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Rossco · #**612** 08-01-2012, 04:22 AM

You can't train maturity/responsibility into a 17 year old period, some have it - some don't.

Next best thing is to blunten the weapon, lower the power to weight of what they can drive....Fine it may still do 180 (but probably not without a 30 knot tailwind), but it will take much longer to get there.....The thrill & sensation of power is reduced & the need to show someone 'how quick' your car is just isn't there either.

I don't think there's many of us 'old farts' here that could have purchased a sub 6 second 0-100 car for ~ $10k when we were 17. Let alone afford to tweak our first car to make 30% more power than stock with a quick flash tune as the technology simply wasn't available.

For the first 6 months of my license (1991) I drove my mums Mitsi colt, I saved $400 & bought a fiat 128 1.3L coupe that I drove - repaired- drove- repeat- for 2 years. I then moved on to my love affair with Mazda Rotaries starting with a 13b powered RX-4 sedan when I was 20.....About this time the first WRX Impreza was released here for just over $40,000.

Move forward nearly 20 years & the power output of cars available for 17 year olds is huge in comparison, there are many more road users today (population up by about 500,000 from 20 years ago) & even your mums old v6 Magna has more balls than what was financially viable to most of the old fart brigade when we were on P's (most of my mates were driving cars like Gemini's, Corolla's, Laser's & Escorts).

The problem is that a 17 year old today - is still the same 17 year old from 20 years ago- 6 feet tall & bullet proof - combined with more powerful cars of today, youthful exuberance & the same lack of understanding of the consequences of their actions. It's simply a recipe for disaster - unfortunately demonstrated repeatedly over the last few years.

I'm no angel myself, I've done stupid shit in cars - Some that have taught me to respect the road, my cars, other road users & that it's a privilege to hold a driver's license.

I drive a relatively high powered car & know that I can exceed the state speed limit with little more than a squeeze of my right foot.... It's all about a little self control, time & place - pan or track.