Drag racing death

[curious]

I rest my case, this is why I confiscate them.

[slapnut]

Well siad Geea.

I also think of the times when it could have been different when I was younger.

It scares me now and I know that I don't want my sons to be as dumb as I was.

[Mr X]

Agree with you Geea,and hands up all those pure souls who haven,t taken on someone at the lights with their Turbo.

[turb06]

I think the majority of male drivers (especially) remember doing something silly when they were first licenced, I know I do.

But I think it is scary that racing seems to be moving away from the highways and lonely roads, and onto suburban streets. Something I will never have apart in.

I think when I have a child and he/she gets their licence I will be taking them to track days, drag strips, and burnout comps and letting them cut loose on a regular basis in a controled environment.

[Lumpen]

  geea said:

Flame resistance clothing?? CHECK

Thick skin?? CHECK

Ok guys, I'm all prepared.

I'm not sure about the rest of you guys with over 20 years driving experience, but here are some of my recollections.

I know that when I was 18 I had a 351c XB panelvan with the usual go fast and look good gear.

QUESTION: Now what are the chances that me being the normal (some would have said totally insane) 18 year old, that I would always be driving my car in a responsible and legal manner.

ANSWER: Nil.

Now I'd bet Redhawks, London to a brick that I'm not alone in this.

I can recall lots of close calls where afterwards me and my mates would be laughing and thinking, "f*ck that was close". There were even occassions where we had accidents, the ones I recall only involved ourselves in single car accidents or with each other.

I remember driving up the Hume doing well over 200kmph in said XB van. This actually scares me just to think about it. 

I managed to survive my youth as have you all and most will have similar experiences.

We shouldn't be glad or happy that a young man has died. We should be feeling sad and sorry both for him and his loved ones.

People don't intend to have accidents and don't try to get themselves killed. that's why they are called accidents. This young man was in the middle of getting more experience and learning what is/isn't appropriate on our roads. Unfortunately he never survived this lesson.

Geea.

That is completely true Geea. I am at the stage of life myself. I've almost wiped myself a few times and had alot of people try and wipe me out!

Sure I've seen 100Mph in everycar I've owned and the last four of dads, I've let the tail out around many-a-corner and I've even gotten an XA Futura airborne but I've never put ANYONE ELSE in danger. Its always been on deserted roads or in private paddocks etc, in the case of the XA is was going up Terraced Paddocks on our farm.

Now, I have more fun in my 100KW FWD Pintara than I do in Dads XR8. Mainly because 'Rallying' down a deserted dirt track in it is much less dangerous than going nucking futs with 200KW, a LSD and RWD,though it did take me a few 540s to work that one out

I'd love to take Dad's car to either the strip or a track, or even a hillclimb but being out in the sticks that's rather hard to accomplish. So until then Handbrakie and washing the dirt off my car it is but Im sure as hell not going to line other people up.

Yet another garbled and incomplete anecdotal post brought to you by:

VP Lumpy

[Mr X]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.At the risk of trivialising a very tragic event,not only would I never race at the lights,but I,d never look up porn on the net,get drunk or fudge just a bit on my tax return,hell no.For our pious members of the constabulary,I,ve never ever ever ever seen a patrol car travelling at well over the speed limit without sirens or roof lights on,heeeeeeeeeeell no.I,m probably older than most on this forum and while there,s no fool like an old fool,but I,ve been around long enough to bet that nearly every car in this forum will be involved in a stoplight derby at some stage.Human nature being what it is ;this sort of thing has been going for yonks and will always go on,so how about we ditch the holier than thou crap.More patrol cars and less revenue raising cameras might be a good start but will governments put deterrents(lives) before dollars,hell no.Fines and loss of licences have some effect but the casualty ward is the best deterrent I,ve seen.

[plonky]

  Mr X said:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.At the risk of trivialising a very tragic event,not only would I never race at the lights,but I,d never look up porn on the net,get drunk or fudge just a bit on my tax return,hell no.For our pious members of the constabulary,I,ve never ever ever ever seen a patrol car travelling at well over the speed limit without sirens or roof lights on,heeeeeeeeeeell no.I,m probably older than most on this forum and while there,s no fool like an old fool,but I,ve been around long enough to bet that nearly every car in this forum will be involved in a stoplight derby at some stage.Human nature being what it is ;this sort of thing has been going for yonks and will always go on,so how about we ditch the holier than thou crap.More patrol cars and less revenue raising cameras might be a good start but will governments put deterrents(lives) before dollars,hell no.Fines and loss of licences have some effect but the casualty ward is the best deterrent I,ve seen.

I'm certainly not pious.....

My statement was 'Ambition confused with ability"

This goes for every 'wannabe racer' not just the young bloke that died.

I was in go karts at 8, racing bikes from 16 onwards etc etc and my Dad made sure I had car control before I got my license. He would have ripped me a new butthole if he knew how I raced around in my car when I was young. I was still subject to peer pressure and 'making my mark' as a teenager then, that is why I know EXACTLY what the young hoodlums do these days and target them specifically.

I did all the stupid things in my E55, my GT etc etc including illgal street racing out the back of Lansvale, Carter St Lidcombe etc

What has the reference to "police cars driving fast with no lights and sirens on" got to do with this thread anyway! Rule 305 of the Australian Road Rules exempts us from ALL road rules in the execution our duty. You would have had NO IDEA what the driver of the Police car was doing if it was travelling faster than the prevailing limit so don't bother speculating.

I can see now why some of my colleagues in our chosen profession get really jack of this constant style of criticism.!

[newxr]

  geea said:

I remember driving up the Hume doing well over 200kmph in said XB van. This actually scares me just to think about it.

All our best to the families concerned

I admit doing 170km/h+ (Nissan 300ZX) racing a BMW - Both of us young and foolish - we survived (I still get the shivers when I think about it - how stupid I was)

[turbotom]

  turb06 said:

I think the majority of male drivers (especially) remember doing something silly when they were first licenced, I know I do.

But I think it is scary that racing seems to be moving away from the highways and lonely roads, and onto suburban streets. Something I will never have apart in.

I think when I have a child and he/she gets their licence I will be taking them to track days, drag strips, and burnout comps and letting them cut loose on a regular basis in a controled environment.

Just a thought here.....

What if access to a legal street drag venue close to the CBD was available.

I don't mean a full drag strip built to ANDRA standards for AA fuellers......

Just a good strip of wide two lane bitumen on a road closed to traffic close to the CBD where you could legally stage at a set of traffic lights and have a go for minimal cost.

It would need Police presence (What a fantastic PR opportunity) to keep yahoos at bay, and maintain safety guidelines...

Any form of organised motorsport close to the CBD precincts which attract young drivers would be a huge drawcard. If it was done on Friday / Saturday nights, it could very well quell the need to burn rubber in an inappropriate way.

One of the problems with the existing street meets is accessibility. The facilities are many many km away from where the real night life is.

Adelaide has some suitable sections of road which are suitable around the perimeter of the city.... crickey, there's an existing street race circuit available only a few hundred metres away from the main restaurant section (Rundle Street)

or you could use one of the roads in the south parklands.

I guess what I'm suggesting, is if the accessibility to a properly supervised (safe) venue for a street drag/or other motor sport such as motorkhana was available, it might reduce the desire to do so at inappropriate times and places on suburban streets.

The current street meets which exist are fantastic. I'm just suggesting if they were easier to access, then it might be even better at reducing the idiotic practice of street racing where the innocent public are put at risk.

food for thought.....

(flak jacket on)

[Zeke]

Bloody good idea Tom.....but far too sensible and imaginative to be meaningful to our elected reps.

Even I would line up at a venue like that to see how good my T is.