Why was this kid given this particular car

alanthemanc

An 18 year old kid from Cheshire, was rightly handed a Mobility car because of his disablity regarding his legs, which were problamatic. However...... the car he was given was the 140 mph flying machine, the Golf GTI.
Sadly, high on drugs, and drink, showing off to his mates, he crashed at 120mph, on the Knutsford - Altringham rd.
The result, himself, and his mate both killed, 2 more friends injured, and general carnage for the ambulance crew to find.
All I would like to ask is, why was he given this car when he was such an age on the Mobility scheme. Surely he should have been given a Ford Ka, a Skoda or something of that class.
Something doesn't seem right, just my opinion, whats yours.Alanthemanc

barbara12

OMG Alan where on earth is the sense here .....I'm lost for words :shock:

alanthemanc

Barbara12
Yeh, I just don't understand the logic in this case. If the kid had phoned any insurance company for that car, they would have just have told him to forget it.
A perfectly adequate car would have been the sensible thing to do, and I can't help thinking that there's something wrong with the system when he can drive away with this car with hardly any experience. Anyone who drove the old Golf Gti's know how fast they were, so God knows how quick the latest ones are.
A very sad end to a young lads life, that might, or could have been prevented. Alanthemanc

barbara12

Alan
Like you say... how sad that there lives were ended, who knows if they had usesd some common sense and given him a normal car instead of this sports car...I despair

alanthemanc

Barbara12
Yeh, I'm all for young disabled people getting around on the Mobility scheme, no problem with that. Surely some rule where anyone under 20 must have a car under 1000 cc. or something along those lines, wouldn't be a bad idea. Too late fot his lad though. Alanthemanc

rugbygirl

Alanthemanc

I am lost for words. I wouldnt even want a car of that speed let alone let my child have a car like that.

There is some serious issues that should be raised with the sales men when dealing with motobility cars. It should be their responsibility as well as that of the Motobility department to flag up any concerns with regard to engine size.

I can almost guarantee that neither of them will take responsibility of this and will say something like - well he wanted it, he was entitled to it, so why should we say what he can and cant have!

Makes me so mad!!!

joanlawson

I don't understand how the Motability scheme works, but it certainly wasn't wise to provide an 18-year-old with such a powerful car. However, the fact that the young man was high on drink and drugs was probably as much, if not more, to blame for the accident. Even a Ford Ka can become a lethal weapon if the driver is drunk and high on drugs.

coco67

shocking.

alanthemanc

Joan
Good point .... well made.

tjt6768

This truly is sad Alan, but I believe he would have probably crashed any car he was in if he was in such a state.. I understand what you are saying Rkid, but I doubt the motability scheme will change. It's the freedom to choose whichever car we like.
As you suggest, maybe they could place an extra cost for young drivers on higher powered cars. Maybe something on top of the down payment... An extra insurance payment..?

Either way, a sad case of idiocy... :roll: I feel for the parents.

oneday

thats a good point about the lower cc for young kids, sounds excellent to me, whys no one thought of it? alan, suggest you email your mp with idea.

dreamdaisy

Limiting the choice sounds like a good idea to us oldies but I suspect we are forgetting that the teenaged years are those when you feel immortal because you are. Even a disabled teen such has he would have had such thoughts. One is too young, too immature, dare I say too stupid to realise the risks of life (although the thoughts are mainly due to the huge changes in the brain during those fraught and fragile years). The mobility scheme is OK for those who can afford it (how the hell could a teen?) I have considered it from time to time but I don't put in the mileage to justify it. When I have flirted with the idea however I have always found the range of cars quite shocking - this is taxpayer's money, for crying out loud.

I haven't seen the story but if he chose the drugged and inebriated way to go more fool him. I don't feel for him, or his parents. I do, however, think it's the waste of a good car - I've always fancied having one. Luckily Mr DD's next car is a close-to-the-top-of-the-range Golf - get in, DD! Time to pose and buy matching crutches!

tkachev

Some cars are excluded from the motability scheme. The Golf GTI would have had a very high upfront payment. But of course that wouldn't have put many people off as it is nowhere near the cost of insurance which is what deters many young drivers.

The mobility scheme has a group insurance scheme so in this case lower risk drivers would have been subsidising the higher risk drivers I suppose. Although there are no individual, direct insurance costs it must come out of the mobility weekly payment in some form or another.

Elizabeth

limpinglenny

If this lad was refused the car, he could sue under the civil rights being not allowed to have what he is entitled to. Its as simple as that.Its also at the choice of motorbility. But me with not a single claim on any car insurance pays the same amount of money for my car as a 18 year old just past his test, I know my sons first car was a mazda and he was £1200 for 3 party fire and theft.

So if I got a GTX on motorbility and a 18 year old got a GTX on motorbility why should I pay the same as the insurance costs for me is next to nothing but the 18 year must be hugely expensive..

frogmorton

So so sad :sad:

I wish they would make the age for driving higher (except for people with disabilities) make the size engine lower, curfews and not allowed passengers.

This is so frightening for me. I have two girls who are 16 now and expecting them to be going out in other kids' cars soon :shock:

so worried :shock:

Love

toni xx