i think defensive driving should be a mandatory thing you have to complete before you get your Ps. i've still not had it, but would early love to. sadly, the cost has been a large factor deterring me. i will get there though.

but yes - if they extend defensive driving to include showing these kids what a difference of speed can make in terms of car control, it may start to make a difference. at the very worst, if the drivers stilll act like dickheads and get themselves in trouble, they'd be better equipped to get out of the trouble with minimum damage perhaps?

I'm surprised that people haven't been looking to blame videogames that promote speeding, drifting and stupid behavior on the roads with traffic.

Something has to be done to show young drivers it is them that is unsafe and not the roads (unless you live near me). The plans for compulsory driver training are good, but they only have an affect on people with the right additude.
When I did the course, you could see the difference in people, sometimes simply by what they were driving.
Really, would a guy in a modified WRX doing skid control tests be doing it for his safety? Possibly. I think they want to know thier limits and how to do this sort of stuff better so they can show off to their mates.

I was walking around the wreckers the other day looking for bits n pieces, but it relly opens eyes as to how easily a car can be crumpled like a can when something goes wrong.
Take young drivers on a tour here.

Discovery channel documentary i was watching the other day explained why kids do stupid things. The Human Brain doesnt actually mature until it is around 25 years old. Don't shoot the messanger, just telling you the bare facts.
In regards to these idiots that post how fast they were going and the stupid reckless things they do. I have given up telling people that this is bad. I am sick of being told that i am an old person and you don't understand etc etc. They and they know who they are are going to come to a sudden realisation that us old people know what we are talking about. Rant ended.

Cheers

Aaron

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Not so long a go when I was 17 two of my good mates jumped on a motor bike when they were pissed at a party at 11:00 at night. Wrapped the thing around a tree doing 140ish and now both of them are paraplegic and will be confined to a chair for the rest of their lives. Two great young blokes with hopes and dreams for the future all wrecked by alcohol and testosterone induced silliness.

The problem is not however simply young male drivers on their 'P' plates, people of all ages and both sexes do silly things in cars. I have driven the major highway up the centre of Tassie almost every weekend for the last 21 years (The first 17 years of that I was not driving obviously) and have seen some bloody horrific accidents on Tassie’s roads in that time. The highway in the last 10 years has been upgraded, signs have been erected urging safe driving etc etc, but every time I drive up that road I till see idiots overtaking in dangerous places, speeding on dangerous sections etc etc, and 9 times out of ten they are supposedly' experienced' middle aged drivers, who get to open highway and push the limits.

I think it is different here in Tassie, but it really annoys me when the road safety problem is shown as simply being young boys with fast cars who cause all the accidents. It is true that it is the young hoons who do silly things in the city, and I’m not saying this doesn’t need to stop, but I know in Tassie that most of the fatal accidents are on country roads and the open highway, and as such are not caused by a particular ‘group’.

Perhaps the thing that has taught me the most about responsible driving is time at the racetrack with some friends of mine who drive competitively (Targa, octagon series etc etc). Jumping in a car for a few laps with them, and then jumping in a car and driving yourself makes you realise how crap a driver you really are, and how stupid it is to drive like a maniac on public roads. It only take one thing to go wrong and you pay for it for the rest of your life…


Big Dan

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Be afraid, be very afraid...The Clubman is coming...!!

A few years ago I got a call from my dad who was at the hospital, my grandmother(mums side) had been hit by a car. She was alive and dad said she was alright. I had to break the news to my mum. The hardest thing I had ever done.
My grandma wasn't crossing the road but waiting at a bus stop with a group of other people. She was standing at the end of the bus stop next to a young 21 year old uni student who was sitting on the seat. A car was turning right into a side street at a set of lights (they were past the white line) the lights went orange, the car coming the otherway started to stop, so the car turning started to go. However the car behind the one coming to a stop for the orange light decided that he could get out of his lane and make the orange light, so sped up to go though the lights. Needless to say that the car turning right clipped the car going straight through.
The car going straight through then rolled straight through the bus stop. Killed the 21 year old and put my grandmother in the hospital.
Fractured skull
broken both cheekbones
broken hand
broken arm
broken collar bone
the list goes on...
Don't know how she survived but lets just say when I saw her in emergency I couldn't recognise her. I was ok until I saw her, but when I did I just lost it.
She made a fairly unbelievable recovery with only slight loss in vision and loss of smell and taste.
The driver that went through the bus stop got off all driving charges...

