New Conservative driving proposals

[Andy]

As some of you who may watch the news know, our poor excuse for a government are proposing this:

when you turn 17 you can only begin to learn to drive and you cannot get a full licence until you're 19 and have completed 100 hours of lessons and have filled a logbook out (this is what pilots do to log their flying hours)

They are also proposing that any newly qualified drivers (didn't say for how long) have a curfew (10PM to 5AM) So that means if you work late you can drive to work but cannot drive home unless someone over the age 30 accompanied you.

So if you're a single parent who's fairly newly qualified then you can't take your kid out. Because you're NOT allowed anyone under the age of 30 in your car!

Disgraceful.

Your thoughts...

[Jake]

Meh I've had my licence nearly 5 years... Makes no difference to me..

Bit of a pain in the ass to others I can understand though.

But in my opinion if they bring it in the need to bring it in for everyone that's starting driving. Not just young drivers Someone that's 30 with no experience is just as dangerous in my opinion.

[Andy]

But you're not 30 right? That means you cannot have anyone under the age of 30 in your car.
I mean how did they even come to the conclusion this was a good idea?

[miles]

As normal they are missing the point, Better instruction and more of it (How some people pass their test is beyond me), BHP limit as with bikes.

[Niall]

I agree with parts of it to be honest!
Quite frankly, the skill level of new drivers in this country is shocking compared to most overs in Europe. We have one of the highest rates of accidents for young drivers and i genuinely think its because people are not shown what can happen when it all goes tits up. How many of you have had a accident or a near miss and its calmed your driving right down?
It will effect a lot of people for the first year (the curfew they are proposing is for 1 year after passing your test) who are genuinely good drivers and work late, visit friends late etc but there is also a substantial number out weighing those sensible ones who think because they have a pink licence and a ripspeed air filter on their saxo (Jamie....), they can drive like they are on the set of fast and furious.

Personally i think the best way to go about it is driving instruction like in Sweden. minimum of 1 years driving learning with learning how to control a car when it all goes wrong and what to do in the event of an accident.

[r3k1355]

Something needs to be done.
I binned two cars shortly after passing my test.

Young people just drive like morons, I should know cos I was one of them.

[Jake]

But you're not 30 right? That means you cannot have anyone under the age of 30 in your car.
I mean how did they even come to the conclusion this was a good idea?

I don't think that's what they mean.

It's that new drivers have to be with someone over 30 between 10 & 6 or whatever.. Until they have 100 hours driving done.

It wouldn't be possible to ban people from taking anyone under 30 in a car.

[Stephen]

Will never happen.
Its similar to Australias method though.
I personally think that the test should be made harder or include more, or young drivers should be made to do IAM or something similar.
The curfew idea is just ridiculous.
The curfews idea would only be in your probationary period which obviously wouldnt apply to anyone whos already passed.
I remember when I was 16 they were on about changing it to 18 but that never happened and i highly doubt this will ever happen either

---

And no its when your 17 you can start learning but you have to spend 12 months and do 100 hours driving and 20 hours driving at night, then when your 18 you get a license but have to drive with P plates and have a probationary period of a year. During this probationary period is when the whole curfew shit would apply. As has already pointed out, how would people get to work etc, its just stupid

[Jenkosowls]

Passed my test 6 years ago no accidents, no points, no fines only pulled once for a check on the van. My instructor was pretty dam good tbh and it's that what's needed. Personally I think catergory license is needed on cars just like bikes but lets face it there is plenty of small 1l cars that people can have 5 people in drive and crash so that doesn't matter in all fairness. anything over 30mph is pretty much going to cause significant damage.

[Piggy]

I agree with it in principle.
The curfue is stupid.
I think driving lessons should start at 16 and have mininum lessons inc skid pans, all weather, motorways etc and take tests at 18.

this is basically what it is in sweden and their 17-25 death/car accident rate is less than a quarter of UK.

