What happens when you let teens drive really fast cars

[Ma Deuce]

The Short, Deadly Story of a Kid and his M5

Date posted: 01-28-2008
STORY TOOLS

He posted on the BMW M5 forum — www.M5board.com — as "AmericanM5," the proud new owner of a 2008 BMW M5 painted Space Gray.

He had a problem. It happened when he had "everything set to max" and changed gear with the shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. As he said, "and I'm going pedal to the metal pushing 140 and upshifting, there tends to be a thud noise with the gear change." AmericanM5 wanted to know if this was normal.

And he added: "Let me say I am a beginner when it comes to high-performance cars as I am only 18, so take it easy on me."

Reality Check
The forum members told him that yes, the sensation of an abrupt gear engagement is normal with the M5's automated sequential manual transmission, but several also took the opportunity to express their concerns.

Wrote one: "It's just disturbing to know...that an 18-year-old who is asking these questions about a 500-horsepower car is driving the same streets I am. I don't have anything against young guys driving nice cars, but an 18-year-old being [behind] the wheel of an M5 is what accidents are made of."

AmericanM5 responded: "I completely understand where you are coming from, assuming that I am irresponsible...that is definitely understandable. I do sometimes make bad decisions but I am young and I do drive safe and I will not endanger the lives of others."

These posts were dated January 25, 2008.

Space Gray
At 3:30 a.m. on January 26, a 2008 BMW M5 painted Space Gray flew off the raised end of a runway at a private airport just outside Ocala, Florida, sailed 200 feet through the air and stuck a huge tree. The impact with the tree occurred 15 feet off the ground. Five young men, aged 18 to 20, were killed instantly.

Members of the M5Board began to put the pieces together. AmericanM5 said he was 18, had a 2008 M5 in Space Gray, and said he lived in the Ocala area. And he signed one of the posts, "Josh."

The driver of the crashed M5 had been Josh Ammirato.

Experience Counts
Apparently AmericanM5 had not been entirely truthful in his postings. The M5 belonged not to him, but instead to his father.

When members of the M5board forum had made this suggestion online, AmericanM5 bristled: "It's mine, buddy. I just traded in my 335i and paid the difference."

Another member suggested that AmericanM5's lack of knowledge about the BMW M5's transmission could be easily explained: "Maybe your two years' driving experience in your whole life is the problem."

AmericanM5 responded: "That could be a good assumption but the fact I never drive a manual car before may be true, but I've been driving for a lot longer than two years, buddy."

Reports indicate that Ammirato had received four traffic citations in the last two years.

Is This for Real?
The crash occurred at the Greystone Airport, which is bordered on one side by Jumbolair Estates, a fly-in community where actor and pilot John Travolta lives; he filed a suit in 2007 to compel the owners to allow him to land his Boeing 707 on the strip.

The fly-in community was built by the late Arthur Jones, inventor of Nautilus exercise equipment. The airstrip is 7,550 feet (1.5 miles) long and is 210 feet wide. Apparently it can be accessed through an unguarded gate.

The five occupants of the M5 had attended a basketball game, and then a party where they were celebrating the 19th birthday of Dustin "Smiley" Dawe, one of the men killed.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that there was evidence of skid marks at the end of the runway, indicating the car had turned sideways before crossing a sloped embankment and sailing through the air and into the tree. Alcohol does not appear to have been involved. The accident made headlines in the Ocala Star-Banner.

A Final Word
The final exchange between AmericanM5 and the rest of the forum members came late on January 25.

Some members wondered if the 18-year-old M5 owner was for real, and suggested that he post some photos of his car. Others wondered why a teenager would opt for an expensive sedan instead of more conventional sports car like a Porsche.

A forum member from Queensland, Australia, applauded AmericanM5's decision to get a BMW: "I would much prefer an 18-year-old with brains to have an M5 rather than spend his money on some other piece of junk that could kill him and his mates in an accident," wrote M5DAL, a forum member since 2004. He continued: "If you crash in a big way, expect to be on the news."

"Thanks, guys, don't get me wrong," AmericanM5 wrote. "I never said I didn't respect your wisdom. Thanks for the welcome, and I am looking forward to getting to know you guys better...and I plan to have all the pics up tomorrow. Josh."

That was his last post.

