Driving and Cars

i passed me drivin test on july 25th at 2:10pm, i only made 1 minor mistake and since then ive not had a single near miss or accident so i think im a pretty good driver.

i do like cars but not as much as some ppl, i could build the engine if u supply the parts but thts cus me grandad buys old cars, repairs em and then sells em on and ive helped him since i was little but i dont devote my life 2 cars just the odd weekend here and there.

i have a white ford fiesta flight 1.2 litre engine btw, but i brought it off a boy racer so it has alloys and the loudest exhaust legal which im saving 2 replace cus it annoys me as it doesn't fit the car right and rattles!

and you cant learn 2 drive in uk till ur 17, tht i think may be going up to 18 and a minimum of 100 lessons, i know the theory test has just got harder. the government wants 2 get younger drivers off the road

 

i got my permit last summer when i was just turned 16 but i havent gotten my liscense yet... the biggest reason is because my parents wont buy me a car... i thought i might get one for my 17th birthday this summer but i woke up and no car in the driveway :dry:

i'll probably get it soon though the test is supposed to be really easy unless you really cant drive and im pretty good i just need to work on the parallel park but im planning on getting it soon probably in the next month or two

time to ask for that car again? lol

 

I passed my road test in November 2001. I failed my driving school (Young Drivers) road test once, because I was paying too much attention to the rearview and the examiner had to hit his brake. The retest for that and the government road test went well, only a couple minor deductions.

As far as being a good driver... I'd like to think I'm a good driver. I haven't been in any collisions, haven't gotten any tickets, and have had very few near misses. I try to be aware of what's around me, signal, follow the rules of the road, etc. A year ago I had to do a "driver evaluation" before I would be allowed to drive company vehicles and I scored quite well. I try to not be cocky, because no one's perfect, and most people think they're a better driver than they actually are, so any time I make an error while driving, I try to think of how I can prevent it in the future. I also try to be aware that others might make stupid mistakes.

Don't worry if you think you're a bad driver. Just try to get practice and work your way up (easy roads before hard roads, day driving before night or rain / snow driving).

I like cars, but I don't do a bunch of stupid after-market mods or anything. I just like knowing what's on the market, and I enjoy doing a lot of basic maintenance myself so I can cut costs.

Having a driver's license is a good life skill, because sometimes to take certain jobs you need either a car to get to work, or be able to drive for the job. I know the past two workterms I did for school required me to have a car to get to work (I'd be just as happy to walk, carpool, or take public transit). I know some people that don't get their license till later on and it can end up being a big inconvenience for them.

 

Well personally I do drive. As was said above you need to be 17 to drive in the UK and unlike some countries when you have your provisional licence and L plates you have to have another qualified adult in the car with you. (For driving that's someone who has held their licence for more than 3 years continuously and is over 21 years of age). So no sole driving until you pass your test.

Driving in the UK consists of two phases. The theory test... loads and loads and now even more questions on safety, the highway code, etc and also a hazard perception element (where you have to click when you would either change speed or direction in response to a hazard) - you're watching around 10 videos of driving footage for this. Too cautious and you'll fail or not cautious enough and again you'll fail.

Then once you have passed your theory test you can apply to sit your test (costs around £50 a time and the average person passed on attempt number 2or3). It in reality can be hard, dependant on who your assessor is. It has a show me, tell me section where you get grilled on how to check the oil level, engine coolant, tire tread depth. You then drive for a bit, doing two reversal manoeuvres (e.g. left reverse, parallel park, turn in the road) an emergency stop, etc.

So long gone are the days when the test was just drive from A to B and if you get there in once piece then you've passed. It just seems very unfair on people doing their tests now though, that they're getting so much stricter.


Sorry... went off topic there for a bit. As for cars, well I have my cars (one personal and one company car). As for the one I bought, I got it not because of the spec, but because in all veiness it was a car I liked the look of. It was practical and I still enjoy driving it now. I do have mates who talk about all the stats when any mention comes to cars, but simply it just goes over my head. Tell me what the engine size is, what it looks like and whether it's a petrol or diesel (I prefer turbo-diesels) and i'll make up my mind whether I like it or not.

