge Charger with the 2.7 V6? It only has 178 HP and 190 lb of torque. Would you still be against her having it due to the Charger being RWD? Plus, it weighs 3727 lb. It's a heavy vehicle. The 2.7 will be pushed hard to get it moving at a decent rate( my mom's old Sebring had the 2.7 V6, it's a POS when it comes to acceleration. Our Equinox out accelerates it).

RWD most certainly can make the car dangerous. HP or not I see many folks kick the rear end out of a RWD around a bend because they don't know any better.

And, FWIW Torque is what breaks tires free.. and since HP is a function of Torque it's really a problem with Torque and RWD.

[quagmire]

RWD most certainly can make the car dangerous. HP or not I see many folks kick the rear end out of a RWD around a bend because they don't know any better.

And, FWIW Torque is what breaks tires free.. and since HP is a function of Torque it's really a problem with Torque and RWD.

Well with FWD, you got to teach the teen how to deal with understeer and torque steer. Each has their characteristics. Frankly, I would rather have the rear pop out. It is much easier to get out of then a front skid, IMHO. If you teach the teen how to deal with the RWD " dangerous" characteristics, wouldn't it make the teen a better driver?

[ucfgrad93]

Nina wasn't punished, she wasn't grounded, she wasn't even yelled at. She spent the day crying to her boyfriend, he had the gulls to come up to me to tell me that "if the police come looking, you're gonna cover for her right?"

I'd love to know what you told her boyfriend. Personally, I'd told him to F-off.

I hate to say it, but with her and her parents attitudes toward this incident, I feel that it is only a matter of time before it happens again with possible serious injuries.

[thisonechance]

To the OP, I am glad to hear you escaped without injury. I am especially happy that you made her return to the scene of the accident (if you so wish to call it that).

The fact that she drove away from the accident after not getting things to go "her way" shows her level of maturity. People (guy and girls) who act in this manner should not have a license...period.

As for the vehicle discussion, to say what the minimum level of HP that is adequate is impossible. I drive a vehicle with 128hp and it drives just fine. I have no problems passing. I drive a minimum of 80 miles per day on Chicago expressways, if 128 is enough here it is enough anywhere, save maybe autobahns. That being said, a GT500 is just downright stupid.

Sigh, I am 24 now and I will never forget my first car. It was a $1k '85 Pontiac Fiero. I had to drive safe, if I got into an accident, I would most certainly die in a plastic and gas fueled ball of fire.

[baileykid2]

I'd be interested to know how car insurance works in the US, because in the UK you can't even THINK about getting insurance for something like that until you are like 25.
I am 18 and have tried in vein to get insurance on my Dad's 911 :(

[carbonmotion]

I'd love to know what you told her boyfriend. Personally, I'd told him to F-off.

I hate to say it, but with her and her parents attitudes toward this incident, I feel that it is only a matter of time before it happens again with possible serious injuries.

I told him, would you like me to do your homework for you too?

[Rodimus Prime]

I'd be interested to know how car insurance works in the US, because in the UK you can't even THINK about getting insurance for something like that until you are like 25.
I am 18 and have tried in vein to get insurance on my Dad's 911 :(

If you are willing to pay for it they will insure you. But it will cost and arm and a leg.

I am looking forward to my drop in a month because I turn 25

[GSMiller]

I see nothing wrong with giving a teenager a new car. I was given a new car for my 19th birthday BUT I am a responsible driver. I always use my turn signal, wear my seatbelt, and stay relatively close to the speed limit ;) The only accident I have been in was because the other person was driving on the wrong side of the road and couldn't swerve in time. But like someone stated earlier, I would have been happy with ANYTHING for my first car. If/when I have kids I will trust them as my mom trusted me but they have one time to do something stupid like this and I will put them in a 15 year old subcompact, if that.

[Rodimus Prime]

Well with FWD, you got to teach the teen how to deal with understeer and torque steer. Each has their characteristics. Frankly, I would rather have the rear pop out. It is much easier to get out of then a front skid, IMHO. If you teach the teen how to deal with the RWD " dangerous" characteristics, wouldn't it make the teen a better driver?

Tell you the truth understeer is safer than over steer. It is easier to regain control (slow down) compared to over steer that requires more though. All but very high end sports cars (RWD or not) will tend to understeer instead of have the rear come out from behind them. It is just safer.

As for Torque steer. Not as much of a problem as it was in the past and up to a point it is not noticable. I have a 175 HP engine and it takes me pushing it in before I noticed it and even then it normal requires me turning a little. In a straight line I have to drop the clutch and in a good point into the power band (4k min when 3k my car is entering it power band)

[nickster9224]

Um here in Illinois you get your permit in HS Drivers ED. You have to hold permit for 9 mos. and must have at least 50 hrs 10 of which are night driving. then once you complete that. When you get your regular license you can only have 1 person under 18 that is not a family member for 1 year.

[apsterling]

I see you live in Scottsdale. I'm also in the Phoenix-Metro area (Glendale).

Bicycling and walking here is awful. When I rode my bike regularly (before it all went to hell and almost every imaginable part of it broke at the same time) I'd almost get hit by a car every single day. I'd get the middle finger almost every day, too. Most often by drivers who don't care about/know the rules regarding cyclists legally riding their bikes in the street. I eventually just started riding on the sidewalk to avoid getting hit by a crazy driver.

I've almost been run over in the crosswalk while walking about 5 times now; three of those within 3 seconds of one another. And they all got mad at me, even though I was legally crossing when I had the "Walk" signal.

It seems Tempe is the only city that cares at all about cyclists and pedestrians. Most of the bike lanes I've seen in this city are in Tempe.

All of this said, though, I can't wait to get a new bike in a few months and ditch my car once again.

We have bike lanes, but I can't use them half of the time, because ignorant drivers will have their cars all the way up the curb. It's a hazardous mile to school, sadly.

Tempe is very nice for cyclists, I agree.

[Mord]

What type of 'tard would give a 17 year old such a car?

[mperkins37]

I own a 380 HP Mustang GT /Cervinis mod. I also have a son (7 yrs)
Lets pretend that he's 16-17 and asks to borrow my car. My answer, HELL NO, Save your money & we'll get you a car that you can afford, when you can afford it. Go ask your mother to borrow her PT Cruiser.
Listens & Hears same Hell No......
To think that someone is irresponsible enough to put 500+ hp into an inexperienced self centered little girl- boy is mind boggling.
I hope we're not being updated in a few months as to the wreck that killed the girl, her boyfriend, and a car full that she ran into when she blows into the other lane around a curve because she's doing 130+ and doesn't think the laws of physics apply to her.
Some People have too much money & no sense whatsoever.

[gregdrummeraz]

to whom it may concern. I have a drum set and a macbook



ok plus a tennis ball and 6 month old slurplie cup that has some soda/ syrup in it..



just to let you guy's know.



:confused:

[PowerFullMac]

to whom it may concern. I have a drum set and a macbook



ok plus a tennis ball and 6 month old slurplie cup that has some soda/ syrup in it..



just to let you guy's know.



:confused:

OK then... :confused:

[blackfox]

Well with FWD, you got to teach the teen how to deal with understeer and torque steer. Each has their characteristics. Frankly, I would rather have the rear pop out. It is much easier to get out of then a front skid, IMHO. If you teach the teen how to deal with the RWD " dangerous" characteristics, wouldn't it make the teen a better driver?
As the proud owner of a Saab (my fourth), I find both understeer and torque steer very manageable (and sometimes desireable) traits in an automobile.

Sorry to the OP for the tangent.

[ErikCLDR]

I think most teenage girl drivers are better than boys because they are more cautious and less stupid. It sounds to me like your niece is an over indulged child that needs to take some responsibility for once in her life.

My Land Rover has a 188hp 4.0 V8 w/250 ft lbs of torque. Combined with its massive weight (4600lbs or something) = 0-60 in 10.2 seconds. It's not going anywhere fast. It is just silly that they put a "sport mode" button on the transmission.

Land Rovers are great 1st cars. They're extremely slow and pretty safe believe it or not. Additionally you're child won't stray to far from home because they get horrible gas milage so they won't be able to afford to go far and the vehicle is liable to break down. How much better of car can you get.

[juanm]

to whom it may concern. I have a drum set and a macbook
ok plus a tennis ball and 6 month old slurplie cup that has some soda/ syrup in it..


As long as you don't run red lights and stop signs with your drums, we won't consider you a public threat.
Although the tennis ball is clearly a sign that you're spoiled. When I was your age I didn't even have a ping pong ball!

[Techguy172]

It's more than how much horsepower of how big of an engine they have. I remember my dad's old '99 S80 it had the T6 268 HP that doesn't seem like a whole lot compared to a mustang or a GT500 for that matter but this thing would probably excellerate faster. It has a Twin Turbo In-line 6 cylinder. and when you wanted to go it would be off, and mind you this was also a FWD car and it still would fly.

I don't think it matters how fast the car if your son/daughter is responsible they could be driving a Ferrari for god sakes and they wouldn't speed or drive irresponsibly it all matters on the person driving. I think the OP's niece is just very irresponsible.

[cleanup]

I moved to China when I was 15 and I never got the chance to learn how to drive. Now I'm 18, living in Toronto, and although I would love to have a car, I'd probably **** it up pretty fast, and it would cost me a ******** in insurance and parking costs. Considering the fact that I am still a jobless first-year, I'm glad I'm not one of those kids.

My parents would buy me a car though. They bought my brother a new Acura TL when he graduated from uni. Granted, he'd already been driving for a while, with no incidences. But whenever I was in his old car (2001 Pontiac Grand Am) with him, he'd always try to speed a little bit/rev the engine. I was like 13/14 so I got a bit edgy...

Maybe my brother has turned me off driving =) Oh well. I like walking to class.

On a side note, if I did get a car, I'd get one of these:

http://www.honda.ca/Accessories/Images/30228_BYC_big.jpg

But I promise daddy, I'll take gooooood care of it!

[iDAG]

I think most teenage girl drivers are better than boys because they are more cautious and less stupid. It sounds to me like your niece is an over indulged child that needs to take some responsibility for once in her life.

That is not true, I know more girls in high school that have crashed their car than dudes who have. Dudes love their cars and in turn take better care of them.



On a side note, if I did get a car, I'd get one of these:

snip

But I promise daddy, I'll take gooooood care of it!

I have that car, except it is the 2001 model and it's dark blue. :cool:

[Cassie]

You guys don't have to worry about me, my car (when I actully get it fully paid off; my parents didn't pay for $1 of it) is a 1990 Toyota pickup, with a 102 HP engine, and I don't even know what it's 0-60 time is, because I'm not sure it goes that fast. :P

[d_and_n5000]

You guys don't have to worry about me, my car (when I actully get it fully paid off; my parents didn't pay for $1 of it) is a 1990 Toyota pickup, with a 102 HP engine, and I don't even know what it's 0-60 time is, because I'm not sure it goes that fast. :P
Ahh, don't say that. We've got ourselves a Honda Odyssey with a four cylinder, and from how my parents drive on the interstate its surprisingly easy to speed in. :p It's 38HP larger, but if my parents can get up to 75 with a minivan loaded with people and stuff, than you won't have a problem getting that truck to 60.

Might take you a while, though.:D

[LumbermanSVO]

As a truck driver I see more stupid stuff on the roads than you can imagine.

I say we take away everyones privelege to drive and start from scratch. This time around we need to make it much harder to get a license and MUCH easier to lose(and your car) it once you have it. It also needs to be a lot more expensive. This goes for CDL holders as well.

This alone would fix a lot of things, especially peoples belief that they can do whatever they want, without consequence, behind the wheel.

As for parents giving their kids cars, I think most of the time it is a rediculoys practice. Yes, there are situations where is a good idea, most of the time, not so much. Giving them high performance cars is just asking for trouble.

[swmr]

As a truck driver I see more stupid stuff on the roads than you can imagine.

I say we take away everyones privelege to drive and start from scratch. This time around we need to make it much harder to get a license and MUCH easier to lose(and your car) it once you have it. It also needs to be a lot more expensive. This goes for CDL holders as well.


Agreed. I think that state laws should require a retest at 1 yr. or maybe even 6 months for a new driver. I know plenty of my friends would pass, but I can name a bunch more who would probably lose a license. It will never happen though. Lawmakers would never want to blame themselves, or put themselves through a retest, so they will just increase restrictions on teen drivers and/or make it harder to get a license.

Also, I am told that the same teen driver statistics apply to seniors. But nobody ever hears about those fatalities on the news, so they don't make the same assumptions. Information could be wrong though.

[RITZFit]

a few wks ago, I almost got rear ended by some teen chick who was too busy chatting away on her damn mobile phone to pay attention to where she was driving :mad:

[faintember]

While I think that saying the title of the thread is misleading would be the understatement of the year, I do think there is some fault in the OP's family as well as others that mindlessly let their children drive high hp/SUV's etc. without careful consideration. The parents need to be knowledgeable enough to know cars, how to handle high hp cars and also have a firm grasp on their child's demeanor, so as to make a reasonable decision if Johnny or Jane can handle a fast car. The rest of the responsibility falls onto the child, for them to actually spend the time and effort to learn how to drive properly, and then possibly learn how to handle a high hp car.

