Sad Story

[nc211]

The first gaming machine we had was one of those Texas Instruments 81s, or something like that...totally useless on all levels. nothing but a oversized calculator. Then it was something called Odassy, or something like that. At the end of the day, we were over at the neighbor's house playing atari. They have a "retro" atari for sale now, which comes preloaded with all the favorite games, but the controlers suck.

[smooth1]

I want an arcade version stand alone Galaga game. They're like 3K though, so it's not really realistic. But I have alwways thought it would be really cool. Not to mention the hernia my wife would have!! She already tolerates the garage activity.

[micah money]

tad bit scary

REALLLY SAD and my thoughts go out(even more because im 17)

I feel lack of thought will get you killed. I mean, if you're going to test the ride, do it properly

to him and his friends

[90LS400Lexus]

My gosh, what a horrible story. Those posts and the series they were mentioned and his posts are chilling. His last post... said he would post photos tomorrow.... now he is gone forever, as are his friends. Just goes to show no one is promised tomorrow. What would have made it even more tragic is what if these kids had hit an innocent family in another car and killed them all too? Horrifying just to think of it.

I agree its not a wise move to let a kid at this age to drive such a powerful automobile. I have no children yet, but when/if I ever do have any, they will not have a super powerful sports car. I know that any car can be deadly if not driven responsibly. Heck, even a Chevette will go 85 mph- then hit a tree... your gone. I know you cannot be with your kids 24/7, so its so important they know the dangers of speeding, no matter what type of automobile they drive- no matter how many airbags, safety cages, etc. There are other innocent people on the roads out there and its not right to put them in danger, nor themselves. My kid will probably have some big full-size car that is not powerful... like my 89' Pontiac stationwagon with a 307 (150hp) pulling a 4300 pound car. Even then I would worry.

I really feel bad for those families. I cannot imagine what they are going though.

[eatingupblacktop]

What about pinning this thread in General for everyone to see as a HEADS UP or sign post for STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!

[90LS400Lexus]

Yeah I know. I went to that BMW forum and was reading some of his posts. People were warning of the dangers of speed and inexperience. Too bad it did not pay off. Its so ironic that its chilling- the posts were like within a day of the crash. I could not believe that car- how it was so mangled! It was hard to even look at it.

[jcrome04]

Just to think too...what if he had hit the brakes one second sooner..or one second later, they could have possibly missed that tree all together..

[Lexusfreak]

Just to think too...what if he had hit the brakes one second sooner..or one second later, they could have possibly missed that tree all together..

Going at the speed they were (my guess is close to 200 MPH based on what the article said) I don't think it would have made much of a difference (that was a huge tree they hit) & they were 'launched' if you will because of the steep drop at the end of the runway they went off. :(

[micah money]

What about pinning this thread in General for everyone to see as a HEADS UP or sign post for STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!

exactly...

[IndyKen]

The problem here is that kids no matter what the age think "Ahhh, this won't happen to me, those guys were just idiots." The kid's that can admit "Damn, this could happen to me." are usually the one's who EARNED the car they are driving.

All four of my boys will buy their first car if they want to get anywhere on their own, period. Stereo will only be installed after their first ticket free year. I'm 3 years away from the first one driving. Not to mention there is a network car device in every vehicle, which they will be made aware of. www.networkcar.com is where you can find out more. I used to use it on our company vehicles just keep everybody "honest". IT WORKS. Best of luck with the newbie you are about to buy a car for.

Ken

[90LS400Lexus]

Very clever indeed! Both of my aunts have sons that will turn 16 next year and will obviously begin driving. They are already getting nervous. Scary thing is that one of them (dads sisters son in SC) is getting their mothers old 1995 Mercedes S500, which is not a slouch in the power department, but thankfully safe and heavy. I told her she may want to re-think and give him the other car that was her car when her daughter started driving- a 95' Accord. She has a 2006 Mercedes ML SUV now, but I am not sure that a SUV is the best choice for a 16 year old either. Ironically the other one (moms sister son) is getting his grandmothers old 1990 Mercedes 190E (which is a good choice I think... its safe and slow! :D). She bought it new in 1990 and has kept it in the garage since 1992.. it has like 12K on it! I hate to see what will happen to this 12K mile 1990 car after he gets ahold of it! :(

Not to mention there is a network car device in every vehicle, which they will be made aware of. www.networkcar.com is where you can find out more. I used to use it on our company vehicles just keep everybody "honest". IT WORKS. Best of luck with the newbie you are about to buy a car for.

Ken

[90LS400Lexus]

My gosh, what a terrible thing to have had to witness. That is probably something that you will never be able to forget, but hopefully time has helped some.

I remember back in 1988, we witnessed an elderly couple in a then new 1988 Buick LeSabre make a left hand turn at a 4-lane intersection... there was a car ran the traffic light hit them on the passenger side. By the time we made it to the car, the old man was holding the woman (his wife) in his arms... she was dead. Her neck snapped. There was no blood, no scratches, but it was still something I still have embedded in my memory (I did not even get out of our car, but I could see her) and that was in 1988.. I was only 12 years old. This was the same thing that happened to my uncles girlfriend in 1985. A drunk ran her off of the road, she flipped over and her neck was broken. Killed instantly. I remember this vividly as well. It was a very sad time. She was only 18.

Then in December of 1993 (I was in high school and was 17 years old) one of my best friends was killed in a car accident when her "new" 1994 Geo Metro went off of a roadway and flipped several times. Her seatbelt was not fastened, but it would probably would not have made a difference in this car, as it had those dreadful door mounted belts that when the door flies open, you can still fall out. I was devistated.

Then about 4 years ago I seen a car pull out in front of a motorcycle... man and woman on the cycle... both were flown about 150 ft beyond the crash site.. terrible scene... blood everywhere. I think they lived though. I will never forget that though... whats ironic is that this crash was at the next big intersection about 5 miles beyond where the first crash I mentioned in 1988.

First car young drivers should not get a brand new M5 BMW elite sportcar...You are inviting trouble with that combination... An SUV would be a better first car for an 18 year old...

It's tragic, as I witnessed a simular crash many years ago... 4 - 16 year old kids were driving home in a Brand new Cyrsler conv. Lebaron after a night out and were speeding just a bit and proceeded to drive thru an intersection showing a green light...Another 19 year old kid was driving home drunk in a big SUV from a bar and ran the red light hitting the Lebaron broad side...The collision sent the Lebaron with the 4 teens directly flying into a huge solid big oak tree that was unforgiving.. I heard the bang and ran out of my friends house to see one young girl thrown from the car still laying face down motionless on the ground and the other 3 teens sitting calmly in the car at the tree with seat belts still fastened....I knew they were all dead right away....It looked like the three kids were sleeping peacefully but tragically they all were dead with broken necks and or severe head injures... The young girl thrown from the car also died instantly... The drunk kid in the SUV was sitting on the curve with his face in his hands crying and was unharmed physically... I walked away saying OH MY GOD!!!!!

There are still flowers being placed at that accident seen even 15 years later after the fact.... That is one accident I will never forget... I can still see all their faces today in my memory as I did go to check them all at the time......I was the first person at the sceen... I myself was only 24 years old at the time...

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

How many here have done equally stupid things as teenagers, yours truely included, yet somehow managed to survive the age of stupidity (even though some are equally stupid at 3X that age) with only miner injuries? Some think its dumb to put goveners on modern cars. I don't know the top speed or our RX400h, nor would I know the top speed of our Prius, but for the fact that Al Gores' son was doing about 100mph in one, while running from the cops. Lexus prides itself on being luxury AND power. Folks post about it here ... "The Power" ... and more often than not, I've read posts on lexusownersclub how in comparison to Lexus, their BMW (or other power car) is "no comparison, to it's power and handling". And that's important why? So you can hit the gravel or oil on a mountain hairpin turn, sending you over the cliff?

Shrinks often say that people can only handle so much reality before they bury their heads in the sand. Here's proof. Here we are, on the verge of a paradigm shift ... the twilight of the oil age, where it continues to go up & up & up, a global economy based on the availability of cheep energy, never to be the same ... and the auto manufacturers still convince people via ads that you gotta be able to burn rubber, and pull 2 G's or more, through the turns. (shaking head) There you go.

