Driving Ages/Information

[Praktica]

The DVLA Website states:

Minimum age you can take a test

You can take your theory test once your provisional licence becomes valid.
Normally, for car drivers, the earliest date your provisional licence can become valid is your 17th birthday, however you can apply for the licence up to three months before your 17th birthday.
So, if you apply for your provisional licence before you are 17 you will still have to wait until your birthday before you can take your theory test.
--------------------------------------------------------------

But what I'm wanting to know is;

1. When exactly does the change happen (Soon people will have to be age 18+ to even take driving lessons).
2. If I block booked my lessons, began driving, and 2 months after my birthday the age changed to 18: Would I not be able to carry on my lessons?

Any help would be great here as ive got my provisional forms filled in and ready to send away (3 months until 17)

EDIT: a last few couple of questions.
3. Is a provisional an acctual licence? Or not?

4. If not, then would I be better off to send away for my licence before or after I pass?

5. I have no close family members, or any ones I particularly like to get my name put on their insurance, So what kind of car would be suitable for a 'Just Passed' driver with a cheap-ish insurance? (One what doesn't look like a 3 wheeler)

Thanks.

 

[Skyline]

Not sure about the change, but I heard that if your already 17 before the change happens you can continue to learn and take a test.. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Provisional is an actual liscence, yes. BUT, you need to have someone over the age of 21, been driving for 3 years or more (or is it more?) at the side of you, and also L plates on the car.
Once you pass, send off for your full liscence right away, but you can still legally drive on your own without L plates untill your lfull iscence arrives.

 

[Praktica]

Cheers, thats filled a few blank spots in my head ;]
All i need to find out now, is when the change happens

 

[elohelMeight]

1. Not sure, but I did also hear that the theory is being upped to 100 questions & you will have to take a minimum of 20(I think)hours worth of lessons.

2. Began driving... carry on your lessons..? I'm assuming you mean if you book your lessons and then the age changes... I would of thought you carried on and finished your lessons/test, not sure though.

3. No. A provisional allows you to drive a car on the road only when you are accompanied by a full license holder (Who I believe has to of had that license for 5 years) & you must have L plates on your car. Once you complete your driving test you get a full license.

4. Covered in above?

5. Any car with a small engine 1 litre, 1.2 is max you would want really. Ford Fiesta is a reliable little car.

http://www.q4.com/
Quite a good insurance comparison site.

 

[Skyline]

Didnt see the car one at no.5.

But as mentioned by El, anything thats a simple 1-1.2/3 Litre engine will do.

Corsa, Clio, Saxo, Fiesta, Micra, Ka. (Parsonally, I'd stay away from Saxo's)

Go 3rd Party Fire & theft also. No point paying the extra 100's for fully comp unless you have a decent car.

 

[Praktica]

Any idea on whats on the theory papers atall?
And will I have to do my theory test before my lessons can begin?

Didnt see the car one at no.5.



But as mentioned by El, anything thats a simple 1-1.2/3 Litre engine will do.



Corsa, Clio, Saxo, Fiesta, Micra, Ka. (Parsonally, I'd stay away from Saxo's)



Go 3rd Party Fire & theft also. No point paying the extra 100's for fully comp unless you have a decent car.

Like a cloned theft numberplate car? :P

 

[^G0trex]

No you begin lessons and then like half way through your instructor will tell you that you're ready to book your theory (at least mine did).

 

[Far]

i passed my test about 4 months ago, have a corsa 1.0 (anything above shot my insurance up over £1300) but i always found that fully comp actually turned out cheaper than 3rd party.

also, you dont need to send away for your full license, once you pass they take ur provisional and send the new one out to you. took me 2 weeks to get mine.

if you're already 17, you will be allowed to take the test still. its like when the smoking age rose, if you were already 16, you were still allowed to buy cigs when it got moved up to 18.

 

[elohelMeight]

Didnt see the car one at no.5.

But as mentioned by El, anything thats a simple 1-1.2/3 Litre engine will do.

Corsa, Clio, Saxo, Fiesta, Micra, Ka. (Parsonally, I'd stay away from Saxo's)

Go 3rd Party Fire & theft also. No point paying the extra 100's for fully comp unless you have a decent car.

I quite liked my mates Saxo, only a standard 1.1 but lasted well. Clio is my personal favourite for a 'small car'.

Yeah, no point getting fully comp until you have a year or 2 no claims tbh.

Any idea on whats on the theory papers atall?
And will I have to do my theory test before my lessons can begin?


Like a cloned theft numberplate car? :P

You can get loads of online theory tests, just check google.

Yeah. Just saw gotrex's reply. I was told to do my theory before hand though.