Please just be carefull and think about your actions and reactions. They just don't affect you.

I am sorry to hear about your son Danidad.

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Simon
Daily Driver - Yellow Devil 76 Clubman
Restoration Project - Primer grey 66 Morris Mini Deluxe

I think a lot of the problems with drivers speeding nowadays, young and old is the fact that there are not enough police on the road. The chances of getting pulled over, especially in the country areas is very slim.

How many times do you get passed while doing the speed limit, whether it's 60K or 110K, there will always be someone going faster than the limit.

I also believe it's that lack of personal disipline in todays society and the "I'm alright mate, stuff you" attitude of too many drivers.

The one's that scare me nowadays is the young women drivers, not only have they become more aggresive in their driving, they also don't seem to have a great deal of road sense. I don't know how many young mothers with kids in the car I see nowadays that drive well over the speed limit or suddenly change lanes without looking. I get the impression that they never look at the speedo or mirrors while driving.

Unfortunately, it is not just the young drivers that drive badly now, to many of the older generation seem to have forgotten a lot of the road laws as well.

I used to be in a Volunteer Rescue Squad while living in NSW and had to attend a few accident and pull bodies out of cars. If you think it can't happen to you because you are such a good driver, join a rescue squad and see how many "good" drivers end up dead...

But they're in their 4WD's. They're OK and don't need to worry about the rest of us!

Jeff.......... hats off man, takes a lot of guts to let us into your private world.......

Mate, in relation to the thread in question, i'm sure you'll all agree that at sometime in our lives we have been negligent of a stupid act. The thing that amuses me now at the age of 28 is when we try to "educate" the younger generation on the related dangers piloting cars at speed they seem to think, as has been mentioned, that they are "indestructible" and these lessons need not be heeded.........

I myself have, yes, been booked speeding before in my life (1995), recognised the irrepreable damage that could have been caused, and took the necessary measure to ensure that it did not repeat itself (to this day have touch wood not got one since.

The main factor that makes me want to try to convince people not to be reckless on public roads and with others in your car is this........ My cousin Justin commited suicide at the age of 21 in 1992.......

The root cause of the problem left in his note???? The fact that 7 years earlier he was the sole survivor of a fatal accident up here in a suburb called Morningside. The car was cut in two by the impact, the engine found more than 90 metres down the road. Five boys in the car, 4 killed instantly. Justin was pushed through the rear bracing of the back seat into the boot by the impact....... he was found over 4 hours later by a tow truck driver when unloading the Cortina at the police holding yard........... no one checked the boot at the scene as the rear of the car was crushed....

2 broken legs (multiple compound fractures)
2 broken arms ( as above)
2 broken pelvises
multiple rib fractures
massive internal bleeding
many many cuts, abrasions
medically induced coma for 4 weeks

He made a full recovery eventually (no brain damage amazingly).... but the mental scars lasted a further 7 years before the demons in his mind got the better of him.............

I guess in the end i'm trying to say that these actions have consequences..... for my family to this day these consequences still are felt, as my uncle and aunt (Justins parents) recently separated after 41 years of marriage, of which it has subsequently been discovered that my uncle is slowly drinking and drugging himself into oblivion........ apparently confiding to my father that he feels responsible for that particular set of events leading to that night of the accident, and the subsequent shutting out of Justin after the accident for "disobeying his orders" that night.

It's not just the speeding and recklessness here people........ it's also the failure to recognise the "chain reaction" set off following the event as well that teenagers fail to acknowledge....

Sorry for the long winded post...........

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I got nuthin......................

feel for you Danidad.
Im a p/t driver trainer (gets me out of the office) with the Youth Driver Development Program over here in WA, we have about 20 hours with students 16yrs old, before they get their licenses.
We focus on getting in to their heads, changing their attitudes in the hope (as we put it)that their full bag of luck doesnt run out before they fill their empty bag of experience.... we've put over 1500 students through the program over the last 6 years and not one has yet been killed in a fatal accident. We hope to continue that record and are continually pushing to have the program implemented as a compulsory part of the school curriculum.
It will become compulsory training, hopefully sooner than later.

