Scottish Elises

....but at least it did not happen next Friday.

My son Ian passed his test on Tuesday, I think I posted that he had his first accident on Wednesday in the Focus family car, not his fault as he was hit whilst stationary, but last night was his fault as he returned from his girlfriends in New Pitsligo, with his best friend behind him in a Megane.

They both ended upside down in a field, the Focus engine 10mtrs from the car. Six miles down the road, so Verian drove there in Clare's car. Two ambulances and police cars already there, plus a fire engine. The ambulances took them to Hospital, but they were released about 0130, and Verian brought them home. Neither of them had drunk any alcohol, but the Police did not even breathalyse them, which I thought was automatic, especially with two cars written off. Ian had a pax, but the three of them were OK apart from a broken nose and cuts and bruises. Both cars air bags deployed late after the first impact, so were virtually useless.

Not really asked him yet what happened, as I probably will not believe him anyway, but he told Verian that they were doing around 65, he braked to avoid a rabbit, Callum was too close behind, clipped his rear end, and spun him around. Likelihood is that they were hooning out of the village faster than they could control the cars, regardless of the cause.

Been there, seen it, done it, when I was a teenager, usually driving from one pub to another, but it does not make it any easier. We both almost regretted that he passed his test first time without a single tick on the sheet. Problem now is that although he may learn from it, I can not trust him. He was so over the moon at passing first time, Clare took six goes, and being able to take the car out on his own, but he is now going to suffer the consequences of it. No point in me making a song and dance about it, he is about as low as he could get.

The police will probably be around to collect a statement, and I believe that nowadays they have different criteria for kids that have just passed their tests, so he could well be banned if they decide that it was dangerous driving. He certainly will have problems getting any insurance, although as things stand, that is hardly an issue. £700 excess for him on our policy, a 2000 Focus aint worth much more than £2.5K, so we now have 3 x 2 seater cars.

Kids, dont you just love 'em.

tut

Sorry to hear that Tut.

At least they are all okay, and despite the in-effective airbags, the cars protected them.

I never had a crash when I was younger, but had a few near misses (which could have been nasty). Eventually, to get my mother, and her chums off my case, I went and did the IAM course at my local group, and passed that test too. I would strongly recommend that course of action for Ian. Also helps with some insurance companies.

This may sound cheesy, but some track time or autotesting would also greatly improve his car control for road safety purposes. I know a few folk who have recently taken up autotesting who have commented how much more confident they now are with car control.

Tut sorry to here what's happened at least there all ok.As you say kids don't you just love'em.We still worry ourselves sick with our lad thankfully he's had a few wee thing happen .

Mags

Tut bad news but at least all are ok.
If they stick to their stories surely Iain will have nothing against him and your car will be replaced as his friend ran into the back of him causing the accident.
If bad things are in the minds of the police then surely this would also result in only one drive being taken to task.

S

Sorry to hear that Tut but so glad that everyone is all right. It is so worrying when your children are in car crashes - sometimes its real hard being a parent - other times not.

At least they are all OK.

At least the people are OK. Everything else can be replaced.

I would echo the IAM idea. It's every bit as valuable for road driving as Walshy is for the track. Nobody thinks twice about spending hundreds of quid on Walshy days, but the entire IAM 12-15 week course costs around £85 quid. Best thing I ever did, especially when, as Dominic says, combined with something that teaches car-control on the limit too, as the IAM course can't cover that.

Graeme

To echo the others be glad they are OK but it is sh*t. I have no idea how I will react when Millie is out in a car on her own (she's only 2 !!!) or when some bloke picks her up

I crashed a few times, the first soon after passing my test when I understeered Dad's Cavalier SRi through a concrete fence. Wiped out the front of the car but no injuries or cops involved. I told Dad there was a dog I swerved to avoid. There wasn't. I was going too fast and panicked, hit the brakes, and unsurprisingly went straight on until I hit something.
It was a fence, it could have been a person.

Dad banned me for a few months but I was still a nutter, and worse a confident ill educated nutter, for years after that. The only thing I can think of which would have helped would have been education, and as I only learn from making mistakes, motorsport based education.

I still drive too quickly, most of my real world learning has come form surviving mistakes, which is a dangerous way to learn, I think Dom is probably right getting the opportunity to make those mistakes in the realtive safety of autotest/walshy day/ etc... does get things out of your system and lets you learn in relative safety. I'm 35 now and still learning. When I was 17 I thought I knew it all.

Failing that buy him a pushbike*.


Pete

*Oh hang on. C2 fracture (neck) falling off a pushbike in 1990 aged 19. Full recovery but 3 months in high dependency ward. Scratch that and make him walk.

Quite right Dominic, I had both his Pass Plus and IAM arranged once he had got a few hours in. Clare did them both after she passed. Also Clare Ian and Luke were coming down to KH next Friday in the Focus for pax laps, and I was going to let Clare and Ian drive the Elise on track once I had checked them out, and then with the Instructor.

However not sure how that is going to work out now, need to let it settle down, then see how I feel.

tut

Really sorry to hear about Ian's accidents. So glad he is okay. I sure nearly all of us have come up with some interesting explanations for accidents

Plenty good advice already given. I was totaly independent at 16 so it was quite a few years before I had a car of my own. It was only an old Hillman Imp so not really that fast to get me into any trouble. Had a few near scrapes in hire cars though

Iain

Tut,

Bad news indeed, but all's well that ends well so chin up

It's an unfortunate fact of life that young men in cars are a liability.

You know what he needs is a Walshy day .... then again, perhaps not!

Cheers,
Robin

He is ok and thats the main thing.

Only had one crash in my time (not counting the deer) and the other driver was charged with careless driving or whatever the correct term is. However, looking back to when I was 17 its a small miracle I never dented a car.
Although I never had a crash. I had several moments that if things went wrong I probably would not be typing here today.

That possibly scared me more than a crash might. Walking away from a crash without a scratch might give you a feeling of invulnerability so its maybe more important to let him know how lucky he is than give him a hard time.

kenny wrote:looking back to when I was 17 its a small miracle I never dented a car.

Same here.
Glad everyone is ok enough to at least be able to tell the tale.

sorry to hear that tut.


Dean

Its a lot more expensive than any courses but crashing your car is a great learner. I only had my car 6 weeks when I lost it and rolled down a railway embankment. My lesson was strengthened by the fact that I had another 34 payments to make on my car loan (3rd party insurance).

It's ALMOST good news that he got his crash out the way and wasn't badly hurt.