Interesting subject, I've been driving for 30 years and in that time I've had 2 accidents involving other cars and rolled my car once and lucky I'm still kicking. But all those incidents were under 25, I think when your young it could be more a case of over confident and maybe a lack of awareness to what is going on around you. I'm not a granny driver I still like my speed but I think my judgement is better and I see what’s happening around me better. My son has just turned 17 and is going through his learning process at the moment and he has to have his learners for 12 months and clock 100 hours behind the wheel, I think this a good thing as he can get more experience while under supervision. I think his developing into a capable driver and his execution of the controls is good but his awareness of what happening in front of him needs to improve a lot. So I suppose my point is that it could be more about how you handle on what’s going on around you more than being a bad driver.
damn you have a good country if it goes that ways
i know many people having it this way
7-Watch Killing/Hear swearing in Movies
11-Drink Alcohol, Smoke.
Poeple under 18 in a car ......
NO
NO
why not? why cant they drive a car in private areas if they know how to drive without hitting walls or something else
Judging by the behaviour of most 17 (or even 18-21) year-olds, I'd say that most of them are too irresponsible to drive.
Half of my friends at 17 and 18 used to go out drag racing in the middle of afternoon traffic. It's just sheer dumb luck that no-one got killed or serious injured (although some had crashed and even narrowly escaped death).
As they should!
It's the disproportionate occurace of fatalities involving young drivers which is worrying. Just going by the age groups covered, drivers under 26 years of age are almost two and half times more likely to be involved in a fatality than those over 26 years of age.
Although I agree with your sentiment, increasing the age limit to 23 is a bit harsh. As Jakg says, young people still need to get to places, especially if they live in the country-side or public transport is crap.
Focus should be on the education of young drivers, rather than some arbitrary rules like higher age limits or power restrictions on cars. Legal age of 18 is enough, IMHO. But driver education needs to be more robust. I don't mean skid-pan training or any useless crap like that (they are useful, but not until proper attitude is attained), but rather education should emphasise on safe attitudes, anticipation, systematic negotiation of hazards, and overcoming the so-called "guru driver" syndrome.
I think Homeless_Drunk's post is one fine example of a "guru driver". "I was following someone too closely (about 2 car lengths) and they slammed on the brakes at a green light that had barely just turned yellow like a complete moron". Pointing out the other driver's faults are fine, but one should keep in mind that two car-lengths is NOT the recommended distance for following a car in front. The minimum is two seconds, not two "car lengths" (in fact, for two car lengths to be adequate, you'd have to be travelling slower than 30kph or 20mph). And one should always anticipate a slam-on-the-brakes moment when approaching a junction. At least he now knows that was too close.
"Was I a bad driver? No. Could I drive stick better than 99% of my friends? Yes." Nice example of optimism bias here. Keep in mind that 50% of drivers are below average, and that means 50% of the drivers who post on this thread (including possibly me).
Half of my friends at 17 and 18 used to go out drag racing in the middle of afternoon traffic. It's just sheer dumb luck that no-one got killed or serious injured (although some had crashed and even narrowly escaped death).
As they should!
It's the disproportionate occurace of fatalities involving young drivers which is worrying. Just going by the age groups covered, drivers under 26 years of age are almost two and half times more likely to be involved in a fatality than those over 26 years of age.
Although I agree with your sentiment, increasing the age limit to 23 is a bit harsh. As Jakg says, young people still need to get to places, especially if they live in the country-side or public transport is crap.
Focus should be on the education of young drivers, rather than some arbitrary rules like higher age limits or power restrictions on cars. Legal age of 18 is enough, IMHO. But driver education needs to be more robust. I don't mean skid-pan training or any useless crap like that (they are useful, but not until proper attitude is attained), but rather education should emphasise on safe attitudes, anticipation, systematic negotiation of hazards, and overcoming the so-called "guru driver" syndrome.
