Unsafe Mods - Extreme Dubs / Drifters / Stance etc.

[EggsBenedict]

First, I'd like to say that I'm a serial car modder myself and I clearly don't have an issue with modding per se.

The carpool thread with the 'rocco [sic] reminded me of a Golf that I see driving around near me. massively lowered, huge wheels, stretched tyres. It's kind of what I'd call 'Extreme' dub scene style.

I suspect (although I don't know for sure) that these mods have made the car less easy to drive than OEM, and that actually it's less safe than OEM too, if not unsafe full stop. So whether I like the look or not is immaterial (I think it looks a bit cartoonish and naff), my main concern is that it's a danger.

Clearly it's the case that trends in modding do appear to have their 'extreme' ends of the spectrum, and that these are not the norm, but my overall concern is that it only takes a few of these more extreme cars to be involved in accidents to start the ball rolling towards 'thou shalt not mod' legislation.

Thoughts?

[EggsBenedict]

Captain Muppet said:

I think the only way to ensure these ridiculous extreme modifications are safe is to introduce some kind of compulsory roadworthiness test every year.

Yeah, perhaps some sort of abbreviation of Ministry Of Transport would be appropriate.

Har Har Har.

[EggsBenedict]

ILoveMondeo said:

Seriously though, are "stanced" (is that the word? and is that what you're getting at OP) cars really dangerous? Sure they might handle a bit st, but then so does a Vauxhall corsa.

I get the p*ss taking, I really do.

I'm not picking on any group or trend of modder. I just think there's a point at which the mod actually makes the car worse and more than worse, dangerous. Excessive camber, no suspension travel, tyres stretched on rims beyond the design parameters of those tyres etc.

I don't want those who haven't got the sense not to make their car unsafe spoil the modding hobby for those of us who don't.

Ah, it's just a thought. I'll STFU now...

[EggsBenedict]

DrDeAtH said:

Tyre stretching.... My personal pet hate
It look ridiculous, and who knows what damage its doing to the tyre carcass....

From:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2009/05/car_feature_gt...

[EggsBenedict]

aka_kerrly said:

It just gets very boring when older enthusiasts are so keen to blast youngsters as all being dick heads with unsafe modified cars and seem to forget that in the 60s,70s and so forth there were also modified cars and no doubt plenty of people thought that the teenagers in mk2 escorts with 15 inch rear wheels and 13 inch front wheels looked like bell ends

Well, they did. But it comes to the same thing - the looks might not be to everyone's taste, but there's always people who took stuff to extremes - chroming the diff and then getting the rear suspension high enough for everyone to see it. I'm willing to bet it did nothing for the handling characteristics of the car, and made it less safe than before. Granted, people were less 'saftey nazi' back then, and less willing to slap legislation on everything. But that's kind of the point. I don't want my ability to mod my car (sensibly in my view) compromised by people screwing their car up to a point where it's unsafe, killing someone in an RTA and then the associated backlash meaning a blanket ban on modding as in some european countries.

aka_kerrly said:

whilst also pointing and laughing at their bell bottom trousers and god awful floral shirts.

Heartily deserved.

aka_kerrly said:

My view is instead of branding all these kids who are clearly into modified cars as stupid older enthusiasts ought to be trying to guide them or offer useful advice. That way they may turn into the acceptable enthusiasts you all think you are!!

Remember this is an internet forum.