OK, sure. So you just leave them with access to the keys to a high performance car and hope that they won't speed?

That's the real pipe dream.

I would rather they have some knowledge and experience about how to drive at higher speeds than to simply leave it to chance, hoping that they can handle it themselves when it does happen. As we all know, and probably most of us have experienced, if the car is fast, you WILL drive it fast, especially a male teen driver with friends in the car. Whether or not he wants to prove he can drive as well as the "Old Man" isn't going to matter. He may be prompted by a friend to have a "friendly race" or a flat out dare. Either way, it's going to happen at some point. I'd rather they have some prior knowledge and a stern warning than to just give them the keys and say "Drive carefully now, don't go too fast".

How many of you out there can honestly say you've never had a close brush with disaster when you were a teen driver? It's almost always related to a stupid decision. All of your arguments are from a mature adult's point of view, not too applicable to a growing teen. Pride and hormones usually win over brains and logic.

Above all, it's the parents who will leave an impression on their kids. How the parent drives and behaves will go a long way towards how the child will drive.

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon