Why we'll miss Paul Walker...

It is with sadness that we have to write this little article but we feel it necessary to clear up exactly why the untimely death of Paul Walker is so important and has caused such a sad 'buzz' on all the social media sites. 

Paul Walker is best known for his role as Brian O'Conner in the hit movie franchise "The Fast & Furious" . It is always a sad time when any celebrity passes away - due to the inherent nature of a single person 'touching' a massive audience through the media, Paul's passing is perhaps even more distressing thanks to that film series. 

The Fast & Furious is not just any old film, it is a franchise that a whole generation of motoring enthusiasts grew up with, us included. Every modifier under the age of 30 (and most over too) will remember vividly that very first scene with Brian (Paul) maxxing out his lime green Mitsubishi Eclipse fondly, it was the start of a film that opened the eyes of many teenagers to the world of car modifying. 

As the series went on and those teenagers grew up they learned to take the films realism with a pinch of salt, every 'meme' page has at least one referencing the seemingly endless gearboxes the Fast & Furious cars had. Be that as it may, put simply - without those films the amount of modified cars on the roads today would be but a fraction of what they are. We all love the modifying culture, so we inherently love the Fast & Furious franchise. 

What does this mean for the franchise? Nobody knows yet - barely 12 hours from the fatal incident and rumours are already circulating the internet about what will happen with the latest planned installment (Fast 7) - as filming was underway when the accident occurred, is it at a point they can finish? Should they? I personally say yes - what greater tribute could there be than to publish the final hurrah of such a terrific actor and gentleman. 

What can we take from this sad incident? This very unfortunate accident disproves what the movies unknowingly told us - even modifiers aren't invincible. Hopefully this will teach people that while owning and modifying fast cars is no-doubt fun, racing them on the streets is not only illegal - but incredibly dangerous! Keep the racing on the tracks and drag strips. 

We salute you Mr Walker, a fine actor - a legend to millions and a charitable, loving family man. 

Words: Andy Pilcher