Wanna hear about a law that makes no sense?

[gregintenn]

I have a kid that is 16. He and two friends wanted to go to watch the Chris Kyle movie today, as they were out of school for MLK day. All of them are 16. Since they are under 18, they have what is called an intermediate driver's license.

 

One of the many stipulations of this license is that they can't have more than one passenger under the age of 18. So legally, these three boys have to go in two vehicles.

 

This is a law passed by the same folks who pass laws to increase fuel efficiency in vehicles, and mandated High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on the interstate.

 

Do you think teenage boys would be more safe in one vehicle or more than one vehicles? I would expect them to race each other the entire way there and back if in more than one car.

 

Wouldn't they be doing less damage to the environment by carpooling?

 

Perhaps you could explain the reason for this? I don't get it.

[hipower]

Liberal Ecological Safety Program?

[Pain103]

 I think some of the ideas behind the GDL (graduated driver's license) were good but I don't think it has helped with the young driver's safety or ability to operate any better. That falls on the teens and the parents. I somewhat think the limitation on juveniles in the car would be less distracting. But I guess you could be distracted the same with two adults yapping the same as two minors in the backseat.

[xjsnake]

As much flack as I get for this opinion, I'd support raising the age by a year. It's amazing how much growth happens between 16 and 17.

 

 

On a semi related note: I would be fully behind repeated driving tests each 5 years for life

[gregintenn]

As much flack as I get for this opinion, I'd support raising the age by a year. It's amazing how much growth happens between 16 and 17.

 

 

On a semi related note: I would be fully behind repeated driving tests each 5 years for life

I'd like to see a more comprehensive test. I'm not sure whether or not the age should be raised, but there's no doubt a driver's license, like a marriage license, is waaaaaaay too easy to acquire.

 

As to the age, I know 16 year old kids who are more mature that many adults. I also know 17-18 year old kids, as well as adults, who have no business operating a motor vehicle.

 

I'd like to see some of these people weeded out, or at least better equipped to drive.

 

My kid has been driving since October, and he's already been rear ended twice leaving school in the afternoon.

Edited January 20, 2015 by gregintenn

[ncomarc]

I like it, keeps kids from having too many friends to distract them. My daughters 16 and I told her she was not allowed to give any friends rides. Depending on the situation, I'll show up and drive her and her friends as needed. I work third shift - I know not everyone can do it. I believe friends and cell phones are the biggest dangers new drivers have from talking to my friends and people from my unit who are police officers and firmen. