another boyracer killed in Lincoln... can't blame anyone, of course

bryanthompson · bryanthompson's Garage

Intoxicated 17 year old gets into an Mitsu 3000GT with a 14 year old girl, speeds down a 25 mph residential street at 70 (according to later radio reports), almost takes out another car, then hits a tree. Boy dead, girl in critical condition.

Radio reports and articles I've read are calling it a tragedy, callers yammering about how the parents shouldn't be to blame, and that 'kids will be kids.' I haven't heard one person suggest that the provider of the alcohol should be arrested, and nobody wants to be critical of the parents who put way too much car in front of this kid.

I'm p!ssed, because this is truly a senseless death, but Nebraska does not take underage drinking seriously. I know a couple people who have gotten MIP five times, and multiple DUIs before they were 21. Slap on the wrist, then they're on their way to do it again. When kids like this get killed or hurt, there's feigned seriousness across classrooms, but it's over in a few days. Maybe this is the way it is, always has been, and always will be. Listening to this news coverage, though, i'm about to puke.

Anyway, I hear the movie "Way Faster and like Ten Times More Furious " is about to open

[/rant]

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/06/09/local/doc4488c4260094c526650886.txt

stevepaa · 06-09-2006, 09:35 AM

That is really sad. The parents will be questioning themselves forever. Maybe other parents will wake up and know that parenting never stops.
When I was 16, I got a ticket for 35 in a 25. Judge took my license away for a week. That was enough for me. Seems the judges in Lincoln need to enforce the laws.

Good luck

masraum · 06-09-2006, 09:53 AM

It's a horrible thing, but no reason to point at the parents. They will have a lifetime of being punished. Alcohol is to blame. The world would be a better place without it, but we all know that's impossible.

slakjaw · 06-09-2006, 10:00 AM

Bryan, it does not happen that often in Nebraska. The law there does punish MIP pretty hard, unless you are a frat boy.

He would have still been killed upon hitting the tree even if he were sober.

What the law in Nebraska is too soft on is speeders.

BTW your post makes you a liberal

Good day

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by masraum
Snipped.....
Alcohol is to blame. The world would be a better place without it, but we all know that's impossible.

Cars are to blame. The world would be a better place without them.

David · David's Garage

This is why when my 12 yo son reaches driving age, he'll be getting a 10+ year old S class Mercedes.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Teenagers are to blame. The world would be a better place without them.

Mulhollanddose · 06-09-2006, 10:47 AM

That is a 70 mph crash?...dang...looks over 90 to me.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
That is a 70 mph crash?...dang...looks over 90 to me.

Wasn't in a canyon. So how would YOU know?

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by bryanthompson

I'm p!ssed, because this is truly a senseless death, but Nebraska does not take underage drinking seriously. I know a couple people who have gotten MIP five times, and multiple DUIs before they were 21. Slap on the wrist, then they're on their way to do it again. When kids like this get killed or hurt, there's feigned seriousness across classrooms, but it's over in a few days. Maybe this is the way it is, always has been, and always will be. Listening to this news coverage, though, i'm about to puke.

Meaning what? Blaming the dead kid doesn't do much. He's dead. He was a kid.

Kids that age think 'real things' don't happen to them. They think they are immortal.

Parents are so disproportionately worried about drugs that they sometimes buy alcohol for their kids. But mostly, the problem seems to be that parents are more afraid of not giving their kids 'enough stuff' and enough freedom than they are of giving them limits and structure.

Flatbutt1 · 06-09-2006, 10:54 AM

and sometimes you just can't control what your kid will do. he'd be just asdead if he were driving an old beetle at 70 mph while sober. tragic, truly tragic and maybe unavoidable.

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

It's easier to buy kids off than parent.

dean · 06-09-2006, 01:52 PM

I think people are to blame. We should ban people.

And how did that kid afford that car?.

When I was his age I had a $50 Corvair with a blown (not running) motor. I R&R'd the motor and blew it again in 50'. Good thing cause it didn't have any brakes

dhoward · dhoward's Garage

Bush hates Corvairs.

dean · 06-09-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dhoward
Bush hates Corvairs.

Excellent, I bet he hates Biodiesel as well

Seahawk · 06-09-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by techweenie
\. But mostly, the problem seems to be that parents are more afraid of not giving their kids 'enough stuff' and enough freedom than they are of giving them limits and structure.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Moneyguy1 · 06-09-2006, 04:08 PM

dhoward....Related to Moe and Curly?

Just wondering!!!!

rfuerst911sc · 06-09-2006, 04:13 PM

What parent allows a 17 year old to be driving a sports car like this? I know when both of my boys turned 16 I purchased cheap,decent cars with low horsepower. I figured they are cheap on gas,easy to drive and not get in too much trouble and reasonable on insurance which isn't easy for 16 year old males.

pwd72s · 06-09-2006, 04:55 PM

So Bryan, what do you think of this newspaper story?

Car, guns taken from Blazers' Randolph
Friday, June 09, 2006
MAXINE BERNSTEIN and MIKE TOKITO
Trail Blazers forward Zach Randolph had a car and two loaded guns taken by police after an incident in downtown Portland early Thursday morning.

Randolph was a passenger in a Dodge Magnum he owns that was involved in speed racing at 3:15 a.m. on Southwest Broadway. Taquan Portis, 22, who was driving the Dodge, was cited for speed racing, careless driving and failure to obey a traffic signal. He is scheduled to appear in court July 6.

Portis was racing against a Cadillac Escalade, also owned by Randolph, with the cars going 50 to 60 mph in a 20 mph zone, Portland police spokeswoman Cathe Kent said. The Dodge was towed under a Portland law designed to curb dangerous racing.

The occupants of the Cadillac left by the time police approached the car.

Randolph had two loaded handguns in the car, but he was not cited because he has a concealed weapons permit in Clackamas County.

Police, aware of Randolph's permit, asked him if he had a gun in the car, and he said he did. However, when Portis and Randolph were asked to provide keys to the car so police could perform an inventory and give the gun to Randolph before towing the vehicle, Portis and Randolph both said they did not have a key.

Sgt. Roger Axthelm wrote in his report that Randolph told him, "I don't know who has the key." When Axthelm informed Randolph that not cooperating could have an effect on his concealed weapons permit, Randolph responded, "You gotta do what you need to do," Axthelm wrote.

Later, when Axthelm called Randolph on his cell phone to again ask for the key, Randolph told the officer that his attorney had advised him to not provide the key. Police had a towing company unlock the car, and police took both guns for safekeeping until Randolph picks them up.

The Blazers issued a statement saying they would conduct an investigation but have no further comment. Randolph and his agent, Raymond Brothers, did not respond to messages left on their cell phones.

Maxine Bernstein: 503-221-8212; maxinebernstein@news.oregonian.com

Mike Tokito: 503-294-7603; miketokito@news.oregonian.com

ZAMIRZ · ZAMIRZ's Garage

If that isn't a VR4, then it's not too much car at all. The non-turbo 3000GT is a pig, any modern compact such as MINI S, Focus SVT, Civic Si can beat it. This kid was just stupid, that's about it.