Local Student killed after wrecked his 03 Cobra showing off to friends

[taronis]

Damn the press!

This is an epic tragedy. I am saddened for the families and truely feel their loss. However, is this necessary:

The 2003 Cobra was so damaged that the make and model could not be identified from the road.

Ford's Web site lists the Cobra as a limited-edition model for car enthusiasts. The six-speed, 390-horsepower vehicle can cost up to $37,000.

Let's face it, the kid was irresponsible, the parents were irresponsible, but FOMOCO was not irresponsible. We DO NOT WANT the likes of Ralph (fu**ing) Nadir writing a book about these cars! Kids kill themselves in all kinds of cars, every day. Most of the time the reference to the "deathmobile" is generic, UNLESS, it seems, IT'S A FORD MUSTANG! What the hell?

 

[NeedForSpeed]

I didn't even read all the posts in this topic, but most of them, but all I will say is I said this a while back, and it's kinda like I told you so........

I stuck my nose in some comments and said that no 15\16\17 year old kid should be driving a car like this. And that mommy and daddy shouldn't buy cars like these for there spoiled little brats!

Yes I said it, spoiled little brats, if your 15 or 16 and you have one of these cars..... and even modify it at that...... your a little spoiled brat.

I got to listen to a bunch of shit about how it doesn't matter how old you are, and that how parents "hook" there kids up, and how good grades are better then buying and paying for your own stuff, etc......

No matter how you slice the bread, kids shouldn't be driving these cars. I know there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part a kid thats only had his liecense a couple years doesn't have the expericence needed to handle this much power and more. It's sad that kids have to show off, but we all show off. Only thing is when you show off......... know the road, your car, and your ability.

It's sad that kids have to die and get hurt over stupidity like this.
I've seen alot of kids around my local town die from this stuff. And it's always a very young kid, on a brand new bike or car that they wreck and die.

Thats why I was so against this before and I still am now. Kids that have mommy and daddy buy everything for them, I look down on you, I also look down on the parents. Had this kids parents made him buy and pay for his own stuff, he wouldn't have been driving an 03 cobra and killed himself.

Moomy and daddy's pocket book isn't real life. Thats the probelm with todays kids. 90% of them are useless, worthless, and want everything handed to them on a silver platter. The less you do for yourself, the less of a person you are.

I say RIP to my father who strict and made me pay for everything.
I learned the value of a dollar, I learned the concept of hard work, and I learned how to save, spend wisley, and most important, the joy of self gratitude and reward as all my effort pays off and I now have a house and a beautiful car that I payed for on all my own.

Had I been like all my friends, they all still live at home, most of them either finished college and don't work, and the others dropped out of college. They all have crappy cars, nothing worth anything and like said still live with there parents. These are the kids I know that got the free ride, the nice new cars, the college, etc........ now they are worthless losers cause they don't know how to provide for themselfs!

 

[ADR]

I think that this article shows that its more the driver than the car. We have a kid in a sports car (cobra), a luxury car (lexus) and a pickup truck. I had a 5.0 when I was 16, and I won't lie.... I ran that thing off the road. Of course it was my first experince in snow (no snow tires) and I was going slow so I just slid off the road and dented my door & fender a bit. Never had a problem after that. Kids who have these crashes go fast no matter what they're driving. I think a cheap POS is just as dangerous because of that "I don't car about this car attitude". The only real solution to this problem is an intensive driver training program. Something like the professional driving schools have. Granted I'm only 23, but when I have kids I guarantee they'll be going to that kind of training in addition to my own school of driving.


Its a big differnce in a car that picks up speed slowly and a car that will probably go from 0-100 in about 7 seconds, an inexpierenced driver just can not react to that, where as a slow car his skills can grow with it, because the car can only do so much, yeah kids will speed in anything but the type of car it is determines how fast that is, and a 400 hp is way to much for a kid that probably just got his liscence, sorry for the lost. Other Parents can learn from this.

 

[2003 Cobra]

I think this sad and unfortunate tragedy will help to sell a lot of roll cages.

 

[NastyWS6]

Originally posted by olchakla
It is terrible, I am sure his parents have regrets about letting their son have such a powerful car.

I have emotions for them. My son had a terrible accident 3 weeks after he got his drivers license. He just had an Izuzu 4 cyl car.

Tried to pass a slower moving car and had troubles that caused him to hit an oncoming car head on. His left arm was sheared off as a result of the accident and the boy in seat behind his drivers seat was killed. It was a miracle that my son wasn't killed also. From the center of the front end to behind the drivers door was crushed in. His sneakers were still lodged under the pedals, and the fireman almost had to amputate his legs to remove him.

Young kids feel invincable and don't realize how dangerous a car can be. The 03 Cobra and its awesome power just makes it so much easier to get into trouble quicker. Anytime I come across a parent that has a child starting their drivers training or just started driving, I bend their ear and preach my story. Tell them to discipline their kids in the dangers of driving and how easy it can be to get killed.

They might comment about me and my fast driving in my car, but it is picking the right time and place to punch the pedal to the metal.

Sorry to hear about your son's accident as well.

 

[NastyWS6]

Originally posted by 2003 Cobra
I think this sad and unfortunate tragedy will help to sell a lot of roll cages.

For fast cars like these, I think it would be a good idea to put in a small point cage in cars like this just for safety precautions.

 

[03mineralg]

This might sound kind of harsh but im tired of hearing about how sorry people are for the people who cause these kind of accidents. i wouldnt feel a bit of sympathy for this kid if my wife (8 months pregnant) and my 2 year old daughter were coming around that curve ahead of him. Its just like a drunk driver who kills the innocent person in the other car and lives to see another day. The parents are to blame, but not just for buying that car for him, but also not teaching him common sense. I had a fast car too at 17, but i knew enough not to accelerate when a turn was coming, sure everyone will drive a car fast but there is a time and place. Im just glad an innocent victim wasnt involved.

 

[NastyWS6]

Originally posted by 03mineralg
i wouldnt feel a bit of sympathy for this kid if my wife (8 months pregnant) and my 2 year old daughter were coming around that curve ahead of him. Its just like a drunk driver who kills the innocent person in the other car and lives to see another day. The parents are to blame, but not just for buying that car for him, but also not teaching him common sense. I had a fast car too at 17, but i knew enough not to accelerate when a turn was coming, sure everyone will drive a car fast but there is a time and place. Im just glad an innocent victim wasnt involved.

Yeah I agree with you, thankfully no other people were involved in this accident.

 

[jtfx6552]

Roll cages can be more dangerous than no cage. There are lots of different types of accidents, and in most, slamming into cage, no matter how much padding it has , with no helmet, means death. In this case, I believe at least one of the passengers was in the back seat. Had there been a cage, the person in the back would have been worse off.

JT

 

[stangin]

16 year old + 03 Cobra = Accident

My heart goes out to the teens and parents involved, but I just have to say lets not let this kind of tragety happen again, EVER!Anyone that lets their 16 - 17 year old drive the 03 Cobra super hot rod "unsuppervised" might as well be giving them a gun to play with, no matter how well the parents think they know their children, its just plain irresponsible period. I had a hot rod when 17 and always a fast car from then on, but I drove the first year with a four cylider car before I got the hot rod, dont think I didnt push the four cylider to the limits either. All of my hot rods of the past were probably not as fast as the 03 Cobra and they were really quick cars. The 03 is a serious monster rocket and I hope no one on this board or anyone else lets their 16 - 17 year old's drive the Cobra alone. Its too tempting for me at 36 let alone a teen. Be safe!

Black 03

 

[MarkWanc]

Its all too bad and a real shame. What bothers me is what the hell is a highschool kid doing with such a car? Half these kids cant even piss straight, yet they think they are old enough and mature enough to drive such a car? I blame the rich parents who spoiled their kid. I never was handed anything like that when I was a kid....had to save every penny to get my first $600 car.....a '77 Mercury Monarch with straight 6...just to get my ass to community college. Couldnt get hurt in the car if I tried. What really bothers me is when some kid who learned how to drive on front wheel drive cars suddenly is given the keys to a Mustang GT or any other rear wheel drive car with power....a true disaster waiting to happen......a true shame indeed.

 

[Blades]

There is something that sets responsible cobra owners like us from the jerk offs who weave in and out of traffic, etc etc.. And its not age. Theres something that can be said about someone's attitude towards a car when they wash and wax THEIR OWN car in 14 degree weather. It shows a love for that car, the kind of love that makes you think twice about putting you or the car in danger. You respect the car, you dont want to lose the car. I think that impressing some friends is a lot lower on my priorities list than keeping my car in one piece.


So yeah. I agree. the parents were ****in idiots. No sympathy for them. Nothing can make you appreciate something more than if you work for it. You can't buy responsibility or respect.

Theres a ton more i could write on this subject but I dont want to get off topic when i start talking about the kids in my area.

 

[dmreitz]

Originally posted by Blades

<snip>
I think that impressing some friends is a lot lower on my priorities list than keeping my car in one piece.

I think that attitude in and of itself is the key. It's not about others, it's about me. I do not have this car to make other people think I'm cool, or to try to impress anyone else. I don't give a shit what other people think about my image for owning or driving this car... having this car is about my enjoyment. I've earned this car, and I want to take care of it.

..and until you can think that way, you don't deserve to have one.

 

[NastyWS6]

Originally posted by jtfx6552
Roll cages can be more dangerous than no cage. There are lots of different types of accidents, and in most, slamming into cage, no matter how much padding it has , with no helmet, means death. In this case, I believe at least one of the passengers was in the back seat. Had there been a cage, the person in the back would have been worse off.

JT

In this case though had they of had a cage in the car the roof would not have caved in thus possibly saving the life of the driver as well. But it is too hard to tell if it would have helped or hurt in this situation.

 

[94SVT Coupe]

Generally, a 4pt roll bar or hoop is OK for the driver in a wreck w/no helmet. A cage though, is not safe w/o a helmet IMO.

Rear occupants, no chance with the bars.

Use the best padding you can get if you're running a roll bar on the street.

 

[MineralGrey03]

Unfortunately, kids have to die to bring this sort of thing into light. The first portion of blame goes to the kid himself. His lack of responsibilty and forsight for his actions is plain stupid. Next comes the parents. It it not so much that they let him have a car like that, but more that he didn't have the training to really know the car's or his limits. That sort of thing comes through experience and schooling. I also place a small amount of blame on our licensing program in California and the United States. It is not nearly as tough as it should be. I'm glad to have my license and the ability to drive, but I believe I got mine too young; 17 (I'm 18 now, almost 19). It was way too easy and that's scary. There should be some sort of advanced driving school along the lines of the required classes for motorcylists. Everyone should learn in a controlled place how to truly handle an automobile. Its insane that someone can just buy one of these land rockets without proper training.

I've been lucky to learn on an 80Hp Civic with a reworked suspension. You really learn how to handle the car and respect it when everything reacts a little slower to driver inputs. Doing all the work on the car aids to further that respect. Stepping up to the Cobra from the Civic is huge (I don't own it. It is be my mothers and I'm posting under my father's id here). No matter if I have billions of dollars, my kids are learning on a 100HP car. Racing school will be in addition to the license testing. They will know how to handle a car.

Sorry to go off on a tangent here, but I just get pissed to see people around my age missusing these automobiles. They do destroy lives and unfortunately, many teens do not know the consequences of their actions. I'm glad my parents helped instill this in me, otherwise I may have ended up like that kid. It's just sad that so many preventative measures can be taken, but are very rarely taken advantage of.

 

[2F2F]

Terrible...

 

[MattNCSU]

There's a young girl who goes to my old high school with a new '03 Cobra. I give that poor car 2 months:nonono:
Its only a matter of time before they try and set limits as to how powerful a teenagers car can be.

 

[KevinB120]

I remember all the spoiled children in high school. A lot of them seemed have a lack of respect for other people. I see things like this and i get angry that this moron put other people at risk. A couple of my not-too close friends got killed in similar circumstances. I was actually glad that they didnt hurt anyone else, and felt no pitty since they put others at risk. I equate this to be the same as some idiot shooting off a gun randomly in the middle of a neighborhood. What'd he think he was a Kennedy?:nonono: And kudos to his responsible parrents btw, I see natural selection is still alive and well.

 

[Blades]

Originally posted by MattNCSU
There's a young girl who goes to my old high school with a new '03 Cobra. I give that poor car 2 months:nonono:
Its only a matter of time before they try and set limits as to how powerful a teenagers car can be.

dude that girl posted here like two times before. She was 15 when she got that. Is it black?