age getting drivers licence

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I can see and understand the obvious danger, but to me the danger is controlable. Whereas in a car, there just seem to be too many variables. I'd probably be too chicken to ride in public streets anyway, but I LOVE riding in the desert.

21

No driver's license. Probably won't get one due to various problems, even though it's one of those things that most of the people I know keep trying to sell me on and eventually hope I'll do. I did take the exam and try my hand at driving. The problem? Way, way, way too much incoming information! There's a light, there's that person next to me, there's that other person in front of me driving like a maniac, there's someone behind me wondering why I'm driving like a grandma, there's signs and there's pedestrians of various levels of intelligence and observational skills, to name just a few things I'd have to keep track of on a regular basis. I can only multitask passably if I have complete control over all or at least most of the stimuli involved. Otherwise it becomes a jumbled mess and I can focus on none of it. Not to mention I'm terrible at directions... I remember the starting point and the ending point, and that's about it. Lastly, and this is particularly bad in Los Angeles and other places of what most would consider "favorable" climates where it's rarely foggy enough for my tastes, I can't see in sunlight. Not even sunglasses help that much, or at least not the useless, half-assed ones that I've had in the past, that don't so much block out the offending light as ever-so-slightly dim it, and not from all sides and angles at that. If I'm driving in the direction of the sun, I can't help but squint or look away. It's just too painful. Obviously, this isn't very safe for me or anyone else on the road. All of this doesn't take into account the practical matter that it's just too damn expensive. At this point, most of the year I'm just struggling to feed myself. Insurance, car payments and gas would be entirely impossible in my current situation.

I hate how there's a stigma about those who don't drive... ESPECIALLY those who use the bus! We're not all perverts and crazy hobos. Most people are just trying to get from one place or another, and for economic, environmental or disability reasons, are unable or unwilling to do so by car. Rising gas prices might well undercut anti-public transportation elitism, thankfully.

mmmh well in there where u live has still way more cheaper gas then we do

21. And it took me six(!) tries to get it. That whole parallel parking thing eluded me. I refused to get it until I moved to a big city. Up til then I'd walked, taken public transport, and begged rides. I still hate driving.

I got my learners permit at 18, I just recently finally received my license last week at 27. It was clear that simple practice wasn't working as when I went for my first road test a few months ago I failed by not knowing what a three point turn was. There were so many terms that I felt I needed to learn through demonstration so I hired a professional instructor for 2 days worth of lessons.

I'll share my experiences now for those inclined to read on. Its long.





It went pretty well as far as learning but I was way out of my comfort zone as I was in a strange car that did not handle the way my car does and with a stranger "all alone" without anyone I know nearby which added to the anxiety even more, so it was very tough. I was taught all the things I needed to know clearly and even got to learn all the exact routes that the testers use. At the end of the second day he had me pull in and said "Lets go get you signed up for that road test". I was not expecting this to happen on that very day so I was a bit ... beside myself. When I was a lesser man (if that is even possible ) I would probably have had an anxiety attack but this time I decided that I was going to pass it and thought to myself over and over "You will focus under intense pressure".

I made it all the way to the last test, the parallel parking test, and I was so nervous that I immediately pulled up a bit too far out and I needed to get into position by pulling up and backing into a better position. I struggled a bit with this and I asked the instructor if I could turn around and get lined up and she said "You cannot turn around but you can pull forward and backup" in a tone I found a bit harsh. I was about to freak out I was thinking in my mind that "I am going to have to give up" because I was anxious. I don't know how long I kept trying to simply get lined up and kept messing it up, it seemed like an eternity. Then it dawned on me that this situation was very funny as all morning long I did parallel parking just perfectly and I must look ridiculous to this woman with me being as old as I am 6'3 200 pounds freaking out over this thing that teenagers can do. So I just stopped for a second, kind of closed my eyes briefly and tilted my head down and rubbed my right hand down my face and thought to myself "Don't @#$% this up", and then I got my car lined up and I whipped my car in there perfectly, pulled back straitened up, pulled forward, came to a complete stop, and followed parking procedures as instructed by the tester.

