Your kids and your viper !!

[vinnieviper]

ok.. i knew it had to happen sooner or later..i have three sons.. 19 18 16 . although the 16 yr old cant drive stick. the other two can. i have let them drive around the neighborhood with me in the car . they want to take it to the local A&W to hang out for a few.. i know u will think im nuts but im considering it. has anyone let there son drive there viper ? they are insured on it but have not taken it out .. also my 18 yr old wants to take it to prom .. it never ends !!

 

[ViperJames]

I would be having panic attacks and convulsions.......not worth the stress! Rent them something cool instead...atleast its not your car that gets damaged!

 

[BDZ1984]

its all in how much you trust your kids and if they have driven anything as fast before...

 

[LeftyBaseballr16]

This is how I look at it (Im a freshman in college, and just graduated high school so kinda have an idea)

A&W... Im gonna wanna Show it off to my friends. Which will ATLEAST have a baby burn out and a little revvin.

Prom.... My date is going to care more about her hair then wanting to make it to Prom going 150 mph. But then again.... There were some pretty crazy parties that night.

 

[LETHAL GTS]

These things are death machines in the wrong hands. They have more torque stock than some of the wildest hotrods on the street. I would not even consider it unless they have tracked the car at a high perf driving school and passed! Grad/A&W adds a certain level of expectation from their piers and that is a recipe for disaster.
Take this from a father of four boys. My boys are 8, 6, 4 and 2. I realize my boys are much younger than yours, but I have grown up around fast cars and they won't be allowed to drive anything like a Viper until they have learned to respect the power.

 

[Warfang]

There's a reason these cars are relatively unattainable for kids that age... they'd get themselves killed otherwise. I can almost understand the prom, but hanging out at the A&W just spells trouble. Some idiot will pull up in a camaro and insist on racing. Sooner or later the word "chicken" comes up and it's on!

 

[rleminv]

I would let them drive as long as I was with them to give advice and take it back if...!

If they wanted to drive a Viper without me, fine, buy their own. My son is 35 now, same rules apply. He is quite capable. 8.01 in 10" tire outlaw class last time out.


Larry

 

[TSR6]

I always love these posts...

A little background information - I am 20 ( 21 in a couple hours... pre-gaming before I go out at midnight with the buds - what else to do than go on VCA? ). I graduated high school in 2003. My dad has a '01 RT/10. I drove it for the first time when I was 17, and it had less than 200 miles on it.

My dad was taking it back out to where it's kept since we don't keep it at home. I was all for a ride, as usual. Half way there, dad pulls into a mall parking lot, shuts it off, and gets out. I stay in my seat... couple seconds later my dad is like "so, are you going to get out so we can switch, or what?" Now, I had never driven a stick before - but growing up around race cars, and being somewhat mechanically inclined, I understood how a clutch and trans. worked - I just had never driven one.

Two laps around the mall parking lot, and my dad says "Alright, your ready for the street..."

A couple months later, I drove it to prom. I had been dumped right before prom, so I ended up going with a friend just to go. Thus for me, the excitement of Prom wasn't the date, dinner, none of that. It was going in what was hands down, the best car in the parking lot. My "date" aka..friend.. didnt even know what type of car it was, but I didn't care. I was having fun, and I was the talk of the whole school the next week.

When you think about the intimidation the Viper brings, I went to leave prom - alone ( ditched the date! ) - and I was sitting, idleing off to the far corner of the parking lot waiting for everyone to leave so that I wasn't "fighting" with the traffic, nor the long line of cars to leave. All of a sudden two cars in the front of the line stop, block traffic, and start waving at me to leave. Half the line of cars started waving out the window for me to pull out - so I did!

Now - I'll talk about this until I'm blue, but I think it's up to the individual kid whether he/she can drive a Viper. I'm not the type of guy to screw around with dad's car. I'm not the type of guy to really even screw around in my car. I know what my personal limits are. If you think your kid is level headed enough - definately go for it. It'll make a lasting memory. If your kid is the type to screw around, be in the car with him.

I'm lucky, my dad trusts me with his Viper, and I don't take that for granted.

Take this post for whatever it's worth.

