GlennS
New member
First, I am deeply disappointed that everyone is jumping the gun on this. No-one knows whether the vehicle the lad was driving or his driving style in any way contributed to the accident. God knows his parents must be suffering enough already without speculation and criticism of them adding to their grief. I hope they never end up reading this forum.
Second, I don't hold with the "put kids in cars that can barely propel themselves along the road and they'll be safer argument". I learned to drive in a 1.0l Talbot Sunbeam. It was so underpowered (not sure that it could even muster 50hp) that it contributed to my danger rather than detracted from it. Because acceleration was so tardy I went around every corner at break-neck speed in order to maintain momentum. Over-taking safely was well nigh impossible as you needed a straight about the length of Heathrow's main runway to get past anything doing 50mph and yet I tried it anyway, often resulting me overtaking immediately before blind corners - something I would never do today. Its brakes were utterly inadequate and its handling wayward at best due to its uber-skinny tyres. Some kids will always take risks, it's part of their nature and some young people will be cautious and safe because of their nature. Perhaps the daredevil kids tend to seek out higher performance cars because of that nature but they're just as likely to kill themselves in something that goes put-put as something that goes vrroooom. I'm ready to admit that I am only alive today through sheer dumb luck. If I recall correctly, the one lad from my cohort who ended up dead as a result of an RTA was killed driving his father's Volvo, perhaps he felt too safe?
Second, I don't hold with the "put kids in cars that can barely propel themselves along the road and they'll be safer argument". I learned to drive in a 1.0l Talbot Sunbeam. It was so underpowered (not sure that it could even muster 50hp) that it contributed to my danger rather than detracted from it. Because acceleration was so tardy I went around every corner at break-neck speed in order to maintain momentum. Over-taking safely was well nigh impossible as you needed a straight about the length of Heathrow's main runway to get past anything doing 50mph and yet I tried it anyway, often resulting me overtaking immediately before blind corners - something I would never do today. Its brakes were utterly inadequate and its handling wayward at best due to its uber-skinny tyres. Some kids will always take risks, it's part of their nature and some young people will be cautious and safe because of their nature. Perhaps the daredevil kids tend to seek out higher performance cars because of that nature but they're just as likely to kill themselves in something that goes put-put as something that goes vrroooom. I'm ready to admit that I am only alive today through sheer dumb luck. If I recall correctly, the one lad from my cohort who ended up dead as a result of an RTA was killed driving his father's Volvo, perhaps he felt too safe?
