Found out my 17 year old is street racing!?

The truth is, street racing is part of the hot rodding culture. And if that's how he was raised for the last 16 years, that's just who he is. A few lectures aren't going to change anything. My dad tried the same shit, and it didnt work.

If you're not comfortable with it, just tell him straight that until he's 18 and is responsible for his own actions, the car only runs at the track.

Let's be real here, in a 16 year old guy's world, Mom & Dad's words don't mean shit on Friday night when he's had a couple of beers and wants to impress his boys (or better yet some chick he's trying to bang).

Bottom line: don't sell his car, just put him in something slow until you're no longer responsible for his fuckups. Tell him you love him, but you're not willing to lose all of your shit so that he can go racing.

 

Everyone makes mistakes. The question is not whether or not someone will make a mistake but what they learn from it and what they do differently in the future.

I think that all depends on how much respect the kid has for his parents. The only way that a kid will ever respect his or her parents is if the parents have brought them up showing them that they themselves have respect for other people.

 

I'm so glad my kid is now 30 and didn't get involved in street racing, but his asshat stepbrother the only thing that stopped that jerk was he blew up the 70 Dodge his "real" dad gave him and they never were able to fix it. The neighbors had the cops staked out around the corner because he liked to do big smoky burnouts when he left my house after mooching money off his mother. As I'm typing this I realize how thankful I am they are both out of my life!

 

I have to agree on all the advice about taking hiim to a real track. when I started racing motorcycles I lost the desire a lot of the desire to go fast on the street anymore. Not that I don't have a fast bike but I realised it was neither the time or the place...

 

sell the mustang and get him into a kustom with a small motor..

 

"Glad I have a girl."

A lot of girls are just as bad. Mine is 18, she doesn't street race, but she drives too fast, takes corners like she is on a motorcycle. Already totaled two cars in past 10 months, 1 that she only had for 3 months (not old ones either). Where we live is fairly rural, but the dangers are just as great. Instead of hitting a pedestrian or another car, you can wack a tree or pole. They don't move and they will stop a 4000 lbs car in its tracks.

Get your son to a track, get him into legal racing, get him a girl, and get him to understand that people die in street racing and unlike tv, you don't come back next week.

 

I street raced in high school (mid '70s). I also did my share of riding around at night swilling beer. That's immaterial. Today is today, penalties are way, way harsher than they were then, and I'm fortunate to have lived through it. Forget the "get him a slow car" idea--some of the most horrific wrecks when I was in high school were by carloads of kids in Vegas and Pintos. You'll race what you've got, even if it's a minibike. As someone posted, if you were a druggie in your youth, it doesn't mean that you've got to let your son follow in your footsteps. Better to have your son hate you temporarily than to have to go to the cemetary to talk to him.

 

I call bs. Everybody street raced at some point. I dont ever remember anybody getting shot. I remember some crashes but nobody died that i remember but hey, its fun. Used to race all over S.F.V., Hollyweird,Los Posas rd,and others.
You are the parent and if you have a problem with your son than handel it. Teach him when to race and not to race. We always raced at night so very few close calls if any. At least sponser him tires and valve springs because they shure get expensive if you dont win cash.

 

you cant expect your son to be any different than you, my dad street raced and so did i, in fact i still do...i can't believe there are people on here that would back down from a challenge unless there cars are just for "show". anything you could have done for your son as far as how you can influence him has already been done. make sure he has a safe car, and make it fast. have you taught him how to drive/race. if you think you are going to stop him you're fooling yourself.

 

Well, I never said I didn't street race. And the guns thing happend and still happens. Ask Kilroy about just how uncomfortable Decker Lake Road could get in a Hurry. I am not making it up. Just remember that the Bad guys have fast cars,too, and if you piss them off, thier idea of repurcussions are alot more severe than losing your lisence.

