[07Ltd#767]

Originally Posted by arkleseizure

I'm really sickened by these "rationalizing" posts. And the frequency with which the amazingly insecure human ego overpowers any basic sense.

I'm even more sickened by the number of people on here who act all 'mightier than thou' and pretend like they bought an STi to drive like a Geo Metro.

What this guy did was wrong (which we've all done...if you haven't, buy a different car) and he'll have to live with this for the rest of his life. IMHO, I avg. 80+mph on the interstate for 95% of my driving and still get passed...meaning people are doing close to 100 mph everyday. I'm not saying that's right, but for all you people on your high horse who want to condemn every driver doing 5 mph over the speed limit, open your eyes. Yes, this accident probably could have been avoided if he wasn't doing 134 mph, but it may have been unavoidable if he was doing 34 mph...some circumstances suck, especially this one, but don't call people murderers just because they drive recklessly. The article stated alcohol had nothing to do with this, he was just showing off for friends...I don't want to stereotype, but I'm pretty sure every one of us has jumped on the gas at some point to brag to our friends. It may not be in excess of 100mph, but even an accident at that speed is most likely going to involve fatalities.

That person who wrecked could have easily been any person on this forum, as all of us has driven our cars recklessly at some point in time on a public road...be thankful it's not you, keep the victims of this tragedy in mind, and realize that the driver will have to live with this for the rest of his life...

[Halogene]

Originally Posted by 07STILimited

Not sure if you read my post, but if you did you missed my point. Modern cars can safely drive over 150MPH on public roads, and they do it every day just not in America. This guy was clearly doing something unsafe and unintelligent. He was going too fast for the road he was on, too fast for the car he was driving and too fast for his driving ability. Does that mean that ALL drivers can't drive safely at speed on ALL public roads everywhere? Of course not! He wasn't even in his lane. He could have been driving 25MPH and this still would have been an unsafe situation.

My comment wasn't really directed to you but to the ones discussing if it would have been safer in a WRX or an STi. I agree with most of your post, but some of your comments are simply not based on fact.

1. Most modern cars can not drive safely over 150MPH on any road let alone public roads. In fact, most cars can't even pass 130MPH (albeit due to limiters).
2. "They" do not do it every day in other countries. Only 4 countries (Peru, Venezuela, Germany, and Brazil) have no speed limit on certain roads. Additionally, most countries have speed limits at ~80MPH.

Some drivers can drive faster than others in a "safe" way. But IMHO still think these things should be on the track as much as possible. Once again, I just want to stress, you might know your car and drive like Schumacher, but you can't tell me you can predict your environment. I once drove a Nissan Versa rental at 70MPH and a Camry decided to cut two lanes almost perpendicularly. To avoid her, I had to swerve left yet avoid the center barrier. The car skidded 180 degrees and if it wasn't for the ungrippy nature of the stock tires, the car would have been flipping 360 barrel rolls. Yes, we have fast cars and yes, we will drive fast. But just realize that accidents do happen. Use better judgement and don't be overconfident on public roads. But on the track my motto is: if you think you're in control, you're not going fast enough!

[TuffStuff]

scary....Ive sped in my car but why would someone doit where you could collide with another car? Stupidity is worse then alcohol and there is no cure for that.

[07STILimited]

Originally Posted by Halogene

1. Most modern cars can not drive safely over 150MPH on any road let alone public roads. In fact, most cars can't even pass 130MPH (albeit due to limiters).

You're right. I shouldn't have said most modern cars. I think if I said most modern German cars, and most modern high end cars can safely drive over 150MPH I'd be correct. Certainly almost all modern cars could drive at that speed if it were a desired feature like it is in Germany. In America it is not a desired feature which is why people buy H2 Hummers over BMW M3s. I think it's safe to say all modern cars could be driven safely significantly faster than they are in the US if the drivers were better trained.

Originally Posted by Halogene

2. "They" do not do it every day in other countries. Only 4 countries

Right, they do it every day in those countries. I wasn't trying to say they did it in every other country. My point way simply that it could be done safely without a race track.

Originally Posted by Halogene

Some drivers can drive faster than others in a "safe" way. But IMHO still think these things should be on the track as much as possible. Once again, I just want to stress, you might know your car and drive like Schumacher, but you can't tell me you can predict your environment. I once drove a Nissan Versa rental at 70MPH and a Camry decided to cut two lanes almost perpendicularly. To avoid her, I had to swerve left yet avoid the center barrier. The car skidded 180 degrees and if it wasn't for the ungrippy nature of the stock tires, the car would have been flipping 360 barrel rolls. Yes, we have fast cars and yes, we will drive fast. But just realize that accidents do happen. Use better judgement and don't be overconfident on public roads. But on the track my motto is: if you think you're in control, you're not going fast enough!

