Short Story - Heavily Armed Cars on the Highway

[LarryOnLI]

While sitting in unusually heavy traffic the last few days I found myself thinking about this short story that I read at least 30 years ago.

In the story, set in California I believe, the police have given up patrolling the freeways and cars driving on them are armed with missiles and machine guns.

In the beginning of the book a man is telling his (college age?) daughter that it is two dangerous to take a long trip in her lightly armed economy car. She goes anyway and is killed on the freeway by someone who does that kind of thing for fun.

Dad uncovers and tunes up his car, I want to say a Cadillac, and heads out on the freeway looking for revenge.

I would love to find this short story again and would appreciate any help.

[KNOTENOUGHTIME]

I'm not sure of the title, but it sounds like a movie with Lee Majors?

[LarryOnLI]

I don't know if it was ever made into a movie.

It was definitely a short story when I read it.

[MacMcK1957]

The Lee Majors movie someone mentioned was The Last Chase, but the plot doesn't really match.

[LarryOnLI]

---

MacMcK1957 wrote:

The Lee Majors movie someone mentioned was The Last Chase, but the plot doesn't really match.

---

Ok that is definitely NOT it!!

Thanks for the link to the movie info though, makes me glad I didn't pay money to see it.

[MacMcK1957]

Would anyone actually pay money to see a Lee Majors movie?

[Mrnall]

yes, I remember one much like this, except I remember a son (not a daughter) being  killed. father went out and killed the car that killed the son. Family had a Hispanic mechanic. i can't remeber the name or the author, but it was in one of the "best ever" science fiction anthologies, so it was a big name author & farily well-known story. Ring any bells?

[LarryOnLI]

---

Mrnall wrote:

yes, I remember one much like this, except I remember a son (not a daughter) being  killed. father went out and killed the car that killed the son. Family had a Hispanic mechanic. i can't remeber the name or the author, but it was in one of the "best ever" science fiction anthologies, so it was a big name author & farily well-known story. Ring any bells?

---

Yes, that sounds very much like it.

Anybody remember the name and/or author?

[lyonhaerte · Accepted solution]

I believe this story is by Alan Dean Foster, part of the anthology "With Friends Like These..." originally   published by Del Rey/Ballantine in 1977.  I think the title was "Why Johnny Can't Speed"  It may have been in the followup anthology "...Who Needs Enemies?" but I really think it was in the first one.  Hope this helps!

[LarryOnLI]

---

lyonhaerte wrote:

I believe this story is by Alan Dean Foster, part of the anthology "With Friends Like These..." originally   published by Del Rey/Ballantine in 1977.  I think the title was "Why Johnny Can't Speed"  It may have been in the followup anthology "...Who Needs Enemies?" but I really think it was in the first one.  Hope this helps!

---

Well it's certainly in the correct timeframe. I'll see if I can find it.

[LarryOnLI]

@lyonhaerte,

That was it thanks!!

[lyonhaerte]

You're welcome! I'm amazed that my memory managed to trace through 30 years of reading to find it!