ADIs cant force kids to take more lessons despite the need and then most fluke what is an easy test...so I think this would be a good thing.

Its life at the end of the day.

[vlj]

this is basically what it is in sweden and their 17-25 death/car accident rate is less than a quarter of UK.

Bit of an unfair comparison, Sweden has a population of ~10 million, and the UK has 65++ million, of course they'll have less

[Poodle]

Vaughan, go and learn to math.

As ever the proposed plans have been misreported, if you look at the original proposal it's not completely idiotic. The curfew thing is bloody daft though, most of my friends learnt to drive when they did because it afforded them a new level of freedom, banging a curfew on it would take that away, i suspect everyone at that age would end up on scooters/bikes instead. Best way to improve driving standards imo would be to toughen up the regulations on instructors, some of the ones round my way are worse than useless. Last week I watched one lady in a mini direct her pupil the wrong way round a roundabout because traffic was blocking her path...

[vlj]

Never was my strong point / sunday morning CBA / fyc

[Dum-Dum]

I dont agree with the curfew as id be f*cked sometimes with the trains not running after midnight or before 6 (and worse on sundays)

I also don't agree with this minimum hours training. If you want a minimum standard of training then make the test harder. If someone is good enough to meet the standard after 2 hours training then forcing them to pay for another 98 is unfair.

I do think the minimum standard needs to be higher but also the standard of people who have already passed i.e. your average British driver needs to be much higher. A maximum power to weight ratio for drivers in their first 2 years would be great though. Maybe a 80bhp/tonne limit?

[Poodle]

Ah that's no good Chris, no you're accepting there are differences between people, as far as the govt are concerned you're now only one step from starting the extremist arm of the edl.

[Piggy]

the hours things is not just meeting a standard

its experience.

in two hours you cant show someone how to deal with all roads and traffic situations...no matter how able and skilled they are.

with many that gain the needed skills fast, they lack the experience and have the accidents.

[Niall]

the hours things is not just meeting a standard

its experience.

in two hours you cant show someone how to deal with all roads and traffic situations...no matter how able and skilled they are.

with many that gain the needed skills fast, they lack the experience and have the accidents.

this. My old man always said to me when i passed, you might of passed but this is where the learning really begins. At first, i just thought shut it you old lady garden but he was bloody right!

[cpikey316_]

I assume the hours will have to be done with an instructor? I personally found driving at any opportunity helped me pass.

I had a 1996 xrdt and i'd jump at the chance to take my parents anywhere. Perhaps (assuming the parents have a good driving record) the gov could do something about the cost of insurance for 17 y/o's on a provisional. Let them get that experience taking their mum to the shops rather than having to pay a driving instructor.

The curfew is a stupid idea. Go find a program called "Barely legal drivers" if you want an example of why its a bad idea to let new drivers carry passengers. They need to focus, not be distracted.

[darrenjlobb]

I can understand the problem, but IMO the problem is new drivers, not young drivers...the matter of the fact is, when your a new driver you dont have much experience...therefore accidents happen... so by moving the age up, your just moving the problem, I dont see it helping much really...only way to learn is to f*ck up like they say, just hope its not in a bad way...

I know people think young drivers just like morons, alot do, but tbh the same people would drive just the same 2 years later if they had just passed...Its in you or its not....Alot of us probs "drive like morons" but now we are experianced drivers, we know where its safe to do so, and how to control the care safely, just when your a "new" driver you dont, and then its dangerous / accidents happen...

[Poodle]

You can't stop people from making mistakes to learn lessons, that's how you mature - you learn what mistakes are worth making and which aren't. In fact, i'm fairly sure the government's dogged attempts to do just that is what's turning this country into such a stunning example of stupidity, the term nanny-state applies more every year.