My situation was probably different than most, in that my family, starting with my great-grandfather, were heavily involved with automobiles and were avid, legal, racers. While I find my father and my grandfather's driving skills to be abysmal (and their driving records prove it) I have never had a driving violation, and I too was raised as a racer, driving in drag racing, oval track and autocross. I also paid to go to several driving schools to learn how to deal with hydroplaning, high speed maneuvering, etc. The only real difference between me, and my paternal line is that I chose to be a good driver, to only answer my phone while driving in cases of emergency, etc.

As to the ones that say that "high hp + teenage driver = bad", I would have to disagree. While for most teens the high hp=bad statement may be true, it is not true for all teen drivers. My first street car had around 425hp, and on the street the fastest it ever went was 5mph over the speed limit. IMO, we should further specify our license restrictions here in the US, so that high hp vehicles, large non-commercial vehicles/SUV's, would require special license certifications. While the above change in license restrictions would not be a perfect solution, it would be a start.

[it5five]

This time around we need to make it much harder to get a license and MUCH easier to lose(and your car) it once you have it.

Completely agree. I don't know how it is in other states, but here in Arizona, once you get your license, you have it for ~50 years without having to retest.

It's completely absurd.

[mahashel]

It's been many years ago, but I still vividly remember my teen driving days.
1976 Mustang Cobra II - purchased when I was 15.
Sounds like a cool car, but anyone who's ever seen/ridden in one will be smirking slightly. It was essentially a 5L V8 Pinto. A high-powered rattletrap with bits falling off, leaking, sparking, and basically just trying to kill whoever was sitting in it. :D
I never had a ticket. The one and only accident that I had in it (which totaled the car) was when some kid was doing 50 through a parking lot in his brand-new Saturn (a gift) while making out with his girlfriend. (tangent: the Saturn brand had just come out. They were considered very new and very cool with young people)
Anyway, my point is: while I did have a hideously overpowered and dangerous vehicle, I worked my butt off to buy it and knew if I wrecked it I would be afoot for the rest of my life. ;)
To apply this to the OP post, the girl (while utterly appalling), nor the car were the real issue. To me, the issue is that it sounds like her parents GAVE the car to her. The perceived value a teen applies to an expensive gift vs. an expensive purchase is night & day. Not only in a financial sense, but also the *REALITY* of the situation; which becomes a lot more stark when sacrifice is necessary in order to have something.

[cheeseadiddle]

and to whoever said that anything more than 252HP is too much, come on now. my rabbit has 150HP (2.5L I5) and it moves. it's not neck-snapping, but it's plenty of power for day to day.

Agree. We have a New Beetle with the same motor. Plenty of juice to get you where you wanna be, and enough to get you there quickly if that's your thing.

[.JahJahwarrior.]

I think one thing that is missing from training is "what you should do when you get in an accident." There should be some role playing, or videos of what to do. When I got in my first accident about a month ago (lady rear ended me, totally her fault, not mine at all. I'm 18, paid for half of my truck, a 1999 ford ranger, 2.5l engine. No tickets, got a 100 on my driving test, and pay for my own gas, insurance and car maintennance. Half of the truck was a graduation gift.) I had no clue what to do, so I called my dad and asked him. He explained to call 911....

Arguing with the guy over who's fault it was was not important. You call 911. You get them to fill out an accident report. You call your insurance agent.

Had she been shown the proper protocol to follow after an accident, perhaps she would not have done so much stupid stuff?

If I were him, I'd push charges: she hit him and ran. I'd want her to serve some jail time for that. Stupid mistake, really stupid mistake. An overnight stay in juvie would probably prevent her from doing it again :)

[Adokimus]

Teenage Girls With Cars Are More Lethal Than the Atomic Bomb

Wait one second... are you trying to imply they get safer with age??

:eek::eek:;)







p.s. - That niece of yours is ridiculous on so many levels that I don't know where to begin. But, I commend you on doing the right thing and making her turn around. While many people have pointed out problems with this girl (severe immaturity, irresponsibility, being given a car, being given way too nice of a car, disregard for stop signs, calling her boyfriend to do the talking for her, driving away from an accident, etc.), I think that the most important thing she can learn from this is that she can't just run away. You have to face the consequences of your actions. You can't learn responsibility without having to deal with the results of your actions. Again, I commend you on making her drive back. I can't believe how many 17 yr olds act like 6 yr olds. Oops... longer p.s. than post!

[AlexH]

I've seen some super spoiled brats acting like jackasses on the roads with wrecks and tickets like you wouldn't believe. Who were these kids? The ones driving clunkers they paid for (don't have to be "rich" to be spoiled). I've also seen kids driving $35k cars given to them, who showed nothing but responsibility, respect, and abided by the law.

