Actually, he's 18 now. Got the car when he was 16... but I'm with ya

 

 

Agreed. I guess what I'm saying is that there was inherent risk of what he was doing, regardless of age or vehicle.

 

I have been reading this thread for a few days now. I have to say I do not agree with some of the negative posts. Imo something happened to this kid on his way down the track. Key words are no brake lights at the end of the track. For those of you that have ever done drag racing you know that those first few passes are the most adrenaline passes a new driver will ever make. Maybe a seizure idk but something happened on that pass. If he shorted out it most definitely was nothing to do with age. I am one of those people that had fast cars since I was 14. My first ride was a 65 mustang coupe with a 289 Hi-Po (k series) with a 4sp and a 411 posi rear. When I turned 16 I bought a 1970 Torino GT with a 429 CJ again 4sp and a 411 posi rear. When it was time to graduate I sold the Torino and bought a 67 Fairlane with a 427 4sp and a 389 Detroit locker rear. I never crashed ever. I had the cars I wanted at an early age because I was somewhat responsible. Another point that I think that should be made is that it was a newer Corvette. It is not like it is a scary ride down a track. Most drivers lose the car in the first 1/8 mile the second half is usually uneventful. The Corvette is fast but smooth not something that would get away from you and crash at the end, just don't see it.

 

Coulda, shoulda, woulda.... you have zero clue of that. My extreme example jsut shows that your argument doesn't hold water and that there is a limit.

So you really think that his destroyed Corvette was covered by insurance on a racetrack? That's what I was talking about. Get real.


So obvious.

Unfortunately good judgment was an option and not that many bipeds were ordered with it as we can see here.

 

And you have ZERO clue of that and your argument is just out there with no bearing nor a good example on this unfortunate accident. . NO one knows what happened, but to come out blaming the dad is stupid and a ignorant statement!

And why in the world would you be talking about the insurance not covering the car when that was NEVER a issue. The article was talking about HEALTH insurance.

 

I don't care what the article is about neither did I refer to it. I merely mentioned insurance and *you* chose to have a limited view of it.

Not true. The kid crashed his car and nobody did it at his place, nothing suggests malfunction (cars have black boxes now). Too much car for him and obvious lack of experience. Not necessary to split hair. KISS.

 

and you know this because...

 

Blaming the parents in this situation is just stupidity at it's finest, and in all honesty, reading your comments infuriate me.

If the parents had the money to buy a Corvette for the kid, that's their business. If they thought their son deserved the corvette, then that's their business. There are aspects of their lives that we do not know nor understand. To put the blame on them is just ignorant.

From what I have personally seen, some kids do deserve these cars and DO have the proper judgment to keep them in control, some even more control then adults 2x or 3x their age!

When most of you think of a 16 year old with a corvette, you think of some spoiled brat with no decency, right? Well how many of you have though about those who do deserve it, kids who graduate Valedictorians with 4.35 GPA's and kids who have respect for their belongings? How many of you have though about kids who have made achievements that have lead to recognition in the community? How many have you have though about kids who have put in close to 1000 hours of community service of their free will? I doubt many of you have, and especially those making such idiotic statements.

 

Actually your car insurance has health insurance on it. In some states it is an additional optional coverage. In some states it is mandatory.

It's called PIP - personal injury protection. And it's healthcare specific to motor vehicle accidents.

The auto insurance has the right to deny claims at any stage. In fact, the insurance company I worked for specifically spells out that accidents occurring on a race track will not be covered. I've never been on a racetrack, but I'm guessing you sign up for additional insurance to protect your property?

This kid is lucky the auto insurance covered everything up until rehab - they probably didn't have to. I'd venture to say he's maxxed out the policy by now anyway. And any additional payment from the car insurance co is within their jurisdiction at this point.

 

Further investigation will be needed to decipher this unusual phrase.

 

Wow!!

 

So, whats your point? That we should give all the jackasses with 4-cylinder cars Corvettes? Sure there are instances where young drivers are given high hp cars and never have an issue. The point I am making is that the likelihood of this kid being a studious and responsible track driver as opposed to a typical "I can do anything I want" 18 y/o dipshit is very low.