Personally I was driving for 18 months before passing my test, had a fantastic instructor who ensured i had experience in ALL conditions, only got one minor on the test (which the tester admitted he'd been harsh with), i had finished education, had a steady job and was well into my 20s (23 iirc). So, based on the reasoning in this latest nonsense, technically i was the government's ideal candidate for passing the test and becoming a safe and competent driver. However, i still wrote off two cars within three months of passing in accidents involving other vehicles... well, technically it was the same car written off twice lol.

Measures such as the curfew will just delay the inevitable, if anything they'll make it worse. Oh i've been driving a year so now i can drive at night by myself, amazing! Except, i have bugger all experience of driving at night, and am now over-confident thanks to a year already spent behind the wheel. Fecking genius.


EDIT: Exactly that, Darren.

[Piggy]

the craziest thing still needs changing in my mind...

that of currently no training on motorways. dumbest idea ever

[Eeyore]

it wont actually happen. iirc they have already said it isnt happening.

[306Puggy]

As some of you who may watch the news know, our poor excuse for a government are proposing this:

when you turn 17 you can only begin to learn to drive and you cannot get a full licence until you're 19 and have completed 100 hours of lessons and have filled a logbook out (this is what pilots do to log their flying hours)

They are also proposing that any newly qualified drivers (didn't say for how long) have a curfew (10PM to 5AM) So that means if you work late you can drive to work but cannot drive home unless someone over the age 30 accompanied you.

So if you're a single parent who's fairly newly qualified then you can't take your kid out. Because you're NOT allowed anyone under the age of 30 in your car!

Disgraceful.

Your thoughts...

Holy crap, they come out with this nonsense every few years, I don't think it will go through because it is a pile of crap anyway.

I agree with parts of it to be honest!
Quite frankly, the skill level of new drivers in this country is shocking compared to most overs in Europe. We have one of the highest rates of accidents for young drivers and i genuinely think its because people are not shown what can happen when it all goes tits up. How many of you have had a accident or a near miss and its calmed your driving right down?
It will effect a lot of people for the first year (the curfew they are proposing is for 1 year after passing your test) who are genuinely good drivers and work late, visit friends late etc but there is also a substantial number out weighing those sensible ones who think because they have a pink licence and a ripspeed air filter on their saxo (Jamie....), they can drive like they are on the set of fast and furious.

Personally i think the best way to go about it is driving instruction like in Sweden. minimum of 1 years driving learning with learning how to control a car when it all goes wrong and what to do in the event of an accident.

Yeah but you are old and boring! Actually, you are 3 years younger than I but with the mentality of a friggin' 60 year old! SMH. If the silly young drivers want to kill themselves then so be it, someone would appreciate having their organs (especially if they were an attractive female), I get tired of seeing "young people" wrapped up in cotton all the time.

Edit: If you think that is the best method of instruction then why not lower the age to 16 so that when they are 17 they already have a year's experience? None of this 19 crap.

Something needs to be done.
I binned two cars shortly after passing my test.

Young people just drive like morons, I should know cos I was one of them.

No, that means you drove like a moron. Don't tar everyone with the same brush. I was and still am a very nervous driver, I took Pass Plus and the IAM test shortly after passing and I am still nervous sometimes. You binned two cars? Who paid for them? Parents? That's why, I had to save up all my birthday money and Christmas money over several years to buy the car that I still have now. And I appreciate it more for it as well.

---

the craziest thing still needs changing in my mind...

that of currently no training on motorways. dumbest idea ever

No difference between a motorway and a dual carriageway and any idiot can drive on a motorway they are the easiest roads to drive on.

[Niall]

I agree with parts of it to be honest!
Quite frankly, the skill level of new drivers in this country is shocking compared to most overs in Europe. We have one of the highest rates of accidents for young drivers and i genuinely think its because people are not shown what can happen when it all goes tits up. How many of you have had a accident or a near miss and its calmed your driving right down?
It will effect a lot of people for the first year (the curfew they are proposing is for 1 year after passing your test) who are genuinely good drivers and work late, visit friends late etc but there is also a substantial number out weighing those sensible ones who think because they have a pink licence and a ripspeed air filter on their saxo (Jamie....), they can drive like they are on the set of fast and furious.

