Here in NZ the media spotlight has been on the increase of modified car enthusiasts roaming our streets in usually late model Jappa's. They are refered to as "boy racers". When I was younger that term was derogatory, most of these guys use the term proudly. The government has stepped in and changed the law to allow police to confiscate and impound vehicles participating in burnouts and unneccessary exhibitions of speed. Taking your club car for a test strop down the road qualifies for prosecution. The last thing motorsport needs is bad publicity. As a 2nd generation racer I am lucky at that about 12 my Dad was letting me drive in Motokhanas (slaloms) and when I got my licence at 15, 3 days later I was on Manfield Racetrack for my first race. My stepsons are now 9 and 11 and have been racing karts for over a year now. We are all guilty of giving our cars a good thrashing on the street but the publics attitude to this sort of thing is rapidly changing. Technology has brought speed cameras and worse cell phones, if you piss someone off here in NZ they can ring *555 and report dangerous driving so you may get pulled up by the police or worse they are waiting for you when you get home. Use the car club events to sort your cars out, motokhanas are great for learning car control. Find a farmer or business that will let you practice on their propety. My workshop is close to a rubbish tip and we are allowed to test cars on their road after 5 pm which is great.Though once we got a call from the tip to report my youngest boy was racing rubbish trucks with his kart !!!!!

Madtimo?? what happened?

I agree totally with Stirlingmac. This time last year I had a nice road car...a VX Commodore Wagon with a 5.7Litre (GenIII Chev 350) and 6spd ZF box...nice car. But if I didnt bend it someone else wanted to...had an old bloke drive thru a red light and t-bone me at an intersection and almost wrote me and my 4 daughters off. ---dumbarse..sorry..
Also a friend of mine from work bought (leased actually) an brand new WRX STi....and had every panel on it 2-bobbed only 2 weeks later.
My point is I hate the street....the street sucks.
You cant have a nice car anymore. I now have a 91 Tarago and couldnt be bothered anymore. But the racetrack is a different story...we have especially at state rounds people with respect, plenty of run off area and fire marshalls with the best reputation in the world for getting you out of a burning wreck (just ask Carrol Smith author Drive to Win). We need some sort of education program for both motoring enthusiasts, public and police to get these testosteronites giving their cars heaps where it counts.

MadTimo, you won't be making that mistake again will you?

next time you'll build up a 1200

sorry that was a bit heartless

pity bout your car, never good to hear about anyones pride and joy being written off

Hey Mad timmo what happened????
How bad did you get hurt???
Is the datto rebuildable???

OK, It wasn't that I misjudged this corner, I just plain didn't see it. Its the worst corner for crashes in this area (called Campbell's Corner). I locked up at the last minute and hit a tree, probably about 80-100 km/hr.

Anyway, I smashed my kneecap and it has 2 pins and a screw in it. I have to go back in 6 weeks time to get the pins out and try to bend my knee.

I don't think the datto is worth rebuilding, but if anyone wants to come and have a look they are welcome. I'd say I will just end up selling any good parts off it, but like I said I'll sell the whole thing if anyone wants it. I might hobble out there on my crutches later and take some photos anyway.

Madtimo's advice for the week....Man who relies on ordinary seatbelt can say goodbye to walking for 6 weeks

And by the way 1200rallycar, I did build up a 1200. I lost that 2 weeks ago when an old guy pulled out in front of me. Does anyone want my luck????

But, It may be rebuilt yet I'm not quite sure...waiting on insurance.

Hey MadTimo, sorry to hear about your accident. Hope the recovery turns out well. Did your knee hit the dash, or knock against the steering column? That is my biggest worry about old (and small) cars ...

My younger brother is one of the phone operators for an insurance company. Yesterday he got a call from a mother who had just bought a Falcon XR6 Turbo for her son for his first car. She was unable to understand why the insurance company was not prepared to cover a new driver in a 240kw 1700kg missile!!! I cannot understand why a responsible and loving parent (I assume) would buy such a powerful car for a new driver!!!

My first car was a series 3 Bluebird that couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding but I still did my best to kill myself and my passengers in it by thinking I was Peter Brock. I am positive that I would have succeeded if I could have afforded a more powerful car.
Matty