Lol, the smoking ban was great.. as of 1st September the age went up... my birthday Just got in there.

 

[JealY]

Get a theory DVD to learn & revise.

I've not done either myself, but i've burned a few of those DVDs for people lol.

AFAIK you take your test when you're done, although there may be a minimum amount of hours of lessons.

 

[Skyline]

Heard nothing but problems with Saxo's, and never been that keen on them.

I had a clio, was fine and cheap to run.

You can take a theory when ever you want when your 17, your instructor will tell you whens best to take it though

 

[Praktica]

Ah sweet.

Ive been googling a few of the cars refered by Skyline, which one of these few cars would you personaly prefere to drive?
(I dont know why, but i hate cars with only 2 doors!)





The choice is yours!

 

[elohelMeight]

Clio...

What's the 3rd?

 

[Skyline]

Not sure o nthe 3rd... Swift? :S

But you may want to look at older cars.

 

[Praktica]

I just dont want to by driving around in a complete bogged out car really.
A small car what aint bad looking would be what im after

Budget:
-------

Got around £700 to spend on lessons at the mo,
The fathers going to be paying for my test.

Around £1000 on insurance,
And possibly up to £3000 on a second-hand car

 

[^G0trex]

I just dont want to by driving around in a complete bogged out car really.
A small car what aint bad looking would be what im after

Budget:
-------

Got around £700 to spend on lessons at the mo,
The fathers going to be paying for my test.

Around £1000 on insurance,
And possibly up to £3000 on a second-hand car

Alright for some...

 

[Skyline]

I just dont want to by driving around in a complete bogged out car really.
A small car what aint bad looking would be what im after

Budget:
-------

Got around £700 to spend on lessons at the mo,
The fathers going to be paying for my test.

Around £1000 on insurance,
And possibly up to £3000 on a second-hand car

I'd still go for a cheap car mate.

Put the rest in the bank and add to it.

Your learn to drive properly once you pass and drive on your own. Your going to have little bumps and grazes and it's always best to get them out of the way in a ****ty car you don't care about, whilst also getting some NCB's

 

[^G0trex]

I'd still go for a cheap car mate.

Put the rest in the bank and add to it.

Your learn to drive properly once you pass and drive on your own. Your going to have little bumps and grazes and it's always best to get them out of the way in a ****ty car you don't care about, whilst also getting some NCB's

Yer man, I started off with a 1.9 tdi 306 and wrote it off in minutes, so then I got this little baby:

used to rag the **** out of that thing, nice little 1.1 - though 3rd gear didn't rly work. it's moar fun when u dont care about it as well...i remember reversing into my mates driveway once and scraping the whole side of the car down his gate lol. it even liked a bit of off road, good times indeed.

However I would like to point out that the dent in the back as you can see there was not made by me...the previous owner reversed into a skip.

£50, needed a bit of work, tidy. It died couple of years ago though ¬_¬

 

[daneo1989]

When exactly does the change happen (Soon people will have to be age 18+ to even take driving lessons)..

not sure when the rules are changing, but in my opinion they should change it to 21. as they say 17-25 are prone to become boy/girl racers

If I block booked my lessons, began driving, and 2 months after my birthday the age changed to 18: Would I not be able to carry on my lessons?
Any help would be great here as ive got my provisional forms filled in and ready to send away (3 months until 17)

this is a hard one, at the moment you can start learning to drive at the age of 16 (offroad) they mainly use a airfield i would guess the same would happen if the law changes

3. Is a provisional an acctual licence? Or not?

Yes the provisional is a licence which is used to ride a 50cc or a 125cc at the age of 17 you can also drive a car but must have somone beside you who has passed for 3years you must also be insured and car must have learner plates.

4. If not, then would I be better off to send away for my licence before or after I pass??

you would never be allowd to sit behind the wheel of a car without a provisional and after you pass you test the test center will send off you lience for a full one.

5. I have no close family members, or any ones I particularly like to get my name put on their insurance, So what kind of car would be suitable for a 'Just Passed' driver with a cheap-ish insurance? (One what doesn't look like a 3 wheeler)

i would sujest going for a 1ltr with a low insurance group i would say look around and try the insurance on them your insurance wont be cheap for the first couple years

 

[Xanan]

You might want to swap them numbers around mate.

You'll find you can spend £1000 on the car and pay £3000 insurance. You'll never find a £3k car that only costs £1k to insure. I spent 600 on an old fiesta, and 1.2k to insure it when i was 17. Sold that a few years ago though, as it just wasn't worth the cash.

Them cars you posted will be pretty high up on the insurance, spesh if your doing it solo.

/Gand