Personally i think the best way to go about it is driving instruction like in Sweden. minimum of 1 years driving learning with learning how to control a car when it all goes wrong and what to do in the event of an accident.

Yeah but you are old and boring! Actually, you are 3 years younger than I but with the mentality of a friggin' 60 year old! SMH. If the silly young drivers want to kill themselves then so be it, someone would appreciate having their organs (especially if they were an attractive female), I get tired of seeing "young people" wrapped up in cotton all the time.

Edit: If you think that is the best method of instruction then why not lower the age to 16 so that when they are 17 they already have a year's experience? None of this 19 crap.

Wow that is possibly the most moronic statement you have ever made. Well done. You better your self every time.

Maybe if you looked past the end of your nose, you would realise that yes most people will agree with you when saying if young idiots want to kill them selves then so be it but what about the other people they harm? What about the old woman they kill when they mount the pavement because they think they can drive fast? What about the guy on his way to work who ends up trapped in his car because some idiotic young driver has smashed him into a tree?
Yes, it probably would be good if some of these young people hurt them selves. Thats called natural selection. Hopefully a process that will find you and people like you soon enough.

Anyway, there is two issues here. First is, people at 17 are not mature enough to take full responsibility of their actions on the road. Thats not something that can be taught. Thats just something that comes with getting older. The second is the level of instruction and testing before you can use the roads. We have one of the easiest driving tests in Europe and yet we also have some of the most congested roads in Europe. IMO, a recipe for disaster which we are heading for. Clearly your not one of these people that can take responsibility for their actions on the road otherwise you wouldn't be scared of the thought of an extended driving test. Its people like you that drive like morons and keep everyones insurance premiums high.
Oh and driving on the motorway might seem easy but clearly its not for the majority. I spend most of my days on motorways and the levels of stupidity from people, old, young and everything in between is quite frankly ridiculous.

Oh and ive told you time and time again, pipe down with this dead bodies shit. Quite frankly your attitude to it all stinks and if you carry on, i will dust off the ban hammer.

[Just Sean]

Havnt read all of the replies. Tlr

But bhp limit/engine size limit is defiantly the way forward.

Kids getting fast cars bought for them by rich mummy and daddies is ridiculous. Parents are committing man slaughter IMO.

[Toms306]

I don't see how a bhp limit helps anything?

The majority of my 'year' from school crashed at least one car, they were all 1.0-1.4 petrol shitters, saxos, fiestas, 106s, 306s, puntos........ Even a 0.8 Matiz lol. BHP limit wouldn't have stopped any of that. I had one of the most powerful cars comparatively at the time lol (1.4 306 ) and didn't crash at all, never even bumped a bollard tbh!

Interestingly, I feel MUCH safer in a 180bhp Golf or 150bhp Vectra than I did in the 59bhp 106 NAD.... Theres so much more to crashes than power and speed.

[Dum-Dum]

in two hours you cant show someone how to deal with all roads and traffic situations...no matter how able and skilled they are.

But I can quite happily counter that argument saying that in 10 years of driving and probably 150,000 miles I haven't encountered every situation and I still learn things when I'm out on the road although yes most of my learning is done.

Passing your test is just a minimum standard to then be able to go out and start the real learning.

[306Puggy]

Wow that is possibly the most moronic statement you have ever made. Well done. You better your self every time.

Maybe if you looked past the end of your nose, you would realise that yes most people will agree with you when saying if young idiots want to kill them selves then so be it but what about the other people they harm? What about the old woman they kill when they mount the pavement because they think they can drive fast? What about the guy on his way to work who ends up trapped in his car because some idiotic young driver has smashed him into a tree?
Yes, it probably would be good if some of these young people hurt them selves. Thats called natural selection. Hopefully a process that will find you and people like you soon enough.

