I was taught how to drive by my father, a marine who still does government work. It was intense, but it was to ensure that I was ready to drive when I got my license. When I turned sixteen, I had already logged over 300 hours of driving in all types of weather, in all types of road conditions and road types. He would even take me out to the backroads and then put me into spins and make me correct the vehicle and keep driving the same direction I had been traveling (he did this a lot). Was I ready to drive? Heck yes, but only because of the preparation that I had been through.
Poll: In the States you can have a drivers license at 16. That is much too young.
- Thread starter Jacco
- Start date
I was driving a 15-ton, standard transmission, grain truck when I was 16.
I did not start driving at 16, I was driving at age 14. The only reason we waited that long was because we did not live on the farm but in town and my fathers farming operation was beginning too wind down as he was getting ready too retire in a few years.
I did not start driving at 16, I was driving at age 14. The only reason we waited that long was because we did not live on the farm but in town and my fathers farming operation was beginning too wind down as he was getting ready too retire in a few years.
I'm not too bothered about driving at all, I live in quite a small town and I can walk anywhere in the town within 30-40 minutes so it's not like I really need one. However it would still be nice to have one just for getting to work since I work early and I'm usually up at 5am. If I had a car to get to work I'd be able to get a little more sleepDaveman said:
Being sixteen doesn't make you any more or any less of a responsible person. That's solely upon an individual basis. You have to keep in mind that there are also limitations and curfew laws depending on which state or city we're speaking of.
There's very little difference between the ages sixteen through eighteen. That age group tends to be the same mentally. It isn't until about the age of twenty one or so, that people start forming a sense of responsibility.
There's very little difference between the ages sixteen through eighteen. That age group tends to be the same mentally. It isn't until about the age of twenty one or so, that people start forming a sense of responsibility.
In Canada, you get your "L" at 16 (you can only have Family (as many as can legally be in your car) or 1 passenger and an adult above the age of 25 with their license for at least 5 years,) at 17 you can get your "N" which means 1 passenger or unlimited family, but with no adult needed, after 2 years with your "N" you can get your full license. If the age is raised as it may be soon to 2 years with the "L" (That's silly) people in Highschool won't be able to drive to college (or have their parents in their car ALL the time), so, no. In Canada the system is fine as it is (Alberta you can your "L" at 14, so 16 is FINE).
Captcha: Good Riddance (Is it meaning parents sending their kids to college?)
Captcha: Good Riddance (Is it meaning parents sending their kids to college?)
In most of the 'States it IS impossible to live a normal life without a car. it's a big country and stuff's just too far apart. Even if you live in a major city, the public transit probably sucks.The Random One said:
Also, cars have plenty of restrictions.
I live in the states and it's a give and take. In terms of gender I won't take a side, being a male myself I have more complaints towards female drivers, but when I was young and in HS, I surveyed my senior class for a sociology project due to my bias of women being worse drivers. Found that the males and females of my class were equally as bad. Nonetheless, I will fill this with personal stories.Jacco said:
First off, where do you think the kids learn to drive? Parents. My mom used to ***** at me (in sign language) while driving a manual and possibly eating, with the added stress of driving somewhere late. Horrified from such an experience I refused to ever drive like that, most kids just copy that behavior. I'll admit I drove a little reckless when I was 16. Got my permit right at 15, didn't drive once until 16 and passed my drivers test the first time (barely because I didn't look obvious enough at a green intersection) and got a hand-me-down of a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am GT meaning it was a V6. Mainly sped, but I was within my lane and wasn't a nuisance. On the other hand I've seen women drive WHILE CHANGING CLOTHES being all over the place. I've seen far too much of the applying makeup or texting/calling while driving.
It's not that we're not ready, I was the first to get a license and I've been an efficient driver since and I'm able to confidently say I've driven for almost 6 years without any major accidents or fines. The simple mistakes have been made, learning me a lesson but not half as bad as stuff I've seen. Girl in my class got a brand new car when she got her license, totaled it within a week. Another girl was bragging about how she passed the test, and when she was describing how she hit a cone (which is an instant fail) i know she passed because she had a nice rack. The double standard for "beautiful people" has always existed but not enough people suffer consequence that alter their behavior in a positive manner. Therefore, we're all idiots.
I drove fine, my friends drove fine, my parents drove fine, and my grandparents learned to drive STICK SHIFT TRUCKS when they were TWELVE. So no, it is not too early. Anyone who's a bad driver at 16 would be a bad driver at 21 if they had to wait til then.
OK, I'm extremely biased here, being a 17-year old who's gonna go on a highway after posting this, but in my experience much of the awkwardness of new drivers is inherent in beginning to drive, and fixing that is done through experience. My other teenage friends seem to be (largely) decent drivers who I generally trust (though to placate RAK, I'm talking by civilian standards, of course we'd have no idea what to do in a race).
Not that we haven't done stupid things on the road, mind (dog knows I've flatly disregarded things when alone at night, not to mention the occasional parking lot goof), and I know this is all anecdotal, I just wouldn't flat-out ban teens from driving (again, I'm highly biased here).
If you want to crack-down on texting-while-driving, on the other hand, I'm perfectly fine with that.
Not that we haven't done stupid things on the road, mind (dog knows I've flatly disregarded things when alone at night, not to mention the occasional parking lot goof), and I know this is all anecdotal, I just wouldn't flat-out ban teens from driving (again, I'm highly biased here).
If you want to crack-down on texting-while-driving, on the other hand, I'm perfectly fine with that.
Dags90 said:
This and This.Lilani said:
I can guarantee you OP, that there are tons of stupid, irresponsible drivers who are well over 16. I got my license at around 17 but drove just fine, so did a lot of people I knew at that age. I'm sure that girl in your situation will be doing things that are equally stupid when she gets older. Raising the driving age wouldn't really do anything for people who are simply idiots.
I'm an American, 19, still don't drive. I feel I'm not ready for the responsibility of it, and I'm too much of a space cadet.
I agree though that 16 is too young. Where I live in the U.S., it was legal only a few years ago to get your license at 14-and-a-half. I hate being in a car with other teenagers, I feel safer on a broken roller-coaster. Not all are bad, but the vast majority are.
I think the most dangerous habit is when people screw around on their iPod or whatever, trying to find a song. Drives me (no pun intended) insane when people do this, and I offer to find the song for them and they're like "Oh no I got it." The f**k you do. The only thing you're gonna get is a trip to the ER.
I agree though that 16 is too young. Where I live in the U.S., it was legal only a few years ago to get your license at 14-and-a-half. I hate being in a car with other teenagers, I feel safer on a broken roller-coaster. Not all are bad, but the vast majority are.
I think the most dangerous habit is when people screw around on their iPod or whatever, trying to find a song. Drives me (no pun intended) insane when people do this, and I offer to find the song for them and they're like "Oh no I got it." The f**k you do. The only thing you're gonna get is a trip to the ER.
Stupid isn't a condition that disappears when you hit a certain age, stupid is a personality trait that stays with a person forever. Age is not a factor on whether or not the person is an idiot. Lots of people over the age of 21 do stupid things and get people killed as well. You're just being discriminatory because of one idiot. Maturity is not defined by a number and birthdays don't have magic decision improving powers.
I'm 16 years old, the same age that I can hold a job at in the USA, i need a car to get to work and I'm a pretty decent driver already. Anyone hold it against me?