Well, my 16 year old, driving 5 months, has now wrecked one of my cars. Luckily it wasn't my Z, and of course I can only write this because he and his brother are fine. So !@#$!@#%!

Wet road. Not paying enough attention. Rear ended another car in the Camry. Camry lost. Hood buckled, radiator pushed into engine, who knows what else. Sigh.

Glad to hear that everyone is OK, Mark.

Have you considered sending any children of driving age to a Defensive Driving School such as are offered by places like Bob Bondurant, Jim Russell, Bertil Roos, etc. They can teach a lot more than the Drivers Education classes offered through public school systems. Car Control on a Skid Pad, Defensive Driving, Emergency Maneuvers, Driving on Ice, etc

I don't have any kids, but having seen what the average teenager is capable of here in CA (:stupid:) I'd consider attendance at one of these schools as a possible life saving experience for a teenager.

Interesting thought on the driving school, but as far as I know there are none anywhere near IL. That just makes it logistically difficult (not to mention more $$). Anyone know of a school within a few hundred miles of central IL?

Hard luck about the Camry. We have a novel solution to helping young drivers here in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Police hired out the local rac e track and invited all the "boy racers" in their skylines, 240SX's and alike for a all day blast. The Police and car club organisers were very surprised with the amount of control that these guys had. So much so that they are going to make in a regular event to encourgage track time.

Only one lad rolled his SX and totalled it. There is no insurance for cars that are on the track. So that is also a very expensive leason.

So Mark.......be thankfull that your son didn't take the Zed to the track....... :sleepy: :dead:

I went to one of those training courses last year (a gift from a family friend). It was good fun, and it's a real blast to be able to drive cars on the absolute limit without worries about cops/other cars... I'd recommend it. Especially if they don't know anything about cars.

edit: and i haven't crashed ... YET :tapemouth

Hi Mark, I am a young one and 5 years ago when I was 16 I wrecked Mommy's car. Luckily no one was hurt, but it was a very hard way to learn a lesson. However, I quickly found out that driving was a serious ordeal. I don't do any excessive speeding or fast lane changes unless forced nowadays, and especially with my beloved S30. The track is so much more fun anyway because you can push the car as much as you can handle, as I am sure you are aware of. I am basically saying that hopefully your sons's learned their lesson and that they are lucky that they weren't hurt. I agree with the New Zealand police because there really should be a place were people (kids) can go to race at a track or at a safe environment were they can let it all out. This would let kids get used to their cars and it would decrease their urge of road rage if they knew that they had a place to do it were there was a lot less risk of hurting themselves, others, and not having to worry about getting tickets.

Take care,

Ben

Originally posted by mdbrandy

Luckily it wasn't my Z, and of course I can only write this because he and his brother are fine. So !@#$!@#%!

Mark

Glad that everyone is OK.

I take it you won't let him drive your 69 car until he is about 40 years old.:classic:

My eldest son is at the age where everything he touches he somehow manages to break so I keep him well away from my z.

I lost count of how many people I trained and tested in the Army.

Using the same method, I taught my son to drive. He passed with flying colours on his first test.

Two months later he totalled my ute. At eighty klm's per hour he decided to change the tape he was playing, fumbled, dropped it and reached down to the floor get it.

Result, one totalled ute.

So Dad buys himself a new ute.

Son asks to borrow new ute to help mate move to new unit.

Brave son.:classic:

Dad says yes.

Dumb Dad.:stupid: :stupid:

Son remodels bonnet and mudguards by coming into contact with rear end of another ute.:stupid: :stupid:

Son asks to drive Dad's Zed.

VERY BLOODY BRAVE SON.

Dad's answer cannot be told here due to the possibility of being read by members of the fairer sex.

Rick.

:devious: :devious:

Good to hear from you mate! Frank. :devious:

Sounds like I need to go out and get a "sacraficial" car. My daughters are approaching driving age. I took my oldest (13) and gave her a lesson in my Maxima. She couldn't stop laughing, the whole time, ha ha, ha ha, ha ha, . I felt like I was with Beavis. I can hear it now "Dad can I borrow your Z to go out with my friends"? Who will be lauging then?

Originally posted by Ed

.......... I took my oldest (13) and gave her a lesson in my Maxima. She couldn't stop laughing, the whole time, ha ha, ha ha, ha ha, . I felt like I was with Beavis. ...............

Would that be Hannah, the one who was posting under your name a few weeks ago?

Originally posted by abas

I take it you won't let him drive your 69 car until he is about 40 years old.:classic:

Given that I manage to complete the '69 BEFORE he's 40 , you're right! I suspect no kid will ever be driving it! (I have 3 kids, and the current car-killer is the oldest; two more to go!).