Car for 16 year olds. Good thing or not?

[grumpyoldgit]

Just read about this in one of our local free papers and wondered if it seems like a good or bad idea on UK roads, but as I don't know any of the legislation or restrictions relating to their use I can't decide. I can see points for and against, what are your thoughts?

 

[artyman]

At 95mpg it may suffice for a commute if your are in town where 30mph is max anyway.

 

[brucemillar]

"limited to a speed of just UNDER 30mph" First HGV that come up behind it will stack it.

That aside. It seems that highest mortality rate is amongst "young" drivers with speed and lack of experience seen as a major contributor. I can see that this may help out on the speed issue(s) but in doing so it may simply lead to others crashing into it.

For me it would be a bad idea. I would rather that we had kids taught to drive properly and gain real experience before being allowed out on their own.

In some communities now you have communal driving licenses being issued (fraudulently) so no need to even bother with lessons or a test.

 

[johnfromstaffs]

It used to be possible to drive a Reliant and similar vehicles (Bond Minicar, Frisky, Vernon, AC Petite, Nobel, Powerdrive) on a motor bike licence at 16 IIRC. Don't see this as being much different, and it is certainly safer for the driver than a moped or scooter.

 

[Carrsey]

It used to be possible to drive a Reliant and similar vehicles (Bond Minicar, Frisky, Vernon, AC Petite, Nobel, Powerdrive) on a motor bike licence at 16 IIRC. Don't see this as being much different, and it is certainly safer for the driver than a moped or scooter.

Not sure on all the above cars but yes certainly the Reliant could be driven on a bike licence, however it had to be a full bike licence so not at 16..

 

[mika]

i dont see it as an insurance cost reduction but in fact an additional year of insurance
and we know who will be paying for that

 

[mercgames]

I feel the yoof of today have a raw deal regarding personal transport. It makes life so much easier job wise and social wise, unfortunately for powers to be have both priced and legistated against them.

 

[Carrsey]

i dont see it as an insurance cost reduction but in fact an additional year of insurance
and we know who will be paying for that

On top of the 10.5k to buy the motor..

 

[b1g1an]

If a sixteen year old receives Disability Living Allowance they can drive a real car quite legally.

 

[Carrsey]

If a sixteen year old receives Disability Living Allowance they can drive a real car quite legally.

Never heard that one, i assume they still have to pass the driving test first..

 

[b1g1an]

...yep and they get their driving lessons paid for too.

 

[johnfromstaffs]

Not sure on all the above cars but yes certainly the Reliant could be driven on a bike licence, however it had to be a full bike licence so not at 16..

Back then, you could pass your test in a week or two and be on the road, 16 for a bike licence, 17 for a car. I can't remember when the bike cubic capacity restriction came in, but one of my mates ran a 750cc Royal Enfield, on L-plates, quite legal at the time because it had a chair fitted. I was away from home which caused delays but had a full car licence well before my 18th birthday. I had a total of five driving lessons, including the double for my test, taken in Dad's Standard Vanguard, and with a stand-in instructor because another one of my mates was using the one-car driving school's Cortina Mk 1 for his test.

 

[b1g1an]

It used to be possible to drive a Reliant and similar vehicles (Bond Minicar, Frisky, Vernon, AC Petite, Nobel, Powerdrive) on a motor bike licence at 16 IIRC. Don't see this as being much different, and it is certainly safer for the driver than a moped or scooter.

You're quite right, this isn't anything new at all and Aixams have been available over here for years along with other quadricycle, it's just a bit of self promotion by a dealer.

They're quite popular in France from what I gather and hence why a French company can survive producing them.

 

[st13phil]

They're quite popular in France from what I gather and hence why a French company can survive producing them.

AFAIK (and I could be wrong), in France you can still drive one of these things even if you're on a driving ban for drunk driving - which would go some way to explaining their disproportionate popularity there?

 

[Dieselman]

You're quite right, this isn't anything new at all and Aixams have been available over here for years along with other quadricycle, it's just a bit of self promotion by a dealer.

They're quite popular in France from what I gather and hence why a French company can survive producing them.

As you say, very popular in France and you can ride a restricted moped at 16 in this country, so why not drive a restricted car? After all, it's not much faster than a push-bike.

 

[grober]

Car for 16 year olds with parents of large disposable incomes

At 350kg its less than half the weight of Toyota Aygo so driving in cross winds could be interesting. How long before an enterprising youngster slaps a turbo on that 400 cc KUBOTA diesel. While technically legal I reckon moped licences should be for the 2 wheeled variety.

 

[BTB 500]

Recent thread on these:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/141422-light-quadricycles.html