A little differant than that but when I turned 16, I got my MOTORCYCLE license and my parents bought me a used street legal enduro when I was a Junior in High School. I'm 37 now and have owned a lot of sportbikes and I'm still here today.

Like somebody else said, some kids can handle those types of thing and some can't.

 

Lets face it gentlemen......

That accident could have happend IN ANY CAR!!!!
It just happends that this kid had a 350Z.... SO WHAT???? Even if he had been driving a "Sunfire" he could have just as easyly ran a stop sign.....

Glad to hear everyone is sorta ok!

 

+1

 

I agree with the age thing. Heck, i've been working 40+ hrs a week since i was 14 and bought myself a '94 RX-7 with my own money. People said i wouldn't be able to handle it...but i haven't had any accidents, close calls, or speeding tickets since i got it. It's really all about maturity and respect for the car, as well as the THOUSANDS of other driver's on the road.

I wish that parents would stop dishing out that kind of $$$ for their kid to f-up. There was a kid i went to high school with where his dad bought him a new S2K. Kid ended up crashing the car 3 weeks later and sure enough...Daddy bought him another new car the next month.

(P.S.---I'm 19)

 

It's interesting for me to read this age vs. maturity thing. I guess my situation is a little different. I'm 19, still a teenager. But I fly helicopters, in the army, so most of the people I know, my friends, roommates, are mostly 24+. Pilots my age are on the rare side, I know a few. But it's funny seeing the difference between my older friends here, and my friends from high-school back home. Being able to switch between the two groups clearly showed me that maturity IS linked to age. I'm not trying to say that every young person is immature, or every old person is mature. But on average, one of my friends back home is much more likely to do something stupid than one of my friends here.

I'd like to think that I'm a little better than the average 19 year old. I'm trusted with a 7 million dollar helicopter every day, so I try to be responsible enough to deserve that trust. But occasionally I still do stupid ****, because let's face it, sometimes we don't think about what we do before we do it. I'll guarantee you that kid didn't think to himself "If I run this stopsign, I might T-bone a car". But I think someone that's older and has a little more life experience would, and would do the right thing. But I'll tell you what, I have to make a conscious effort every day to think about what I'm doing, to keep myself from making stupid decisions without thinking about the consequences. And I know all 19 year olds don't have the maturity, or the patience to do that.

And about this kid's parents buying him his car; some parents will do whatever their kids tell them to do. I'm sure he said "I want a 350Z" and they went out and bought one. Unfortunately, I think kids that grow up like that never really come to appreciate the value of money until they are out on their own. It's not like I have to work 60 hours a day washing dishes to afford my car or parts, but I can't say anyone else is paying for my car.

Yeah, that was all a little off topic, just my $.02. I'm glad to hear your friend's wife is ok, and I hope the other guy learns his lesson and is a little more responsible from here on out.

 

I understand where the older owners are coming from... but your have no right to put a lable on all 17 year old or older teen drivers as spoiled ******, that is very immature of you guys and you should learn something out of this... NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE THE SAME, you have no right to judge young Z drivers just based on one moron who did somthing stupid, I my self am 18 years old and recieved my Z as my first car at 16, and I have driven it with the upmost saftey and per-caution.

 

Hmmm I don't like to factor in age and stuff I'm not that old well at 24 people below that age look at me as if i'm f----ing ancient.. But I think it comes down to drivers experiences ... I pretty much started on a 1994 V6 Camaro (no power garbage suspension)... then eventually graduated to a 1997 z28 (**** load of torque garbage suspension) .... And I was always into the twisties... straightline never got me to psyched... I would spend alot alot of time in empty parking lots learning what the car can and can't handle...sprinkle in some track events and you got me....but back to that kid...in the first post.. I think if he keeps that car and grows with it..(which I highly doubt) He will know that Z inside and out like you wouldn't believe... I am dying for that level of competency with the Z i knew my z28 so well that I think if i cloned my self and mput me in a Z and a Z28 I would win the course in my z28... Not saying that it's a worse car it's just that I could exploit the flaws in z28 to just pushe the car to it's threshhold to acheive the results i want around the curve... ok...i forgot why i started saying this...damn.... ;D


edit: OK i remember now.. I hope that 17 yr old grows with that Z so we can one day face each other.... yes yes... MWAHAHHAHAHHA

 

i say lock up the 17 years old parents!!!! why would they buy a car like the z to someone that has had hasnt been driving that long! lol thats crazy

 

Let It Die.

