01-20-06 Accident

Myth busters did a really interesting test on a driving range and demonstrated that their 2 test subjects actually performed as badly with cell phones as they did with .07% alcohol (can't operate a car with >.08, so the police supervising the use of the test track made sure they were under the legal limit)

FWIW, my drivers ed teachers actually had us adjust the radio, go through fast food drive throughs, and other things they anticipated teens to do. Of course, that was 25 years ago in a small town and Drivers ed was a required part of the public school curriculum.

 

Yes - Driver's Ed was required for me as well...and that was 25 years ago in a small town as well in the snow belt outside of Buffalo, NY. SO - we also had to learn what to do driving in snow and ice. [8D]

 

Would it be possible to publish the Sheriff's Release (posted here on 1/23) in the Broadlands Newsletter? Hopefully, to get more exposure.

 

That track in sterling rocks! It's really fun, but expensive.... those are the carts that you can't floor all the way around the track... good times. I think it's like ~$20/ride for 5-10minutes... it's good once a year or so =) The computerised timing results they give you are cool.

 

I live in Brambleton and someone posted this on our forum yesterday. I wonder if it is related to the accident.

Breaking an entering
BE CAREFUL ,NEIGHBORS OF BRAMBLETON!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While my family and I was on vacation last friday , My neighbors spotted a young girl entering thru my garage via the outside keypad and leaving in a silver 330i BMW loaner parked outside my driveway. Later we found out our car was invovled in an accident. If anyone in the neighborhood has any clues as to who this girl might be, please reply or call xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thank You

 

It could very well be, I believe there was a girl included as one of the passengers.

Keypads are so secure, as long as you don't tell your kids the number, or allow others to see the numbers punched in. Me, I'll stick with the remote and the openers that scramble their codes.

Then, when I'm away, the alarm is on (and no one knows that code), and the door to the garage is locked.

OK .. this just crossed my mind, why would I think there's a spare refridgerator in the garage, stocked with brew ?? Because, that was what a HS friend's father used to do back in the 60's. And guess how often a sixpack went missing !!



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Oh, I recall it. I'm friends with the same kid that you mention above's brother. I'm heavily involved in the drama department at Stone Bridge, and the losses of Nik and Tony hurt everyone quite a lot. What bothers me is when people blame those two for the accident. They weren't the ones driving at the time. No, they shouldn't have let Adam (the 15 yo) drive, but they weren't driving when they flipped.

I got my license about three weeks ago. I do have a car of my own to drive - but it is not MINE. It's a third family car that I usually drive. Some days, like today, I take dad's car because one of my parents needs the cargo space of my car.

I have a 2001 Ford Escape SUV. My parents are letting me drive it, yes. I know the limits of the car, and yes, I do know that it's fast. I know the 0-60 time and that the fuel cutoff is at 108 MPH. Not from experience, but because I read. I'm a very safe driver, and I know that while I'm not all that experienced yet, I do a lot better than most.

My parents were great about letting me drive wherever we went while I had my permit. I drove to IKEA and drove home with a couch sticking out the back of the Escape. Quite an experience, but it really helped with things like mirror usage. And taking Behind-The-Wheel through SBHS is great. The teacher does get on your nerves, but he does do real world stuff. He explains a lot of things, which have stuck in my mind, and I make use of that knowledge on a daily basis.

Yes, I drive to school every day. No, I'm not spoiled. OK, I am a little. But I'm not one of those kids whose parents bought 'em a brand new car, which does happen a lot around here. I do have to pay for my own gas. I don't pay for insurance because my parents believe I have earned it with grades and all. If I get in an accident, I will pay the difference (how much it goes up).

My best friend drives a 2001 Mustang GT, with the 260 HP V8. Now, before all you soccer moms (and dads) go and say that that's really dangerous and he must drive so fast and blah blah blah, let me tell you that he's the best teen driver that I've ever ridden with. He sticks to the speed limit EXACTLY. He doesn't gun it from stop signs. He knows the power and capabilities of his car, but he doesn't feel the need to prove himself. Even with me, another 17 year old guy, next to him.

Perhaps it helps that we're both car nuts who know our vehicles inside out. Maybe we respect them more than most. We take turns going to each others' houses and cleaning the cars, then taking pictures at various locales. Most kids don't do that. So yeah, we're slightly obsessed. But I believe the obsession adds respect for the 4000 lb. weapon that our parents have trusted us with.

