leadfoot4

I guess that GM and Taylor Chevrolet should have had a lawsuit on their hands back in 1971. That's when I, as a 19 year old, walked into the Taylor showroom and looked at a '71 Chevelle SS454.

I smiled, admiring the car. The salesman asked if I could handle it. I said "Yes". He meant the $95.00 per month payment. I signed some papers, and 24 hours later, I was out on the street with that "hot rod". No "high performance" driving instruction was provided.

Both the car and I lived to tell about it.

jp32

This argument is often made by people in the regulation establishment. From a legal point of view, it unfortunately probably has some truth to it -- such training might actually (and perversely) increase their liability. This is the same reason that you will never see padding on any trees on a ski slope -- if they pad one tree, and a skier hits another tree and sues, the argument will be that trees should be padded (by the ski area's own example), and why didn't the ski area owner pad that particular tree?

However from a real point of view, I find it truly sickening. Knowledge s power, and the same goes for skills. Yes, as people learn, there may be points where newfound confidence outruns newfound skills, but these are usually temporary phases. Overall, as skills improve, so does safety.

My personal experience is that as I got real HPDE and race driving training and experience, I drive with more margin on the public roads -- despite my faster skills. I don't think this is uusual.

I think I'd like to see the manufacturers provide the training as part of the package in order to head off legislation.

Dolfan

I lived in South Florida for years and was a big boater. I think the problem on the water is even worse than people with exotic cars. People had the ability to spend big bucks on high powered boats capable of 100+ mph speeds, or just massive crusiers without even the equivelant of a drivers license.

I saw many a new rich boater in my days that made me want to stay on land. And consider this, boats don't even have brakes, many people just weren't qualified to be running these things.

Mikelly

You guys can **** and moan all you want about this situation, but sitting here and typing isn't going to fix it. CALL YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE... THESE LAWSUITS will succeed, unless our collective voices are heard... So long as they go unchallenged, the civil courts, and those who make fortunes from it will continue to swirl.

Mike