As regular readers will know, I have little time for people who drive badly (especially on purpose) in spite of what some looney mystery cyclists may believe. So this story in The Telegraph gave me a good chuckle.
It seems that some half-witted 17-year old up in Scotland was following the standard script to the letter when he crashed his Honda pratmobile a week after passing his test. Make no bones about it, it WAS a pratmobile – as the picture before the accident shows. And Honda Civics are at the top of the must-have pratmobile list for most boy racers. His father, Steven Clark, was not impressed.
So he listed the car on Gumtree for 1 penny, including the following text:
Due to Son thinking he’s Colin McRae I now have a 2000 Honda Civic 1.4 breaking for spares…
It Seems a 1.4 was to much for him to handle
He talked the talk, but certainly didn’t walk the walk (he will be walking now, for a long time)
If only all roads were straight, we as parents wouldn’t have to worry about our over enthusiastic Son’s
It seems his ambition outweighed his talent on this occasion
I can’t think why! he’s been driving for over a week now……………………………..
Included in anything you may buy!
One FOC 17yr old Boy, complete with black eye? not from accident, administered by myself!
None of the press coverage I have seen has included that last part. Let’s hope the dad doesn’t get into any trouble over it if it’s true, because it’s certainly deserved.
Nathaniel Clark wasn’t hurt in the accident. He lost it on a bend (big surprise) because the difference between his own opinion of his driving skills and the reality was huge, but reckons he was driving slowly. It also turns out he rides a dirt bike, so it doesn’t take much effort to assess his attitude from afar.
Apparently, he apologised to his mother, but not his dad – to whom his plaintive cry is:
Dad, why are you doing this to me?
Clearly, he’s not very bright, either, if he can’t work that one out.
On a slightly different note, the car cost £1,700 and a further £1,600 to insure. The parents paid for it all. And this is where it makes me wonder what parents are thinking when they buy pratmobiles for their kids in the first place.