So, basically, an 18 year old crashes his daddy's BMW M5 in spectacular fashion, killing himself and his four passengers in the process (and no, it does not appear drugs or alcohol were involved). This confirms my belief that buyers of super high performance cars should legally be required to take a special driving course before being allowed to drive them, much the same way you're already required to get an additional licence before driving especially large vehicles, because most drivers simply don't have the skill to handle a car as powerful as the M5 at it's limits, much less a teenager who's been driving for only 2 years.

Also, if it's found that his father willingly let his son have the keys to his M5, then he should rightfully face charges of criminal negligence (given his son's past traffic citations), but realistically that probably won't happen.

[Darth Wong]

Testing wouldn't help. You can't fake skills in a test but you can fake a responsible attitude, and this was a classic teenaged attitude accident.

[Executor32]

I would say this qualifies for a Darwin Award, but the fact he had passengers who were also killed rules him out.

[Darth Wong]

I would say this qualifies for a Darwin Award, but the fact he had passengers who were also killed rules him out.

Technically yes, but you and I both know that they were laughing and hollering for him to go faster.

[Shinova]

Super high performance cars should be treated with respect.

200 feet through the air, crashed into a tree 15 feet high, and the car turned sideways before flying. Holy freak.

[Havok]

Also, if it's found that his father willingly let his son have the keys to his M5, then he should rightfully face charges of criminal negligence (given his son's past traffic citations), but realistically that probably won't happen.

The kid was 18, so an adult, but I wonder if there is legal precedent for what you suggest? It sounds like something that California would do.

[SpacedTeddyBear]

Maybe they were trying to recreate that scene from Dukes of Hazard.

The fact that you have an 18 year old asking about shifting noises in "his" M5 going 140mph should've raised a lot more red flags with the members on that forum.....

[Burak Gazan]

Sweet Jesus

The M5 is a serious piece of Iron , a supercar that experienced drivers should not screw with without going to BMW (or any) driver school, never mind some rook

500hp
0-100 km/h 4.7 sec
top speed limited 250 kph in Canadian model
115,000 bucks roughly

why the hell was this kid even in the left seat?

[Ma Deuce]

Testing wouldn't help. You can't fake skills in a test but you can fake a responsible attitude, and this was a classic teenaged attitude accident.

You can't fake a good driving record either, nor can you fake how long you've actually had your full licence (I can't see any less than 5 years at a bare minimum), which I'd make two prerequisites to even apply for such a licence.

[Havok]

There are a few motorcycles that you actually have to apply for to get, just so this type of thing doesn't happen.

[The Grim Squeaker]

As I've said, and my dad's said before (Paraphrased) "Your first car shouldn't be a Porsche, a BMW or anything like that. You'll end up spoiled for life, and it's impossible to appreciate at that age anyway".
He never mentioned the safety/performance thing, but then again I don't push the car I do "have" (A small Volkswagon Golf 1.6, which is actually fancier than what I asked for) past 101KPH at the absolute max (And I consider that speeding on an empty High-way with great visibility), so I'm not a good example. .

Oh, and anyone here who wishes to ignore this sad tale, and wants to get an awesome BMW? Get the series 3, with the turbocharged engine and make sure it's the newer model with the hard-top convertible roof. That thing is sweet. (Never touched the wheel of course, and I never will until I could afford one myself, but it's awesome).

[Executor32]

I would say this qualifies for a Darwin Award, but the fact he had passengers who were also killed rules him out.

Technically yes, but you and I both know that they were laughing and hollering for him to go faster.

No doubt. In fact, if it were up to me they'd all get one, too.

[Darth Servo]

Idiots. Too bad they had to take a nice car with them.

[Sea Skimmer]

I’d love to be able to sell whatever his parents were smoking when they bought that car for him. I’d be rich enough to get an M5 myself at that point, not that I’d ever buy BMW.

[Uraniun235]

Maybe they were trying to recreate that scene from Dukes of Hazard.

The fact that you have an 18 year old asking about shifting noises in "his" M5 going 140mph should've raised a lot more red flags with the members on that forum.....

If you read the article, you'd realize that it did.

Wrote one: "It's just disturbing to know...that an 18-year-old who is asking these questions about a 500-horsepower car is driving the same streets I am. I don't have anything against young guys driving nice cars, but an 18-year-old being [behind] the wheel of an M5 is what accidents are made of."

