hotredjohn

Here is the link to my thread about the demise of my S

My worst nightmare thread

Edited:

Here is the first picture, I will take more tomorrow

Helios

John, I'm so sorry to hear about this. Thank God your son was able to walk away, and I hope the other driver's also OK.
Everything works out in the end...keep us posted. All the best,
Ray

VTECPHIL#6829

I am glad your son is OK. An S2000 is just too much temptation! The insurance money paid will almost cover a deal on a new 03' with all the updates your 01' didn't have. Those are scary skidmarks! I bet he is still shaking! Good luck, Phil

CG

Your worst nightmare would have been if you son wasn't going to be okay. Thank God he is. With just a little luck he also learned a lesson that will stay with him from now on. He's also lucky it wasn't the car in your 3rd picture that he hit.

I certainly hope that the people he hit are okay.

BTW, if the police estimated 80 mph for a "normal" car as sticky as S2000 tires are he may have been closer to 90.

hotredjohn

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CG
[B]Your worst nightmare would have been if you son wasn't going to be okay. Thank God he is. With just a little luck he also learned a lesson that will stay with him from now on. He's also lucky it wasn't the car in your 3rd picture that he hit.

Ztec

Wow,
I have to say you should get Father of the Year for your cool head!
He is a lucky boy in so many ways, A huge lesson for your son!!!!
Best of luck to you and yours!!!!
Are you still going to get an S2000 if it is totaled?

hotredjohn

[QUOTE]Originally posted by nzaizar
[B]Wow,
I have to say you should get Father of the Year for your cool head!
He is a lucky boy in so many ways,

djohnston

Glad to hear your son is not badly injured.

Hope this thread is read by those who still contend that youth and an S2000 go well together. Let it be a lesson.

Barry in Wyoming

Here's what I just posted in the Mid-Atlantic thread.
Oh my gosh, hotredjohn.

Thank heavens no one was seriously injured.

In 1994 I bought my first motorcycle, a Honda XR250L. My biggest fear was that my sons would be turned on by the bike and get hurt on it. My sons then were 15 and 11. I'm glad to say neither son ever showed an interest in the bike and I got rid of it 15 months ago without major damage to myself. Both my sons, thank heavens, are good drivers and accident-free, knock on wood.

You are so good in your priorities. I don't know how old your son is but here's my suggestion. Ask him to write down two lists:
List one: what I did wrong yesterday.
List two: what should be the consequences for me of what I did wrong.

I'll bet he comes up with two good lists. He might need help with the first. Took dad's car without permission. Drove unsafely. Risked my passenger's life and two innocents lives. Upset my dad. Upset three people I almost injured and all who care for them. Possibly subjected my dad to lawsuits.

As far as consequences, I'd make them as reality based as possible. Pay own fines or do own sentences. Write apology letters to all who were hurt by actions. Pay my dad for damages, increased insurance, rental car.

Ultimately, if your son is a minor and lives with you and if this increases your insurance for him astronomically, he might "turn in" his driver's license and be taken off your insurance until he's on his own.

I wouldn't go so far as asking the county attorney to charge him with grand theft auto and destruction of property, but, from what you say, he's really guilty of that too.

wow....did I say all that.... Yes.

I'm sure your son is a great kid and has lots of positive attributes. He sure screwed up this time though, didn't he....

I'm glad no one was seriously injured or died.

hotredjohn

I posted this in the Mid Atlantic group:

I have read with interest the posts from other members and I truly thank you all for your well wishes in this time. Like I mentioned before, this evening I am going to have my son (he is 18 by the way) sit down with me and read these posts, I think it will help in a self examination kind of way.

Some may think I have been too easy on him and many of you agree that I did the right thing. We must all follow our own gut instincts, and to be honest a year or two ago I may have reacted differently, but many things have happened in my life that have caused me to change my outlook on life and my relationship with my children. Enough to say that as much as I love my S and my Harley, nothing could replace my son in my heart. God willing I will either get my car fixed or replace it, but I can't do that with my son. So I will try and instill all the finality of his actions yesterday and try and guide him on a better path. One where he is more respectful of my things and will give more thought to his actions and there affect on others. In the end this is all that we can do for our children.

Life can deal out some pretty tough lessons, this will be remembered by my son as a very tough one, I hope it is one that he will carry with him for the rest of his life. I know I will carry it with me.

I will keep everyone posted on the progress of this.

Thank you again

John

PS: I also have to say that without the love and support of my girlfriend Maria this would have been oh so much more difficult to bare.