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78 van 1300 cam extractors weber, 12" Superlights Metros Konis HiLos MP3 Amp Sub Alpine speakers and lots of fur
www.crazybitchracing.com

everyone knows how i feel about the way people act on the road i have gone on till blue in the face about the way people drive the way they dont care about other people have sean cars in ditches along side of a highway come across accidents out west sat with people while they try to work out what happend to them ..... i have destroyed a 250 single ducati witch took me 5 years to build ...... i have worked as a base operator for a towing company and some time on my way home with my lift have had to go to accidents ........ jeff i could never understand your pain ... if tracey and i are blessed to have children i hope it never happens to us ....... in all honesty you can talk till you are blue in the face to these kids and it wont do a god damned thing ... it's funny in a way i was telling my nephews mate to start driveing responceble other wise he could end up in some deap crap two weeks later rolls his car totaled it 4 guys in the car all of them escaped with minor bumps and bruses i dont know how they got of so lightly it was a rear wheel drive mazda 323 the batery was in the hatch area broke out of the batery box it was in and missed them all it was in the front pasengers floor when the car stoped ....... since this event he has decided that life is more inportant and drives like a human he also rebuilt the car and now only gives it when he is at wsid ....... jeff i dont condone stupidity when people drive but in all honesty to them we are just old and senile what do we know ??????????????
makka

edited: forgot tomention the driver of the car lost his licence for a year got comunity servive and had to pay to fix the grass the fence and the flower bed he destroyed all up in fines and compensation it cost him over 50,000 oh i should say his father had to morgage his house so his son would not go to jail

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Thanks for sharing that with us Danidad and best of luck for the future ...

a story that could be similarly repeated hundreds of times a year. The news hardly ever runs stories about the thousands permanently injured or scarred for life....just that a P Plater had a Skyline etc

Whilst speeding is dangerous....bear in mind that two cars colliding at or under the posted limits can still make a hell of a mess.... be careful out there Mini people....

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"Show me the Mini!"

do old people really not know anything? I listen to old people? maybe you arent old enough. My grandfather tells of how in his Morris Major Elite i think, ( or his morris 8? dunno) and a small triumph herald came and wrote its self of into his bonnet and windscreen, ( thats when he got his FX, that he did keep for his oldest grandson ) he always say stuff to me, ya got to find someone to respect, hes a good old man and he knows a bit.

Hello

People are so precious it maybe has taken me a while to fully realise that, with things recently going on for me, But danidad certainly does take a lot to let people see into the more harder parts of life for ya, But thankyou and maybe anyone, everyone will take notice.

That fast brick thread, well i know that when i put a figure in there, i thought what a ****head, so i deleted it, Its not even funny. i hate the fact i did it now? BUT many people put ridiculous speeds in, so i hope you feel like as much of a moron as i do.
hmmm
If only people think like me. I hate 'new' 'fast' 'ricers' cars, If it was upto me, all the young drivers, everyone actually would go back to the 60's, Driving there E's and H's Holdens, there ap's and V's Valiants, there old X's Falcons, The minis and other Morris's, the Wolseley's, Hillmans, Humbers and whatever, putting along at 80-90 kays? Why did i have to miss this phase<><>.
But having a mini is good, it basically eliminates me from the majority of speeding types, cause it isnt a fast/dangerous car in the right hands, And while i did put the foot down very recently, really i felt like a total cock after that, and i will never do it on a road again. I have never put the boot down in the magna, as i know it will pull over 200 kays easily, apparently, and i dont want to do that. But i cant wait till i get an old HT Premier, and cruize around at 90 kays, I mean who cares about idiots in there nee-shans and Mazdas, me in the mini gets more looks than anyone! and look how slow i am.

But my mate got his 300ZX from Japn on Friday, big twin turbo thing something. Thankfully he is not a cockhead ( i hope ), hes all talk, he stirs up his mum, but i tell him that i get more looks in the mini than him, and he knows not to be an idiot, His first legal drive really shook him up as he almost lost it doing 20 k's. I said dont be a **** save it for Symmons and the Drag racing, and i hope to see him alive sometime soon at those places.

