How old were you when you learned to drive?

[Bloodwych]

I applied for my provisional as soon as I could, but actually started driving lessons a year later. Can't remember how many I took, probably around 20.

Passed first time but the start of the test was a nightmare! I parked the test vehicle outside the test centre and went in to find the examiner. Upon arriving back at the car, I found some git had blocked me in!

I had to inch forwards and backwards several times to get out onto a busy road; must have taken 5 minutes or so and stalled it once (I saw the examiner putting a line against vehicle control or whatever it is)!

By the time I actually got out and started driving, I think pure rage at being so unlucky drove me on to storm through the test! I was fuming!

[FOL]

He he, got my prvisional at 17, then started lessons a few months after, came to test, flew through test up until the last round about. I pulled out for no apparent reason, failed me instantly, .

Ended up loosing my confidense then, 6 tests later, I decided this is the last time, and guess what, my last examiner was my dads old school mate, RESULT!!!!, .

[Sharingan]

Moral of the story is: our dads must get to know more friends who happen to be driving examiners!

Instant success!

[Puni/Void]

Steve wrote:

How much exactly?

I've just been looking at the costs of driving licenses here in England and it looks like it costs £45 for a preliminary license, and about £70 for the theory/practical test. No idea how much lessons would cost.

Generally, the costs will be like this in Norway.

(Keep in mind that you'll need to have a course first, which involves theory, first aid, and so on, before you are allowed to start taking the drivers license. This is a new rule.) The prices listed are from some of the schools in my district.

- Obligatory course (mentioned above, but including "driving in the dark demonstration): Ca 250£
- One driving lesson (apx. 40-45 mins or something like that): Ca 45-50£
- Obligatory safety course: Ca 300£
- Obligatory safety course in traffic: Ca 550-590£
- Final exam: Ca 60-70£ + rental of car to take the test ca 130£
- Driving on slippery terrain course: ca 70-75£

These are just some of the stuff you'll have to deal with to take the drivers license. It's not seldom that people have to pay around 2000£ or more to get the license.

PS: The prices may vary from school to school, but I've tried to make this is a general as possible. So, there might be cheaper or more expensive alternatives. All in all, it's horribly expensive.

[Harrison]

Ouch! That is much more expensive than in the UK, and we don't have to do any of those parts such as driving in the dark or slippery terrain. But looking at the standard of driving I witness each day I think such tests should be introduced over here!

In the past two days I've seen two very bad accidents. Coming home at about 1am Wednesday night the other side of the motorway was closed and I could see a lot of flashing lights in the distance. When I got closer a car was on it's roof in the centre of the rood and looked like it had bounced off the middle reservation and the other side of the road.

The this evening going to work the traffic as I approached a large roundabout as I left the motorway was backed up, and when I got to the roundabout there was a car with a cover over it, and fire engines and ambulances surrounding it. It's never a good sign when they cover the vehicle up.

[Teho]

It's never fun to pass by the really serious accidents. One that made an impact on me was years ago, on my way to work early one morning. Early enough to be some time before the morning-rush sets in, but there's still some traffic. Then a car speeds by, going way above the speed limit. And recklessly fast for that road as well. I distinctly remember thinking that when driving like that it'd serve him right to end up in the ditch. I remember that clearly, because that thought came back to haunt me later. Only a couple of kilometers further on his trip ended in the absolute worst case scenario. He'd lost control in a turn, skidded over into the oncoming lane and rammed head-on into a semi at god knows what speed. I mean, he must have been going damn fast to slide out there, the turn isn't that hard and this was a normal dry summer day. The car was just an unrecognisable mess, I could only assume it was the same car because the wreck was the right colour and he'd been driving like a maniac when he passed me. Read in the paper the following day that there'd been three teenagers in that car, the two passengers not even old enough to drive and the driver only having had his license for a few weeks. Needless to say, none of them had a chance. I'm probably never going to forget that day. You hear about these things in the news and shrug them off all the time, but being so close to it certainly leaves a lasting impression.

I can't confirm the exact prices PG is quoting there, but I can say that they definitely sound on the mark. I got my license about eight years ago, and remember spending around £1.200 or so. And I know that the fees associated with getting a license are among those the government just love raising year after year, so..

And I agree Harrison, some of those courses that are mandatory here I think definitely should be everywhere. Especially that slippery terrain one. Without exception, nobody respects a slippery surface properly before they've actually lost control on one. Even when they think they're being careful, they're still going too fast. So the course is designed so that you can do that under controlled conditions. Typically you're being told to maintain a set speed and avoid a couple of obstacles on the track. You're not meant to succeed at this, but they don't tell you that. So you think it looks doable because under normal conditions it'd be dead easy. And of course you fail spectacularily. I think it's great, as that way they give you the eye-opener you need to have to respect a slippery surface properly. The course has some more tests as well such as braking correctly (they disable any anti-lock mechanism on the car for this), and isn't something you can pass or fail, you just need to have been there and done it. So I agree, even though you hardly ever see a very slippery surface where you live I still think this course is something everyone should go through regardless before being allowed on the road.

[Stephen Coates]

We probably don't get as many slippery surfaces as some countries, but, it only takes a small bit of ice, or a couple of milimeters of snow before there are loads of accidents, massive traffic jams, and reports about it all over the news.