My point behind this - to all you adults and parents, you have every right to be scared. It's a big leap of faith putting your 15 or 16 year old behind the wheel and saying "OK, drive." But you've gotta let them go and let out the rope a little. My parents always would not want to let me drive in heavy traffic, or D.C., but I just told them, "I'll have to do it eventually... do you want me to do it now, where you (with more experience) can help guide me, or when I'm going solo?" And they would let me, and I'd take my time and be OK.

It's also a trust thing. If you trust your kids with car keys, that's a hell of a lot of trust. I give you that. Just try to remember, you were once where we were. And you were excited to get your license and car, and you did all of the things we do. Just in different types of cars.

 

Mr. jthiewes

That was a very well though out statement, and while I applaud your message, I totally disagree with your points. Statistically, more youth (your teen brethren) die in auto accidents every year. While some are speeding and doing things that are just down right stupid, most die because of plain inexperience.

While most of your points are somewhat valid, they are also rationalizations based on that same youthful inexperience. For example, you and your friends hang out at locales, and take pictures of cars and etc.. But more often than not, those little outings eventually lead into drag racing or some other outlandish stunts that usually ends in a loss of property or in some rare and tragic incidents, death.

And while you may be able to talk your parents into letting you drive in more demanding situations, I suspect that it would be done in highly controlled environment or supervised conditions. If not, than disaster is looming in someone’s horizon.

Additionally you are correct in stating parents do have to let their children go, but it is all in good time, the one thing that young people don’t seem to understand that eventually the day will come that you will be on your own making, what most parents hope, good sound judgments about all of your actions whether it be driving or whatever. But those sound judgments and actions are grown from keeping control over the children while they are still learning.

This is all information that I share with you, being close to someone who has seen what mistakes can do to a life, from making a “wrong” choice ending what could have been a wonderful future.

 

There are many individually brilliant teenagers out there that, when with three or more of their friends together in a car have, collectively, the IQ of a house plant.

 

jthiewes you have wisdom beyond your years. Thank you for posting with such insight. I apologize for those around you, of my age, that may not be able to see it. Hopefully they'll take a breath and re-read what you wrote.

Remember jthiewes, if you want to hear an axx, it's better to fart.

 

Are we a bunch of hypocrits? What "adult" on these forums had not done something stupid in a car when they first started driving (or continue to do so)?

 

stupid action with a car was when i drove too fast around a corner in the rain and spun out, by trying to impress my friends.

asking to be shot is running from the police after crashing a car. that's more than a stupid kid action- that's a kid who hasn't been taught the INSTINCT of respecting authority and raising your hands if the cops catch you messing up.

call it teaching, call it brainwashing- call it what you want- it may save your kid's life if he ever finds himself in a situation that has spiraled out of control.


Ciao,

Redon1

 

redon1 - I agree. I would NEVER advocate disrespecting a law officer. To be specific, I was commenting on driving behaviour.

 

Sure, a lot of the photo ops and such may lead to drag racing. The thing is, my friends and I have been affected so much by the 'accident' of Nik and Tony that we all refuse to do anything of the sort.

My best friend has a Mustang GT with the 260 HP V8. I think I mentioned that already. In any case, that can rip off a 0-60 time that's insanely fast. Yet he refuses to gun it ever, because he knows that it's reckless and dangerous to those in the car and around him.

Same thing applies to myself. I've been driving a Z3 all week (on loan from my mom's friend) and that little thing has 190 HP. I know that it could spin the tires and zip right on up to about 80. But A) it's not my car and B) That's so unsafe, especially around here. So instead of racing all of my friends to "prove I'm cool" (dripping with sarcasm here) I've just taken them on rides around school and the neighborhood with the top down. And I've been having the time of my life.

Fun in a car does not equal speed.

 

Who pays to fix the railings on the watershed that are now gone, I'm betting we do so lets make the parents pay for it.

 

Homer
The insurance company pays. The HOA will pay upfront to have it replaced (or it could be a while until the Insurance company decides to get it done)and then since they did damage to HOA property the HOA will submit the claim to the drivers insurance company. It will be a littl more complicated then that seeing as how the car was a loaner and the kids driving it did not have insurace on that car. In the long run the kid and/or his parents will be the ones with the bill.

Staci

 

Any idea when it will be fixed? The railings just sitting in the water looks pretty bad. I worry about a child or pet falling down there.

 

Again, this is an issue that has to go through the insurance company, then once we get an ok to repair, we need to contact the company that makes these. Each is specially made, so it may take a while.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999