Ulix -
I'm not saying that you don't have a valid point, and I'm sorry if I
gave that impression. I didn't make my point very well. Driver
training of young people is a hot-button issue for me, and maybe I
should explain why.
One of my closest friends was killed driving his Mother's Mercedes. He
was driving it that day SPECIFICALLY because his parents thought he
would be safer in it than in his own car.
He died that day, not because he was hod-rodding, but because he had
NEVER BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO HANDLE A SKID, let alone drilled on it until it
was automatic. I know because I slid safely through the same corner, at
the same speed, about 5 seconds after him. He shouldn't have been
driving that day, Mercedes or no.
My point is that the vehicle you choose isn't the whole equation. If
the kid is poorly trained (and most are), there may not be ANY vehicle
that is "safe enough" under some conditions. Take the time to train
your children well behind the wheel, and they'll be safer no matter what
they drive.
Chris
Ulix Goettsch wrote:
>
> On Thu, 27 May 1999, Chris Kotting wrote:
>
> > I guess what I'm saying is that if you feel you have to worry about
> > whether the car your kid is driving will provide them enough crash
> > protection, you should maybe reconsider whether they should have the
> > privlege of driving.
>
> Chris,
> I think you are making it too easy for yourself.
>
> First, you could have taught me driving until you were blue in the face, I
> would have still tried out the limits of my car when daddy wasn't around
> to watch. It's just a thing about being young and being facinated with
> the feeling of driving on the edge and sliding around corners. I still do
> that, but I am a little more realistic about when and where to do this.
> Of course, few teens have this strong urge to drive like this and driver's
> ed will change the attitude of the average kid.
>
> Second, kids can get in an accident without fault. A Spridget is often
> overlooked by the SUV driver on a cell phone. Sure I drive a Spridget
> myself in those conditions, but do I want to expose my children to the
> same dangers that I choose to expose myself to?
>
> Ulix
>
> >
> > Ulix Goettsch wrote:
> > >
> > > This is a tough question, I think.
> > > I am 30 now. I had my first Midget with 18, and a 61 Sprite shortly
> > > after. The 61 didn't even have seat belts. This didn't seem to bother my
> > > parents very much for some reason, even though they had always been
> > > seatbelt proponents. Today, I feel that this was fairly risky. Such a
> > > small car with a solid steering column, no belts, etc. and I am not sure
> > > what I would do as a parent in the same situation. I may tell my kids (I
> > > don't have any yet) that they need to start out with a safer car for a
> > > year or two.
> > >
> > > But when I stop thinking as a potential parent and think back to being 18,
> > > the thought of being denied LBC ownership back then would have crushed me
> > > and if that had happened, I might be into collecting stamps right now and
> > > have clean fingernails.
> > >
> > > I don't know what the right answer is.
> > >
> > > Ulix
> > >
> > > On Thu, 27 May 1999 LRuggi2635@aol.com wrote:
> > >
> > > > Frank and others-- how do you all feel about the suitability of
>Spridgets and
> > > > other LBCs for young drivers? I for one feel today's driving
>environment is
> > > > decidedly more risky than the one I started out in 24+ years ago. Any
> > > > comments?
> > > >
> > > > Larry
> > > > Warner Robins GA
> > > > '65 Midget
> > > > '72 MGB
> > > >
> > > > Looking for something sporty (yet more crash-resistant) for daughter...
> > > >
> > >
> > > Ulix __/__,__ ___/__|__
> > > ..............................................(_o____o_)....<_O_____O_/...
> > > '67 Sprite '74 X1/9
> >
>
> Ulix __/__,__ ___/__|__
> ..............................................(_o____o_)....<_O_____O_/...
> '67 Sprite '74 X1/9
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