What they need to do is instate country wide mandated Drivers Ed in High School!

 

It mostly is, I know pretty much EVERY school will do DE in classroom, some still do the driving one.

 

the driver was alone in the car and he didn´t survive the accident, he had just left a bar and was racing one of his friends when that tree got in his way.

 

Been in an MCS since I was 18, a few times the ability to manuver around speed ahead or stop suddenly, the MCS saved my utt and I wouldn't be talking to you today. And these were varibles such as wind blowing over traffic barrels, driver ignoring red lights, deer cutting through hedges to cross the street.

This is an example of not DRINKING AND DRIVING. Just beacuse the tree has been hit before has nothing to do with the age of the driver, but does make this a high risk area, targeted enforcement and re-engineering may be in order.

I've seen 70 year olds DUI; I've been challenged by 40 year olds to street race and turned them down. AGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STUPIDITY AND IMMATURITY!!!!!!!

BTW I like the Darwin bit, but if you're going to remove yourself from the gene pool, do it on your own private property in a manner you don't endanger others.

Bottm line : YOU DRINK YOU DRIVE YOU LOSE!!!!!! No matter what age you are.

 

Do you have a link to a news stoy you can share with us?

 

yeah, why did this turn into an "agist" thread. Old people do stupid stuff too. The statistics support younger drivers being more dangerous, but there are always exceptions to the statistics. Saying "18 year olds" shouldn't drive MCS's is dumb. Should you consider an 18 year olds maturity more before giving them an MCS, yeah, but there are plenty of 18 year olds mature enough to handle one. Not to mention, I can come up with a LOT worse cars for 18 year olds to drive, mainly RWD cars with mad oversteer tendencies and way too much power without handling abilities to match, like a camaro for instance. The MCS at least has excellent handling and braking, two things that REALLY help in avoiding accidents. . .

 

the complete story is in a mexican newspaper and it requires an acces code, and of course it is in spanish.There is not much more to tell. The guy was in a bar with his friends till 5 in the morning and when they left they started to race each other, the rest you can see. the police said that the driver, as well as his friends where drunk. typical case of drinking and driving

 

I ride a motorcycle, I also teach people how to ride motorcycles (MSF).

People often make a similar statement about the extreme maneoverability of a motorcycle being a good 'survival aid', and to some extents I can understand the thoughts.

However, through fanatical levels of observation, forward planning and spatial awareness it is extremely rare that I will put myself - either as a driver or a rider - into a position where I need to get out of the way fast. The last time I needed to do so was in July 2005 when a Drunk in a Mercedes hit me while I was stopped at a red light.

The MCS is a quick car, it can get you into a lot of trouble, but its fine handling/manners can help to get you out of trouble.

However, this is no replacement for awareness observation and experience.
If you are getting into a position where you are having to get out of trouble on a regular basis, you are driving beyond your observational abilities and you need to slow it down

 

Everyday I see people driving with one hand on the wheel and a cell phone stuck to their ear weaving and not paying attention.
I have almost been hit in a parking lots, morons backing out on the phone not looking, on the highway by distracted cell users drifting over into my lane numerous times, at intersections cell users not paying attention numerous times. Or women putting on makeup at 75 mph while looking in the mirror and talking on the cell phone, is this multitasking or putting everyone at risk? When mine rings and I’m on the road it can wait I’ll call them back; that’s understood by people that know me. Rant over.
As for drunk or impaired erratic drivers, get a tag number pull over or get somewhere safe call the cops and report the dumb A$$’s last location, let them deal with it.
It’s dangerous enough with the limited driving skills of the average motorist on the road.

 

in SFL they dont, my school doesnt do it, my friends schools dont do it its really a shame. my parents put me through a private DE course, the things ive learned through it may not have helped me save my life, but its certainly helped me avoid numerous accidents, and its lowered my insurance marginally. unfortunately its such a small amount that the insurance lowers it really costs more for the DE class than youll get back from insurance, which is a shame because my friends havent taken these courses just because there parents avoid seeing the point since you dont end up saving money really. for however much it cost though its been worth saving me numerous amounts of dollars in damages, and near heartattacks (you know when you just barely miss hitting someone and your heart stops for a second)


i really put the DE classes as the main reason why im one of few of my friends who has no tickets or accidents, and very few "OMG i was so lucky i didnt hit this guy today..." stories

 

I also keep my eyes on the horizon (counted it out to be 70 sec once) monitor traffic in both directions, observe at minumum lisence plate state and type if not # in both directions day and night, and operate on the "assume nobody else can see you and if they can they are trying to kill you" principal, I never assume lights or signs will stop a car. My situational awareeness exceedes that of anyone I've had the pleasure of having as a passenger or caravaning with (Both on public roads, trips to the track are a little different situation).

As I tried to describe earlier the handful of times the MINI has had to save my butt, it has been where something else occured in within 2 seconds of my travel or where there was not aduqate space for any other vehicle to fit.

 

Oh ... the MINI love is rearing its ugly head ...

We walk on water and created it too ...

NEWSFLASH ... read the IIHS thread where someone eloquently explained why your theory is not quite right ...

 

and chows confusing mini hatred rears its head again. . .

I think you have misunderstood what I said, I never said the MCS is safer than a SLOW car.

I just think its safer than an equally fast or faster car that has terrible brakes and the unpredictable handling of a live rear axle, such as a camaro.

