Does young equal dumb?

[enthuzed]

It had to be done - Following on from the discussion in http://forums.austarion.com/viewtopic.php?t=9609
I did some stupid stuff way back when, don't know whether that would be considered tame or not in this day and age.
And I'm sure there's those 40+ that can tell some stories too...
So on the whole are young people better or worse in their vehicles these days?

[matt g]

a lot of em seam real dumb, but i think some of it is just us youngins lack better judgement, im still 21 and while ive grown up a lot i still have a error in judgement, the most recent one clamed my car,

but the bottom line is we all like to go fast. but when your in highschool or uni or whatever, money isnt exactly rolling though the door, so we find it difficult, and theres not a lot of advertised events for us to go to if we are bored by going in a straight line for half a kay,

[WidebodyWoody]

I don't think all young people are dumb. I never really did stupid shit like that. I see the majority of Idiots are commodore drivers young or old. They are just stupid down here. (or up here if your in another state ;))

But young people don't have the judgement that older people have. I suppose there are some good young people out there, but unfortunately the quantity of idiot young people over shadow those who are smart.

[WANTSOM]

Its not so much the age of the drivers, I've been with idiot older drivers who've scared me crapless and I've been with Dave Masing (age 20) sideways all the way around a roundabout but in perfect control.

What has changed in my 30 years of driving is the number of vehicles on the roads and the general lack of improvement in those same roads. eg Victoria Road here in Sydney is a main arterial road. 30 years ago it was a 3 lane each way road. Guess what, today it is still a 3 lane road but how many more cars are using it.

Speeding is relative, in some places 40km/h is excessive whereas in other places (eg an uncrowded freeway) 120-140 km/h is perfectly safe.

What age brings to the table is some "stop and think" mentality, you tend to weigh up the consequences a little more and are less testoterone inclined.

Yes, I also did the occasional dumb thing when I was younger but then again I was working in a servo where the owner raced Chargers and L34 Toranas and I was told and taught how to drive fast without being reckless. I was a lucky boy back then.

The best thing a young bloke (or girl) can do is go and do an advanced driving course where they can learn how to control a car at speed and in adverse conditions.

[benny]

its got more to do with the fact that in the old days they could it it in a paddock with a $100 shitbox.

cops and older people say don't do it.. when they should be providing some facilities reasonably priced and saying don't do that here ( on the street ).. do it here instead ( at reasonably priced place with lots of bitumen ) :)

[enthuzed]

Picking your time is the key if you have to do anything on the road. If you want an audience for your antics, everyone has a mobile phone these days so you're almost as good as gone if someone doesn't like you skylarking in your car.
Added to that the new hoon laws that everyone knows about...

[enthuzed]

I reckon people are a bit more screwed up these days and it's only likely to get worse at least in the medium term. With more cars on the road now as well, it further magnifies the problem.
And I agree with your comments too benny boy, there needs to be an outlet.
Football is group therapy, where else is is perfectly acceptable to scream your lungs out in public? So what is there for those that couldn't give a damn about the footy?

[airbats801]

A kid just ran off the road on the local apss here the other day and died. Daylight, he didnt even try to stop, no tire marks. I'm guessing he was on the phone or something. Drove right off the road down about 15 meters intot he creek. Probably hit some trees and what not doing about 55mph im guessing. Cant take the inexperience out of a teenager....

We have alot of idiots here now days. More so than before....

[enthuzed]

Airbats, what's the probable cause?

[JJH]

Airbats, what's the probable cause?

Being human!

It's something that cannot be legislated against or controlled; some of us make it to a ripe old age, some of us just get ripe.

I'm going on holidays now :D

:beer

[airbats801]

im geussing driving inexperience. I dont know the details. The road was closed fof, and I could jsut barely see emergecny vehicles through the trees. Driving ont eh road later that night, there were no tire marks, just some flares around the area te driver went off. I'd say distraction or spacing off?

[redzone]

or fell asleep at the wheel.. even though it was daytime, could have been a shift worker.

or he just wanted to off himself! :?

[Starion EVO]

So on the whole are young people better or worse in their vehicles these days?

I would say worse! I live on the other side of the planet, but I have noticed that there is more aggressive competitiveness amongst the youngsters now days.

When I was younger there were races of course, but not in places you could find "normal" traffic. Now days it seems to be okay to race anyware amongst the kids.

And when I had a fresh driving license, most of the kids had around 100-150Hp. That is bad enough in an unexperienced drivers hand, but now day you can find a 18-year old trying to race everything in his 600Hp EVO or Impreza, a bit more things can go wrong here....

I am not exactly Santa Claus my self, I am turning 35, how old are you other people that are complaining about "the kids" ? :)

[matt g]

21..

it is easy to get a powerful car these days, i managed to pick up a v8 commo for $600 a couple of years ago. but as mentioned theres not a lot of places to use it, i mean nowdays me and my friend look for out of the way twisties to drive on, which are getting rarer and rarer, but theres still a risk of something going wrong and some guy getting hurt or worse.

in japan theres a tenth of the land area but theres tonnes more racetracks to race on, i mean esubi has a replica touge, theres nothing close to that here, the only tracks close to adelaide that i know of ore at least 2 hrs away and arnt exactly comlicated or challenging,

[thrash]

you know every time i've seen someone towing a race car back at the end of a track day, they're always slow drivers.. they're tired and it's like.. "been there done that.. it's out of my system for now.. i've had fun.. i don't have to prove myself to anyone"

every person i know who owns a race car and an everyday car doesn't speed or drive reckless much.. to them it's also.. "i know what i'm capable of.. this isn't the place and time.. i don't have to prove myself to anyone"

it's the same with me.. when i first started driving i have to admit i did crazy things.. i had hot blood, and no where to let off the steam.. except the road.

now it's like.. "meh.. been there done that.. it'd be fun to put that lebo rexxy in it's place.. but now's not the time or the place." i still speed.. but i stay within my (and the car's) limits. the only time i'll ever do any high speed runs on the road is at 2am on a weeknight, when i know no one's around, and no one can get hurt except myself.



So I'm of the belief that instead of oppressing everyone with stupid laws that are hard to uphold anyway, and stupid ad campaigns that cost millions, the government should look into subsidizing racing events and advanced driving courses for p-platers.. if someone gets busted speeding in a high powered car, don't fine them, offer them the chance to do it on the track.. if, after that, they still do it on the road, then they're just an idiot and don't deserve to use public roads.. sound fair?

It's obviously easier said than done, but i think it'd be a more effective way to spend the budget than playing ads on tv at times when the hoons are out in their cars anyway.