Oh my son did it now

[jmd1]

03 mazada 6 fwd 4 door. He took a curve last night at a high rate of speed, posted 15 mph. There was a supposed cat that ran if front of him and he slammed the curb on the right side. Bent both wheels on rh side. Replaced wheels however both wheels are tipped out at the top as if he damaged the lower control arms and the steering wheel will pull out of your hands to the left if you don't hang on. not sure where to go from this point except to suspension shop to have them check it and estimate. I think he knocked the rack out of it, and shoved the lower arm up ward on the front end. His mom is beyond mad, but when he told me that the posted speed limit on the bottom of the curve sign is only a suggestion, i darn near lost it. He said he took it between 25 and 30. Luckly did not roll or hurt anyone or anything expect the car and ego. It will have to be towed to the shop as i will not chance it on the street it pulls that bad.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The front lower control arm is bent for sure. Sounds like th rear is as well. Then there is the possibility of a bent knuckle and struts!

[jmd1]

man he beat the heck out of it but i guess the one thing is that no one got hurt. He will be on shoe leather express for a few days while we get it repaired, i don't feel like laying in the driveway when it is 115 outside working on it. I was leaning for the lower arms too, hopefully he did not blow the whole front end out. If nothing else he has two nice rims on the rh side, and 2 factory on the left. Kind of the redneck in me coming out i guess lol. Thanks Jeremy if figured you could lend some insight.

[Ryan_V]

I always thought the signs that say "speed limit" were always just a suggestion too!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Well, if it was a yellow sign that had the speed posted on it than he was correct, it is a suggested speed!

[jmd1]

But that stupid cat that ran out in front of him caused it he said. His mom told him to hit the freaking cat next time. I told him that he could use my truck for a ride to football etc however when he made the comment that he could really take a curve in it, i pulled my offer and told him i would air up the tires on his bike. I think he is in for a real world awaking when he is cleaning houses like a regular job and restuccoing my back block fence. He won't be out there when it is 115 outside, and it might be time to bring in a truck load of rock to be spread out. Thanks for your help. Jeff

[Whoaru99]

You're not actually entertaining any of the talk are you?

He was out playing "Fast and Furious" with your car and lost it. Good thing nobody was hurt or killed. Maybe that'll be next time...

[hitthebricks]

Back in 74-75 when I was a young driver I got tagged going 63 in a 30, arrested and pulled out though the window!! I thought I was toast for at least a year, bought myself a $250 bike to get around on. The suspension never happened just dummy school but Dad did punish me with limited usage of the car and an extreme amount of yard work.

Also have a daughter that creased every panel on our 95 Bonneville SSEI, hot car back in 2002 totaled that. Had her buy her own car after that, it never happened again when she owned her own, Also dad did the same with me back in the day. I think with ownership comes responsibility.

Good luck, they all believe they are invincible at that age, I know I did.

HTB

[Valv]

I don't want to preach to anybody, just make you reflect. I can send you the picture of my son's car after the accident he had 2 months ago. He barely survived.

Honestly, just hug him, really. They will make plenty of cars. Not going through diapers and teenagers again....

[Tator2k]

I hit a curb similarly a few years ago and also bent the engine sub-frame assembly.

[Surface Tension]

The old "cat ran out in front of me" excuse.

I'd be more ticked he didn't take full ownership of his actions.

DANG KIDS anyway!

Face it to become a good driver you have to push the limits.

You need to know how the vehicle will react under a wide range of circumstances.

That way you have them skilz when you really need them.

The object is to not kill someone or yourself in doing so.

Damaging the car isn't good either.

Reminds back in time when a buddy was driving down a dirt road at 50 MPH in a Toyota Carolla. Thought it was cool to get the car fish tailing back and forth. Well he rolled the car and we ended upside down in the ditch. Rolled the car back on its wheels and we made the long drive back home. His mother was not IMPRESSED!

I think it was the same cat that ran out in front of us and he swerved to avoid it.

[Whoaru99]

Right, but city streets aren't the place to hone those types of skills. There are driving schools for those so inclined. BIR Performance Driving School

[jmd1]

Thank you all for the replies. As to me entertaining any thoughts or ideas after my son's comments will never happen. He is a great kid, however this incident and the fact that he did not own up to his actions is only part of the responsibility he needs to be held to. He will be riding his bike, school starts on Aug 6 and the bus runs past his mom's house and school is close to my house to ride the bike. He has lost several privileges and will be doing many home improvement hours when he returns next week from Boston. His mom scheduled a trip for the two of them months ago, knowing her well enough that if she had not already paid for the tickets etc she would have sat his butt at home.

I am throwing a bunch of money at this, ill give it to junk for jesus or one of the other donation places to part out if it is way too much.

I got the pictures, he is a lucky young man to walk from that. My thoughts are with you and your response to me. I do hug him everyday, spend as much time with him as possible, and tell him i love him everyday.

I will post a google earth view if i can figure it out of the curve.

Thanks again to all who posted. Jeff

[jmd1]

Here is the curve he missed and the curb between the two driveways that he hit. he missed the hydrant but a tad. and the overhead shot. he is very lucky.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

No one was hurt, thats the good thing like others have said, some years from now the two of you will sit back and drink a beer and laugh about the cat and the car, my folks and I did that a couple years back retelling when I drove through a mailbox bent over looking for my metallica black cassette

[Eric Wettschreck]

I swerved to miss a cat once, in my dads 74 cutlass. It rolled. I walked home. I told dad.

I got my arse kicked. Dad's final words....."You hate cats"

Good to hear no one got hurt.

This happened to me a long time ago, today we laugh aboot it.

[Jameson]

That corner should have a bank to it.

[BoxMN]

That corner should have a bank to it.

That right there is funny!

jmd1, I give you an atta-boy from a Grandpa in MN Glad everyone is safe, and glad you are doing what you do. Good luck, and good job. Your boy will thank you some day.

[jmd1]

I found this picture and when car is fixed it will be done only at 15 mph

[Whoaru99]

^^^

That's funny!!! LOL!!!

[53orbigger]

Banking would help, but I can tell you from experience that it only helps so much. Bought my first car (camaro) when I was 16 and a few weeks later I was attempting to take a 15mph banked corner at 60, but failed to realize that it was spring and the roads were still sandy. Needless to say I ended up in the ditch on the other side of the road. It caught me so off guard that after I went into the ditch I kept the accelerator down and drove down the ditch about a hundred yards and back up on to the road. I pulled over got out shaking like a leaf wondering what the he11 just happened. Very little damage but a whole new respect for the laws of physics. I have to think I wasn't the only one the ended up going off that corner as a few years later they removed the bank from that corner for no other apparent reason.

Thankfully your son is fine and I am sure he learned a valuable lesson that he won't soon forget. I went off that corner nearly 20 years ago and it is still in the back of my mind today reminding me to slow down.

[jmd1]

2900 dollars damage to a car that kbb shows tops at 4500. kind of a wash i guess. so up in air on what is going to happen with it now. thanks to everyone who posted. jeff

[JOHNBIGDOG]

I missed a corner too.

I severely sprained my shoulder, that is all. Full gear on.

[Whoaru99]

The Valentino Rossi impersonation didn't work out too good, eh?

Glad you weren't seriously hurt either.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Didja notice the huge rock next to your bike?

Good to hear you came out in one piece.