After driving in this 300ZX (passenger only) it was absolutely unbelievable for me, super fast, i wouldnt say anything if there was some sort of 'fairly powerful car not allowing for public roads sort of rules to be bought in', cause as he did his stupid thing for the night, i though you ****ing cock, he was speeding up to 110 in a highly residential area, this is exactly what i see on the mainland news, 3 killed by drivers being an idiot, i would have said something but, i couldnt as i couldnt speak due to the unbelievable acceleration that i have never felt.
But as Big Dan said, down here in Tassie the power car thing seems not to have hit? although people still get caught doing 150+ often
So maybe powerful car laws arent that bad.

Saying everyone should have driver training is no good. You have to account for everyones situation, monetary and geographical? It really isnt fair for everyone.
The cars that people first drive should be looked at. I learned to drive in the family 14 seater Diesel Hiace but, carting all 10 of us around mostly. But, driving a bus, taught me, dunno, look ahead and out, dont rely on the brakes only, how to act around town, and general good driving behaviour. A really big and old cousin said to me he felt so much safer driving in the front of the bus with me, a P plater through the windy hilly touring route of Table Cape, than his mother of old age and his sister. He said learning to drive in a crap car makes you a 'better' driver. But i think its true.

None of my mates have driven the mini, cause there is no chance they'd handle it. Driving with them in there(parents) modern cars, coming to an intersection a parked car, whatever, i seriously panic and say WTF!! and they laugh, and i said, no seriously if you were in the mini, you would need 4 times that distance to stop.
And its true. I got a new car, the magna. I cant handle it. I am going to sell it. I hate it. Its too smooth, realaxing and quiet. The sort of thing that you'll find yourself doing 150 without noticing, or falling asleep. I am going to get an old Kingswood or something, More primitive, ya can hear the engine, smell the oil burning, and its much more less smooth to drive which is good

So teaching young drivers to drive in what *most people would call shitboxes, what i would call absolute gems, its gotta do some good, in giving them some sort of perspective on what really goes on, cause i know, and have seen, many of them have no bloody idea at all.

But ya know, for me, an 18 y.o idiot provisional driver nothing that no one says will make me go fast or infact not, really??
Maybe that i hope that the more idiot like people, i nkow ive done stupid things, no one else does though, cause i dont tell them, but the more idoit likes than me, well they'd better take notice cause they need to hear it.
As for me, i nkow no one, who knows anyone involved in any crash disaster anything, maybe ive had it good.
Oh life is good dont stuff it. My auntie at 39 has Just been diagnised with breast cancer, and has had a few items of flesh removed, and i think a day? few ago she started her Chemical Therapy? Its a pretty crap situation for my father and uncles, and grandparents, and of cause my unlce (just by marriage) who's mother died of breast cancer, and my 5 cousins there. Bad things happen to good people, but bad things dont happen to bad/stupid people, However no one deserves bad things, you all know what i mean? Things happens so people should have to deal with whatever the best they can?


about impounding cars?
This is harsh?
Burnouts? I do a burnout in the mini its a 1/10th of a second screech> and seriously a cop would have a go at me im sure? and sideways, and tire squealing? can we agree that a burnout (talking from standing start, eg. lights, and into motion) in a mini, isnt the same as a burnout in a 300zx? Right well if i get done i wont be happy, cause its all bullshit. Ive done about 5 stupid things ever on the road, and by ANY other car standards, it would be extra tame, so i think we old car drivers need/deserve some kind of concession in relation to fines and warnings, Cause we are just all in for a delightful, Elegant, Classy, and Stylish cruise in our MUCH more primitive vehicles, it jusr aint the same

okkher
that was stupid that was a long story??
someone summarise it for me so i know if i said anything?
haha
Bye

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Sir Namibian CAMEL of MONGOLIA !!!
Vrilen Snyson Racing: Finding us all a Vrilen
Asparagus: Experience the versatility

danidad, I congratulate you on coming forward with this, things like this do need to be said. I'm sorry to hear that it has affected someone so close to you.

I'm 20, and i'm in constant dispair at how some of the people my age drive around and what they drive around in, but not just that, but other people on the roads, the government and it's take on all things P platers, the licensing system, in NSW at least. I can't vouch for the other states.

When I got my licence I was in shock at how easy it was to get it, the new licensing scheme is a joke. I have always been a car nut from an early age, I was heavily influenced on farms and had plenty of experience before I got my licence driving paddock bashers and bikes etc. I was always going to the local go-kart track and I just generally love anything with a motor, be it cars, bikes, boats...still do.

Sure i've done my fair share of stupid things in my life, but I know there is always a time and a place for something and 80km/h down a pedestrian filled road in not it.

