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Current Poll

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Should young drivers have restrictions on how many passengers they can carry?
Yes, it's easy to be distracted by your mates
No, if you're easily distracted don't drive
No, everyone deserves the same rights
Surely it's not about age, but experience

About the third option, do the people that voted for this realise that for the first three years of driving, or until you're 21 you have only 6 penalty points to lose on your license not 12?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Should young drivers have restrictions on how many passengers they can carry?

    Tbh I find this ridiculous. You're telling me my mum doesn't get distracted by people in the car? She's been driving for 20 odd years and admits herself that she's easily distracted by people in the car. Why would should I be penalised for my age when she's just as bad.

    And also, if it wasnt for my mates who can drive being able to carry 4 passengers, a hell of a lot of my friends wouldnt be able to make it to college!!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That wasn't actually the question, I can see where you're coming from, but I suspect that all your mates could make it to college one way or the other, it's just easier when they can get a ride with a buddy. I know having a car load can be distracting but it doesn't actually stop being a distraction if it's something you're susceptible to with age. However, driving experience can reduce the risks that come with this distraction, along with age also comes the confidence to tell the passengers in your car to pipe down when something is going on.

    But back to what I wanted to know about "rights" (driving is a priviledge) why is it ok to restrict the number of points a young driver can get before losing their licence and not ok to say a young driver can't have more than 2 passengers. By young, I mean someone who has recently passed, not just someone who is between 18 and 21.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    That wasn't actually the question, I can see where you're coming from, but I suspect that all your mates could make it to college one way or the other,

    Sure they could. They coud get a taxi for the 20 mile run (I personally wouldn't want to be fronting that bill there and back 4 days a week). Since there's no regular enough bus service from there to here for them to make it to their lessons thats out of the question. I wouldnt fancy their chances at walking either.
    But back to what I wanted to know about "rights" (driving is a priviledge) why is it ok to restrict the number of points a young driver can get before losing their licence and not ok to say a young driver can't have more than 2 passengers. By young, I mean someone who has recently passed, not just someone who is between 18 and 21.

    Because some people don't pass until they need to. Some people need to be able to transport a family. Some people don't actually learn for the skill, they learn because they're needed to drive.

    My mate has had to learn to drive because she has two seriously ill parents who can't drive due to their conditions. Someone needs to transport her family. She hates driving but she's their only choice.

    I know it's different for everyone, and lots of people learn to drive for the skill of driving, but if you're saying why shouldn't they have the restriction - then why SHOULD they?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yeah... you still haven't really spotted the question have you
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    But back to what I wanted to know about "rights" (driving is a priviledge) why is it ok to restrict the number of points a young driver can get before losing their licence and not ok to say a young driver can't have more than 2 passengers. By young, I mean someone who has recently passed, not just someone who is between 18 and 21.
    Oh great, so me and a number of my friends can no longer do the job we want. Thanks. :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you pass the test you should be fit to drive and whilst I'm happy to may pay more in insurance you should be treated the same under the law.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    yeah... you still haven't really spotted the question have you

    Well I'm terribly sorry but I read your post as the question being about whether new drivers should be restricted on the amount of passengers they can carry. Would you like to point me in the direction of the right one? :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NQA wrote:
    If you pass the test you should be fit to drive and whilst I'm happy to may pay more in insurance you should be treated the same under the law.
    Oh yeah, if this law was brought in, you could guarantee that the insurance companies wouldn't take it into account when decide how much your quote is.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    yeah... you still haven't really spotted the question have you

    The original question was "Should young drivers have restrictions on how many passengers they can carry?".

    Then you added that "By young, I mean someone who has recently passed, not just someone who is between 18 and 21."

    So the question now becomes:

    "Should someone who has recently passed, not just someone who is between 18 and 21 have restrictions on how many passengers they can carry?".