Anyway, there is two issues here. First is, people at 17 are not mature enough to take full responsibility of their actions on the road. Thats not something that can be taught. Thats just something that comes with getting older. The second is the level of instruction and testing before you can use the roads. We have one of the easiest driving tests in Europe and yet we also have some of the most congested roads in Europe. IMO, a recipe for disaster which we are heading for. Clearly your not one of these people that can take responsibility for their actions on the road otherwise you wouldn't be scared of the thought of an extended driving test. Its people like you that drive like morons and keep everyones insurance premiums high.
Oh and driving on the motorway might seem easy but clearly its not for the majority. I spend most of my days on motorways and the levels of stupidity from people, old, young and everything in between is quite frankly ridiculous.

Oh and ive told you time and time again, pipe down with this dead bodies shit. Quite frankly your attitude to it all stinks and if you carry on, i will dust off the ban hammer.

Had a bad day today have we? A row with the missus perhaps? I will address each of your "points" individually, to make your senseless ranting easier for other people to understand.

Maybe if you looked past the end of your nose, you would realise that yes most people will agree with you when saying if young idiots want to kill them selves then so be it but what about the other people they harm? What about the old woman they kill when they mount the pavement because they think they can drive fast? What about the guy on his way to work who ends up trapped in his car because some idiotic young driver has smashed him into a tree?
Yes, it probably would be good if some of these young people hurt them selves. Thats called natural selection. Hopefully a process that will find you and people like you soon enough.

Why would natural selection "find me"? I am the opposite of said young drivers I know you don't like me (don't worry it's mutual) but that's somewhat harsh But yeah I was referring to the "yoofs" who crash into inanimate objects, not who run people over and generally maim.

Anyway, there are two issues here. First is, people at 17 are not mature enough to take full responsibility of their actions on the road. Thats not something that can be taught. Thats just something that comes with getting older. The second is the level of instruction and testing before you can use the roads. We have one of the easiest driving tests in Europe and yet we also have some of the most congested roads in Europe. IMO, a recipe for disaster which we are heading for. Clearly your not one of these people that can take responsibility for their actions on the road otherwise you wouldn't be scared of the thought of an extended driving test. Its people like you that drive like morons and keep everyones insurance premiums high.
Oh and driving on the motorway might seem easy but clearly its not for the majority. I spend most of my days on motorways and the levels of stupidity from people, old, young and everything in between is quite frankly ridiculous.

You are making a blanket statement about maturity at 17, you don't have any real evidence apart from anecdotal evidence from your experiences and others' experiences. Which is your own fault if you drove like an idiot when you were 17 or 18.

Secondly, I think the driving test is hard for the wrong reasons. For instance, why do you fail if you touch the kerb on reversing round the corner? How stupid is that?

And secondly, why would I be afraid of an extended driving test? I passed my driving test years ago, these new rules wouldn't even effect me, I am condemning these rules purely because they are stupid, not for selfish reasons, I'm not short sighted.

Thirdly, please explain how I keep people's insurance premiums high. I am an Advanced driver and practise safe advanced techniques on the road when I drive. So are you saying that advanced driving techniques are "moronic"? If not then please explain how this makes premiums high

Perhaps if you wait until your mouth has stopped frothing before you make a post next time your argument would not be deconstructed with such ease

Oh, I will ignore your quite frankly unprofessional ban hammer threat by the way (because you are losing the argument), I've given you quite enough to deal with as it is!

[kentiiboii]

8/10 a new driver is going to crash there car with in a year. No matter how far there car is.

I personally think every new driver should have the insurance Black Box whee it track there driving, that way can split good and bad drivers. Gives everyone a fair chance. They can check there driving online and improve there selfs.

[Piggy]

puggy stop wasting thread space. its boring and takes ages to scroll past.

the issue is young kids shouldnt need to die and when they have accidents they end up killing their mates and innocent victims in the process.

---

Better training.
Better tests.
Better common sense applied.

/thread