WRX drivers annoy me

[hammer]

"Authorities say Anthony had a history of motor vehicle infractions, including speeding tickets and an arrest in March for drunk driving. His license was suspended for 90 days following that incident."

He was 17 and that was his record? I think the issue here was way more than just what car he was driving. Seriously... when I was 17, if I had that record there would be no way in hell my parents would let me drive any car until I was out of their control. I really don't know what that kid's home life was like and don't want to assume anything, but it still seems ridiculous that this kid was driving ANY car after all that crap. What a tragedy, a stupid tragedy.

I think that incidents like this are why Mass. has some pretty stiff penalties for junior operators...

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/jol/requirements.htm

 

[koreshot]

I think the WRX being involved in so many teen crashes and fatalities is the following:

1. It is a very popular car, especially with young males who are most likely to be involved in accidents. I bet you before the japanese compact rockets came out cars like the Mustang were the "teen killers".

2. The WRX is a faster car than your mom's Camry allowing the unexperienced driver to get themselves into trouble easier. A few months back while visiting a Subie dealer (cause even though I rag on WRX driver egos, I think Subie makes great cars) I saw a father and a young teenage son circling the STI. The father told the dealer he wasn thinking about getting it for his son. WHAT? Are you insane?!?!! Why don't you just shoot him, it will save you $34,000 and won't get some poor unsuspecting soul killed on the road.

3. The WRX will actually oversteer pretty easily. Subie kept the car fun and allowed the driver to induce oversteer, as opposed to what most other manufacturers do, dial in safe easy to control understeer. There aren't too many people out there, teen or not, that can properly steer into a spin and control an oversteer situation at 50mph.

If parents did some research and took responsibility in the car purchasing process for their teen kids, it would make a measurable inpact. There are two many parents trying to please their kids and buying them cool fast cars that will get them into trouble. On the other hand, the approach of passing down a piece of junk old abused Accord with 180K miles on it is almost as bad... old cars have virtually zero crash worthiness.

 

[hammer]

On the other hand, the approach of passing down a piece of junk old abused Accord with 180K miles on it is almost as bad... old cars have virtually zero crash worthiness.

How about a used Subaru (11 YO) with ~160K miles? That's what I was hoping to do for my son.

I can't imagine that all cars built in the late 90s would be completely unsafe in a crash...

 

[bvibert]

I think the WRX being involved in so many teen crashes and fatalities is the following:

1. It is a very popular car, especially with young males who are most likely to be involved in accidents. I bet you before the japanese compact rockets came out cars like the Mustang were the "teen killers".

2. The WRX is a faster car than your mom's Camry allowing the unexperienced driver to get themselves into trouble easier. A few months back while visiting a Subie dealer (cause even though I rag on WRX driver egos, I think Subie makes great cars) I saw a father and a young teenage son circling the STI. The father told the dealer he wasn thinking about getting it for his son. WHAT? Are you insane?!?!! Why don't you just shoot him, it will save you $34,000 and won't get some poor unsuspecting soul killed on the road.

3. The WRX will actually oversteer pretty easily. Subie kept the car fun and allowed the driver to induce oversteer, as opposed to what most other manufacturers do, dial in safe easy to control understeer. There aren't too many people out there, teen or not, that can properly steer into a spin and control an oversteer situation at 50mph.

If parents did some research and took responsibility in the car purchasing process for their teen kids, it would make a measurable inpact. There are two many parents trying to please their kids and buying them cool fast cars that will get them into trouble. On the other hand, the approach of passing down a piece of junk old abused Accord with 180K miles on it is almost as bad... old cars have virtually zero crash worthiness.

All good points. I didn't know about the WRX over-steer, but it makes sense. Does sound like fun though..

Not so sure I agree about the old cars having no crash worthiness though, guess it depends on how old they are..

 

[koreshot]

How about a used Subaru (11 YO) with ~160K miles? That's what I was hoping to do for my son.

I can't imagine that all cars built in the late 90s would be completely unsafe in a crash...

Completely unsafe was an overstatement I guess. There are reasonably safe cars that made in the 90s but the reality is older cars usually don't have the new active and passive safety features such as:

- side impact airbags (major life savers as side impacts are very dangerous for occupants)
- ABS/EBD/CBC which are the advanced braking systems that help cut braking distances especially in the case where emergency braking is combined with turning
- DSC/VSC and all the other names for dynamic stability control systems that help stabilize the car and point it in the direction the driver wants to go. For SUVs the rollover sensors are also great
- Weight, back in the day manufacturers built smaller cars. Most car models including family sedans have probably grown in weight 10 - 20 % over the last 10 years. SUVs are extremely heavy. But SUVs aside, some luxury sedans and even sports cars tip the scales at 3500 and 4000lbs. When midsize cars made in the 90s were more like 2700-300lbs.
- Structural rigidity has improved dramatically. I think this factor is often overlooked. If you read some reviews of new car models you keep hearing structural rigidity has gone up by 40%, blah blah blah. These improvements mean that a 2007 Honda Accord aside from the fact that it weighs 400 lbs more than a 1994 Accord will shred the older model to shreds because of its design improvements, and materials used.