I suppose it's like anything though, some people will get their jollies off over cars, whereas you might find computers, sports, etc your favourite. But what I can't understand are those who use their cars as penis extensions, drilling their exhausts to make them louder, etc. At the end of the day those people are likely those who abuse the laws of the roads when it's not safe to, they are the ones most likely to have passed on luck and the ones who end up driving insurance prices up and making the government crack down on testing. A car is a very powerful weapon if not used properly.

 

I think when I learn to drive I'll be a danger to the road... :icon_redf well, probably once I actually learn I won't be, but I'm really scared to drive since... well, it can kill me

But I'll probably learn to drive soon since its hard for my parents to pick me up from school, and if I can drive I won't need to worry about that, but I'll just have to worry about finding my car... :lol:

 

I actually have had my learner's license a bazillion times but I never got enough practice in to feel comfortable/competent taking the test. So yeah, I'm 33 and don't have a license (you can get one at 16 here). That may sound weird to those of you from smaller, more spread-out places but really in my life the only times I have need of a car is when I need to cart around big/a lot of stuff--other than that our transit system here is great so I do that and a lot of walking.

Many people here do find it weird that I don't drive because it's one of the few "coming of age"-type rituals we have in modern society (getting your driver's license). Well, I just got so sick of everyone being so lemming-like in getting their licenses plus my dad raced vintage cars and was super-into the whole car and driving thing and yes, I have/had some issues with him, so I wasn't bound, bent, and determined to get it and eventually NOT getting it became more attractive.

These days of course I can lord it over lots of people because environmentally it's so much better that it's not even funny.

However, I do wish I just had my license even if I didn't own a car, just in case of emergency and stuff like that. Also there's a car co-op here where you can borrow a car for a really low rate for short trip like, say, shopping trips (see above for the only times I need the use of a car) which I would totally join if I could.

And that's me and driving...

 

I am 16 and have had my license since May. I live in a very suburban city, so to get anywhere, you really need a car. I love the fact that I can drive, and the freedom that comes with it, but sharing a car with my dad can be tough.

 

I'm sixteen and have my license. I have a 2004 black Honda Civic, it's the shit.

 

im 16 and i just got my permit last month. kinda scary knowing i can now run over stupid pedestrians who enjoy j-walking.

 

im 17 beeen driving for a year im rather good unless i got my music going.

 

I get my license in 3 weeks and am a pretty competent driver except I have a bit of road rage. I just use my mom's car I have no need to have my own until next year really

 

I actually have been driving since I was 12... One of my uncles is only four years older than I am, and when he got his license at age 16, he let me drive all the time, usually because he had been drinking and he figured it was better to let the unlicensed driver drive. My parents gave me a car at age 15, which I put probably 2,000 miles on before I was legally eligible to have a drivers' license (which was age 16 at the time).

Now, I have managed to cut my annual mileage from 31,000 miles per year down to 17,000 by riding my bike to work during the summer and just flat-out driving less. I am fascinated by cars and can chat it up with some of the best of the car guys. But honestly, I am more fascinated by watching the auto industry from an analyst's view, rather than a "car guy" view. I enjoy cars, but I'm not one to sit and wrench on my car every weekend or wash it for fun (like my roommate does).

Oh, and for the record, NO ONE is a good driver when they first get their license. There are simply bad and less bad new drivers. I know this from experience, and I know I was a horrible driver when I got my license... But, I have some damn good stories!!!

 

I'm 18 and I've had my license for about almost 2 years. I drive a red '97 Toyota Camry.

I've had some really unlucky things happen to me on the road. For example, last year, I was driving my old car, a Saab, and I got rear-ended by a kid that goes to my school. I was stopped at a traffic light - he was probably high or something. Anyway, it wasn't that substantial or anything, it was just scary. Then, about two weeks later, I was on my way to a piano lesson, and I got rear-ended really hard -- so hard that I had to get a new car, my Camry. My neck was hurting for about a week.