She told me to pull out and park in the parking space to my left which I did and then she said, "You passed your test"... and a bunch of other stuff that I did not hear because I was waiting for her to finish so I could ask "So I did pass the test"? She answered in the affirmative and handed me a sheet of paper and gave me instructions as to which window to go to inside the building. After that I was informed that I had to pay a fee of 25 dollars which made me pretty nervous because I wasn't sure that I had that much money on me. I had just enough time to start worrying about the possibilities of what might happen if I didn't have the money before I opened my wallet to find 37 dollars in it so I was golden. So I am now a licensed driver for the next 10 years unless I do something to mess it up, that is slightly longer than it took me to get the license...

If I can do this then all of you can do this, because I am pretty inept.

Six more days!

Strange thing. There's still some initial fear before getting in the car, but the more I force myself to drive, the more I'm actually liking it. I drove nearly 300 miles with my dad today just for the experience.

Fortunately Oregon doesn't test you on parallel parking, but I plan to learn it by the end of the summer regardless.

I got my driving permit at 16 years old and my drivers license at 17.

I got my provisional licence at 17, which is normal for the UK at the present time.

I started learning to drive at...23, I think.

Still learning. Theory passed. Almost there. Now aged 26.

Left and right is a major problem...but I have a great instructor

I am 24 and still dont know how to do more than turn on the radio. I know I have to learn but I keep putting it off.

I have many questions to ask about this discussion

1. How come in the UK and Australia you have to display L and P plates, not be allowed to tow a trailer, lowered speed limits and prohibition on highway driving while in the United States new drivers face passenger restrictions but not the ones i just listed.

2. Why does the United States have the youngest driving age in the world (a driver's license can be achieved at 14 and 3 months in South Dakota).

3. I know this is not related but why do us Americans have to wait until we are 21 to even have a sip of alcohol but can drive alone at 16 in most states.

Well back to the topic, i live in Seattle. In Seattle you must be 15 for learner's permit.

Permit is obtained by proving you are enrolled in a drivers ed class.

To get an intermediate license, you must be at least 16, have had permit for 6 months, and 50 hours of practice driving

On an intermediate license you may drive alone but must follow 2 restrictions, which are no passengers under 20 (except for siblings) and no driving between 1 and 5am. After 6 months you may have friends but still must follow the curfew

A full license is given after turning 18 or having intermediate license for one year meaning you must be at least 17 for a full license

Laws vary per state but these are the laws for washington state




I got my permit when i was 15 and 8 months, so i couldnt get my license until i was 16 and 2 months.

I took my drive test as soon as my permit wait was up, but failed it (i dont remember how i failed)

I retook the test 2 weeks later and passed, getting a perfect score except on parallel parking

I am 16 and have had my license for 5 months. 1 more month and i can have friends in my van, 7 more months and i have a full license


I would really appreciate it if you answered my 3 questions at the beginning of this post.

To answer some of your questions Australia has a driving age of 17 or 18 for Ps and this is because it is deemed that younger than that is too young to drive unsupervised (I totally agree). The argument for American states having young driving ages 14-16 (except NJ and NY 17) is that teens need to be able to get to school, work etc and parents dont want to be taxis and there isn't enough transport. IMO they should fix the transport and make it 17 in all states as it saves many lives.

In Australia we have to display L and P plates to show other drivers that we are either learning (L plates) or a new solo driver (P plates) it also allows the police to better enforce the laws which apply differently to L and P platers. It varies from state to state in Aus how long you have to display Ps for and in some state if you are older it is less. In Victoria you have to display Ps regardless of age for three years if over 21 and 4 if under 21.

One reason for the switch to icons instead of words is to reduce production costs. They can use the exact same piece for a part used on a car destined for the US, Mexico, Canada, France, Italy, or anywhere else that is left-hand drive. They only need 1 extra set of parts for the right-hand drive countries, and many parts are common between the two.