Driving

[Tokarov]

So I'm up in arms with my parents...

I'm 16. I should be driving already, guess who hasn't gotten behind the wheel of a car once? *raises hand*

I'm anxious to learn. I'm tired of saying "pick me up at so-so time at so-so place" or my parents saying "GET OUT TO THE PARKING LOT WHEN IM THERE"

>.>

Most of my friends are well on their way to getting their permit/getting their license. I'm already a junior, and If it were up to my parents, It would be the last day of senior year when I'm at the parking lot waiting for mom to get out of work. It's not that they don't WANT me to drive...it's just that, well as they said "when I'm not tired, later when I get around to it" I told them that I AM paying for it, and I AM working for it, all i need, is a damn CREDIT CARD. I would do the classes online so it's easier. They act like I'm asking them to do everything for me.

When did you all learn to drive? Any ways to get through to them? I've tried everything, they just don't listen to me. :confused:

[something witty]

its all good. I didn't get my permit till 15 1/2 which doesn't seem long but all my friends got them the day they turned 15. I failed 4 times lol. But I only failed ONCE when i got the real license lol

[cm25]

I got my permit about 14 and 9 months and ima hopefully get my license at 16. Just tell em like hey u can't keep me from driving forever and if they don't let ya just start the classes urself.

[Hydrogen]

Well... I don't recommend this... BUT

My dad when I was little would let me drive his car around parking lots, etc... But when he died (I was 9), I never got behind the wheel again. I still went and got my permit.. which here required no driving test.

Later that day.. My sudo dad picked me up to take me to a braves game in Atlanta... we stopped at the Georgia welcome center to use the bathroom, and when I came back out he handed me the keys to his truck and said "Don't wreck, I want to make it to the game" ...

That was one of the scariest times in my life, but I learned quickly.

Does your school have a drivers ed? do you have a friend over 21 who could take you to get your permit?

[Tokarov]

Well... I don't recommend this... BUT

My dad when I was little would let me drive his car around parking lots, etc... But when he died (I was 9), I never got behind the wheel again. I still went and got my permit.. which here required no driving test.

Later that day.. My sudo dad picked me up to take me to a braves game in Atlanta... we stopped at the Georgia welcome center to use the bathroom, and when I came back out he handed me the keys to his truck and said "Don't wreck, I want to make it to the game" ...

That was one of the scariest times in my life, but I learned quickly.

Does your school have a drivers ed? do you have a friend over 21 who could take you to get your permit?

No my school doesn't. My sister does work at the DMV, but still, can't start the online course unless I use my dad's credit card (my mom is maxed out) And I'm paying for it too, whatever it costs, I'm giving my dad. :confused:

[Muzzy]

I'm getting my license this November
...stupid Blagojevich tripled the time we have to hold our permits for... :dry:
(so we have to have our permits for 9 months now before getting our licenses)

[Lexington]

If you have the cash, can you pay at the DMV with that? Or with a money order?

Lex

[Joey]

I didn't get my learners until a month or two after my 17th birthday. I was sitting in the parking lot of my highschool on my last day of senior year waiting for my mom to pick me up!
I didn't end up getting my license until I was a freshman in college (some kids get that as a junior in highschool)

[beyondken]

To look at things from a different perspective, where I live you can't get a learner's permit to drive (under supervision from a fully licensed driver) until you're 16, and a probationary licence (able to drive on your own) until you're 18.

On top of that, we now have all sorts of restrictions like:

- minimum period of holding a learner's permit before going for the licence test; a test that since July this year has been twice as long as it used to be (and I've heard the failure rate's become something shocking because it's more rigorous than before too)

- a two-stage probationary system lasting four years (I've seen maybe ONE stage-one plate on the road since this overhaul, compared to MANY stage-twos (all existing probationary licences got promoted to stage-two automatically on the change-over date this year))

- a terribly :***:ed-up computerised "hazard perception test" which must be passed within a certain period before taking the on-road test (my driving instructor says it clearly wasn't made by somebody who knows about real-life driving, and while I'm a good driver and very experienced with computers, I only JUST managed to pass)

- a requirement that 120 hours on-road as a learner's permit-holder (including at least 10 at night) must be fully logged and signed by yourself and all supervising drivers. Complete with a stat. dec. to confirm that the log is 100% true.

- a very very very booked out testing system. whereby I had to book my tests many months in advance. and with driving tests now being twice as long, about half as many people can be booked in for the one day. oh and testers are retiring. so make that even less. that's a looooooooong waiting list. (Not so bad at all testing centres, but it's still a quite the problem.)