Then, a couple months after I got the Camry, I was on my way home from my friend's house, and it had been showing for about 15 minutes, and I stepped on the breaks at a stoplight and I just didn't stop. The one fucking spot on the road where it was icy. Anyway, I ended up sliding into the guy in front of me, fairly slowly. My car had very minimum damage to the hood, and his had no damage.

Then, not even two weeks after that, I was on my way to my friend's house, who lives sort of in the middle of nowhere (you have to understand that even 5 minutes outside of the city of Portland is sort of in the middle of nowhere). Anyway, it was night time, and I had just turned around a corner, when I hit a deer. I wasn't going very fast, since I hadn't accelerated much before the deer ran into the middle of the road. It got knocked down, but got back up. I didn't stop to check if it was ok, because I was in a complete state of shock. It was the single scariest moment of my entire life. I just hit a fucking deer. I started to hyperventilate and got pretty dizzy. I remember I was listening to Elliott Smith, the song "I'd Better Be Quiet Now," and decided to sing along to calm myself down. I was pretty close to my friend's house, and I managed to get there ok.


But yeah, now that I've alamred you, happy driving!

 

I've had my license for a little over a year now. I remember when I first got it, I was so scared of going on the freeway. I wouldn't go on unless my mom or someone else with a license was with me, but now I can't stay off the freeway. I like knowing that, if I wanted to, I could go anywhere I want.

 

Well Davo-man, that fact that you acknowledge that you are not a good driver, actually makes you a better driver than quite a few folk out there!

I've my licence for some 20 odds years, and it's taken a long time to become a half way decent driver. You just get better gradually and as long as you don't expect to be Lewis Hamilton the day after you take your test, you'll be surprised how easy it is.

As for being into cars, I'm more into motor sport than cars, and my real passion is rallying but preferably the club level stuff that everyone can do rather than those with stupid amounts of money.

Having said that, I've not had much chance to play at motor sport these last couple of years and although I miss it, I'm not sure that I'd be that bothered about starting again.

My other passion is motor bikes but again, the roads over here are so busy now I'm not sure I'd be that bothered about riding a bike at the moment.

I'm sure you will a great driver- just keep on paying attention to what's happening and the rest will all slot into place.

 

im 15 and i havnt gotten my L's yet, but i can drive, but im probably hopeless.

And im not into cars, but its just like people are into computers or science or w/e.

You can trick out a computer, so you can trick out a car. tehe, i hope that was good street slang

 

I LOVE driving!!! It's something I'm very passionate about, even though I'm not into cars.

Driving really relaxes me & puts me in a good mood. If I'm annoyed at something, or feeling bored, I can hop in my car and go for a random drive. If petrol prices weren't so high at the moment, & if I could have a guarantee my car wouldn't break down, I'd drive everywhere!

My dad let me practice driving in his car when I was 14 (in isolated side-streets outside of Canberra). I got my P's towards the end of yr 12 & bought a 1990 Nissan Pulsar GL. It's basically a Lego block on wheels, but very reliable because a little old lady owned it. She'd only done 72,000 km's when I bought it from her. I still have the same car, but want to upgrade sometime soon.

I've had one small accident when I first got my car & accidently drove into my friends car. I gave him a few hundred $$ but he didn't even end up getting it repaired. I've also had 2 parking fines which were my own fault for parking over the time limit .:eusa_doh:

As for being freaked out on the road, it's only natural when you're first learning to drive. I used to panic about hitting parked cars on the side of the road, & some other drivers are very impatient when you are learning. But don't even think about them, because everyone has been in the same position before.

Good luck & I hope you enjoy it!! (!)

 

i think you have to be 16years 9months here to start to drive??? im only 1 month away from it but mum and dad wont let me becuase i wouldnt be able to pass the test . i think the tests now here for driving are very hard

 

I got my license last year and had zero mistakes,I'm not into cars like some.Although I should learn more cause I've treated my car very badly.