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how old to learn to drive a car

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
In England i no you can take your test when you are 17 but what age is it that you can start learning to drive
Post edited by JustV on

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    JsTJsT Posts: 18,268 Skive's The Limit
    17.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ahh thts gay another year to wait now then
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If its off the public highway then you can do it at any age. I knew a farmers kid who because he was driving tractors all the time took his test on his 17th birthday.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You can start at 16, some places do off road learning or something.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There are a few loopholes but on public roads, you gotta be 17 with a valida provisional licence and in a car, with visible L plates and accompanied by someone over the age of 21 who has held their full licence for more than 3 years.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    bongbudda wrote:
    If its off the public highway then you can do it at any age. I knew a farmers kid who because he was driving tractors all the time took his test on his 17th birthday.
    But these days you'd have to get your theory test done on the same day, before the practical test - makes passing on your birthday more of hassle.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    dont do it!

    once you start driving you can never imagine life without it!

    i couldnt handle not being able to drive now, whereas i have friends the same age who cant drive and have no problems.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    But these days you'd have to get your theory test done on the same day, before the practical test - makes passing on your birthday more of hassle.

    Good point, I was thinking back to the good old days before any of this theory test business.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Slightly off topic, but does anyone know how long your theory test is valid for?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you mean before, doing your practical, its 2 years
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Knee High Stripy Socks wrote:
    Slightly off topic, but does anyone know how long your theory test is valid for?

    i always thought it was 2 years
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Phew, thanks!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There are quite a few intructors who will start teaching at 16, but they have their own premises, I imagine, as said up there ^, it's illegal under 17 & without provisional, on the roads.

    If you want to learn now, check in your phonebook, or yell.com, there's surely at least one in your area that's willing to teach you now. =]
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Samzi wrote:
    If you mean before, doing your practical, its 2 years

    Does that mean that you can go for your theory/written road code test at 17... then u have to wait two years until you can sit the practical test and drive by yourself? Or do you still have to have someone with you after those two years?

    Here in NZ we can go for our theory/written test at 16... then 6 months later we go for our practical restricted licence which lets you drive by yourself but only between the hours of 5am to 10pm each day.

    Then you can take a defensive driving course which is like a 3 day course and then go for your full licence in 12 months, or if you don't take the defensive driving course you can't go for your full licence until 18 months after you get your restricted.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Knee High Stripy Socks wrote:
    Slightly off topic, but does anyone know how long your theory test is valid for?
    2 years.

    Mines ran out.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    nemisus wrote:
    In England i no you can take your test when you are 17 but what age is it that you can start learning to drive

    I'm pretty sure you can learn to drive a car at any age as long as it's your own private land .. like a farm??
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Entertaining_Angels wrote:
    Does that mean that you can go for your theory/written road code test at 17... then u have to wait two years until you can sit the practical test and drive by yourself? Or do you still have to have someone with you after those two years?

    Here in NZ we can go for our theory/written test at 16... then 6 months later we go for our practical restricted licence which lets you drive by yourself but only between the hours of 5am to 10pm each day.

    Then you can take a defensive driving course which is like a 3 day course and then go for your full licence in 12 months, or if you don't take the defensive driving course you can't go for your full licence until 18 months after you get your restricted.

    In the UK we just have two types of (normal road vehicle) license; Provisional and Full.

    You can apply for your provisional when 16, but can't do anything with it.
    You must pass a theory test before taking the practical test.
    You must pass a practical test within 2 years of taking your theory, otherwise the theory has to be taken again.
    Once you've passed the practical test you can drive!!!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nooo, at 16 with a provisional you can get a moped. Useless machines, but useful if like me, everywhere you need to go is about a 45 minute walk away, if not more :D Half an hour it'd take me to get to school walking.... 5 and half minutes by moped :D
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