I think Homeless_Drunk's post is one fine example of a "guru driver". "I was following someone too closely (about 2 car lengths) and they slammed on the brakes at a green light that had barely just turned yellow like a complete moron". Pointing out the other driver's faults are fine, but one should keep in mind that two car-lengths is NOT the recommended distance for following a car in front. The minimum is two seconds, not two "car lengths" (in fact, for two car lengths to be adequate, you'd have to be travelling slower than 30kph or 20mph). And one should always anticipate a slam-on-the-brakes moment when approaching a junction. At least he now knows that was too close.
"Was I a bad driver? No. Could I drive stick better than 99% of my friends? Yes." Nice example of optimism bias here.
Keep in mind that 50% of drivers are below average, and that means 50% of the drivers who post on this thread (including possibly me).I live 'in the sticks' too, and I found cycling a really good way of getting around, resorting to buses only when I had too much shopping to carry in a rucksack. I would have disagreed with myself if I was 18 or so still, as being able to drive was a big thing, but now I have the benefit of hindsight, seeing how a) I drove and b) my contemporaries drove, I think it's a fairly good idea.
The figure 23 was scientifically chosen by adding 5 years to 18, which was chosen on the basis that most people probably don't actually pass their tests (or even start taking lessons) until they're 18... The final age could be tweaked - 20 would be a start.
Have you seen 'the average' 17 year old recently? I wouldn't trust them in a show car, let alone one with a working engine.
Yes, i've seen the average 17 year old in a car and no their not ideal, but stopping people from going in a car until they're likely to be significantly better would mean you'd need to stop people driving 'till their 30...
Thanks for your advice though Tristan, i'm just off to buy a Tandem so I can bike 20 miles with my GF
</sarcasm>
Thanks for your advice though Tristan, i'm just off to buy a Tandem so I can bike 20 miles with my GF
</sarcasm>
There are plenty of places in the world where the driving age is less than 18. Find some accident statistics to back up your argument...........if you can.
He lives in New Zealand where iiirc the minimum driving age is 14, and you don't have to have any insurance - although i dont think the statistics from NZ will really help to prove your case...
Here you get ur learners permit when your 16 and have to drive with a parent for only 8 months if you take driving lessons and 12 months if you dont. If you take the drivers license the day of your birthday you can drive alone when your at the end of the 16s.
So here it's pretty much.
16 - You get to drive
17 - Hey hey hey you have more experience
18 - porn, movies with extreme violence, etc...
19 - Smoking, drinking, etc.
I'm pretty sure the statistics from Ontario in Canada can back you up. I think that in other provinces in Canada it goes to 15 aswell. You can check it all out on wiki or something :P. Usually not many crash unless you look at Quebec which is kinda the rebel place were they all speed, street race and all that and end up crashing.
That makes absolutely not a lick of sense...
How does it not make sense?
Casino gambling has an age limit of 21. So you can gamble with your life by drinking, driving or getting married at 18, but not with your cash until 3 years later 
Question: Has anyone ever been convicted of having under-age sex in Britain?
Lol Jack, I wonder how they catch them? O_O
Would be kinda awkward having sex and having a cop finding you? Or is it when ur doing a hot chick and her parents walk in and sew you? But then they'd have to pay a fine for their girl aswell. I don't get how they can ever get in trouble for underage sex...
Would be kinda awkward having sex and having a cop finding you? Or is it when ur doing a hot chick and her parents walk in and sew you? But then they'd have to pay a fine for their girl aswell. I don't get how they can ever get in trouble for underage sex...
I believe the charge is Statutory Rape, and yes, people have been convicted.
Girl getting pregnant?
I am 16 BTW, if you were thinking
Ta Bean0
Jus tell the girl to say she injected sperm from those sperm bank thingys. :P
And BeanO that would simply be a rape charge. I think he's talkin about 2 people who are like 14 having sex.
And BeanO that would simply be a rape charge. I think he's talkin about 2 people who are like 14 having sex.
It's worryingly easy to get convicted. See, when they're under 16 it's the parents who decide to press charges, not the girl herself. So if they catch you or find out about it and take you to court over it, you are officially a sex offender.