 

[LETHAL GTS]

Great post! There are exceptions and I hope my boys are too!

 

[red98RT10]

I was a pretty responsible kid, but at that age if someone wanted to race I'm pretty sure I would have done it. It's hard not to when you're a teenager. Heck, a lot of people here can't turn down a race!

 

[Batboy]

Could be worse. You could have one of these asking if their boyfriend and her can go for a spin. Oh be still my heart. Then I have to worry about the Viper AND the girl. Geez. What is a dad to do?

 

[Warfang]

I always love these posts...

A little background information - I am 20 ( 21 in a couple hours... pre-gaming before I go out at midnight with the buds - what else to do than go on VCA? ). I graduated high school in 2003. My dad has a '01 RT/10. I drove it for the first time when I was 17, and it had less than 200 miles on it.

My dad was taking it back out to where it's kept since we don't keep it at home. I was all for a ride, as usual. Half way there, dad pulls into a mall parking lot, shuts it off, and gets out. I stay in my seat... couple seconds later my dad is like "so, are you going to get out so we can switch, or what?" Now, I had never driven a stick before - but growing up around race cars, and being somewhat mechanically inclined, I understood how a clutch and trans. worked - I just had never driven one.

Two laps around the mall parking lot, and my dad says "Alright, your ready for the street..."

A couple months later, I drove it to prom. I had been dumped right before prom, so I ended up going with a friend just to go. Thus for me, the excitement of Prom wasn't the date, dinner, none of that. It was going in what was hands down, the best car in the parking lot. My "date" aka..friend.. didnt even know what type of car it was, but I didn't care. I was having fun, and I was the talk of the whole school the next week.

When you think about the intimidation the Viper brings, I went to leave prom - alone ( ditched the date! ) - and I was sitting, idleing off to the far corner of the parking lot waiting for everyone to leave so that I wasn't "fighting" with the traffic, nor the long line of cars to leave. All of a sudden two cars in the front of the line stop, block traffic, and start waving at me to leave. Half the line of cars started waving out the window for me to pull out - so I did!

Now - I'll talk about this until I'm blue, but I think it's up to the individual kid whether he/she can drive a Viper. I'm not the type of guy to screw around with dad's car. I'm not the type of guy to really even screw around in my car. I know what my personal limits are. If you think your kid is level headed enough - definately go for it. It'll make a lasting memory. If your kid is the type to screw around, be in the car with him.

I'm lucky, my dad trusts me with his Viper, and I don't take that for granted.

Take this post for whatever it's worth.

I think there's a difference between a special occasion like the prom and just taking it out on the weekend to hang out with your friends. You sound mature enough, so then you must also know that you are the exception. 99.9% of dads with boys begging to take the car out to hang out at the a&w... no way!

Funerals make for lasting memories too.

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

I'm in the same boat as Batboy. I have 3 girls 13, 8, and 4. My 4 year old abolutely loves riding in the Viper. Already thinks it hers.

 

[AMong]

You absolutely can NOT judge a persons capability of driving a viper (or any other machine for that matter) by thier age.

I will admit, the judgement of a younger person might not always be as good as someone older and wiser, but it has no bearing on driving Skill.

There are plenty of 40 - 50 yr old guys out there I wouldnt trust over a 16 year old girl.

You should make your decision based on YOUR experience with your sons. Are they matured enough to handle judgment when friends ask them to burn out , or when someone wants to race on the road? Do they have enough driving experience to know how to physically handle the car ? Do they have the mental capacity, or mechanical know how, to realize when something is wrong, or not to scrape the front end , or drag shoes over door sills, ect.

These are questions only you can answer, and your answer is the only one that matters, seeing as its your car, and more importantly, your sons.


dont listen to anyone on here that says a young person cant handle a viper, again, it has nothing do with the age .

 

[viprvenm]

I think enough people have given their perspective for you to get an idea it may not be the best idea. One thing to keep in mind is this: you allow your "child" to take your Viper out on the open road. He/She has a crash potentially causing harm or death to him/herself or another innocent person. EVERYONE looks back to you saying simply - Why?