    Which could apply to someone who is,say, 50 and has just passed their PSV test !!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is this supposed to be a poll?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    nicx1811 wrote:
    Well I'm terribly sorry but I read your post as the question being about whether new drivers should be restricted on the amount of passengers they can carry. Would you like to point me in the direction of the right one? :rolleyes:
    About the third option, do the people that voted for this realise that for the first three years of driving, or until you're 21 you have only 6 penalty points to lose on your license not 12?

    I did ask it twice

    And no, it's not supposed to be a poll, it's from the current poll on thesite front page.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh so all you want to know is that are people aware that new drivers can only have so many penalty points as apposed to more experienced drivers?

    Well that's easy, yes I do. Happy now?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And you don't see a problem there... Right, ok.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    And you don't see a problem there... Right, ok.
    Yes of course I do, its unfair and ridiculous.

    I just can't be bothered giving an opinion when I have been critcized for doing so already. Tbh, I don't feel your OP made it clear that you only wanted to discuss penalty points, since most of it involved limiting passengers.

    Never mind.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I can see why new driver only have a 6 point restriction. New drivers are statistically more likely crash, and it's designed to make them more careful.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wouldn't restricting the number of passengers a new driver can carry also make them less likely to crash?
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    Wouldn't restricting the number of passengers a new driver can carry also make them less likely to crash?

    Only if they were restricted to carrying no passengers at all. Young blokes show off to others in the car, of that there is no doubt.

    As for being distraction element, I don't see how that is any different if you've been driving 1 year or 10.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ristricting the number of people a new driver can carry sounds stupid to me. I mean I drive alone most of the time but on the odd occasion I take one or two other people. What would they limit it to? My car can only take a maximum of three other people so it probabley wouldn't effect me anyway.

    Also how would they enforce this law? Its all well and good saying we're going to limit how many people you can have in your car but how do they intend to stop people having more people in the car with them?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    Only if they were restricted to carrying no passengers at all. Young blokes show off to others in the car, of that there is no doubt.

    As for being distraction element, I don't see how that is any different if you've been driving 1 year or 10.
    I agree, certain groups of the young love to show off when they get a new toy, I'm not just going to say young men, because I know what I'm like, though I show off alone, I like to test a car when it's just me, because at least then if something goes wrong I don't take someone out.

    But do you really think having half the penalty points makes that much of a difference if restricted passengers won't?

    And as I said above, even if people don't become less distracting, the experience gained after a few years of driving reduces the impact of distracting passengers
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    But do you really think having half the penalty points makes that much of a difference if restricted passengers won't?

    Probably not. I've got six point now, but I don't think about it when I'm driving.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    Probably not. I've got six point now, but I don't think about it when I'm driving.
    But if you got banned, you wouldn't have to take both tests again, would you? If you were on 9, I bet you'd be more careful.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To the OP the answer is no, if you are fit to drive then you are fit to drive.

    There should, however, be a limit on the volume of the Stereo. ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru

    There should, however, be a limit on the volume of the Stereo. ;)

    Agreed.
    Wouldn't restricting the number of passengers a new driver can carry also make them less likely to crash?

    Correct me if I'm wrong here, but aren't you implying that it's the passengers' fault that the driver crashes the car?:confused:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In part it could be, if the passengers are a distraction and there is some evidence which might suggest that young drivers are more likely to be distracted.

    I would argue that people with young kids are just as bad though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also, the 6 point rule applies to the first two years of driving.....

    And there is nothing in place about being "21" unless this is something new.

    Source please?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote:
    Correct me if I'm wrong here, but aren't you implying that it's the passengers' fault that the driver crashes the car?:confused:

    There's another issue here as well as distraction, which is that a car with 4 or 5 people in will handle differently to one with only 1 in (it affects the centre of mass).

    However the solution is not to start banning things but rather to educate people about this, in the smae way that drivers are supposed to know about other factors that would require them to reduce their speed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Depends on the driver, I've been in a car with 7 or 8 people and never got into trouble.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Also, the 6 point rule applies to the first two years of driving.....

    And there is nothing in place about being "21" unless this is something new.

    Source please?
    I don't have a source, that was just my understanding, I could well have been wrong, but 21 is a landmark for a lot of things.
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