This scares me...and only cements my thoughts on the licence testing. People are taught how to pass a driving test, they are NOT taught how to drive a vehicle.
If you are going to be taught how to drive, then why arn't we for example, taught how to control a car in a spin, or under hard braking on a wet surface. Real stuff that really happens.
And if anyone thinks that by doing driver training this way only encourages drivers to do more of the same once they have their licence, then how is that any different to what go's on already, atleast they will have half a chance on how to control the vehicle as they have been taught how to.

Thats my 2 cents anyway..

That is actually my point. Each to their own. Just because you choose a Laser and I chose an SS Torana as our first cars, that does not make us any less anything, but it is a choice and you should not be imposing your thoughts or restrictions on others.


I see you have been a bit misguided by mmy post.

Where did it say I had a CHOICE?

Still liked it

Mate I haven't spent alot of time and money,not mentioning the early sunday morning starts for soccer,cricket to have my son wrap himself around a tree before he has had kids that I will fill with lollies and red cordial before giving them back to get my revenge for having him!!!. Pat

No ...our fastest speed limit is 130km/hr. Have you ever tried to overtake a3 trailer road train travelling at 120?

^^^^ X2 ^^^^

Stick to carby 4 cyls whilst on p plates

With the advent of all this fancy pathetic electrickertry run engines, The manufacturers have the power to limit the output of the cars at the owners choice. Parents can give the kids, the "kids keys" and dads lowered hotted HSV has 90KW, and traction control is set to super sticky...



Ben

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Cheers,

Ben

Mate , let's hope It never has to come to that.

I honestly cant believe the attitudes of some of the people in this thread, especially the OP.

Attitudes are the problem here, not the cars, not the speed, not the roads, not anything else

The ATTITUDES

about 3 years ago i was the third person to arrive at a MVA where Tony Farrel, 24 lost control of his camry on a slight bend at a speed police estimate to be 160-180, he put 2 wheels in the dirt on the wrong side of the road and overcorrected, hitting a power pole pretty much just in front of the B pillar, the car hit the pole hard enough to blow the rear window out, and pushed into the car roughly 2/3 across where the drivers seat would normally be, and the impact was so hard that while the pole pushed that far in, the front and rear wheels still appear to be in line with each other.....

First aid was on the scene literally on scene within a minute, an ambulance was on scene within 5 minutes, but the driver died in the car before he could be released, and you could hear the passenger screaming a block away when the ambo's got her out of the car. she died 3-4 days later from what i heard.

did it slow me down? for the first couple of days, yes

have i exceeded the posted speed limit in the last 7 days? yes, at times enough that if i had been caught, i would most probably be looking at a stint behind bars

why?

honestly?

Because I made my own judgement call, that the risks were minimal, clear weather, reasonable road condition, little if no traffic, well maintained car, little police presence, which meant, most importantly, little chance of getting caught (remember that bit)

was it a smart thing to do? not really...... hence why i usually travel the same road at 105-110km/h

what would have stopped me? the knowledge that at any point on my trip there would be a marked police presence on the road, complete with radar gun and ticket book...

a speed camera wouldnt have worked, i know exactly where they set up, and they have never changed thier routine at any time in the last 10 years, same for the normal patrol, yea..... 3-4 times a week, and no further than 20km from town, leaving me with 35km of highway to play around on.....

small fines? nope..... last time i got booked for speeding, it was for 113km/h in a 100 zone, nice clear day, great road, no traffic, cop gave me a lecture about the "life endangering offence" that I'd committed, issued me with my ticket and headed off in the opposite direction to me.... 2 minutes later i was doing 140, 5 minutes later i was OVERTAKEN by someone going FASTER than me.....

the threat of crushing my car wouldnt work...... given the possibility of losing something i value highly, for more reasons than just a means of getting to work? sorry..... i'm not gonna pull over if it means losing my car..... thats simply going too far..... go nuts with the ticket book, but reach for my keys, and you'll pry them out of my cold, dead fingers

there will allways be the mentality of "i wont get caught, so what can i possibly lose", and I'm as guilty as the next person

btw, i got my licence in a Subaru Brumby, first car i owned was an XF Falcon, 100% standard mechanically, but that NEVER stopped me from doing anything stupider than trying to crack 170..... the old girl simply wouldnt do it..... had more than a couple of sideways moments in it too..... spent more than a little time in some stove hot V8's that shouldve gotten me into more trouble than they did though.....

Yes I whole heartedly agree but with driving instructors,do they teach how to pass the exam or do they teach them how to drive. Two completely different scenarios That would take quite a few more lessons and most cannot afford the costs involved.
I know some good experienced drivers who if taken for a exam probably wouldn't pass it because the current tests are virtually out of the book not out of the real world of driving.
John .

for those of you who want to criticise those who have modified thier cars, i suggest you best look amongst yourselves first, how many of you have suspension and body lift kits, big mud tyres, etc?

do you really think you are any different? sorry to burst your bubbles, but youre not, if anything, some modifications made to 4x4 vehicles to enhance thier performance OFF road are to the immense detriment to thier performance ON the road

big tyres = decreased acceleration and braking capacity, increased risk of rolling the tyre off the wheel under extreme cornering conditions (think swerving)
mud/off road tyres = less traction than equivalent highway pattern tread types
suspension lift = higher centre of gravity, increased tendancy to roll, decreased steering response, suspension and handling characteristics are often affected negatively
roof racks, roll cages, bull bars, long range tanks, strage drawers, etc..... all extra weight that alter your vehicles handling characteristics

just as a final thought for anyone who still believe that legislation will save lives

My local mechanic had purchased a mid 80's Saab 900 Turbo that he intended to let his son use for his first car, but when the P plater restrictions came in, because of that nasty lil turbo, his son wasnt allowed to drive it.

However, his son was still allowed to drive his LX Torana sedan....triple SU's, big exhaust, mags, wide tyres, etc..... more than a little time had been spent modifying it to be a competitive hillclimb/short circuit sprint car, fast enough to outrun more than a few of its V8 and turbo'd competition, but still 100% P plate driver legal, given that every one of its modifications were either an enhancement of a factory specification (suspension components) or a variation of an accepted factory fitment (the triple SU carburettors, factory fit in LC and LJ toranas)

Which would you rather your children drive? a tame, refined 4 cylinder european car with a reputation for safety, or a fire beathing weekend track warrior with a reputation for handling poorly? the difference being one is P plater legal, the other isnt......

As Craig said, be careful what you wish for..........