15 too young for drivers licence?

**scumdog** · 9th August 2006, 13:38

Originally Posted by Ixion

Well, one year later they're reckoned mature enough to have and raise babies.

But us oldies know the ain't.

So why do we let them? - oh that's right, they have them anyway!

**McJim** · 9th August 2006, 15:09

The results of the poll are very telling - It would be good if there was a national referendum on the subject!

As with all good threads it's polarizing the opinions nicely with some good points being made by both sides.

The comment I'd like to mention is "not ALL 15 year olds are bad drivers" (but then again not ALL Speeders are dangerous and I'm sure you'll find someone to say not ALL drunk drivers are dangerous) but we must have one law to apply to all so if the majority of a particular subsection are dangerous then for the good of the public the legislation can only be fair if it affects the whole subsection in question.

On this occasion theis is not actually my point of view but I thought it needed to be said.

I didn't start driving until I was 32 by the way - never felt the need to - figured if I got a car I'd have to stop drinking. In the past 4 years I have drunk the equivalent of 2 night's worth when I was 21. I miss the beer.

**MikeyG** · 9th August 2006, 16:02

I think it depends on the licencing system. At the moment you can get you learners at 15 but without doing courses most people only have their full licenses at 18. It would suck to be a learner at 18 b'cos by then you are away from home and don't really have someone to be the licensed driver/supervisor.

If it was like Austria where you just do 40 hours of lessons then get your full then I'd say 18

**McJim** · 9th August 2006, 16:08

Predominantly the problem is not perceived as being skill or ability but rather attitude and judgement - there are plenty of examples where 15 year olds excel with motorsports but still plenty of accidents caused by the incautious attitude of youngsters.

Scumdogs' mention of the fact that they go ahead and have kids at 16 is quite a good analogy here.

Just coz 16 year olds are good in bed (allegedly) doesn't mean they can do it sensibly!

**Lou Girardin** · 9th August 2006, 16:17

Originally Posted by Big McJim

Just coz 16 year olds are good in bed (allegedly) doesn't mean they can do it sensibly!

No they're not, you have to teach 'em everything.

**McJim** · 9th August 2006, 16:19

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

No they're not, you have to teach 'em everything.

Nah man - you're just lazy - the teachin's the fun bit!

**The_Dover** · 9th August 2006, 16:22

Where I come from the 16 year old girls have been round the block more times than the Link bus.

And they know the root.

**McJim** · 9th August 2006, 16:31

Originally Posted by The_Dover

Where I come from the 16 year old girls have been round the block more times than the Link bus.

And they know the root.

No Disrespect Dover but where you come from even the livestock's been round the block more than the bus....I didn't know they had buses where you come from...'cept the post bus eh?

**The_Dover** · 9th August 2006, 16:41

Mate, we got two buses a day going to town.

The 8am and the 1pm.

It's only a 5 mile walk to the bus stop too.

**granma2** · 9th August 2006, 20:36

Yep I was about 6yrs old when my Dad let me steer the car up the driveway sitting on his knee. By 10 I was learning to ride his Suzuki 50cc scooter around the house.

I had my first car at 14yrs and could drive the thing anywhere. It was a 1953 Ford Prefect. I was the most popular kid on the block!!!! Yes we also tried to do dumb things in these old bombs, but they were slow and solid. I had my first motorbike at 15yrs, which I bought myself , much to my mothers disgust.:
It is too easy for 15-20 yr olds to buy fast cars these days. They do not have the skills to keep them under control at high speed.
My suggestion is too limit the cc rating that a young or inexperienced person can buy, own or drive. No modification allowed.
We have to ride a bike 250cc or less when we first get a bike licence, so why cant they be restricted too.
Granma.

**scumdog** · 9th August 2006, 20:56

Originally Posted by MikeyG

I think it depends on the licencing system. At the moment you can get you learners at 15 but without doing courses most people only have their full licenses at 18. It would suck to be a learner at 18 b'cos by then you are away from home and don't really have someone to be the licensed driver/supervisor.

If it was like Austria where you just do 40 hours of lessons then get your full then I'd say 18

Never got my licence until I was 18 - and then still had no need for it for a while.

And back then you needed 2/3 of full price for hire-purchase on a car (1/2 on a ute) AND if under 21 you needed parental consent for the hire-purchase

Kinda stopped a lot of guys getting into late model fast cars - and more importantl stopped them getting into hock up to their eye-balls at an early age.

And Dover, do any buses ever get back from town??

:spudwhat:

**chanceyy** · 9th August 2006, 21:01

got my license within a few days of turning 15 .. first car was a humber .. good size solid, not able to do ridiculous speeds..

part of the issue today is young ppl getting licenses, able to drive sardine cans @ extremely high speeds, then we will not go down the road of peer pressure.

In this day & age with faster lighter vechiles being readily available, lifting the age may be a good thing, however I do not believe that it will reduce the accidents as some mature early others don't .. the ones who don't are the ones who speed, crash, die, or cause others to die ...

**chanceyy** · 9th August 2006, 21:03

Originally Posted by scumdog

Never got my licence until I was 18 - and then still had no need for it for a while.

And back then you needed 2/3 of full price for hire-purchase on a car (1/2 on a ute) AND if under 21 you needed parental consent for the hire-purchase

Kinda stopped a lot of guys getting into late model fast cars - and more importantl stopped them getting into hock up to their eye-balls at an early age.

Unless you have parents buying the late model fast cars ... see quite a few of them around !!!! then they modify them even more ...

**oldrider** · 9th August 2006, 21:05

Look here, the kids are smothered with rules now and it doesn't work.

Take away most of the rules and make "them" more responsible for their actions but make the consequences real and mean something when they fuck up!

Get some consistency into the "justice" system, back the cops policing the law and make the ones who break the rules really pay.

Too much pussy footing around with this PC shit.

When I was a kid, you fucked up, Plod kicked your arse and you knew why.

Sometimes he got it wrong but you had so much respect for him that you just shrugged it off as a bad day.

Too many rules to police and not enough cops to police them just breeds contempt for the law and the poor bastards trying to uphold it.

Not even mentioning the pathetic bloody judges and shifty frigging lawyers!!

That reminds me, bloody ZOWIE is STILL here! this country is getting more pathetic every day!

John.