Thread: Why do young people think theyre immortal??

I did the same Ian and fortunately for the both of us our bad judgements were not fatal to us or innocent people.

Lignum's suggestion I think is heading in the right direction.

When we are/were young the views of our peers take priority over the advice of others and over logic. As a young male it was important to be respected by your mates and especially the girls.

To risk being the laughing stock of your mates is something to be avoided at all costs.

Another factor though is having fun and getting your heart in your mouth and it seems to satisfy these, the real consequences are seldomly considered or understood.

I know of a retired policeman who has interviewed many young people responsible for the death(s) of their mate(s) on the roads and mucking around with knives and guns.

Many of the young people know their mate is dead and know they killed them but in almost every case he felt they were saying the words "I know they are dead" but not understanding the finality or seriousness of death.

Even as much older adults we have trouble understanding death so we can hardly expect younger and less experienced people to understand it.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

FC, who's to say the parents didn't. Once young people get together in a group situation, a lot of those lessons learned go out the window and bravado and showing off take over.

True, but the circumstances of the crash (140kmh, 6 people in a sedan) goes beyond the usual larking about and into stupid territory.

You're right, just because the parents did a good job, that doesn't mean the kid is an angel. I'm a living testament to that
I wasn't blaming the kids parents for the crash, there's no doubt that the crash was the drivers (and goaders) fault. If I stuff up I take the blame, don't worry, I'm not the sort to pin the blame on others.

I think crushing hoon cars is fun idea, painting them pink might not work (You never know, some hoons might like it.) Maybe the hoon cars could be replaced (at offenders expense) with Volvos, have you ever seen anyone do a burnout in on of them

When we are/were young the views of our peers take priority over the advice of others and over logic. As a young male it was important to be respected by your mates and especially the girls.

Mostly. I was frequently the laughing stock at school so I got used to only caring about the opinion of a few people that mattered. The others yobs didn't affect me whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Even as much older adults we have trouble understanding death so we can hardly expect younger and less experienced people to understand it.

And the impact it has on all the Paramedics, Fire Brigade and Cops is massive. How must they be feeling right this minute. A good friend of mine used to head up Major Collision and told me of a story about Boxing Day about 7 or 8 years ago when he was called to an accident and in the wreckage was the “baby on board” sticker. No baby was found in the wreck, until it was discovered compacted in the glove box some time later. The Mother was breast feeding at the time of the accident.

It’s a shame that some how P Platers arnt forced into some form of mandatory “explicit” examples of road trauma. (not the crap on TV) but real life.

Originally Posted by Lignum

It’s a shame that some how P Platers arnt forced into some form of mandatory “explicit” examples of road trauma. (not the crap on TV) but real life.

I think that would work on a good percentage of them, but there are those that wouldn't bat an eyelid (they exist, I worked with that type of person for 18 years)

And the impact it has on all the Paramedics, Fire Brigade and Cops is massive.

A good friend of mine has just come out the other end of four very bad years. He was a cop for 20 years, last accident he went to, a toddler was killed and the mother put the little one in his arms, begging for him to bring it back to life.

The idiots don't think, or care I suspect, about the ripple effect that their actions have.

True, but the circumstances of the crash (140kmh, 6 people in a sedan) goes beyond the usual larking about.

I doubt anyone can say they didn't do their share of larking about, but as FC says, it's when it goes beyond that, that bad stuff happens. That is where the sense that we try to install in our kids (respect for the law, for others and for themselves and a good dose of plain old common sense) kicks in and stops normal people from crossing the line. But you have got to have those things yourself before your kids will, and there are a whole neighbourhoods in every town in the country with people that don't give a rodents orifice.

Sorry ranting again. I'll get off now

You'd actually need to raise the driving age to about 25 to ensure that the majority of people had adequate frontal lobe development.

I seem to recall that the driving age in Australia was lowered so that it was more in line with the age you could join the army (if you are old enough to kill yourself one way....).

In defence of Calm most freeeways in this country are quite suitable and safe for those kind of speeds, the speed limits on our freeways are a joke, people from overseas stayed with me at Christmas and doubled up in laughter when I told them I was restricted to 110 kph. (I have the same model vehical involved in this collision) Maybe if once and while you could get out on the freeway and blow the cobwebs there would be less of it in suburban streets. Point two other people at the party said the driver was drunk and should not have been driving. I beleive young drivers need more education should be required to pass a test and the end of their p plate preiod and as said above spend time in a trauma recovery ward and talk to some of the people who have paid the price. None of this will save every one. Last of all the Government should be spending the millions of dollars they are bringing in with fraudulant speed detection devices on educating young drivers

I stand by what i said and something else for you people to think over.

Speed doesn't kill

It is a combination of a few things - lack of experience and conditions are what kills, it is when speed is used in conjunction with these that people get killed.