 

I have to admit i quit when it started to get to fast and to furious for me and everybody else. My generation was the last of racing old cars at the street races. Plus they closed kevins burger,now a chinese resturant, and the parken ride for a while.Cops came down hard on cold water cyn SF road. Plus the bs of trying to get paid and how many cars and who left first and who is hiding nitrous. hahahahaha not me hahahahaha

 

Oh . . . one other grim statistic here . . . not that there is a correlation with street racing 100%, but it's something to think about when you wave good bye to your flesh and blood going in their ride.

Since the invasion of Iraq about 2600 troops were killed in combat or war related injuries (this was written in September). In the same 41 month period, more than 22,000 teenagers between 15 to 19 years old died in traffic accidents on U.S. roads. About 5000-6000 kids die every year, and about 300,000 are injured.

That's a pretty sobering thought when you get down to it . . . no two ways around it. Just hope and pray that your kid isn't going to become a meaningless statistic.

 

I use to street race in High school with my 74 Nova till I jumped the median and was going south bound on Ritchie Hwy (south of B'more) in the north bound lanes of traffic , dodging cars and a mass transit bus till I got it back up on the median. The car was toast bent the roof and frame , tore the pan right off it! Stayed together well for a wreck at over 100mph. I havent raced on the street since . at that age we feel invincable , but said to say we are not . Most of us have lost someone in a wreck either racing or just driving. RIP Mike and Mike and best of luck Justin you will walk again.

 

I'm 26..and I gave up street racing around 23 years old..I never got caught, I never had an accident thankfully....I did it every weekend I could...the closest track is 1.5 hours away...Both my partents knew about it, and in fact..BOTH my parents DID IT...my dad did pull me aside and warn me about how times have changed, and that it isn't like when he was a kid..it didn't stop me..but I also knew enough to not do it in crowded areas, or somewhere that would be more unsafe that street racing already is....My last race...something clicked...he got the jump, and I was at his fender when I just let off...I had him..and I let off...dunno why...haven't raced since...

 

So I just read through this thread and heres my .02 as a teen (turned 16 last month)

I got a '94 Camaro as my first car and just got done putting a forged 355 with all the goodies in it. My dad is always about following the law and is against street racing but when I got the car done he just gave my his opinion and talked 2 me about it, I give him props for that rather than just saying "no" outright.

Basically he said that I should take safety into consideration and helped me pay for some bigger brakes, d.s saftey loops, roll bar, etc so if something did happen the car would be safe.
And the other point he made was that I'm a minor and when I f-up it comes back to him, If I total my car, get caught racing, etc I am getting dropped from the policy, my car goes bye, and I am paying the difference if their insurance goes up.

So basically the choice is up to me whether to race or not but if I do I know the conquences and my dad was dead serious about following through with them. That def scared some common sence into me.

 

Street Racing is stupid ... but I did it ... in the late 60's and early 70's.
My BBC 69 Nova would run high 10's ...
Not a real good thing on the street ... we went way out in the rural area and ran. No one that I knew of got killed in a drag/street car racing. Two drunks died when they ran off the road after being at a street race.

It was still stupid ... I quit when I got married and could not afford it ...

No kids for me ...SOOO ... no decent advice about your problem ...

About the " Glad I got a girl statement "
A good friend told me the other day ... his Dad told him when his wife had twin girls ... " With a boy you worry about 1 penis ... with a girl ... you worry about every penis in town ..."

 

I used to street race and now I walk a little funny, not a good idea. He won't give a crap about you or himself, thats a fact. Kids a kind of dumb. If he kills someone, that will be a lot worse than a slight limp, he'll have to live with that forever.

 

Speaking of 17 I was about that age when I saw somebody get hit by a passing through car and had they're already dead body land under the front of my mustang right next to me at the local racing spot, I've been back out but its not the same, when imports came on the scene it only got worse, I just had my first child last year and dont think street racing is worth me losing myself or anything else over.

 

Get on his ass now before he hurts himself or other innocent people out there.
take him to a track.
i had a friend killed on his way to the late shift at his job by an 18 year old street racer in a Camaro the occupants in the Camaro were ejected thru the back window it was a bloody mess.so this subject is close to me.

 

If it was my kid he'd find his car up on blocks when he got up in the morning. I'd tell him he could have it back in a year IF he grew up some........