In my marginally informed opinion, and I in no way an expert, new drivers are safest in new/newish midsize and midweight cars with low power, nimble handling and solid active and passive safety features like airbags all around and stability control. Stability control saves enough lives in Europe that it is becoming mandated for any car that costs over 20K.

 

[Phildozer]

On a similar thought, but not about speed... There are a few Lotus Elises around here I see once in a while - I hate driving MY car through our crappy streets, I can't imagine a car with more road feel doing so - I really hope they are doing some track time with them instead of just driving their cars through potholes roads... man, it would kill me.

Thou shalt not bash the Lotus.

The Elise is a joy to drive.

 

[drjeff]

Thou shalt not bash the Lotus.

The Elise is a joy to drive.

The only problem I have with the Elise, is that the only person that has one that lives around me had their custom painted in this bright lime green and most days at about 7AM as I'm maybe 50% awake driving to work its in the parking lot of a park I drive by practically causing my eye's to go into spasm! Other than the color, its one real cool looking car!

 

[cbcbd]

Thou shalt not bash the Lotus.

The Elise is a joy to drive.

Not bashing the Lotus, I'd love to have an Elise and two Exiges... I'm just saying that unlike the ones I see around Stamford, I wouldn't be driving them on our crappy roads because I'd be cringing while trying to avoid all the depressed manhole covers and whatever other construction they are doing on the roads. A joy to drive on nice roads yes, in downtown Stamford, not.

 

[cbcbd]

The only problem I have with the Elise, is that the only person that has one that lives around me had their custom painted in this bright lime green and most days at about 7AM as I'm maybe 50% awake driving to work its in the parking lot of a park I drive by practically causing my eye's to go into spasm! Other than the color, its one real cool looking car!

I can dig it

and my favorite color

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I saw one of those in Jersey yesterday....they're hot..not the WRX...the Lotus..

 

[koreshot]

Someone at my work has one, in the green color. The Elise is an awesome car, one of if not the best performance bargains on US roads. In the right setting, this thing can spank a 911 GT3 - for under 50 grand.

 

[drjeff]

I can dig it

That's the "lovely" color! And believe me, the pics don't do it justice

 

[cbcbd]

That's the "lovely" color! And believe me, the pics don't do it justice

I know exactly what you mean... it must look a lot more awesome and in your face in real life!!

 

[drjeff]

I know exactly what you mean... it must look a lot more awesome and in your face in real life!!

It takes the standard cry of "midlife crisis" up a few notches to say the least

 

[bvibert]

Call me crazy, but I think the Lotus is actually kinda ugly. I haven't seen one in person though..

Not the color, the car itself.

 

[koreshot]

Call me crazy, but I think the Lotus is actually kinda ugly. I haven't seen one in person though..

Not the color, the car itself.

Whether its ugly or not is personal, but looks was not the top priority when Lotus designed this car. It was made to be a road legal track car and Lotus nailed that part.

Lotus is not going after the buyers that are into the BMW, Benz and Audi roadsters. The are going after track and autox weekend warrior types - people that are ready to trade their S2000s in and step it up a notch.

 

[Brettski]

Puppies with no clue

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1194328001147540.xml&coll=1

 

[MRGisevil]

Case # 1 - http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=7172645

Case #2 - http://www.wtic.com/pages/855625.php?contentType=4&contentId=837953

Both of these accidents happened within a 10 miles radius of each other, within a 6 week time frame involving drivers of WRX's and MULTIPLE teen fatalities

It was a joke, don't get your panties in a bunch.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

Ya know i happened to be pulling up next to a WRX yesterday in Danbury on a 50mph 2 lane road as soon as i got up to him of course he and his fellow comrads had to go flooring it and speed up to about 85 only to slow down , eventually i never going over 60 caught back up to them and passed them, it was probably because of their age but hey this is a wrx thread so there ya go.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Ah this whole thing about "mine is bigger , better , faster , costlier than yours" etc calls to mind a comment one extremely bright Finnish foreign exchange student who stayed at our home and was loved by all in our small city made when asked if he'd like to stay here to continue his University education
.

The people here a very nice , its a wonderful country , the city is a gem and i have made many wonderful friends ------------------- BUT there are simply TOO MANY A-s H---s