should we protest against learners in high-powered cars?

[bugjuice]

Was nearly taken out this morning by a school kid in daddies merc. I saw them coming across into my lane and accelerating stupidly in the wet. Ok, so they have traction control, ABS etc, but 'kin come on!! Didn't check the blind spot, and nearly took me out. No sorry, appology etc, just kept going in daddies AMG merc. fukin pisses me off.

What happens when he gets in something (God forbid his silver spooned ass) that he gets into anything less than a merc and does the same thing?

I think we should protest against learner cagers being able to drive whatever mobile death machine they want, instead of being restricted like bikers. Not jealous about this, I think it's a good idea to restrict until experiance is gained.

I reckon all the big bikes should spend the week riding around with 'L' plates on, then when we get stopped, we say why..

Views?

[John]

Well I would love to see that happen, but we all know that it wouldnt be possible (well for our government anyway) I think dangerous (??) emailed the LTSA about this question.

Just imagine how much better the roads would be in the weekend *dreams* but then it all comes back to the KW at the wheels, to hard to police or so they say, I see many ways how it could be done - it would cost and you know how the government needs their bankroll to stay 'rolling'

[placidfemme]

Was nearly taken out this morning by a school kid in daddies merc. I saw them coming across into my lane and accelerating stupidly in the wet. Ok, so they have traction control, ABS etc, but 'kin come on!! Didn't check the blind spot, and nearly took me out. No sorry, appology etc, just kept going in daddies AMG merc. fukin pisses me off.

What happens when he gets in something (God forbid his silver spooned ass) that he gets into anything less than a merc and does the same thing?

I think we should protest against learner cagers being able to drive whatever mobile death machine they want, instead of being restricted like bikers. Not jealous about this, I think it's a good idea to restrict until experiance is gained.

I reckon all the big bikes should spend the week riding around with 'L' plates on, then when we get stopped, we say why..

Views?

I agree it should be done... but unfortunatley our government is too worried about other very important issues (nothing is coming to mind right now... maybe because nothing important is ebing done.... oh well heres to the government )

[Sniper]

Take away his licence

[bugjuice]

Take away his licence

take his lollipop away.. dork..

I know the government is busy, but they're always busy.. they want to reduce the idiots and RTAs on the roads, well this is just another thing to look at, instead of a couple of hundy thous on billboards that people crash when they're reading, or flick the channel in the ads on tv

[jazbug5]

Actually, I think that's a bloody good idea.
I like the idea of a convoy of over-cc bikes with 'L' plates handing in a petition. If you handed it in to LTNZ offices (although really I s'pose it's a gummint issue..?) then it could be done city by city!

[badlieutenant]

here is as good a place as any to mention my use of the *555 thingy. Ive used it only once before and that was to report some drunken louts curb crawling alongside school girls and harrasing them.
Yesterday on the way up north near kaitia I was cruising along in the frost mobile at probably about 110 when 3 kaitia transport trucks with trailers (the big ones) catch up to me and overtake with on coming traffic!!!! couldnt beleive it. before the overtake, which wasnt a build up speed then over take, rather a pull out then speed up, they were so close to the back of the van that I was getting buffeted by thier pressure wave. Dangerous arsholes, hope they got it when they got to kaitia as the helpful police were waiting.
I know it would suk to have this done to me (been reported) but there is a slight difference here....mass and I can accelerate faster.
1 truck overtook just before a bend.
Estimated speed of trucks 130-140kms/hr
If a bike at that speed hits a car its likely the rider wil die and possibly kill a passenger (which doesnt make it justifiable) but a truck head on at that speed is death for all in the car Id assume (car doing 100km/hr as well)
thats my bitch for today.

[badlieutenant]

oh and yer we should have a graduated (HP vs weight) licensing system here

[Coldkiwi]

i like the idea of a restriction on the drivers.. but I'm not so sure I want to attract unnecessary attention from the constabulary when I'm on my bike!

[TonyB]

Yep, good idea. Reckon it has to happen sooner or later. When I was learning to drive (I'm 33) all the boy racers had to play with were Cortinas etc. Usually a Mk3, Mk4 or 5 (Oooo!) if they were lucky. Hardly a fast car. Now you can go out and buy something massively quicker, to drive on roads that are much more congested. In only a few years time a 15 year old school boy is going to be able to easily afford an early WRX or EVO. Some of the less fashionable cars (like earlyish Supra twin turbo's etc) are already dirt cheap. The thought of my kids being able to go out and buy the current model EVO etc when they turn 15 (in 12 and 13 years time) scares me.

Another law that needs revisiting is the 250cc limit. I realise this has probably been done to death, but an RGV250 is a much worse bike for a learner than say an SV650. Some states in Aussie allow learners bikes upto 650cc, they are restricted in some way, but at least they will have a learner freindly torque curve...

[badlieutenant]

Boy Frosty now you know why those big burly truck drivers will come knocking on your door this arvo!!

nar they'll know it wasnt him. They could see me giving them the fingers and most likely heard me telling them what I thought about them, their geneology and capacity to think and the f word generously used to puntuate said comments

[Oakie]

[QUOTE=TonyB]Yep, good idea. Reckon it has to happen sooner or later. When I was learning to drive (I'm 33) all the boy racers had to play with were Cortinas etc. Usually a Mk3, Mk4 or 5 (Oooo!) if they were lucky. Hardly a fast car. Now you can go out and buy something massively quicker, to drive on roads that are much more congested. In only a few years time a 15 year old school boy is going to be able to easily afford an early WRX or EVO. Some of the less fashionable cars (like earlyish Supra twin turbo's etc) are already dirt cheap. The thought of my kids being able to go out and buy the current model EVO etc when they turn 15 (in 12 and 13 years time) scares me.

QUOTE]
Yeah, it's all about horsepower rather than CCs but I suppose an easy starting point would be not to allow youngsters or people with a new licence to own or drive a car with a turbo? Perhaps have 20 as a minimum age but also to have had a full license for say 2 years. Won't stop people being stupid in cars but it might limit the speed at which they can be stupid

[bugjuice]

it's about the power tho. Some huge cc cars produce a nats piss of power, so fine. may be the physical size might be an issue as large cars/4x4s are a lot more to handle in situations. The problem with these mercs and evos etc is the speed they can pick up in a very short space. In the wet, they'd spin up and get into trouble before they know it. They be into the back of other cars/bikes cos their judgement isn't tuned. Not wanting to wrap kids in cotton wool, cos everyone has to learn sometime, I just don't want the lesson to be in the back/side of me or anyone I know.

Just want their brains to think quicker than the car is going. It's such an overwhelming experiance for the first year of driving

[Hitcher]

Bring back the CNG-powered Holden Sunbird automatic!

[Motu]

No,I say not.For the same reason I think the present motorcycle restrictions are a farce - 96% of the riders on this site (myself excluded because I ride on a completly different level to mortals,my connection to god gives me far seeing vision) are riding a bike far beyond their ability to control,the present system was set up 30 years ago in a different age.You want to apply restrictions to learner car drivers when most likely the bike you learnt on far exceded the power to weight of dad's Merc.Set your own house in order before you make a move next door....