Thunder Road

Rob Cohen’s elitist comments reek of Hollywood’s typical disdain for the effect of movies on young people (“Modified for Maximum Impact,” by Robert W. Welkos, June 3).

Cohen whines that road racers should be allowed by police to race early mornings on San Fernando Road and to “drive safe.” Instead “they want to impound their cars.”

How thoughtless! Teenagers racing at night, illegally, unsupervised, with gangs, drugs, theft and alcohol sometimes involved, plus running (racing) from the police. Cohen should invite this “new cultural institution” to congregate in front of his house? His 14-year-old son could learn a lot.

JOHN HOLMSTROM

Hollywood

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One reason why “The Fast and the Furious” might succeed where “Driven” has failed is what happens off the track. Films dealing with professional race drivers tend to deal soaperatically with the drivers’ romantic or marital lives, and except for “Grand Prix,” which was a single-lens Cinerama roadshow, have usually been box-office disasters. “Outlaw” racer films are essentially westerns with cars instead of guns, with the excitement and suspense continuing throughout.

Incidentally, it should be noted that this film bears the same title as the first film released by American International (then American Releasing) in 1954.

RICK MITCHELL

Los Angeles