She took dad's car for a spin - literally

[SmartElectric]

It's also a cinch to roll over.

Not with a 380 Kg battery pack in the floor! The gas smart maybe, the Smart ED, not as easy! Believe me, this little car can be thrashed and thrown around, and all that happens is front end washing away due to understeer with those skinny tires.

 

[Caligula]

An old and tired myth. I have driven a Fiat Panda with 34hp and a Lancia Y10 with 45 hp for many years (many thousands of kilometers on the German Autobahn) and I am still driving a Panda with 55hp. I have never had a bad situation that was attributable to lack of horsepower, only to lack of attention and bad judgement a few times. And I don't doubt those mistakes would have been worse, and more frequent, in a powerful car.

While you may feel this is true for your locality, I can assure you it does not apply to typical US freeways.

 

[brianman]

They said they didn't want it because none of them knew how to drive a stick. I was like, WELL THEN, LEARN! I just shook my head. They did buy the car, but only the dad drives it, and none of the boys have learned (almost a year later.) SMH

These same kids probably shake their head when an adult they know chooses to read something on paper rather than an electronic device. It goes both ways.

 

[Caligula]

These same kids probably shake their head when an adult they know chooses to read something on paper rather than an electronic device. It goes both ways.

The irony here is that learning to drive standard has ever diminishing returns, while becoming familiar/comfortable with digital media is quite the opposite.

 

[HyperMiler]

To interrupt acceleration to zero because the engine has a narrow torque band is not necessarily advantageous?
Not immediately clear where would be the reasons for preserving it in routine applications for future generations, other than in a museum?
Even Model S is rather conventional with mid board engines, gears and shafts in this respect, with significant DU issues as a result. Hub motors with no gears and all wheel steering might probably the best solution in the mid term? Everything else is so 20th century...

 

[Astroboy747]

As a 19 year old who bought my 70D when I was 18 and have it as a daily driver, I am grateful to be driving such a safe vehicle, but it does not excuse my actions. I still need to take responsibility on the road and drive appropriately. But I don't believe that teenagers should be restricted from driving these vehicles, you can hurt yourself and others in any car, it just comes down to the driver.

But am very glad nobody was life threateningly injured in this event.

 

[GoTslaGo]

If I recall correctly, statistically teenagers are more likely to get in car accidents etc when there are more people (teen friends) in the car. I remember some of my friends w older/teen kids had told me they have insurance clauses which expressly forebade more than 2 teens in the car at once.

Astroboy this is not a comment or reflection on you. Just a general one regarding the accident...

 

[Astroboy747]

If I recall correctly, statistically teenagers are more likely to get in car accidents etc when there are more people (teen friends) in the car. I remember some of my friends w older/teen kids had told me they have insurance clauses which expressly forebade more than 2 teens in the car at once.

Astroboy this is not a comment or reflection on you. Just a general one regarding the accident...

I completely agree. In Australia, when you are on your Provisional License (normally 17-20 years old), you cannot have more than one person in the car with you who is not an immediate family member between 11pm and 5am.