Excessive Speed+Inexpirenced Driver Kills 5!!

3.2 CAB · 06:25 AM

THIS IS A MUST READ POST, AND THEN A FOLLOW-UP WITH YOUR CHILDREN!!

I am sorry, but I know that this is not a pinpointed Porsche related post, but I believe that the members here need to see this. This topic, can happen to Porsche owners as well.
In addition to my 911, I also have a BMW V12, 750iL. For which, I check various BMW boards from time to time, just like here, for information about different problems that come up from time to time. I was checking one of the BMW boards, and found this post, about a tragic outcome with an inexperienced, 18yr old driver, at very excessive speeds, on a smaller, airport, 1-1/2 mile long runway, and four of his friends. Some here may have already have seen this. The vehicle involved was a BMW-M5, 500HP & the S.M.G. type transmission. It seems that the young driver had been posting on an M5 forum board, even to within just a couple of hours of the time of the crash. He was wanting to know if it was normal for the car to thump hard, with a gear change over to the next higher gear, while using the paddle type shifter set-up, at speeds of over 140MPH+, if the shifting at 140MPH and above, using the paddle shifters, with the "S.M.G." transmission. He also was trying to get information about getting more power out of the car. It seems that they all had gone to a party, and some early reports indicate that alcohol, was believed to be a factor. The outcome was horrific, and all five young men perished in the ensuing fiery crash. I will show a couple of links to his original postings, that show that he wanted more speed. It is very spooky to read his last postings about this matter. Almost every one of the "old heads" at this site, kept telling him, that he should not be doing things like this. As it turns out, the "old heads" were correct. I will list a couple of links, so that parents will have to really think about letting their children, take off in the Porsche, because teen-agers, will be teen-agers. All of them had promising futures, and all appeared to be very well privileged. The 2008 M5 had less than 1200 miles. I can only state again, Porsche owners, as well as other high-powered cars, really need to be very careful, if your young child has access to your car. This goes for parents that let their children knowingly or unknowingly, take the car and does, who-knows-what with it once out of sight. I can only say again, THIS IS A MUST READ TOPIC, AND FOLLOW-UP WITH YOUR CHILDREN!!

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=111454
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=921986
http://www.ocala.com/article/20080127/NEWS/801270355/1001/NEWS01

911teo · 01-30-2008, 06:26 AM

There is a 5 page long discussion on the OT forum.

Joeaksa · 01-30-2008, 08:17 AM

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=389453

911teo · 01-30-2008, 08:24 AM

Thx Joe... I didn't have it handy!

NICKG · 01-30-2008, 08:24 AM

i don't feel bad...5 dead rich kids...big deal. bet their parents can't buy them out of this.

masraum · 01-30-2008, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NICKG

i don't feel bad...5 dead rich kids...big deal. bet their parents can't buy them out of this.

Hmm, someone is a bit bitter.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by NICKG

i don't feel bad...5 dead rich kids...big deal. bet their parents can't buy them out of this.

Does having rich parents mean their deaths are less tragic? Wow. Sure am glad my folks weren't rich when I was a kid.

NICKG · 01-30-2008, 08:28 AM

no..I just don't have sympathy for some people. He copuld afford a new m5, at 18? c'mon, what did the parents think would happen. what ever happened tio excersing good judgement?
further, read his posts on the m5 board..another vralexander.

VaSteve · 01-30-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NICKG

i don't feel bad...5 dead rich kids...big deal. bet their parents can't buy them out of this.

Have some heart man. It's still 5 dead KIDS. It's not a shoplifting charge or drunk and disorderly. They are DEAD. Nothing is bringing them back.

I used to think this way as well when I was younger....those kids are aren't rich. Their parents are. It comes with other issues, but I assume that we're all adults here. There's always someone with more money, looks better, better job, car, house, wife, etc. My wife keeps telling me that everytime a friend acquires a new Porsche...I'm finally starting to listen.

kstar · 01-30-2008, 08:29 AM

The passengers were probably rich too

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Oh, I have no heart. But I also have no class envy either. Dead is dead, regardless of bank balance or pedigree.

NICKG · 01-30-2008, 08:39 AM

in a way you are right Rick..class envy. i worked hard to get what i have, i live a modest life, but with no kids and 2 incomes, my wife and i can enjoy life a lttle. I grew up with guys who got new cars as their first car, while i had to make due with a junker. But I also saw alot die in those fast new cars...when i was in HS. i said thenm that it was just bad judgement on the parents part to let thir kids buy land missles and think it would be fine. i still think that way now. Rich and dumb? i have no sympathy, they should know better.
Darwin strikes again

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Yes, Darwinism knows no economic class.

I drove my $800 BMW 2002 to my prep school every day and saw three of my classmates get a Ferrari 308, Porsche 944 and VW cabrio AT gradutation. Big deal. Doesn't mean they deserve to die any more than I did. Driving like an idiot with no concern for one's passengers is what caused this one in FL. And how do you know the kid did not work hard, make a ton of money off some website he started and sold, to get that car? I met a VC guy who told us a story about getting snooty with someone for not returning his calls during business hours for a $1.5 million website buyout. Other guy's excuse was that he was still in high school and didn't get home until after hours because of band practice. And yes, he got $1.5 million for his website before he even had a driver's license.

notfarnow · 08:52 AM

Well, I wasn't rich but I still almost managed to kill myself and 3 friends when I was 16. Driving too fast (because I was an EXPERT driver, I'd been reading Road & Track since I was 13, you know), with a car full of people on a road I didn't know. Went off the road at 70mph and wedged right between two trees. Car was toast, one guy peed his pants (no kidding), but other than that, no injuries.

The image of that old Taurus, stuck between two big maple trees, is etched in my memory.

So I try to reserve judgement when I read stories like this. It's got nothing to do with class, or money, or even the car they were driving. It has to do with maturity, hormones, and luck.

It is very, very sad.

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

It reads like a train wreck in slow motion, I'd hate to read it as a family member.

"I do sometimes make bad decisions but I am young and I do drive safe and I will not endanger the lives of others.."

Jim

masraum · 01-30-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notfarnow

Well, I wasn't rich but I still almost managed to kill myself and 3 friends when I was 16. Driving too fast (because I was an EXPERT driver, I'd been reading Road & Track since I was 13, you know), with a car full of people on a road I didn't know. Went off the road at 70mph and wedged right between two trees. Car was toast, one guy peed his pants (no kidding), but other than that, no injuries.

The image of that old Taurus, stuck between two big maple trees, is etched in my memory.

So I try to reserve judgement when I read stories like this. It's got nothing to do with class, or money, or even the car they were driving. It has to do with maturity, hormones, and luck.

It is very, very sad.

Exactly, it's just a bit quicker/easier in an M5 or WRX sti, or whatever the fast car of the day is.

kstar · 01-30-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notfarnow

. . . snip . . .

So I try to reserve judgement when I read stories like this. It's got nothing to do with class, or money, or even the car they were driving. It has to do with maturity, hormones, and luck.

It is very, very sad.

Well said.

I try to reserve judgment for the same reasons. I don't think there are many of us who do not have some story of a very close call when we were young(er!).

It's just as easy to kill oneself in a '69 Camaro or a new M5, IMO, when you add lack of maturity, raging hormones and some bad luck into the mix.

Best,

Kurt

VaSteve · 09:22 AM

Just as sad...however the details (expensive fast car, web forums) are not as sensational. Thus, less insight into what happened here. La Plata isn't "private airstrip" country.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/14525767/detail.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28010-2004Oct12.html

The real sadness is that we are not training kids (or anyone really) how to deal with these increadibly powerful cars. The cars of 20 years we gew up with might as well be bicycles for what you can buy now (HP wise) for similar money. As some members here has experienced, you can buy a BMW 3 series used in the teens. When I was a kid, all I ever experienced were crap cars my parents had. I'd look at the used cars in the paper and couldn't figure out why 6 year old bimmers were so expensive (to me!). I figured they'd be like the junk my parents had. Anyway, if I was a kid buying a car, the RWD $14000 used bimmer is way better/cooler/etc than a brand new Hyundai. Handles great too, until you figure out it doesn't. I don't see this problem getting much better until we reall start training kids/people how to drive. Jus throw money or marque into the article and it becomes something else.

What do you people in Europe do?

beepbeep · 01-30-2008, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaSteve

What do you people in Europe do?

We pay trough our nose to obtain drivers license (which you can do after you turned 18), which involves written and drivers test, as well as slipperry surface test (in Sweden). Then if you mess up during trial period (something like four years), you license is revoked and you need to do it all again.

It's still not enough to prevent kids killing themselves but at least it helps a bit.

notfarnow · 01-30-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaSteve

The real sadness is that we are not training kids (or anyone really) how to deal with these increadibly powerful cars. The cars of 20 years we gew up with might as well be bicycles for what you can buy now (HP wise) for similar money.

My neighbor's "sensible 5 yr old car", a Nissan Altima, has 255 hp. Think back 15 years, what "regular" cars had 255 hp??

His kids are just getting their licenses and he's getting a second car just for them... probably a Corrola.