I had a bit of a hard time of it when I started seeing a 15 year old girl (I was 17 at the time and didn't know her age when we met but by then I was head over heels, so don't think I'm some crazy sick pedo or something
). That made life a bit complicated for a while.
God, it makes me feel so old when I say that was 11 years ago. Bloody hell.
I had a bit of a hard time of it when I started seeing a 15 year old girl (I was 17 at the time and didn't know her age when we met but by then I was head over heels, so don't think I'm some crazy sick pedo or something
). That made life a bit complicated for a while.God, it makes me feel so old when I say that was 11 years ago. Bloody hell.
I was just thinking about whether I was irresponsible when I started driving... Well, I started when I was 16 and have been driving 9 years, about 250,000km with no accidents. So does that mean I was a responsible driver when I started? Hell no! Just lucky. I used to do lots of dumb stuff when I was 16, trying to impress friends etc... I'm certainly a lot more responsible now, but the fact that I didn't have an accident when I was first starting to drive is partly that I was very aware of my surroundings, but certainly partly good fortune given some of the stuff I used to do.
Under-age sex, the core of the matter
On-topic, I don't think people under 18 are necessarily too immature to drive. You can drive a motorcycle when you're 16, which in my opinion is a more dangerous vehicle (in the rider's point of view. And it's acceleration/decceleration. And on top of that it's a perfectly legal vehilce even if there's snow on the roads - as long as the grooves in the tyres are deep enough).
At least here IMO the drivers exam(s) work well to weed out those who are too immature / too arrogant. Besides, it's a lot more dearer to get a (MC) license (and car license afterwards) when you're 16 (than a car license when you're 18).
On-topic, I don't think people under 18 are necessarily too immature to drive. You can drive a motorcycle when you're 16, which in my opinion is a more dangerous vehicle (in the rider's point of view. And it's acceleration/decceleration. And on top of that it's a perfectly legal vehilce even if there's snow on the roads - as long as the grooves in the tyres are deep enough).
At least here IMO the drivers exam(s) work well to weed out those who are too immature / too arrogant. Besides, it's a lot more dearer to get a (MC) license (and car license afterwards) when you're 16 (than a car license when you're 18).
This could turn into Norfolk vs Suffolk... the SHOWDOWN
With hindsight it's easy for me to say that 16/17/18 is the bare minimum, but remembering how badly I had to wait to turn 17 to get my licence I know what the reaction would be if it got changed.
Perhaps a comprimise is in order though these days. Let under 21's have a licence but only for low-power automatics or similar.
The number of small economical vehicles would increase (nice for the environment) whilst still allowing people the freedom that a car offers. The lower power coupled to a basic auto-box (especially a poor CVT type one) will make traffic light races a comedy event rather than a potential fatality.
The worst combination is a youth impressing friends in a car with high power and poor/broken suspension/brakes/tyres.
The days of 17-year olds getting their hands on bargain basement Impreza's/Evo's that might have a fairly good engine and shot everything else aren't far off if they aren't here yet given the age of the early ones - and that's not a pretty picture.
Perhaps a comprimise is in order though these days. Let under 21's have a licence but only for low-power automatics or similar.
The number of small economical vehicles would increase (nice for the environment) whilst still allowing people the freedom that a car offers. The lower power coupled to a basic auto-box (especially a poor CVT type one) will make traffic light races a comedy event rather than a potential fatality.
The worst combination is a youth impressing friends in a car with high power and poor/broken suspension/brakes/tyres.
The days of 17-year olds getting their hands on bargain basement Impreza's/Evo's that might have a fairly good engine and shot everything else aren't far off if they aren't here yet given the age of the early ones - and that's not a pretty picture.
We have the better Royal show... Who's heard of the Royal Suffolk Show????? <laughs>
LOL.
Norfolk - Inbreeding.
Suffolk - Suffolk Punch.
'nuff said.
(and Danowat comes from Norfolk)
Norfolk - Inbreeding.
Suffolk - Suffolk Punch.
'nuff said.
(and Danowat comes from Norfolk
)
"People under 18 are NOT too irresponsible to drive"
(82 posts, started )
FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG