drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Saw a report on tv saying that the government is thinking of reducing the age you can learn to drive to 16!

Sorry, but this strikes me as a Scaryyy idea. I sort of remember what I was like at 16 (to some I haven't changed much even though that was 13 years ago!) and no way was I prepared for the responsibility of driving on the roads.

Can you imagine being 16, newly passed test and Mummy & Daddy have just bought you a nice new Scoob to play with (insurance premiums accepted)?

DP.

Brendan Hughes

I saw that, but am sure there was much more to it than meets the eye. Something about provisional licences for 2 yrs, therefore bring the learner age down so you can still have a full licence on your 18th. I just shot through it in a paper. Anyone else have the full story?

Legacy RS

Already is 16 here on the IOM and has been since I can remember! We have R plates you have to have on for a year after passing but after that you're the same as everyone else.......and there's no national speed limit here either + lots of deadly mountain style roads but we don't really have much of a problem with accidents, even with boy racers.

P1Fanatic

Hmm time to move to IOM me thinks

Caronte

Next step will be gun permission....

pslewis

Well I was riding a moped at 16 - when they could do 50mph!!! yes REALLY!!!!

OK the damage I could do was limited, but its how I learnt my roadcraft

I, personally, would ban ANYONE under 35 owning anything more powerful than a Lada Samara !!

Pete

Katana

Oi!! I'm 24 yrs old and people consider me old!!

Anyway I would rather they put the age limit up to 21 yrs old (like pubs in Reading). That way there won't be any crazy drivers. Oh and also ban people over 65 from driving. Much safer roads it shall be.

Legacy RS

Caronte - we still can have handguns over here - license permitting of course! And no licensing hours for pubs/clubs, and blah blah blah, loads of good points to living here but everything's expensive, and it's a bit 'limited' at times. Wouldn't move though!

dosenöffner

New Zealand is 15.

Used to be 15 full license when I did it. Now it is 15 provisional and 16 full.

But you can still drive alone during the day at 15.

Sort of needed at that age if you live remote. And most of the ki

Steve Williams

America is 16.

Read somewhere that half of all accidents in the US are attributed to 16 & 17 year olds

zoog

I was a better driver at 16-17 than i am now at 34 - my reactions were faster and I was more decisive. Also my night vision was so much better - it has noticeably deterriorated, although my general eyesight is fine. So i wouldnt be bothered too much about a 1 year reduction.

ChrisB

Fair enough Zoog, but I've found in the few years I've been driving, you keep learning. I've developed a sixth sense - I seem to know when somebody is going to chop across me on a roundabout. Your ability to read the road ahead improves as well.

AndiThompson

Not all 16 year olds are irresponsible idiots you know..

*cough*

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Of course they're not - but driving carries a lot of responsibility, and personally I think it's inconsistent that the legal age for driving is lower than the legal age for drinking alcohol, taking out a mortgage or going to an adult jail.

If driving at 16 is to be allowed, I'd like to see a scheme much like that in place for motorcycles - you can ride a relatively low-powered machine straight away, but have to wait 2 years before you can get a de-restricted license allowing access to more powerful machines. Alternatively you can do a 'direct access' test to go straight to a high-powered bike, but only if you're 21+.

My first couple of years driving were done in a Fiat Panda 45 - clockwork engine and group 1 insurance. It let me get around, which was all I really cared about at the time, but it meant that in my moments of youthful over-exuberance I couldn't actually go fast enough to do anyone any harm I didn't get my Scooby (my first real performance car) until I was 26, by which time I not only had considerably more experience, but I'd done some advanced driver training too.

0-60 in 5.5 secs in the hands of a 16 year old - any 16 year old - is asking for trouble IMHO.

Andy.