On another viewpoint, however, look what I have done... LOL

 

[Warfang]

In the beginning of the year, there were a bunch of Viper crashes, some of them resulting in fatalities. The two most memorable were both kids whose dads let them take the car out with their friend/girlfriend. Both ended in deaths. I'd bet $100 to anyone's choice of charity that these dads "thought" their kids were responsible and mature when they handed over the keys.

The ability to handle the cars and the maturity to walk away from peer pressure to "spin 'em" or "let's see what this can do" are two different things. Yes, some 50 yr olds couldn't track a car as well as a 16 yr old, but that 50 yr old is less likely to do something stupid with it. Notice shows like Jack@$$ has no one in their 50's doing the dumb stunts.

With age, not only comes maturity, but a very vivid realization of losing everything you've worked hard for. When you're 18... you've earned nothing, so you have nothing to lose. As always, there will be exceptions to the rules, but are you willing to be the dad whose son survived a Viper wreck, but his girlfriend died from it? Imagine the phone call to the poor girl's parents. Then imagine the lawsuit to follow, and losing everything you've worked hard for.

 

[vinnieviper]

its great to get so much feedback.. i obviously am not alone in the dilemma. i do trust my sons... well not the 16 yr old !! but the other two are very mature for age and so are have been very good drivers. the post from warfang is what i think most dads want to do for there kids.. give them lasting memories of something that they both enjoy (the viper). my son has a stealth which will go 100mph easily .. well not in the same manner the viper will. but i have told them about the raw power it has.

maybe ill let them take it and follow behind !!

thanks everyone for the posts.. good topic to stir different opinions...

 

[SylvanSRT]

I look at it like this

......you would not hand someone a electric circular saw and expect them to use it with no guidence

......you would not give someone a firearm to "play with" or use without some form of gun safety class

......Would you hand the keys over to a kid(or again anyone else) to 3400lb 500lb/ft of torque 450-550 horesepower land missle to someone who does not know how to operate or repect the power of the tool thats in their hands and hopefully control.

 

[viperrt96]

I don't have a problem yet.....My girl is 3 and my boy is 1

My daughter stands screaming at the door every time if she hears the car start up.

She wants to go for a ride and the funny thing is she loves to wave at everybody!

Talk about a chick magnet

 

[Viperchad]

In '93 a close family friend bought his first viper. I was 16 at the time.....he used to let me take it out all the time. I remember my folks thought he was crazy...everytime I pulled up in that car I thought my Dad was gonna have a shi*fit. Bottom line was....I totally respected the guy...and the last thing I would ever do was jeopardize our trust or my ability to drive that car. Having said that.....I can remember numerous times I almost totaled that car......one of them happened to be junior prom night!!!!! Looking back it was the best thing to ever happen to me.....I even got to drive that car to school a couple times!!!! We used to joke about all the different color sequins in the passenger seat at the end of the night.....I used to take girls out to see the car during dances in groups!!!!! It was awesome. That's how it all started.....that's when I got "bit by the snake". Been addicted ever since....and busted my a%% so that I could buy one someday that was my own. First thing I did was drive my first viper all the way back home and let my buddy (now 45 yrs old with four kids and a minivan!!!! poor guy) take it for a spin with his son. He thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I say let em do it......someday then will return the favor!!! Good luck and tell em to be safe.....check the passenger seat for sequins too

 

[TAXIMAN1]

I would be having panic attacks and convulsions.......not worth the stress! Rent them something cool instead...atleast its not your car that gets damaged!

I dont agree at all.... It's a car... Like everyone has said, I would not let him "take it out for the weekend", all the time. But for a prom or to show one of his buddys once in a while? Let him take, its something he'll never forget......

When I was 17, my dad had a 66' 427 Vette Roadster. He let me take that to the prom. I did not have the car over 65mph all night long, nor did I even chirp the tires. Why??? Because my dad trusted me not to, and I did not want to disappoint him.. If you trust your kids, and they respect your property, this should not be a problem..

 

[ViperJames]

I would be having panic attacks and convulsions.......not worth the stress! Rent them something cool instead...atleast its not your car that gets damaged!

I dont agree at all.... It's a car... Like everyone has said, I would not let him "take it out for the weekend", all the time. But for a prom or to show one of his buddys once in a while? Let him take, its something he'll never forget......

When I was 17, my dad had a 66' 427 Vette Roadster. He let me take that to the prom. I did not have the car over 65mph all night long, nor did I even chirp the tires. Why??? Because my dad trusted me not to, and I did not want to disappoint him.. If you trust your kids, and they respect your property, this should not be a problem..

I understand your reasoning here but let me explain my situation which i probably should have so my post was not taken the wrong way...My son is 11...When he is 18 I might feel different...Right now he always is tryign to "impress" his freinds any way he can, plus he doesn't "respect" the car...thats a disaster waiting to happen behind the wheel of the Viper. IF my son does a 180 when he is 18 and i feel he is the way i was at that age, then i would definitely consider it.

 

[WANTED]

i have a 17 year old boy who drives a 2004 jetta gli 1.8turbo 6 speed with a few after
market performance parts. he like most kids will tell you what you want to hear.
i trust my son 100 percent and have a good relationship, we talk. he knows what
the car can do and has driven my vipers with me in the car. when you child is
not with you, NEVER FORGET PEAR PRUSSURE. my son has never asked to take my car
by himself. the only time he drove it by himself was with me following him to
the gas station from are house, i wanted to get some pics of it going down the
road. he did a great job taking it easy, of course he saw me in the rearview
the entire time. he will be attending his senior prom this month and believe or
not he never asked the question because IN HIS OWN MIND IN MY OPINION HE UNDERSTANDS
WHAT COULD HAPPEN, plus he would have no fun having to answer his cell every 5
minutes with me asking hows the car, did you look outside to make sure no ones
by it, hows it running, make sure no one gets their finger prints on it, make
sure your date doesn't scratch the side sill getting in and out, etc..... i think
you get my point.

I LOVE MY KIDS MORE THEN ANYTHING AND LIKE ALL PARENTS WANT THEM TO HAVE THE BEST
AND ENJOY THINGS THAT MAYBE I COULDN'T WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE.

MY ANSWER - ABSOLUTELY NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I SEE NO GOOD REASON TO ALLOW
THAT.

I WOULD COMPARE IT TO PUTTING A REAL LOADED GUN IN A 2 YEAR OLDS PLAYPEN - THEY
WILL PLAY WITH IT AND SEE WHAT IT DOES.

THE ONLY WAY MY KIDS COULD TAKE IT TO A/W OR PROM WOULD BE FROM THE EXAMPLE
PICTURED BELOW

MY 6 YEAR OLD GARRETT SHOWN IN PICS

AS FAR AS THE PROM - WE RENTED A LIMO FOR HIM, HIS DATE AND CLOSE FRIENDS
WITH THE PROMISE OF NO PHONE CALLS HE,HIS MOM AND I WILL ALL ENJOY
HIS PROM

 

[Ray W]

Because my son has half of me in him the answer is still no and he is 23 now. I will not change my mind. He can drive with me or not at all. I wouldn't ever want to explain to my
wife or someone elses mother that I thought it would be ok.

signed...hardass

 

[TSR6]

I think there's a difference between a special occasion like the prom and just taking it out on the weekend to hang out with your friends. You sound mature enough, so then you must also know that you are the exception. 99.9% of dads with boys begging to take the car out to hang out at the a&w... no way!

Funerals make for lasting memories too.

I do take it out for the day occasionally. I have full access to the keys. I lived in Florida for a little while, and I had to fly back for a funeral - the Viper was actually the car I drove while I was home for the week since my truck was in FL - and we didn't have anything else for me to drive.

You absolutely can NOT judge a persons capability of driving a viper (or any other machine for that matter) by thier age.

I will admit, the judgement of a younger person might not always be as good as someone older and wiser, but it has no bearing on driving Skill.

There are plenty of 40 - 50 yr old guys out there I wouldnt trust over a 16 year old girl.

You should make your decision based on YOUR experience with your sons. Are they matured enough to handle judgment when friends ask them to burn out , or when someone wants to race on the road? Do they have enough driving experience to know how to physically handle the car ? Do they have the mental capacity, or mechanical know how, to realize when something is wrong, or not to scrape the front end , or drag shoes over door sills, ect.