A lot of these precautionary measures are dropped when the wannabe-driver concerned is in their mid-20s or over. So young'uns here are the ones who really have it tough when it comes to driving. Meanwhile our inefficient public transport system is groaning under an immense load of passengers. So it's not all roses for young people like you over here, regardless of how supportive or not parents are.


Now me personally? I drove a car (auto) in a paddock once when I was 10. Didn't get my learner's permit until I was 16 and a half. Didn't get to drive for a few months more. Didn't drive more than about an hour all up (half in a parking lot) on my Ls until I was 17. Didn't get to drive a manual for a good long while. Went for my hazard perception computerised lottery at 17 and 11 months. Went for my actual driving test (in a manual) shortly after my 18th birthday. Thankfully passed.

Dude, I feel sorry for you. But I feel sorry for a lot of other people in situations where the numbers really are stacked up far more against them. That being every single person in my State wanting to drive who was born after July 1990.

Finally, and not meaning to be preachy, but damn it's important: Please please once you start driving, get as much supervised practice in as you can before you fly solo. I imagine you'll feel incredible pressure (whether from peers or yourself) to drive around on your own as soon as possible. Driving alone is an amazing thing, but being an experience, capable, safe driver is so so so so so so so so so much more important and will make your odds for being able to drive for many more years (ie not seriously injured or dead through road accident) ever so much higher.

[davo-man]

I only got my Ls last year when I was 17...Now I'm 18, about to turn 19 and still haven't got my Ps

I feel bad still asking for rides from people, but I usually catch the bus anyway, and plus I'm sh*t scared of driving. No particular reason, I'm just not a very good driver and I'm scared of hitting ppl/things. Anyway, point is, although getting your license is wicked awesome (as my friends have told me), you can survive without it. Sorry, I can't give any other advice

[Hydrogen]

No my school doesn't. My sister does work at the DMV, but still, can't start the online course unless I use my dad's credit card (my mom is maxed out) And I'm paying for it too, whatever it costs, I'm giving my dad. :confused:

... How old is your sister? Could she take you to a parking lot or track to drive a little? Could she go with you to get your permit? If yes, save your money and just get her to help you.

There is only so much you can learn without truly driving.. no book, or simulated lesson is going to help. I would get my permit, and then start gradual, and slowly progress.

If you, or anyone else for that matter, have any driving related questions feel free to ask. (Like, what is the best way to ...)

[Myzou]

I had my form to get my permit, I just never turned it into the DMV <_< So now if I want one, I gotta do it all over again XD

I'm 19, and never been behind the wheel of a car (other than stopping the one I was in from rolling downhill when I was little -.-), so don't feel too bad =P

[Quitex]

Oh, well I will be 18 in around 6 months, and I haven't touched the wheel ever, and I think my dad will only allow me to get near the car until I turn 21 or he dies. Whatever comes first.

[SqueakyBubbles9]

So I'm up in arms with my parents...

I'm 16. I should be driving already, guess who hasn't gotten behind the wheel of a car once? *raises hand*

I'm anxious to learn. I'm tired of saying "pick me up at so-so time at so-so place" or my parents saying "GET OUT TO THE PARKING LOT WHEN IM THERE"

>.>

Most of my friends are well on their way to getting their permit/getting their license. I'm already a junior, and If it were up to my parents, It would be the last day of senior year when I'm at the parking lot waiting for mom to get out of work. It's not that they don't WANT me to drive...it's just that, well as they said "when I'm not tired, later when I get around to it" I told them that I AM paying for it, and I AM working for it, all i need, is a damn CREDIT CARD. I would do the classes online so it's easier. They act like I'm asking them to do everything for me.

When did you all learn to drive? Any ways to get through to them? I've tried everything, they just don't listen to me. :confused:


The same thing happened to me! It was SO frustrating!!! It took me like 2 years to learn b.c my parents weren't very enthusiastic about it. I eventually got it last May (at 18!)

but of course, a lot of bitch fights had happened then =P

[mediumdietcoke]

I am 16, a freshman in college, and haven't driven at all.
(I mean, there was that one time when I drove 100 feet down our street, but that doesn't count.)

So, yeah. Don't feel too bad.

[myra]

Don't feel bad. I didn't get my permit till I was 16 and I've had to renue it once already. And now I'm 18 and still don't have my licence and I'm heading to college in a week. Mostly I don't have it cuz i can't afford it. Though I did waste all that money on drivers ed.

[cm25]

I have an idea!!! I feel rily proud of it. Lmao go to walmart and buy a prepaid visa and you can use them on the Internet. Haha that's sad that I get exited just for that lmao.and sorry to hear bout ur dad hydrogen : (