[90LS400Lexus]

I can honestly say I was always too much of a chicken to do such things.... lol. Fastest have personally driven was about 92 mph in my old 1987 Honda Accord on a local expressway on a flat stretch trying to get around a bunch of semi's.

Fastest I have been in a car was about 10 years ago when my uncle had me going about 123 mph in his 1985 Jaguar XJ6. I was terrified. I told him to stop or I was going to throw it in low gear. :o I do not like going that fast.

How many here have done equally stupid things as teenagers, yours truely included, yet somehow managed to survive the age of stupidity (even though some are equally stupid at 3X that age) with only miner injuries? Some think its dumb to put goveners on modern cars. I don't know the top speed or our RX400h, nor would I know the top speed of our Prius, but for the fact that Al Gores' son was doing about 100mph in one, while running from the cops. Lexus prides itself on being luxury AND power. Folks post about it here ... "The Power" ... and more often than not, I've read posts on lexusownersclub how in comparison to Lexus, their BMW (or other power car) is "no comparison, to it's power and handling". And that's important why? So you can hit the gravel or oil on a mountain hairpin turn, sending you over the cliff?

Shrinks often say that people can only handle so much reality before they bury their heads in the sand. Here's proof. Here we are, on the verge of a paradigm shift ... the twilight of the oil age, where it continues to go up & up & up, a global economy based on the availability of cheep energy, never to be the same ... and the auto manufacturers still convince people via ads that you gotta be able to burn rubber, and pull 2 G's or more, through the turns. (shaking head) There you go.

[smooth1]

Well, I stumbled upon this, I think every kid should have to watch this:

Just another example. I'll bet he thought he was a great driver before and not like all those other stupid kids. And how special and outside the rules he was.

[nc211]

I can honestly say I was always too much of a chicken to do such things.... lol. Fastest have personally driven was about 92 mph in my old 1987 Honda Accord on a local expressway on a flat stretch trying to get around a bunch of semi's.

Fastest I have been in a car was about 10 years ago when my uncle had me going about 123 mph in his 1985 Jaguar XJ6. I was terrified. I told him to stop or I was going to throw it in low gear. :o I do not like going that fast.

Boy, I sure wasn't..... In fact, it takes my current 34 years of age voice in my head sometimes to keep me grounded, even to this day, especially in my wife's little toy Mazda. I grew up pretty well off, with very well off friends. I've been in those M5 situations, going 140+, jamming out the stereo, 17 years old and invincible. Damn, sure am lucky to still be alive, if not in jail with a ruined life. Out off all the crap I pulled, the only thing that came back to me was getting caught for playing mail-box baseball in 1988, and sinking our boat with a real M80' during the 4th of July in 95', in Oklahoma at the age of 21... I was officially NC211 a few months later...

In today's world, as a soon to be father for the 1st time, all I can hope is that my son only gets into the kind of trouble that I did, and not worse. It seems like by today's standards, mailbox baseball is cub-scout stuff, even if you did hit a local judge's mailbox, unknowingly... That one went over like Monica Lewinsky at a Democratic National Convention. I just hope I never catch him with a gun. I'd rather bust him smokin' a dubbie and being a sloth, then messing around with weapons. Heck, at least with weed I'll know he's mellow and too damn paranoid to do anything that might attract attention to himself.

[blake918]

How many here have done equally stupid things as teenagers, yours truely included, yet somehow managed to survive the age of stupidity (even though some are equally stupid at 3X that age) with only miner injuries? Some think its dumb to put goveners on modern cars.

We've all done stupid things, but trespassing on to an air strip and going 150+ mph is in a class of it's own. Stupid driver, and the passengers are just as stupid for going along for the ride. Sadly, they all paid dearly for that decision. I think they could easily nab the Darwin Award. LOL

[Lexusfreak]

Well, I stumbled upon this, I think every kid should have to watch this:

Just another example. I'll bet he thought he was a great driver before and not like all those other stupid kids. And how special and outside the rules he was.

That kid's lucky to be alive! Thanks for the link smooth1.