Your kids and your viper !!

[Anaconda]

Just rent him a limo, and he will get laid just as much, and not have to drive.

 

[WILDASP]

You are asking the world's biggest collection of "look-at-me" types why they would want the same for their offspring?

Seriously, though, I think there is one important point to consider beyond what has been discussed above. That point goes beyond the maturity of your child, his resistance to peer pressure, and his driving skills. This other factor has to do with the environment of teeenagers' social situations and how they differ from those of adults.

How many posts have you seen on this forum where somebody tried to box a Viper in on the freeway, followed on his bumper trying to get him to race, or slammed on the brakes in front of him? How many posts about cars getting keyed, sat on, poured crap in, or worse? Gee, ever been pulled over in your Viper for no apparent reason (no? well, you're the only one!).

So what do you think it will be like for your son at the A&W? Adults respectfully admiring your car like when you are at the dealership? Try punks looking to "one up" your son, push him around, try to pressure him into a race, maybe damage your car out of spite or envy. How about other kids getting their testosterone going, doing burnouts, racing, etc to prove their still men with your Viper sitting there getting all the attention. What about all the attention the local law will be giving him? Hard enough to avoid a ticket as a businessman in a suit, what about when you're 17?

The risks of driving are not just internal, most are external and beyond your control. Driving a Viper is pouring gasoline on those flames each and every day, for us and more so for your kids.

Excellent analysis,and definitely something to think about!There have been good posts on both sides of this debate,mostly with the younger guys on one side and the older ones on the other.I do tend to agree that age is certainly not a determinate of driving skill,but the mere possession of a driver's license does not make anyone qualified to drive a Viper or any other ultra high performance car.Whether the driver is 18 or 50,he/she really needs some serious high-performance/competitive experience and preferably a driving school experience before pushing a Viper anywhere near the limit.As most of us know,the temptation to push the limits in a Viper is hard to resist.A very few young drivers(AMong is an excellent example here),do have that level of skill and experience(and the judgement that goes with it)-most do not.The Viper,and the situations Viper drivers are put in by others because of the car's reputation,are a potentially lethal combination for a novice of any age.Adding adolescent pressures to the mix cannot possibly help,and may be the last link in the chain that leads to a fatal accident.I.for one,would far rather see a properly trained young driver have his earlier Viper experiences on a track rather than on public roads with his peers.

 

[BOGOTA]

No kids yet, but when I do have kids I will have to triple padlock the garage. These high horse power cars are deadly.

Considering their father, I'd padlock MY garage from your offspring! LOL

HAHAHAHA. .. As YO TONY WOULD SAY" SCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOTTTTTTTTTT!!!!"

 

[got one]

it's all in the raising of the kid...always has been.