 

Get an MSD ignition box with a rev limiter and install it in a metal box with a padalock. set the rev limiter down low, at like 4,000. Tack him to the track and set it back where it should be for race days.

 

Kart racing kept me honest as a kid... that and a Chevy Luv and a dad that would have killed me if I got caught street racing.

 

Okay. now that I have made my point, and I finally get to go home...

It's a ford! how fast could he possibly be going!

Seriously. The family that races together, stayses together. Have fun with him.I would much rather read "proud Papa posts about how your son cut his perfect light, outran an obviously faster car, or brought home his first bracket Trophy. Not to mention that YOU get to go drag racing more ,too!

 

My 16 yr.old DAUGHTER got busted for racing last week . I gave her my '92 z-34 ,way to fast for her. Now it's too late she will more than likely loose her liscense. I just that God thats all she is going to loose!!!! I had planned on getting her to the local strip next spring but she Blew that one..... Get your son to the track and make sure he does not street race!!!!

 

We have a 10 year old and he likes it when dad spins the tires from a stop light, but if I learned he was doing any more than that I'd be tempted sell the race car and buy him a beat to shit minivan to "race" around in. It just aint worth being the "cool" dad anymore, its too expensive.

I grew up in an old catholic neighborhood in Seattle and some of the "cool" parents would furnish kegs for backyard parties, I bet that doesn't happen as frequently now with all the lawsuits.

s.

 

when it boils down to it ,he is not going to stop.to some street racing is like building these old junkers we have.it is what they do.I still have the car I street raced 20 years ago.no I don't race anymore and no I didn't take it to the track because I didn't want anyone to know what I ran in the 1/4.you should have a talk with him and see if he would take it to the track.it might work but not sure.to us it was an ego thing.why spend almost 100 bucks to drive there get in and buy race fuel on that night.we could bet a bill and blast it across the bridge and make money not blow it.matter how fast you was of corse.try to work out a deal with him,tell him you will put a cage in his car if he will keep it on the track and no street racing.may work and may be a good father and son thing.

 

Show him and race him for his pink. No car no racing.hahahahaha
As far as finding a girl instead of racing. Teach him now racing is cheaper.

 

I just thought of another deterent for me though...

A girl I had a crush on in HS stopped by my house one day when I was out skating. She got the tour of my room et-all but she was gone when I came home...

I never saw her again... A few days later she was killed when a car she was riding in took a corner too fast in the rain and was hit by an oncoming car.

My dad worked at the hospital she was taken to and told me in detail how she died. Said, "She probably didn't suffer much... She was sitting in the back seat where the impact happened... She was basically cut in two."

I was 15 then and still remember that night when I'm driving from time to time...

But then again, I grew up in the high-desert outside of LA and used to run the Canyons, first on bycicles (topping 45 on a bike feels a LOT faster) and then in cars. Despite watever deterents I had...

I also lost my license at 17 for 2 months for going 145...

I was lucky. Make sure your son is too...

I like the rev-limiter idea, but do you have any idea how fast that stang could be going in high gear at 4k rpm? I say make it 3k!

 

i can see it all now, knocked up by a street racer....

 

im 20 and I learned my lesson when I was 18ish. I can proudly say its been two years and four months since I've been pulled over for speeding. I only got my liscence three years and 6 six months ago.

I've been issued about $1300 worth of speeding tickets. lost my liscence 4 times, for a total of 300 days. Spent $500 worth of reinstatement fee's. Lost about 25 days from work for court, which works out to roughly $2800 worth of lost wages. Plus the hassle. And my insurance it rediculous, for a while it cost me $4600 a year to insure my 98 Mustang GT. To insure my 97 Explorer right now it costs $2800 a year. I have bought all my cars myself, payed all my insurance myself, and payed all my own fines since day one. my parents never payed for anything. I'm paying for my lack of respect and common sense.

I have stopped fucking around on the street for the most part(90%). When I do fuck around its usually 3 am sunday morning when the roads are desolate in my rural area.

I think if you show your son this post it might make some diffrence because this is staight from his peers mouth(fingers).