What have I learned from my observations? It's all about parenting, not price tags.

[Flowero4ka]

My 17 year old niece, Nina, was picking me up from the airport in her brand new Ford Mustang GT500. We drive fifteen minutes out side of the airport and she blows a stop sign, slamming some poor bastard at 45 miles per hour right in passenger side door. Nina goes out to talk to some middle aged guy in his bent Nissan. They argue about who's fault it is (clearly hers). She calls her boyfriend to get him to convince the guy that he's at fault (high school football player). She hands middle aged guy the cell phone and quickly the conversation is reduced to profanities. The guy gets his cell phone out to call the cops to settle this. Nina, jumps back in to the car and races away. I was watching up to this point, but now I feel like I have to participate. When we're about a block away, I tell her to stop the car. I drive back, profusely apologized to the middle aged man and we exchange insurance information.

I don't remember being this irresponsible when I was her age. I wonder if its just a case of bad parenting or if its something more.

I don't think it's because of age. You are right it's of bad parenting. Maybe, she is a unique girl in the family and her parents spoil her all the time. It's not she who bought the car - all these reasons prove her indifference... I know a lot of 17-year girls and boys - they are very serious and responsible for their actions.

[Lunja]

A GT500 as your FIRST car?! How much would the insurance be on that?!

And as for the discussion about how much horsepower you need, I find it quite suprising that you guys think that around 200hp is normal! In England and most of Europe the majority of cars we drive have much less power. For example my 2004 Ford Fiesta is a turbo diesel with 68hp and over 110lb/ft of torque. The torque gives you ample power to get round a truck at 50mph in fifth gear. And it does 60 mpg!

You guys in North America would be able to save so much money in gas by buying smaller diesel cars, but none of the major car companies seem to offer them to you...

[Lunja]

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[amanda kathryn]

You guys in North America would be able to save so much money in gas by buying smaller diesel cars, but none of the major car companies seem to offer them to you...

they've been offered, people weren't interested. we had a 1982 audi 4000 diesel, my mom loved being able to commute and only fill up every two weeks. a lot of people still have a diesel stigma though, we're on a hybrid kick now.

americans don't tend to care what's practical, just what will impress the neighbors. i drive a VW rabbit (golf) which i love, i'm a hatchback person, they're much more handy than a sedan. i see VERY few rabbits and golfs in comparison to jettas, probably 1 in 30, because americans don't want to drive hatchbacks.

i'm starting to see a lot of the E85 flexfuel vehicles popping up though, hopefully this will take off.

[Rodimus Prime]

they've been offered, people weren't interested. we had a 1982 audi 4000 diesel, my mom loved being able to commute and only fill up every two weeks. a lot of people still have a diesel stigma though, we're on a hybrid kick now.

americans don't tend to care what's practical, just what will impress the neighbors. i drive a VW rabbit (golf) which i love, i'm a hatchback person, they're much more handy than a sedan. i see VERY few rabbits and golfs in comparison to jettas, probably 1 in 30, because americans don't want to drive hatchbacks.

i'm starting to see a lot of the E85 flexfuel vehicles popping up though, hopefully this will take off.


You do relieze that E85 is more of a waste of oil than one that caintian none.

After you factor in the lost in gas mileage you are burning more oil than if it was 100% oil made. It is even worse when you factor in the oil and energy cost to grow the corn and make the fuel.

[Macmaniac]

I am now 21, I have been driving since I was 16, I drive a 1988 Volvo 240DL manual. I have never had an accident, clean record, but as for my sister I cant believe the way she drives. I am always a little jumpy when she drives me, I feel like she is not paying attention, she over revs the car, and goes tooo fast!

God help me when she is in my Dad's 3 series, whenever I do get to drive it I am VERY careful. I am sorry ladies but whenever I get cut off, overtaken, or see someone driving badly 9/10 its a woman. Thats just my observation.

[CalmEnvy]

Wow, who the hell lets a 17 year old drive that car? Anyways, I'm 18 and have been driving since 16 (age your allowed to start driving in Canada). I don't own a car yet, I use my parents when I want to. Here you actually don't start out with your full drivers license. It's split up into three parts.

So start off with G1 and you have a whole bunch of rules to follow (can't name them all). Then you have a road test to gain your G2, the year after you have another road test to acquire your G which is final. I wonder if she took Drivers ED, I did to lower my insurance and it helped me out with driving at night since most of my lessons were at night. I'd say I'm a pretty good driver, having gotten into any accidents or broken any rules. But what she did by driving away was wrong, also thinking she wasn't at fault was really dumb.