 

While I fully agree with this... I must add my 2 cents to make my post worth while.



I have no choice but to agree full heartedly with afropuff. I am 19 now, I received my Z from my parents 3 weeks after I turned 18. I had my permit for 9 months when I was 15, and I started driving the day that I got my license. I too, just like this kid had a major accident in my first vehicle. Luckily, it was a big truck and everyone involved in the accident easily opened the doors and walked away without a scratch. I do believe that I am a better driver now than I used to be. I do believe that I am still a very inexperienced driver. I know this will change with time. In 2 weeks, I will have had my Z for a full year with 18k miles. I have not had a single accident in my Z involving another vehicle, nor have I had any incidents where the car received damage that was more than comestic. In other words, I backed into my own garage about 6 months ago, but that's it. Either way, I do firmly believe that if I had been driving a Z when I first had my license, I would have easily been in a major wreck by now and probably dead.

 

The brain isn't fully developed until 17+ depending on the individual. Then you need experience on top of a matured brain to make critical decisions, planning, impulse control, language, memory, and fine motor skills on top of others. So with that in mind. Slap a kid in a car add power, rwd, and ego / subtract decision making, impulse control and planning = "WATCH OUT!" LOL I like how insurance companies list 16-25 drivers among senior citizens in the same high risk brackets. *Phew* glad Im barely out of that range to qualify for discounts. hehe

Glad to hear no one died, however it was an accident that could have been avoided. Just curious what type of "full time" job can a 13 year old get? The only one I had was called "school." Must be in a country with no education laws.

 

It could have been worse...he could have been driving some jackup pickup and then would have plowed over the lexus...i see virgins popping their cherries with cars like h2's and lifted f250's around here in texas...scary thing is its mostly betty's behind the wheel of these monster trucks

 

Is a 17 year old driving a 350Z and danger to himself and others? Ummmm...call your insurance company, tell them that you are 17, and ask for a quote.

 

its not about the age really, its about how long the person has being driving!


you can start driving with a car like a z... age does have a much do do with it but it does in one way...... a older person would know" he i just started driving maybe i need to take it easy.

 

when I was 17 my neighbor was selling his porsche... I rememeber he said that he rather lose money then sell it to me... he said my age and the HP just dont go together...

Now I know he was right!!

Now regarding this accident:
1) that could happen in any car
2) buying a sports car for a 16,17 year-old is a totaly different discussion.

 

Any kid is more likey to be more wreckess in a high-powered car than in beater. I was that young not to long ago, it's silly to deny it.

 

HMmmMMmm..... well im 17 and me and my dad share a PPW 06 350z and well its really just mine since my dad doesnt even work or live in USA but its not the Age of the person its how they think, my friends have a Evo MR and a Subaru WRX and i never ever thought of street racing with them but back to my point no its not your age its how you make decisions YES OF COURSE imma drive fast once in awhile DUH its a 350z why else whould anyone buy it. and insurance for me is 1000 a year for "state farm" Full coverage

 

The more I read about people like that, well it just pisses me off more and more. The guy could have killed someone for Christ's sake. Whether you're 17 or 65, please don't drive like an a$$hole.

Or, if your having/feeling suicidal tendencies, go drive in a desolate location and mash metal, so then no innocents will be hurt. Just my .02.

 

I respectfully have to disagree with you. We do have the right because we have been there and we can see things from a different light than you can.

Think of it this way, getting old is like climbing a mountain on a land of insights and wisdom. The older (higher) you are, the further you can see. But you are still climbing the mountain and you can not see what we old ones have seen and experience. However, some ppl climb faster than others and thats all good.

And yes, we do have the right to judge young people cause thats the benifit of being older. We had to deal with it with our elders and so do you.

This arguement of immaturity and age is not try to single anyone out. Its a mass thing, a general rule of thump, as perfectly pointed out by a member with the 17 yr old insurance rate comment.

Look back at your life now, isn't there a time when you think to yourself now, wow, that was stupid of me. Well, sorry to bust the bubble but you will keep saying that for the rest of your life! Trust me, you young ones are not as matrure as you think but only time will prove me right, again, not trying to single anyone out.

 

To add my 2 cents to this old thread.

As meny had said, this could have happened to the same kid in any other car.
I believe that having the urge of driving like a maniac is more on the personality than in the car. My first car was a corolla, and I drove it like a stole it, but I was either too lucky or a too good driver, because I never crash it.