Young drivers

[fastman]

How old do you think a kid should be before learning to drive,as I do a fare bit of traveling I was quite surprised the other day to see a kid no older than 12 to bE behind the wheel of a car in a private industrial estate

[ColinE]

Road awareness from 16 but needs locations to do so

Theory with simulators and 'what happens when it all goes wrong' courses from 17

Able to drive as soon as they can afford the insurance, so able to drive from 60 to 65 after which new test required

[Stu C]

My dad used to take me round the ind. estate he parked the truck on when i was 13. Ace driving around in a sierra, sadly not a cossy lol! - But in terms of proper driving, 17 isn't a problem i don't think.

But i do think that at 17 it should be limited to town use only. Motorways should be a seperate optional test at 18 if you want to veture further afield

[AndyG]

Us country boys were driving tractors in the fields and short distances from the farm to field from 10 years old.
:)

[Stu C]

Us country boys were driving tractors in the fiends and short distances from the farm to field from 10 years old.
:)

Have a go in one of these Andy! - I've driven one around the the factory they are made (where i deliver too) ace bits of kit :D

http://www.wrshaw.ie/Images/Gallery/.view.PagesGallery-49-001.jpg

[ColinE]

Us country boys were driving tractors in the fiends and short distances from the farm to field from 10 years old.
:)

As was I - combining at 8 yrs old, not going to tell you what year that was though, but it was one hell of a summer

[spartacus]

... but it was one hell of a summer

Blimey, I thought you were much older than that :~

[stevemiller]

Well my lad Andy age 15 had his drive of a car yesterday as way of a birthday present from his uncle. Lucky sod it was a Ferrari 360!!!.

Back on subject given the high rates of insurance and the limited range of cars that are then available he may not be driving his own car until after he is 19.He cannot take lessons until 18 due to the changes that come in to force or he would have loved to take lessons from the current starting age of 17.

I would say that the sooner they are given tuition in relation to their pass date's the more time they have to become aware of hazards and notice more on a safety level than if they just jump in pass and drive.

Steve.

[colintf]

Us country boys were driving tractors in the fields and short distances from the farm to field from 10 years old.
:)

or earlier if our feet can touch the pedals :thumb

for me it was 11 (offroad) cars, bike and tractors

:cool:

[eState Trooper]

He cannot take lessons until 18 due to the changes that come in to force or he would have loved to take lessons from the current starting age of 17.


Steve.

There has been much rumour of the driving age changing to 18 but I can't find anything official. #2 son turns 17 next year and can't wait.

[colintf]

There has been much rumour of the driving age changing to 18 but I can't find anything official. #2 son turns 17 next year and can't wait.

surely not "L" plates on the ZTT400 ????

[fastman]

i carnt say that i was not driving my dad old car when i was 15-16 but when a kid younger than you and driving a very new flashy car you start to think what the hell

[eState Trooper]

surely not "L" plates on the ZTT400 ????

Heaven forbid. #1 son thinks the Panda is an F1 car.

[wraith01mg]

I was 9 when i first drove. A black 911 sc targa ( :ashi know i know posh git). It was on east beach Shoeburyness Essex. After that i was hooked, did karting until i was old enough to hit the road.

[greeners]

Took my 7 year old out in the ZT doing power slides last week, in a field.

he'll be a nightmare when he can reach the pedals. Still he did manage to steer it on his own.

[scooter]

Both Claire and Paul started driving my Supercharged Range Rover Classic when the were 5 years old.We had the use of a friends private roads on his 22K acre estate which had over 20 miles of road. They were too small to sit on the seat so they stood on one leg and used the other foot on the pedals. It was fotunate that it was an Auto. By the age of ten they could sit in the seat and drive off road as well as I could. When Paul was six and Claire eight they were both racing carts. I think its important the you people are relaxed at the controls of a car before they have to deal with other drivers on our public roads.

