Quote from RacerAsh3 :

Great... the government have now introuduced a new 'scheme' to take affect from easter.

You can get your provisional at 17, but you cant take your test until your 18 in the UK.

So its another year ive got to wait now.... do they think about these teenagers who actually want to drive safely... or do they just stereotype us?

That sucks.

Quote from RacerAsh3 :

It was in the paper this morning, the mail i think.

Well, it's certainly not true then

Quote from Lateralus :

<--- Big stuffness --->

Haha, sort of reminds me when we moved to Western Australia, my dad had to take a driving test to legally drive in Australia. It was conducted by the local Police officer (who also run the local bar and shop - I think?) and it only involved him reversing down a narrow alley avoiding bin cans.

You passed meight, crack open a tinny!

OT : Driving age is pretty bloody stupid anyway, I guess its just an easier way to riddle out the idiots and hope that by the time they reach 18 they'll be reasonable and mature enough to handle such a dangerous bit of kit. I'm sure I was responsible enough at age 15 to be able to drive, not so sure about now.
:eclipsee_

I seriously hope this is not true. I have just spent a bucket load of dosh on a car ready for me when i pass my test, and have spent more doing it up (cosmetics). If this does get increased, im seriously gonna be pissed off!

Part of me thinks it isn't true. They can't just put it in to action that quickly car they? For example, when the changed the legal smoking age to 18, they advertised it for months with a set date "On The 31st Of October You Must...etc."

The Daily Mirror saying it will change sometime after Easter makes me think it could be the Press doing what they do best.

Quote from Lateralus :

<---Big stuffness--->

Touche my friend. Just one of the many reasons I hate New Jersey drivers...

@ TGL - I agree. There have been a few rumours in the past saying things like "on xxxx date, the driving age is going to 18..." and yet it never happened. I suspose we will just have to wait and see, but i have my doubts...

Everyone pray with me!

TGL: You wont have to worry, If they do do it, There will be a cut off date and you will deffo be past it.

You're lucky, in Sweden you can't take the test until 18 (and start driving with instructor at 16). The practical test is 45minutes long and includes eco driving.

(And I'm still 25, atleast I'm actively trying to forget how much older than that I am)

not everything you read in the newspapers is true!!!

there is no way the government will do this with election on the horizon, they wont risk alienating(sp) voters.

not saying i know for sure this is false but i think i would know!!!


so you guys can relax!!! for now!

Quote from Raybrig :

not everything you read in the newspapers is true!!!

there is no way the government will do this with election on the horizon, they wont risk alienating(sp) voters.

not saying i know for sure this is false but i think i would know!!!


so you guys can relax!!! for now!

most of the people who would be affected arent old enough to vote

you can vote at 16, i think!!

Quote from RacerAsh3 :

or do they just stereotype us?

No stereotyping... Just looking at what the average 17-old is like, and let's face it, they are far from being responsible beings (not even saying people)...

Quote from Raybrig :

you can vote at 16, i think!!

Its 18. always has been, unfortunately.

They cant just put a bill like this through parliament this quickly, and if its allready been going through, it cant exactly be kept secret. What i reckon the mail is saying is that they are going to start looking into it after easter, not just suddenly decide they fancy doing it and pick a random date.

Quote from Raybrig :

you can vote at 16, i think!!

Nope - 18.

:hide: ooops

still its not happening!!! for now.

I wouldn't be very surprised if the age did change some time in the future, but when it does, we will know at least a year in advance.

would be longer than a year i think.

ps good luck with your test!!

Thanks buddy Appreciate it

How long would we know in advance out of interest, a year was just an intelligent guess.

Quote from scoobyrbac :

hmm..sucks to be you guys...in US we can get our permit at 15 and a half and get our license at 16..but if we wait till we are 18 we dont have to get our permit we can go straight to our license.

Well we can drink when we are 16 (so I can drink now =D), while you have to wait until you are 21.

They are doing it, but not until next year i heard, so ill just scrape my licence hopefully (Nov 13th!)

Plus, in August, I can legally look at porn when in most places in the US, you have to be 21.

Quote from pearcy_2k7 :

They are doing it, but not until next year i heard, so ill just scrape my licence hopefully (Nov 13th!)

The main words there are "I heard"

When I was in school, I was told it was being changed in the next six months...I left school 2 years ago.

I wouldn't believe ANYTHING until you see some sort of government campaign informing you it will be changed, and still then there will be an official deadline that will be in at least years time, as Raybrig said.

I do hope it won't be until next year, I've barely got enough for my driving lessons for a few months, let alone a whole year ... and yes surely they would advertise it first (although the BBC Breakfast seem to go on about young irresponsible drivers alot) like they did with the smoking age upped to 18.

Don't worry, the longer you wait the better chance you have of passing first time. Remember if you get your provisional you can have a years worth of practice before you take your test. I think this is another part of the governments idea to bring everything up to the age of 18. I too my test when I was 21, instead of having an old banger as my first car I am driving a Ford Focus 1.6 ghia, granted the insurance is a bit high but its so much nicer to drive than anything my mates have.

Quote from JO53PHS :

Is the driving age so low in the US because the US is so massive, so you have to drive the length of the UK twice over to get to the supermarket?

Twice over? I have to stop at a motel for the night halfway to the supermarket

The average Walmart is the size of Wales, when I went to America it took me 2 weeks to walk from the Fruit section to the Shotgun section.