I fail to see how excellent handling and braking won't aid you in accident avoidance. There are two seperate parts of accident avoidance, I'll acknowledge. One is not getting yourself in near accident situations, and one is getting yourself out of those situations when you do get in them (as even the safest driver will still have them from time to time). Judgement the main determining factor in keeping yourself out of near accident situations, driver skill and the cars overall abilities determine your chances of safely getting out of them once you get into them. Sure, if you let the cars abilities modify your judgement, then you are negating any safety effects that handling and braking abilities get you, I won't argue that. But its usually a cars POWER that gets you into more near accident situations rather than overconfidence in a cars braking and handling abilities.

I stand by my statement that a MCS is a far better car for an 18 yo than a camaro for the reasons above, and its not due to any "MINI love", its due to rational, carefuly thought out logic. . .

 

The Camaro generates similar handling and braking numbers to a MCS, so long as it's not too bumpy. It's a good enough platform to easily handle 700+ horsepower because the large 275 section tires and stiff suspension make it forgiving enough to cope with it.

I had a much faster and more dangerous car than the MCS in high school. I still have two of the insurance industry's ten most dangerous cars of all time and my brother has the statistically safest one in history (a Volvo 245 Wagon) yet I am still as alive as he is. Why does the safest car ever not even have ABS or airbags? It's the people who drive them, who tend to be free-love hippie liberal types (like ImagoX?) who care about their fellow man yet don't trust them to do the right thing. It's not age, upbringing or the car but personal judgement that matters most of all--because even a Princess can manage to get killed in an S-Class Mercedes...

And it's not just drinking. In Honolulu there was some outrage over a city bus driver eating a plate lunch while driving passengers on his route. With chopsticks.

 

I'm begining to notice many here feel the need to restrict those younger than them. Between this thread bashing 18 year olds on unfounded comments and what car they should be "allowed" to drive, to similar arguements in Jeremy's threads, amongst several others.

 

That is the EXACT wording for the advertising campaign the Australian Police have been using for years.

 

Fair enough. Its just that the same line comes up all the time ... the MINI has great handling to avoid an accident. But its not going to avoid anything when your blindsided, hit from the rear, or have no place to go. I'm only saying its not the end all to everything. But, your right, I hit upon it too hard but I'm trying to reference all the other things you have no control over.

I refer you to https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...5&postcount=59 and https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...9&postcount=79

and BTW, once again, i have NO hatred for MINIs. I had one and WILL buy a convertable turbo when they come out. So dont confuse trying to explain things with ... hatred. I reserve hatred for ... Vettes

Motor, the 18 year old thread and allowed to drive wasn't very cool. I agree. Jeremy is a different story.

We all mature at different degrees. Clearly you are wise beyond your years but hey, I know when I was 18, give me 500 hp and ... It is a fact they young have more accidents. YMMV.

The difference, and I think you know the difference, is when and where to drive "fast" ... You all have the opportunity WE didn't as a teenager, the ability to do track days about any week ... that didn't exist ... in the dark ages.

The fact is, I have seen so many teenage deaths ... dead on Dead Mans Curve, hit and run on "the strip" ... girl killed, etc. Usually related to drinking and driving. Back then ... limits were like .15 or .12. Today, its .08 and 04. MUCH different.

I am sure there are 18 year olds far maturer than many "adults" but it comes out in their behaviour ... and thats why I will not count Jeremy's problems in what you have said.

 

+1000

I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly. Driving on a cell phone is almost as bad, IF NOT WORSE than driving drunk. Mythbusters even tested this one out and their reaction times were severely reduced to the point of having an equivalent BAC level of about .09 (Yeah, crazy). But really, a lot of the MVAs I participate in are involving one of the following;

1. Drunk Driving
2. Cell Phone use
3. Showing off
4. Mindless aggressive driving
5. Road rage

It is really sad to say that I am but 20 years old, and already know quite a few guys close to my age that have been killed in auto accidents. I should know, I clean up the mess they cause, and attempt at finding every part of them so the family will be able to have some shred of closure.

[aside: BTW I'm a volunteer Firemen where I live]

 

We now return to the thread hijack, already in progress...

Geesh, and I was starting to LIKE Imagox too, with all the great smarts he showed with the boot lighting and all...

I know who's getting a subscription to the Limbaugh Letter for Christmas...

 

I wondered if another NAMer from Aussie or NZ would pick that up. They use it in NZ too

 

An acquaintance of mine (and the son of my mother's best friend) was killed, along with one of his friends when, returning from a ski trip, they were blindsided by a drunk driver who ran a red light traveling in excess of 90mph. The jack@$$ had just told his passengers that he "felt like doing something crazy" -- apparently killing 2 college kids fit the bill.

Let's all be responsible and look out for one another out there. I can only control myself, so my fellow motorists and I are depending on you to exercise the same restraint.

 

thats very sad. Dont drink and drive.

 

Oh my God that's absolutely horrible. What are people thinking these days!!?

 

That's just it, they don't think.

Clo's Wanda got hit by DD in a parking lot today, minor damage but still:impatient .

 

This isn't a contest but this reminded me of ...

One of my wife's co-workers, a lady, got a call in work some time back from the police. Her husband and FOUR childrend were killed by a drunk driver.

Imagine getting that call