[colintf]

Both Claire and Paul started driving my Supercharged Range Rover Classic when the were 5 years old.We had the use of a friends private roads on his 22K acre estate which had over 20 miles of road. They were too small to sit on the seat so they stood on one leg and used the other foot on the pedals. It was fotunate that it was an Auto. By the age of ten they could sit in the seat and drive off road as well as I could. When Paul was six and Claire eight they were both racing carts. I think its important the you people are relaxed at the controls of a car before they have to deal with other drivers on our public roads.

no wonder they both have talent then Brian :thumb

[Will.S]

Awareness of the danger should be drummed in at an early age. 18 would be a good age to start driving, with the cars restricted until they are 25.
The main problem is a scientific fact, we don't acquire the ability to risk assess until 30 and beyond, the only thing that can accelerate this in some cases is having kids!
Thats why young lads make such good infantry toms( respect due), they don't spend their time thinking 'If I do this, then this or that could happen and lead onto that....' they think 'I'm doing it, nothing will happen to ME!'
That's all well and good on the battlefield, but it leads to death and suffering on the public roads.
Sorry to be gloomy but I see it at work all the time, young lives cut short coz they play rutting stags in saxos. I know not all young drivers are like that but a huge percentage are.

[ColinE]

I think its important the you people are relaxed at the controls of a car before they have to deal with other drivers on our public roads.


IMHO I think this is more important than many items of the test - I know many will disagree but I've seen people that have passed their test but are almost terrified to drive. In my book they should not have passed - Ok rant over

[Stu C]

IMHO I think this is more important than many items of the test - I know many will disagree but I've seen people that have passed their test but are almost terrified to drive. In my book they should not have passed - Ok rant over

That's because they are taught simply to pass the test. Theres no in depth learning of the roads going on for when new drivers have passed their tests.

[bernard lpg]

That's because they are taught simply to pass the test. Theres no in depth learning of the roads going on for when new drivers have passed their tests.

I think that taking the HGV class 1 course taught me more about road awareness in a week than I had learned in the previous 20 years.

In my opinion every driver should have a day in a truck to realise just how lucky they have been not to have been squashed by one!

[Will.S]

I think that taking the HGV class 1 course taught me more about road awareness in a week than I had learned in the previous 20 years.

In my opinion every driver should have a day in a truck to realise just how lucky they have been not to have been squashed by one!

That's so true, did mine last month -FAILED!!!- going back soon, it's a real eye opener!

[Stu C]

That's so true, did mine last month -FAILED!!!- going back soon, it's a real eye opener!

I failed my Class 1 first time, then when the instructor got back in to take us home she sat in the cab, looked straight at me and said "how the hell did you fail?! You've done well in the lessons"

Was a complete bag of nerves and just failed miserably :ash

Second time around (with the same examiner EEK!), drove it like a hire truck and passed :D

But on topic... I really think a seperate test for motorways is in order, or at least a compulsary 5 lessons after you passed the initial test.

[SH4RKY]

I think that taking the HGV class 1 course taught me more about road awareness in a week than I had learned in the previous 20 years.

In my opinion every driver should have a day in a truck to realise just how lucky they have been not to have been squashed by one!



I have no experience in trucks etc but it shouldn't take long to realise they cant take corners/islands without encroaching lanes... so it annoys the hell out of me when people behind me get impatient with ME! when I hang back to let a lorry/bus etc take the island without some dozy moron sitting on its inside...

[Ajay]

:stir Ok here?s my two-penny worth.

All drivers should be required to retake their driving test say every 10 years to maintain their right to drive.

The test pass should be graded like the RoSPA test; Gold, Silver and Bronze. All of these grades would represent a test pass and driving standard we higher than is currently required for the UK.

There should also be a ?basic? pass level that is the minimum standard required and would be similar to what we have now. With this level of pass you should be required to retake and improve you pass level to at least a Bronze within 12 to 18 months of first passing you test. Until you get the Bronze, you?re not allowed on Motorways or other high-speed dual carriageways and there is a restriction on the type/performance of the car you can drive.

The incentive for achieving the higher pass level would be insurance premiums; the higher the pass the better discount on your premium. You should represent a low accident risk and the insurance companies need to recognize that.

[Ajay]

Oh! I've not taken the RoSPA driving test but I have taken and passed the IAM version. No, I've not retaken it. It's on my list of things to do but the incentive is not there other than the satisfaction of having passed the test:1; the better insurance premiums are not our there:head:tdown