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Old 08-10-2007, 05:56 PM
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ByronRACE ByronRACE is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Gilroy, CA
Cobra Make, Engine: West Coast Cobra w/ Centrifugally Blown Big Block, Pickles, Onions, on a Sesame Seed Bun.
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There are no additional training requirements for street cars as the performance level of the vehicle increases and NO performance driving training requirements for driving cars in the US, period. Nobody is ever tested on collision avoidance, braking, handling, etc. Hell, in CA they don't even do a safety inspection on most vehicles. If you have a heartbeat, you can drive...even if you can't read english street signs. No problem we provide the manual in any language you like. Even braille.

Personally, I think there should be better controls. In fact, I think the training and certification process should be done with the vehicle in question.

If a little old 90yr old lady driving her galaxy 500 can't swerve in time to miss that kid on the bike, sorry, but get her off the road! If dude in the Cobra is seeing deer on every turn, get him off the road!

I think people should be certified in the vehicles they drive. Or, at the very least for a "performance class" of vehicle they are qualified to drive. This would keep new drivers in low performance cars until they learn how to drive them. I'd be more than happy to run my Cobra through a car handling course under the scrutiny of a driving instructor in order demonstrate my ability to control the car and renew my certificate. Why is that so hard?

Yeah, it'd be an hour of inconvenience every couple of years, but that's a lot less inconvenient than driving in a sea of people that might do anything at any given time simply because they don't know any better. Frankly, I'm tired of it.

Or, if you can't do that...how about this...

Offer an attractive insurance premium for people that have passed a certification process for driving competency and car control, and a safety inspection on the vehicle you are insuring. Then, raise your rates on all the rest. I'll be more than happy to move my policy over from State Farm in support of an attractive program like that.
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