Re: driving age
 

lets be honest its not just car tests, bike tests are equally as bad! you learn enough to pass the test, then you actually learn to ride/drive. how you can pass your driving test having never experienced driving on a motorway, then just because you have passed the test be allowed to, is beyond me.

it is all down to individuals attitudes though, when i was 17 i was prob driving about 30k a year between work and my hobby. so i gained a lot of experience driving different roads/conditions etc. but some of my friends still dont give full respect to the roads and conditions round them.

Re: driving age
 

Mainly because you have ten million more cars and lorries to pile up on top of each other if you make a mistake going faster than you would when riding/driving locally.

If I'd have gone on a motorway before I'd have passed my bike test I'd have sh1it me pants. The way I got thrown onto one at the deep end after passing was probably a baptism of fire, but it has made me a very comfortable motorway rider, in fact, I like it there more than on the twisties!

Re: driving age
 

Motorways are far safer than any other road fact.

Re: driving age
 

[QUOTE=malks;2238203]lets be honest its not just car tests, bike tests are equally as bad! you learn enough to pass the test, then you actually learn to ride/drive.

very true, but learners are taught more these days.
When I took my bike test (when God was a boy) You pitched up at the test centre, rode a figre of eight circuit around a few local roads, and if you didn't get pulled for speeding they gave you a full licence

Re: driving age
 

nope.... change what they can drive, its worked on bikes apparently :-)

Re: driving age
 

An age change would not change a damn thing.

Changing what they can drive probably wouldn't either, you can get yourself in to just as much trouble in a 1.1 106 or 206 as you can in daddys' BMW 3 series.

Infact of all the deaths locally here in the last year most have been in small engine cars...

The BIG difference was there was normally multiple death because the young drivers had 4 of their mates in the car and were showing off or being egged on.

The best change they could make would be to the rules like they do in Ireland.

P (r) plater for 1 year, restricted passenger numbers and limited to driving between certain times, like not after 10pm when most young people are messing around in cars and crash.

Re: driving age
 

You'd rather be taxi service? :-P


People, especially young ones, get killed occasionally. Sh*t happens. More personal responsibility, less legislation.

Re: driving age
 

Im only 18 atm , and am currently attempting to learn to drive, ive had 5 lessons, but when i first turned 17 i tried and gave up after 10 lessons cause i was bored (dont really like cars) and i learnt to ride a bike instead. Ive been riding for about 18months, all year round. And now ive come to attempt to drive again, i find meself a mch better, more confident, more careful and considerate driver cause ive been riding bikes in all manner of conditions on all manner of roads. I am not a perfect driver or rider, infact im still pretty rubbish and inexperianced. But my idea is to make people ride a bike, cause it makes you more aware of hazards and road conditons and the such like
oh yeah, changin the age will do sod all, me and me mates are all the same now were 18 as aposed to 17, we havnt changed a bit.

Re: driving age
 

Not if you're on a bike they're not. Yes you are less likely to have a crash on a motorway, but if you do you're far more likely to be killed, usually because you get run over by something else.

Re: driving age
 

Changing the age wont make a difference
Restriction on car engine size may
There should definately be a ban on maotorway driving til you've done extra tuition(maybe this should be for many others toooo!!!!)

My daughter learnt to ride first then drive and she admits it was agood way round as she learnt to respect the roads and treat all on them as idiots. Her driving instructor was more than impressed at her road awareness. She pranked my dcar the first night out - hit a wall reversing that taught her even more about respecting cars.

Its so easy for 17/18 year olds to obtain cars of their own these days they dont respect what happens if it all goes wrong cos they invariably get bailed out by mummy and daddy