Maybe some of you people want to have a look at the way you drive. Having a go at me because i admit i drive fast is just taking a cheap shot - it doesn't worry me, you are probably that car that just stopped at the roundabout to see if someone was coming - then telling everyone how "safe" you are on the roads, when in reality all you do is frustrate everyone around you. Or were you the one that passed me on the lane on the freeway that is marked as being closed ahead - yep you gained 20 spots but don't worry those 20 cars didn't really mind stopping to allow you to push in..morons

We were all young once and some of us were taught responsibility and some of you were not. Some of us were lucky to get here as well. people are killed on the road everyday - why make a big thing and feel so sorry about someone who has probably murdered people he says are his freinds. get real you lot open your eyes and look around - it is societies attitude, selfishness, greed and "all about me" that is killing people not speed. I still think driving fast on goof roads is safer because you concentrate harder instead of dreaming.



cheers

P.s. BTW i'm off to work now - what do i do - i'm a professional driver thats right i get paid to drive - I will probably do about 3000 km's again this week - Do you think you will get through a tankfull of petrol or clock up another 100 km's.

There is lots of research on the teenage brain emerging. Risk taking appears to be biologically wired in. Here is a starting point What Makes Teens Tick - TIME, I know its Time but bear with me.

I really dont think we have the right questions going here. Why is the military so interested in young men, because they are stupid enough to take the risks and malleable enough to be fed the propaganda to make them take the risks. Its why so many suicide bombers are young. The big question is how do we protect them from themselves and their peers? Its a bit late to blame the parenting when they are largely grown up.

BTW, a pink car would soon become a status symbol. There would be a lot of resprays for the fun of it.

Originally Posted by Calm

BTW i dont consider 140k's dangerous in some places/conditions it seems almost to be stationary. Like on the bike - i often get 160 or even 180 in the quiet night on the freeway heading home to Ballarat.

Cheers

Seems like it's not only young people who think they're immortal and above the law.

Some of you seem to have missed one important piece of information and a major factor in this accident apart from the excessive speed.....the driver was on P PLATES = not much experience. He was also in breach of the conditions of his P plates by having the passengers in his vehicle.

Every time we see such an accident we see the same old scene....the massive outpouring of grief....the flowers tied to the trees...the graffiti on the road...the groups of teens hugging each other and saying what a great person the driver was. Come on kids.....the driver killed a bunch of young people through an idiotic criminal act....he accepted no responsibility for his outrageous driving and for the safety of his friends. Come on kids....let's DO something to stop this carnage happening....it has to start with taking responsibility for your actions.

Originally Posted by Calm

Dont even go down the line of speed restrictors/limiters - trucks have them now and they are the single most dangerous thing they have introduced. Until you get out beside a car doing 93km's an hour in a 68 tonne truck and it stops going (at 100 KPH) because the speed limiter cuts in you wont know the feeling of being totally useless. you just sit there, pray noone comes the other way, hope like hell the car driver backs off to let you in. you are usually too far past to get back in and the biggest problem is most car drivers have no idea the truck can phisically not do more than 100 in any circumstances (except coasting downhill)

Speedlimiters (at 100KPH) are the single most dangerous thing ever introduced in Australia. maybe 110 would be better/safer

Cheers

Calm, you say you consider yourself a professional driver, the facts above would seem to dispute that assessment.

1 You know you cannot go any faster than 100km/hr

2 You decide to overtake a car travelling at 93km/h in a 68tonne truck speed limited to 100km/h (using the length of your truck, do the math and see how many seconds and how many meters this will take you)

3 You "pray" that there will be no oncoming traffic (ie you cannot see that)

I just hope I won't meet you on my side side of the road on one of my frequent rips from Bendigo to Adelaide and back again. I also hope, for any oncoming traffic, that your "prayers" are answered more often than not
You are nornally relying on the goodwill of the drivers you are passing to "let you in".

On the next rise in the road your 100km/h speed limited truck will then struggle to do 90km/h and your holding up the person that just "let you in".

When you finish your shift (of however many hours) you then hop on your motorbike and take out the frustrations of the previous however many hours by "hooning" down the road at 160km/h.

All I can say is that your definition of "professional" is at variance with mine.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

3 You "pray" that there will be no oncoming traffic (ie you cannot see that)

like some hoon coming the other way on a motor bike doing 180kph

The more I read about this horrific crash the more angry I get. From The Age:

1. quotes from one of the driver's friends defending his driving saying he drove at speed but was "always in control". A 19 year old on P plates driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at 140km/hr in control of his vehicle......don't insult my intelligence.
2. the 19 year old P plate driver had already been ticketted on a previous occasion for speeding. IMO this guy was already in a group of drivers with a high chance of killing themselves and/or others.
3. there are accounts of the girl survivor's brother throwing himself over his sister at the last minute because he cared that much for her safety. If he was genuinely concerned about the safety of his sister then why did he 1. get in the car with his sister knowing the driver had been drinking and 2. let the driver hurtle along at 140km/hr with himself and his sister in the back of the vehicle??

I'm going to go out on a limb here, it might sound harsh but...

Like a person being chased in a police pursuit and the driver being chased ends up crashing their car and is killed, it isn't the fault of the police and never should be - the onus starts and ends on the person the police were after.

Likewise with this, the tragedy is others were involved in the accident. I feel for the innocent involved, I feel for the families and friends, I do not however feel for the person driving.

Stupidity has its own consequences - pure and simple.

Now flame me.