These are questions only you can answer, and your answer is the only one that matters, seeing as its your car, and more importantly, your sons.


dont listen to anyone on here that says a young person cant handle a viper, again, it has nothing do with the age .

Great post!

Notice shows like Jack@$$ has no one in their 50's doing the dumb stunts.

Look at the maturity level of the guys on the Jack@ss show though. I wouldn't trust them with very much at all.

I look at it like this

......you would not hand someone a electric circular saw and expect them to use it with no guidence

......you would not give someone a firearm to "play with" or use without some form of gun safety class

......Would you hand the keys over to a kid(or again anyone else) to 3400lb 500lb/ft of torque 450-550 horesepower land missle to someone who does not know how to operate or repect the power of the tool thats in their hands and hopefully control.

....my dad taught me how to use a circular saw when I was really young.

....my dad taught me how to shoot a gun when I was like 10, and how to hunt deer when I was 12.

....my dad taught me how to drive a stick when I was 17, and rode along with the first couple times I drove the Viper


--

 

[Warfang]

So I get it... all the younger guys here side with the kids and all the old timers want to keep the keys away. At 33, I'm in the transition part from being a kid to an old fart. I remember the injustice of adults making me wait until I was 16, 18, 21, 25 for this and that. Now, I wish ALL those things (drinking, driving, etc)aren't available to kids UNTIL they're 21!

Sure, I thought I was the exception too when I was younger, but I've been around the block enough now to see enough "smart and REALLY mature kids" getting people killed because of poor judgement.

The bottom line is, there are dumb@$$ adults too, but they are responsible for their own actions. You are legally responsible for your kids. EVERYTHING they do reflect back to you. Maybe start with the 18 yr old with short trips to the store, driving schools and such, then work in the trust slowly. He needs to always drive that car like you're sitting next to him. It's not to say he can't have a little fun with it, but at that age, you think you are invincible, and that needs to be kept in check.

 

[WANTED]

So I get it... all the younger guys here side with the kids and all the old timers want to keep the keys away. At 33, I'm in the transition part from being a kid to an old fart. I remember the injustice of adults making me wait until I was 16, 18, 21, 25 for this and that. Now, I wish ALL those things (drinking, driving, etc)aren't available to kids UNTIL they're 21!

Sure, I thought I was the exception too when I was younger, but I've been around the block enough now to see enough "smart and REALLY mature kids" getting people killed because of poor judgement.

The bottom line is, there are dumb@$$ adults too, but they are responsible for their own actions. You are legally responsible for your kids. EVERYTHING they do reflect back to you. Maybe start with the 18 yr old with short trips to the store, driving schools and such, then work in the trust slowly. He needs to always drive that car like you're sitting next to him. It's not to say he can't have a little fun with it, but at that age, you think you are invincible, and that needs to be kept in check.

WELL SAID WARFANG

 

[joe117]

There is no question that young drivers have less experience.

There is no question that young drivers are likely to be subjected to peer pressure to do things that are not safe.

There are good reasons why insurance costs so much for young male drivers.

Driving a Viper as anyone would drive a normal car isn't going to cause trouble. Any young driver can do it.

But when you push that Viper gas pedal to the floor, the car will do things that a young driver will not pick up on till it's too late.
Think of all the tales we have heard about Vipers that were wrecked my someone who just wanted to take it for a spin.

I'm saying that a kid is probably going to get on it at least one time. And the Viper is a very dangerous car at full throttle.
Things happen fast. It can get away from you. It happens all the time.

I would never let a young driver take a Viper out on his own.

And the last place to let him take it would be a place where all his pals with their hot cars hang out.

"She forgot all about the library that she told her old man now"
Beach Boys 1964

 

[SylvanSRT]

my point was not specifically pointed to young or old. just general statements that being educated about the respecting of powerful and potentially dangerous tools.

Any tool in the hand of someone that know how to use it can do great things that same tool in the hands of the uneducated or careless can do great harm.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

growing up around race cars,

There is the key to your successful prom date. I never grew up around race cars and thus I am certain I would have killed myself had I ever had a Viper in high school.

If I ever have kids they're gonna get track time before they get a driver's license.