yeah im just thinking of the guy accross the road, he's probably not all there up top which may make it an extreme circumstance but still, he has recently written off his stock vl commodore by hitting a tree, and now he comes over and says he is getting a r33 gtst, and im thinking geez how longs that gonna last, this guy is like 27 or something but just doesnt have the mentality to drive well i dont think

so even an older person can definately be a threat with a powerfull car, and yeah any person should prove themselves in a proper defensive driving course before buying a powerful car, or any car really but that getting pretty strict

They have stated that there will be compulsory driver training courses for new drivers and that the government will go halvies in the cost...
Which is the first good thing that they have done...
Stopping new drivers from driving at night or the ammoutn of passengers or whatever, will not make them a better driver. Only less experienced.

This new high powered car law doesn't affect me as I am ancient. But I feel sorry for alot of new drivers who it will affect.
A lot of people get a car at 15 and spend years doing it up to be used for when they finally get their license. Some of them may not be able to use these. Or if the family only has one car and it's a v8. or if the new driver has a job and they only have a v8 ute.

They had a report on high powered cars in the hands of young drivers on the news the other day. they showed a crashed 1987 honda prelude...
High powered cars in p platers is just the flavour of the month at the moment. You can write yourself off in a fiat bambino . or a 1972 corolla running on 3 cylinders. you dont need a high powered car to do so.

Wont it just make people do up the engines that they already have so that they look normal but still have the standard brakes etc and safety...

a brand new 6 cylinder vz commodore has 192kw... that is apparently faster and wotn crash that a v8 vy....
How will they test if a car is high powered? roadside dyno tests?
Seems like a nice idea in theory... I think it will be very hard to police...

Lobster and Nis15L make a good point.

Still i dont think ANYONE 21 and under should be able to drive turbos or V8s. Many turbo cars ive driven can become unpredictable under boost when inexperienced drivers get behind the wheel.

Ban them from anything under a certain power i say. Make it stick throughout their P licensed period. Even if they are 50. Bring in the advanced driver training. Bring in the RUBBER TILING HAMMER rule where it is compulsory to carry a rubber hammer next to the passenger seat so it can be used by occupants other than the driver on the drivers head when they do anything stupid. Make any P licensed drivers BANNED from driving any datsun 1200s so we can have more parts for our cars in the future.

ON TO GOVERNMENT HALL MEN!

A buddy of mine and I used to practice our syncronised skidding in a parking lot after work. Today it's called drifting. Whatever, we would slide around trying to do figure 8's and the like. I did get exposed to trying to control the car while it was moving in every direction other than straight. This exposure has helped me in a couple of situations on the street. I was lucky but I could have made these situations worse had I not "practiced".
My point is a manditory proper driving course would do wonders in helping prevent accidents. It should be manditory for all ages quite honestly.

Quick everyone get PP 13B roatarys with 600 hp... It will be safer than a ET pulsar....

I must say that no amount of driver training will stop a pimply 18 yr old in a turbo skyline thinking that he is 'king dick' and driving like he owns the road. That alone will contribute to an accident and I've seen it first hand.

These laws - provided that they are implemented in a well thought out way - will work to a certain extent.

My $0.02c

TC

there was an aritlcle in the paper out west here of a driving course. They put "oversize shopping trolley wheels" on frames under the car, so that each wheel of the car has a swivel wheel next to it. The instructor can vary the hight of the extra wheels, causing the front of the car or the back of the car (or both) to lessen in preasure on the road, causing the car to drift, or loose complete control. This helps you know what to do if you should ever encouter this situation on the road.

They also focus on braking exercises which teach you to slow down, and go around an object, rather than keep skidding straight into it.

This would be good if it were compulsory (not to mention fun). As it is, it is optional, and costs around $300 - $400...

Jackie Stewart 3 times formula 1 World Champion said that the hardest thing he had to learn was how to brake effectively. I believe he is right and the only way to teach people is on the skid pan or a race track where there is plenty of run off when a mistake is made...

Hey..leave the pulsar ET out of it. If you want compare a 600Hp rotary, compare it to the mighty Daihatsu Handi TURBO, or the Suzuki Alto WORKS TURBO!!!

I am only 17 but have raced karts and driven formula fords as well as doing advanced race driver courses. And I am still a long way off being a good driver and not just because of maturity! It makes me wonder how the rest of the kids my age are like in their high power turbo cars.They do not have any of the exposure to the driving I have had. Its a scary thought!