"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." If someone destroys themselves or others behind the wheel of a car (or in any other way), THEY ALONE should bear complete responibility for that. Laying the blame elsewhere is wrong and while it may sound good ("for the children") - it will only leave your children's children in chains.

 

The car manufacturers are making more and more powerful cars nowadays, everything from 425HP sedans to 600+HP vipers and mustangs, but the responsibility should lie within the owner not to purchase a car thats too much for them. I doubt the car co.s will make it madatory to take a course, but I do see the government stepping it at some point soon to limit HP in vehicles,especially if an accident takes the life of someone related to a gov't official. We all have to remember, though, that be it a 100HP import or a 600HP Vette, any driver can kill themselves and others driving stupid.

 

Maybe the Eddie Griffin School of High Performance Driving?

 

The spirit of that quote is not related to this situation. If he were alive today, I'd think that BF would not believe that driving a "race car" is an essential liberty. In fact, driving any vehicle is not an essential liberty. We are mandated by the state to show "proof" that we can operate a specific type of vehicle safely. We do this via a course (in some cases), written test, and road test. Licenses aren't granted to individuals who cannot meet the state's minimum standards. Instead of individual auto companies taking this step, perhaps this "performance vehicle training" should be handled at the state level, much like different classes of licenses (i.e. class A, B, C, M, etc.).

 

Like having to take a hot beverage course before buying coffee at the drive through

 

Good to hear you can predict what gentle Ben would say today about the subject of licensure. I wonder how anyone could conduct their life without the ability to legally drive a vehicle. I'll leave you with one last quote on the subject.

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”

 

ENZO COUNTDOWN: The following are the ENZOs I have seen destroyed and totaled. When these things wreck they basically explode and the engine seems to fly out of the car.... Well worth the 1.2-1.5 Mill. : )

400-(Member of Russian parliment)-(Utah Rally)-(Souel Korea Airport)-(PCH Wreck)-(Flipped on Autobahn)-(Eddie Griffen {Idiot}) = 394

Now when are people going to learn that they can't drive these cars that fast. If you can add to this countdown lets see how many are left.

 

Perfect response! I wholeheartedly think it is a great idea to make it mandatory. For those that will argue that you can mod your car to above those levels now, yes this is true but then again it is not a factory built car. I have read too many stories of individuals who wreck their high performance cars and not only kill themselves but some other innocent individual. And when you consider the small volume of these cars to be built, they would have no problem making it mandatory and still be able to sell every car they make. When it comes to safety sometimes we need to save ourself from ourself. Just because you have a deep pocketbook doesn't make you a safe driver. The plus side of this is that you might actually learn something and also realize more of the cars potential. Some people think that they can just buy these cars, get in them and be the perfect driver. If you have this kind of complex then it's truly sad because it's just a matter of time before you have a wreck. When you get to this kind of performance, it is even more apparent that you are driving a weapon that will kill someone if you aren't given the proper training on how to use it. Hey, and if you want my real response, "IF you don't want to take the damn course, then don't buy the car!". So are you saying that some rich person who buys this car for his child,spouse, etc. should just be able to hand the keys and let them have at the road because his pocketbook is deep enough? This is totally stupid. I guess it goes right along with the thinking that with the right amount of money you can do anything you want regardless of who it impacts.

 

Another good response but unfortunately I think it fell on deaf ears. Some people believe that they should be allowed to do whatever they want regardless of who it impacts. I actually think it stems from a liberal point of view. For some people you can't protect them from themselves no matter what you say. I think they might feel different if someone they knew or cared about was injured as a result of such abandonment. Ask me if I care if the gov't taps our phones. I have nothing to hide and if it means that we are alive tomorrow as a result of this then so be it. I know this went off topic but it basically means that we have to give up something to protect something. It was the liberal point of views that have us in the situation we are currently in. And how about naming the class HP ( high performance) based on a certain range of horsepower.

 

I like the way you think. Looks like you found your froggs!

 

It isn't a case of "prediction" of what might be said or meant today from words uttered a couple hundred years ago. It is rather all about applicability.

You would, of course, condone and accept the words of the United States Supreme Court, correct? Every year, they interpret the Constitution, laws and lower court rulings for its applicability to this country and its citizenry. And even change their minds on rulings they've made in the past. That includes 200 year old laws, as well as last year's.

So, if Chevrolet "decides" it is in the best interests of drivers that a "suggested or recommended", high performance driver education course be a part of the sale of an SS/Blue Devil/whatever name, what is the problem? It is a publicly-held corporation, not a government, acting in its own, and its customer-base best interests.

Who needs more Enzo-type of accidents with a Bowtie, or the crossed-flags, on it?

 

I have raced "wheel to wheel" for 20+ years and submit that a course at a driving school will never address the problem. Most who take these course, just want to get to "know" their car. The problem is deeper than that.

The first question is why are YOU buying a car with 650hp? Taking your 5 year old shopping?

More reelvant is how often do you find yourself regressing to the level of a hormonal teengager driving faster than you should?

The old Porsche Turbo was "dangerous", as is the Ferrari430/599,SL 65, Saleen, Cobra's, Vipers, etc etc. You cannot legislate sanity.

Best

 

This subject is about public and personal safety as it could be addressed by a responsible manufacturer for the enjoyment of the car's owner and for the SAFETY of him/her and the rest of the citizens on or around public roads. It is NOT about our government taking away our civil liberties, PERIOD. "Live Long and Prosper"

 

Good post...These facts, many of which make our country so great, escape far too many of our citizens!!

 

Maybe "you" can't legislate sanity, but if you don't try, eventually, someone will. And guess who that someone might be?

Many Porsches were dangerous as were/are many cars today for any number of reasons not the least of which is the extremes of power and/or power-to-weight. I don't doubt your racing credentials, but teaching someone the basics, and more, of how to drive a very quick and potentially very dangerous vehicle is NOT a waste of money or time. If it brings 10 drivers to the realization that they CAN'T safely do the same things they used to do in their Bugeye Sprites, won't it be worth it?

Indeed, isn't that "education" and isn't education exactly what takes place BEFORE you got a license to race? No one questioned your sanity at the time, did they? Nor do they now. It is a sanctioning body that said, Mr. Racer, you are not one until you pass our test which will test YOUR ability to control a car and understand the basics.

Not to pick on Porsche, but if all those celebrities (as well as mere mortals ) who bought them in the past and either wrecked them or worse, had been taught the lethal nature of those rear-engine/rear drive cars.... THAT is education. And an education that Porsche may not have prodded and offered quite strongly enough.

Your points are: you can't teach sanity nor delve into the why's of a purchaser's mind.

My points are: the best American sports car marque (GM, Chevrolet and Corvette, in particular) does not need the depressing advertisement of wrecks from un"educated" drivers/owners.

And, I believe it would be highly beneficial to owners to have this kind of "education" and that it can't help but be a total win for all (the new owners, Corvette's promo of same, and all other drivers who happen to be in the same place, at the same time ).