What are your thoughts ?

[TCJBOLDIE]

How many times has a young driver who has just passed the test in say a Nissan Micra / Mazda 2 and their doting parents reward them with a high powered car only to see them crash with tragic results?

I have often thought that all newly licenced people should be restricted as to what they can and cannot drive by an arbitrary power to weight formula so they can gain more experience over say a 2 year period before being allowed to buy / drive a more powerful motor vehicle.

I say this because simply having the money or ability to buy or lease a powerful car doesn't automatically endow someone with the required skillset.

OR would it be better to have a compulsory test and instruction in a training facility before they upgrade to a high powered car ?

 

[obi_waynne]

I quite agree. With motorbikes in the UK you are restricted by your age and experience to certain power limits.

As you get older and advance your training and licence you are permitted to use more powerful bikes.

A very rich 17 year old with a 1 month old licence could go out and buy a brand new Porsche 911. Admittedly the insurance costs would be prohibitively high but if they were very rich, it could theoretically be done.

It also worries me that many powerful 270bhp cars are now 15 years old and commanding much lower prices than they did when new.

The black boxes are interesting, with the driver paying insurance based on their driving style. Too much heavy braking cornering and acceleration or use outside "safe times" will result in higher premiums.

I'm all for a more advance driving test, which should IMO include skid pan training and emergency manoeuvres before a driver qualifies to drive a more powerful car.

It's not just the young, I see many very old drivers in our town who can at last afford their dream car and clearly do not have the basic driving skills to drive safely or responsibly.

I spotted an XK Jaguar on a new plate so it was maximum 4 months old, and every alloy wheel had serious scrapes, the sidewalls of the tires had chunks missing and every corner of the bumpers had scratches and scuffs. This was driven by an old retired gentleman, who frankly struggled to walk away from the car.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

While I intend to drive for as long as possible hopefully I will realise when it comes time to hand in my license and take a bus or Uber and not be a danger to others like that elderly Jag driver.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

IMO the old saying "use it or lose it " also applies to driving as in my experience it seems that so many people as they age tend to drive less and less especially in peak hours as well as on highways and eventually become nervous and over cautious and take longer to get up to speed , fail to overtake when safe , hog the right/passing lanes and generally hold up the traffic flow and can become quite frustrating to those trapped behind.

FYI I still drive 15000 + klm's each year as well as enter and tow my track car to at least 6 events each year.

I also go to a gym 3 days per week to help my fitness.