Andy Kunz wrote:
[snip]
> I think that the state would be wise to promote this off-road driving for
> our youngsters.  Not only do they learn driving reaction skills, but it's
> great for getting the aggressive driving need out of my system!
[snip]

I agree with you Andy.
Any astronaut or test pilot needs exhaustive thousands of hours of
training and simulations before it can participate in a living
experience, why? just because a single error can be fatal, not only for
his own life, but mainly by the millions of dollars spent on the
project... hmmm... well, the sentence could be reversed... doesn't
matter.  Brazil produces several good Formula1 and Indy pilots (remember
Airton Senna and Emerson Fitipaldi for example), and one of the reasons
is because (as you are doing with your kids) 8 years old boys are
driving kart racing, if not younger, and most cars have clutch (not
automatic) what forces the driver to be aware and drive with nerves and
muscles active.  Our actual cars and roads are in real a sleepy
experience, cruise control (no legs usage for miles = muscles relaxing),
a/c (windows closed = silence, brain activity reduced), what more?
tinted window? :)

You can say, "well, driving a car is not the same as piloting a F-117",
well, if you close your eyes and cross a highway it is. Or when a
thunderbolt explodes in a tree 20 yards from a scary young lady and she
freezes of fear... it is the same. Or when a 20 years boy crashes his
car into kids sleeping bedroom because he forgot to break the car... it
is the same.  I wonder if Mr Fitipaldi would freeze upon a blowing
tire... call it experience... :)

I also strongly believe that people forget things, even laws, loose
ability to do things, and carrying a driver's license for 40 years, and
drive at 25mph at a 55mph highway doesn't entitles him to be the best
driver in the world.  I real think that we all should do a new driver's
license test once each 5 or 10 years, then, perhaps, when merging, the
left guy would not invade the right guy's lane... what happens too much
frequently down here in Orlando... or a tourist family will not be
crawling at 10mph in a 55mph highway left lane, looking for the best
place to have fun.

Wagner