I agree with this. In America we have unsafe situations coming up all day because of idiots driving SUVs while they are on the phone and drinking coffee. Just the other day I almost hit a guy who fits that description when I was only going about 15MPH. He pulled in front of me in a parking lot. I think the fact that we are forced to drive so ridiculously slow in America actually makes people drive *less* safely. People do not take driving seriously here. When you are driving a 170MPH car 55MPH down a well paved, wide freeway it is difficult to pay attention and care about your driving. This is what makes people read, talk on the phone, play with the radio, eat, drink, apply make up, drive with their knees ect. This is what makes the death rate in the US so much higher than it is in Germany. People get in 1/4 as many accidents there because they aren't bored. They don't need to try to be efficient by doing tasks while driving because they know they are getting to their destination efficiently. Maybe you are right that the only place in the US to go fast safely is a track. My point is that it shouldn't be.

[viperguy]

Originally Posted by Halogene

I think many of you are missing the point. It doesn't matter if it was a WRX or an STi. Doesn't even matter if it was a Subaru. On the public roads, things are unpredictable, and anyone who thinks they are in total control going >100mph is over confident, not only of themselves but of the drivers around you. That's what kills. Want to test your skills? Keep it on the track.

Come visit me in germany ...160kmph is peanuts ... I will eat a sandwich at that speed. 160kmph is just a little over standard cruising speed of 150kmph... I would compare it with 65 in the states.

[sujak]

Originally Posted by snorky

only one person was killed

damnit, when i read 60 year old wife, mother and grandmother died, for some reason i counted her has 3.. lol

[snorky]

Originally Posted by viperguy

Come visit me in germany ...160kmph is peanuts ... I will eat a sandwich at that speed. 160kmph is just a little over standard cruising speed of 150kmph... I would compare it with 65 in the states.

I'd compare it to 100mph in the states

[viperguy]

Originally Posted by snorky

I'd compare it to 100mph in the states

My bad.. It "feels" about 65mph. You are pretty much going with the traffic at 140-150

[snorky]

Originally Posted by Halogene

My comment wasn't really directed to you but to the ones discussing if it would have been safer in a WRX or an STi. I agree with most of your post, but some of your comments are simply not based on fact.

1. Most modern cars can not drive safely over 150MPH on any road let alone public roads. In fact, most cars can't even pass 130MPH (albeit due to limiters).
2. "They" do not do it every day in other countries. Only 4 countries (Peru, Venezuela, Germany, and Brazil) have no speed limit on certain roads. Additionally, most countries have speed limits at ~80MPH.

Some drivers can drive faster than others in a "safe" way. But IMHO still think these things should be on the track as much as possible. Once again, I just want to stress, you might know your car and drive like Schumacher, but you can't tell me you can predict your environment. I once drove a Nissan Versa rental at 70MPH and a Camry decided to cut two lanes almost perpendicularly. To avoid her, I had to swerve left yet avoid the center barrier. The car skidded 180 degrees and if it wasn't for the ungrippy nature of the stock tires, the car would have been flipping 360 barrel rolls. Yes, we have fast cars and yes, we will drive fast. But just realize that accidents do happen. Use better judgement and don't be overconfident on public roads. But on the track my motto is: if you think you're in control, you're not going fast enough!

i completely agree with you. I like to look at it from an engineering standpoint but in simple terms, consider how fast all the drivetrain parts are spinning at that speed, consider how much load is on crucial parts of the chassis, consider that things that can break at that speed because they're overloaded, or for no apparent reason or because you didn't tighten them down correctly. Example, imagine what would happen if your tie rod snapped at that speed.

[snorky]

Originally Posted by viperguy

My bad.. It "feels" about 65mph. You are pretty much going with the traffic at 140-150

I kid i kid

[viperguy]

Originally Posted by snorky

I kid i kid

I know.. I just replied before another smartass pointed it out.

[Halogene]

In the end, I think we are all in agreement. Anybody can drive fast but not everybody should. And I agree that it is too bad that the driving standards in the US are so lax. I hope that all of us can be good representatives of what real driving should be about! Speed isn't something we should take lightly. Have fun but be careful out there!

[IUSTi]

This is the kinda thing that scares me when i see people like him in cars like ours. There is no need to go 140mph in your car to show it off to your coworkers. You can easily take it to a track or closed course.

I was driving on the Garden State Parkway yesterday and a OBP Sti drove past me, so I caught up to wave. We were both going about 75-80 flowing with traffic. Then all of a sudden a souped up integra comes in from the onramp and is in the slow lane picking up speed fast. So the STi infront of me switches from the fast lane to the slow lane to get behind the integra and they go racing in the middle of 6 o'clock traffic. Its just people like that that dont deserve to drive period. Im sorry if its anyone on here that was driving that car, but that sort of thing is just not necessary.

[STiSubyMan]

Maybe the reason why he survived and the other car didnt is because His force of impact, going 134 Vs normal 60 mph with the other car, was worst. Let see what happens when a Toyota goes 135 mph vs a WRX going 60. The faster car has more energy and would create more damage and there for, higher risk of death.

[KrazyKarl]

modern cars can definately handle a highway at 150mph safely, modern americans cannot. there's a big gap between the average american driver and the average german driver...

and even if they could, doing it when the speed limit is set lower is still stupid, because other drivers won't expect it.