<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Freeworld:<BR><B>Sorry to sound like a fuddy duddy, but I have to add my 2 cents.<P>After reading the "how old are you" thread, I have some idea where this comes from, but in reality, what's the use in racing someone on the street with two different cars? In real car racing, the cars are relatively equivalent, and the differentiators are driver skill, strategy, maintenance, pit crew experience, etc. On the street one car is faster than another, period. I learn nothing new from smoking a 318, my T5 is faster. So what have I proved that is not available on paper? I'd be better off handing him a slip of paper with the stats on it, and driving off slowly while he ruins his transmission and tires. The only differentiators on the street are who's crazier in taking the risk of having an accident due to unexpected road conditions, traffic, pedestrians, etc. And who's less afraid of getting a significant ticket.<P>To humble myself, yes, I have on occasion smoked someone at a light, but only to get around them. And depending on how crazy he was, I was content not to get around him. While driving an S60 NA I actually once LOST to a Kia SUV WITH A CANOE ON TOP . This was not a straight away, and I could easily have caused him to flip (though he seemed quite willing to push the limits on his own). Thankfully I backed off when it dawned on me how stupid I was.<P>You can be as safe as you think. But no public road was designed to race on. I hope none of you find this out the hard way. There are fatal racing accidents in my city every week. The roads are usually nice wide and open, at a time with very little traffic. The drivers sadly are almost always very young.<P>I will get off my soap box now. The T5 is very fast, and you should not feel like you have to prove it to anyone. Facts are facts. Enjoy your T-5's, I do ;-)</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><BR>Your post makes perfect sense but it all depends on someone's idiosyncracy and level of responsibility (which consists of knowing HONESTLY how skilled you are and WHEN to push the car--meaning appropriate road conditions). If your personality is such (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that) drag racing someone from stoplight to stoplight or while you are on a fairly open or open highway late at night, a scary and unnecessary experience...so be it! If you honestly think that you will fell uncomfortable driving your car at above the speed limit then that is OK. But if the conditions are "right" and you are experienced enough to race someone within the speed limit or exceed that, then (in my book) that is OK too. The problem is that most of the "opportunities" come at a bad time...you cannot imagine how many times I would have liked to show some moron what my wagon can do, especially if he is being an idiot about it. But I, reluctantly, have to let him go because the conditions are not optimal...same exists for highway (which can be more tempting) conditions. <P>I guess you have to me mature enough to really evaluate two things: existing conditions and to <B>honestly</B> assess what your capabilities are (and put your ego aside for a moment while you do that). With today's cars, hitting 90+ mph is not a nig deal and that figure comes up fairly quickly.<P>Now, why don't we just hand someone our spec sheet etc., etc? Well, it is kind of hard to do that and the main reason is you want to see how your car (and your driving skills, if you are in a manual) will do against another <I>not equal</I> car. I disagree with you that "true racing takes place with cars that are the same". I do not consider racing like NASCAR (I know that I will get a lot of flak here but that is OK; love attracting it!) where they race in an oval, etc., etc. Racing on a course that presents many challenges and each car can be modified according to each team's budget and technical know-how (i.e., F1, BCCC, SCCC and WRC) is true racing. Those cars may have the rule where the engine displacement must be the same but that is where it ends. So, each car is different and you are racing your creation against another's.<P>In real world, you have to know (besides your limits and the road conditions) your car's limits; it would be foolish for me to engage a Corvette or a Ferrari or a Porsche, etc. The same way that I would not bother (beyond shifting a couple of gears) with any car that is far below mine (unless they are tuned and/or I see a coffee can/fart muffler in the back)...If I saw a 2003 CObra (supercharged) I would gracefully deny the challenge. There would be nothing to gain.<P>Responsibility toward yourself and others is the key here.<P><BR>Yannis<BR><P>