It is a parent's responsiblity to judge the risks involved with any activity and then decide if allowing their child's involvement in such activity is worth the risk. IMO letting my 18 y/o son (no matter what his skill level) race a Corvette on a track is just an unacceptable risk. That may be old-fashioned but my kid wouldn't end up with brain damage either....

 

Having a V8 powered Corvette or not, a younger driver is bound to make a mistake behind the wheel. Hell I've only been driving for 5 years and I know I've made numerous mistakes behind the wheel. Mistakes are a part of learning. Sometimes those mistakes are minor like bumping a curb or running over a trash can. Unfortunately sometimes they have terrible consequences, like what happened with this kid for example.

 

So if you dont care what the article is about why dont you talk about Hot Air balloons then Why would you talk about something that is irrelevant to the discussion?

 

Correct, but the point was (that saintor said he didnt) is that he DID have insurance, BUT the insurance was unwilling to cover the rehab portion saying it wouldnt help

 

Sure, why dont we buy them all ZR1s
The point was is that some are jumping on the Car or the Parents were the root cause of this when it COULD HAVE HAPPENED with ANY car he was driving. Shit it could happen with that bright and shiny bicycle you buy him for his birthday.
His parents showed GREAT responsibility to bring him to the track to do his racing. Would it make a difference to you if this had happened in a Prius instead? Every one is blaming his lack of experience, parents and the car when it could have been a medical issue that caused it (which kinda sounds like it could be the issue since brakes were never applied)


So for you what are the age levels for people to drive vehicles of different calibers?

 

I think this page just confirms what Saintor is all about and that people should not be baited to discuss anything with him.



for not reading the article. The accident is still under investigation b/c there clearly is something that suggests either mechanical malfunction or possibly a medical condition (kid blacked out during the run):Read the article next time before you continue to spit diarrhea from your mouth...

.

 

EXACTLY. It's not your responsibility to judge, or anyone's responsibility to judge. Again, we don't know for sure what the kid's level is, however, for argument's sake let's assume he is a highly skilled and trained driver. At that point his parents would not see this as a risk. Him driving a Vette which he had owned and driven for over 2 years down a dragstrip in a controlled environment would be the exact same as me driving my 3.0CL down a dragstrip during a Honda/Acura event ~12 years ago.

 

I was reading through some more of the info on this. I found something very interesting. He wasn't wearing a helmet. That seems to be a fail on everyone's part including the track officials. I haven't done any drag racing in about 5 years but if I remember correctly NHRA rules insist that you wear a helmet for any car that runs 14's or faster. The Corvette no doubt should be in that range. That being said the helmet is inspected along with the car before being allowed to run. They check the helmet to make sure it is snell approved and not just a dot helmet. They also look again to make sure the belts are on and the strap for the helmet is being used before you stage the car. From what I got out of it it seems he crashed the wall on the way down and knocked himself out then unfortunately was just along for the ride.

On another note it seems that there is a charity drive for him this weekend.http://www.caseybicknell.com/ I will be sure to donate to help out this man and hope for him to get well.

 

Which in any case it wouldnt have mattered if he was driving a Accord, or if he was 40 years old.

 

I think most of you just don't agree with saintor on his delivery of his opinion.

obviously it's not fair to pinpoint this on anybody as nobody would ever wanted this to have happened. but at the heart of it, the parents hold a large proportion of the responsibility.

 

Not true. Granted i have not been to a drag strip since 2006, but i used to run my trans am at the US-41 1/4 in morocco,Indiana, south of Chicago. It was 20 bucks to run all day, no helemts were required. You sign a wavier when you get in and your done.

Now you go to a drap strip in Indianapolis, IRP ( Indianapolis raceway park ) and anything below 14 helmet was required, below 13 harness, and below 12 rollcage...don't quote me.

if its an NHRA track like IRP in indianapolis, then maybe helmets are required...Not sure if the track this kid was on was a private one or NHRA/.

 

So you confirm that the Corvette was covered by insurance? Even driven by a kid on racetrack?

*I don't think so*.

 

Junior, stop making up things along. Entertain us and tell me exactly where it says clearly that officials have suspicion of either mechanical malfunction or possibly a medical condition.