I feel it's the driver behind the wheel that needs to be educated. The whole ricer, turbo fully sik syndrome really annoys me. Alot of these people have no idea how to drive a car on the limit, and think they are fangio. They care more about how load their ICE is and how far they can recline their seat while taking a corner in a drift with the blow-off valve going off.

I don't like the "SPEED KILLS" Campaign, It's a load of crap, whose to say what is speeding? faster than the posted limit? whether you do 40km/h or 100km/h your still in danger of hurting yourself or other's. Now the speed limit on a freeway is 100km/h, what training do people have controlling a car at those speeds? On your L's you can only do 80km/h, but drive around a few streets at 60km/h and now your allowed to go out and take your car to 90km/h legally, but really the skies the limit. And lets be realistic as soon as a large percentage teenagers get their licence they're going to go out and test their car, they're alone and now they can do whatever they want, but no one has shown them car control.

Road craft is something pooly lacking in our car licensing system, but that's rectified with our bike licence, and I feel defensive driving courses should be mandatory, but no, that would cost the government money.

I myself have done various defensive driving courses, and one advanced driving course, I take my car to tracks and try and get as much of it out of my system as I can through other things, and drives where i'm out of harms way.

I don't drink and drive, I'm not a dick with mates in my car and I try and act responsible. I'm not perfect and sometimes I do irresponsibile things, but the idea of what can happen is always at the back of my mind and generally keeps me on tab.

What i'm trying to say is, boys will be boys (yes even 14yo ones who shouldn't be on the road), as much as we hate it, they will continue to speed and do reckless things. The best we can do and train them on what to do when something goes wrong and what the consequences of their actions are.

Problem is, it takes a while for some of the young ones to catch on, and they all seem so stupid to people who are older..

But that was just a whole load of my oppinion

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Well where does one begin when talking on such an issue?

Firstly I send anger to the peopel that injured those who were close to you Danidad. To see your own son and family friend like that is something I have never experienced and as such can only imagine what you must feel. Ill leave that there, my best wishes to you and your son, and your family friend (for what it is worth)

But to the moral of the story. I know where it was aimed and to me it brings up an important point. I stood up for the person it was aimed at having the "who care" approach. Not only then, but when in friends cars and they are driving stupidly, instead of sitting there saying nothing I think it is important that from now on i tell them to wake up to themselves.

The boys will be boys statement is one that has been used and to a certain extent is a statement that will never die, but it should...while not a model citizen, I generally abide by the law and realise it is a privaleage to be driving and that even a mini is a deadly weapon.......THIS has been instilled upon me by my folks...so perhaps this is where Mini Mad (20 years old) My self, 68 Matic (21 yo) Mr Cooms (18 yo) and even parent with younens (Anton) and soon Gafmo.....can change this mentality and perhaps do our bit when we have a family to stress the leathel nature of driving. instill it on your friends and relos....

the story about your family friend made me cringe and if anyone tells that story to a friend as well im sure they will and take a second to think about driving like a complete and utter fiddle sticks wit.

that story has made me want to be a whole lot more sensible and go slap some cock heads in the head and tell them to wake up to themselves....

Thanks for sharing Danidad..important reminder for all (and NOT just the young ones)

Yeah, 10 points to ya, Danidad.

I send my sympathy for you, your wife, your daughter, amd most of all, your son.

I am 20 at the moment, and yes, I have probably done more thatn my fair share of stupid crap on the roads. (mostly when i first got my p's at 16) At that age, you think you are invincible... Nothin's gonna go wrong... Not me.... and then one day i managed to clean up a power pole. cost me a couple of grand to fix the parents' auto corolla and the -thankfully- insurance. I must say that it truly woke me up to what can go wrong, so quickly. And once you've lost control of the situation, you're just a passenger.There's nothing you can do once it all goes pear-shaped.

These days, i have slowed down. I don't speed. I don't drink-drive. I don't smoke weed and drive "just cause the cops cant bretho ya for dope". In fact, i don't smoke weed EVER. don't see the point.

I just hope that all the youngens' that post on this site DO read this fuul thread, and stand up and take some bloody notice to what can, and does, go wrong.

That's my 2 cents.

My deepest sympathy to all of you that have lost loved ones due to some f***wit driving like the complete morons that they are.

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