[Losonti Tokash]

This is something I most definitely can agree with. I've known three people my age that had high-powered BMW's. Two of them have been totalled, and the third regularly drives twice the speed limit or more. The fact that he's got a radar detector makes it even better.

[Meest]

Sadly people complain about BMW's IDrive system. He knew enough to turn off all computer aided traction control etc. A car of that level with all driver aids turned off is basically a race car. Another sad thing that it just reinforces the well off stereotype, if you have enough money to buy a 100k+ car you have enough to send your kid to performance driving school. Though that could have bad effects with the egos involved instead of learning how to handle a car. One thing that makes me laugh is that these cars are fast but they also have good brakes and handling, it really takes a moron to get any car airborne.

[darthbob88]

Before I even clicked the title, I was wondering how many people had gotten killed by this kid. Dumbass. I must agree, there should be some kind of certification involved before driving an uber-car like this.

[PeZook]

Another sad thing that it just reinforces the well off stereotype, if you have enough money to buy a 100k+ car you have enough to send your kid to performance driving school.

Money and sense sadly don't always come together.

The father should've never even given his son the keys. I know that my kid, if I ever have one, is going to get at most an 80HP used compact,and then only if he needs it (to get to work, for example).

Though that could have bad effects with the egos involved instead of learning how to handle a car. One thing that makes me laugh is that these cars are fast but they also have good brakes and handling, it really takes a moron to get any car airborne.

Well, the probable scenario was that his friends hollered at him to go faster, and he turned his attention away from the road for just a second. Bam.

My parents straight-out forbid me from driving with my friends for the first two years I had my license for this very reason.

[His Divine Shadow]

This reminds me of a joke I heard, whats the difference between a snail and a BMW? On the BMW the slime is on the inside.

[Darth Wong]

Heh. I've known a few millionaires. All of them had the good sense not to spend their money on a "supercar", never mind letting their sons drive it.

One of them always drove a Camry. He used to say that if a rich person threw his money around, he must not have worked hard enough for it.

[ray245]

Maybe the US should push the legal age to drive cars to 21 years old? And developed good public transports....like getting bullet trains for instance...

[tim31]

It seems like once a fortnight our local newspaper will have a front page showing the remains of an accident in which excessive speed has been a factor and more than one young person is dead. Invariably however, they are cheap fifteen year old sedans; you don't need a 300 kilowatt top-end weapon to get yourself killed.

[Glocksman]

This reminds me of a joke I heard, whats the difference between a snail and a BMW? On the BMW the slime is on the inside.

Heh..
The version I heard is 'What's the difference between a porcupine and a BMW? The prick is on the outside of the porcupine."

That said, years ago I worked with a 17 year old whose father bought him a 1971 Olds 442 muscle car, and he managed to live through it.
He's probaly the exception that proves the rule though, because his Dad told him that any infraction, no matter how slight, would result in the car being sold.

Personally though, having managed to live through my 'stupid years' (doing 120+MPH in a car with cords hanging out of the tires, getting busted for doing 115 and accelerating on US 41, etc), *I* wouldn't give my kid a high performance automobile.

Unless it was as a college graduation gift.

[Darth Wong]

The stupidity of some of the M5 board's members is incredible. To be fair, some of them are willing to come out and say that the kid was an idiot and deserved it, but it's amazing how many of them say things like "that could have been me" and "people have no right to judge" etc. It tells you how many of them routinely engage in similar stupidity.

It's also interesting that the car turned sideways before leaving the runway. Once you reach speeds of 150mph or so, you need a long distance to slow down again. It's most likely that they realized far too late that there was no way they could stop in time, and desperately tried to save themselves by cranking the wheel, only to discover that the car's momentum was far too great to change significantly even if the car was turned to the side.

At 150 mph, even if you decelerate at 1G (which is about as good as you're ever going to get in a car), you would need 6.8 seconds to come to a stop. During that time, you would cover a distance of more than 225 metres, or nearly 750 feet. These guys obviously didn't realize that their braking distance was well past the end of the runway.

In other words, these guys had plenty of time to realize that they were fucked. Try the following experiment: look at your watch and count off 7 seconds. It's quite a while, isn't it? Especially if you imagine yourself hurtling forward at such high speed during that time. Too bad for them they weren't smart enough to figure that out 30 seconds earlier. But for the rest of us, it's a cleaning of the gene pool.