The fact that he hypothetically never touched the brakes doesn't prove anything. It was his first pass and he misjudged the situation. Accidents happen, just much more frequently among kids. Ask insurance companies.

Hey... a 400+HP Corvette, a spoiled kid and its first pass ever on a dragstrip.... what could go wrong?

 

Such at tragedy at a young age, my heart goes out to the family. TBI is a very though thing to face. However, the father is a Dolt. How do you buy your 18 year old such an extreme sports car for his birthday? C6? whats wrong with a Honda civic SI? Also how, do you let your 18 year old son, take the vette to some motorspeed way like that?

 

If you bought your son a Vette, wouldn't you rather have him race legally on a track than race illegally on public roads?

 

jealous much?

Yes by some starndards he might have been spoiled, but who are you judge that? His parents are fourtunate enough to be able to give their son a nice car. If your parents had given you a corvette on your 16th birthday i bet you would be singing a different tune. If you go to his website this kid was was a honor student with a 4.2gpa, lettered in athletics, took college credit courses before he graduated highschool and going to school to be a civil engineer. It says he wanted to race his corvette in a controled race track setting.

The parents took their son to a rack track to enjoy his car. Would you have rather have seen this on the street? How many kids in your statistics are killed or hurt on a rack track VS the street????

 

The more I read your posts, the more convinced I am that you are not really all that concerned with younger people having fast cars as you are than others having something you don't have or didn't have at the same age. It seems as if you have some hostility, whatever the reason, to anyone you feel to be "undeserving" of such an automobile.




Terry

 

Actually you are right. Good thing that *if unfortunately he had to lose control and crash*, he did it on a racetrack instead on the road and hurting somebody else. It changes nothing to the irresponsibly of the father to have enabled this situation.

I said it and repeat for people who don't understand on first time; I blame the creep father, *not the kid*.

 

Oh, I understand quite fine, thank you. Which is why I made my previous comment.





Terry

 

The parents were responsible enough to let him race at a drag strip. Shit happens, the kid drove the car fine for 2 years. Somthing happened, what? Who knows, but your statment is a blanket statment.. by your logic.....

Every teen killed in a car accident, corvette or 1986 minivan..

its the parents fault, because you know what...they gave their kid a death trap car. Just because its a corvette is
irrelevant, i'm sure more kids are killed in other make and models cars than corvettes, but i don't see you making remarks about the kid who crashed his 1992 accord or any other brand of car?

I think your argument has more to do with the " corvette ", rather than the whole incident, because i believe that you think its wrong for a 18 year old kid to have one, thus why you think the parents are to blame. If this kid had been driving a civic, you'd more than likely be saying something different...but what do i know...

 

fuck! why don't we up the driving age to 30 and make it manditory that kids only drive hybrids...because they would never crash one of those...

 

Do you even know how to read? Go read the article. The article and what many of us have said is that he DOES have insurance. We are NOT talking about car insurance (which im sure he has)

 

So how come you never answered my question before, would it have made a difference to you had he had this accident in a Prius, or maybe an Accord? Would the father still be a (in your words) creep?

And what is a good age vs hp. I would like to see a break down from the all knowing?

 

Why are you blaming car? Where does it say the car was the problem? Why couldnt this tragedy have happened in the Honda Civic Si? Would you look at the father the same way had it? Im guessing no, im guessing you would blame the car or the driver.

Its easy to let them. Especially when you trust and have faith that they are competent and know what they are doing. Why do you assume the kid (adult because he is 18 afterall) cant handle the car? I know people who started out 1/4 mile racing when they were 16 with far more powerful vehicles than that vette. By time one of them was 18 he was driving a 800hp mustang. Are his parents bad parents for encouraging him and letting him do something he likes? Hes now 34 and driving 1100+hp cars now.

 

you would think if the parents had the 60k to buy the vette, they can pay the 1200/day doctor bill.. i feel sorry for the boy... and that's the thing.. he's a boy.. the dad should of said no to the racing..

 

the comments im seeing in this thread continue to amaze me. one of many moronic statements.

 

Well I was and don't care about your limited view. It is the *second time* that it is explained to you.

 

Because it is pointless to discuss with you. Whatever the answer would have to be explained many times to you, as we just observed.