Calling In Bad Teen Drivers

Some teenagers see a driver's license as a permit to hit the open road with wild abandon, test the limits of the internal combustion engine and explore the road less traveled. All free of nagging parental restrictions.

From San Diego to Green Bay, Wis., concerned parents are trying to keep young drivers in check with a slew of new services that encourage other motorists to snitch on teens with dangerous driving habits. The services are a variation on those 800 "How's My Driving?" numbers used to keep tabs on millions of truck drivers nationwide.

At least a dozen toll-free teen tattle lines have popped up throughout California and the nation in the last few years--effectively putting Mom and Dad on speed dial. Subscribers to such services get a bumper sticker to put on their teen's car, emblazoned with the phone number that other motorists can call.

Three-quarters of the heavy trucks that I see with those labels, have been vandalized to obscure the phone number or truck number or both.

How soon with the teens figure out that which the Teamsters already know?

Then there are all the parents buying vettes, f-bodies, and mustangs for their teenage boys.

And the problem with this is again? Good example, I sat in a traffic jam for 30 minutes this morning on our beltline in Raleigh. Three lanes wide on either side. Traffic moving at a crawl. The problem? Well none really. Off on the shoulder of the road there was a minivan and a BMW that had bumped at worst. No bodies laying out in the road, no cars on fire, nothing. Whatever could be the problem that would cause such a jam? Minivan drivers slamming on their brakes, so they can be extra special cautious and of course getting a good luck rubbernecking. What? Did they think they knew them? Expecting to have to stop to help out? Of course not!! Wrecks happen, just drive!! Please!!

When I was little, there weren't seatbelts, we rode in the back window!! I know comedians have talked about this as well, but the fault is not in the drivers of the sportscars or the V8s in general. The fault is in the car manufacturers making these overgrown yuppie vans that weigh twice as much sometimes as the sportscars but with a 4 cylinder in them. No pickup, bad lines of sight, top speed of 55 and that's it.

Sure there are some teen drivers at fault. But a lot less than many other drivers would point to. A lot more of the aging public out on the road that are simply afraid of the road. Heck, I've sat in some of these economy cars and minivans. If I were behind the wheel I'd be slamming the brakes on every 30 feet to be sure I didn't get over a certain speed as well!! You feel less safe, the car just doesn't feel good(and for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about feeling the car nevermind).

Sure there are some teen drivers at fault. But a lot less than many other drivers would point to.

Give a teenage boy a car that will do 130, 140, 150, and sooner or later he is gonna try it. The problem is that they haven't learned reasonable risk assessment yet. I know, I was once 16 with a 69 Firebird.

I am simply amazed that I didn't end up dead and take someone with me to boot.

If people would stop thinking it was ok to hand a teenager the world on a silver platter, teenagers might develop a bit of character.

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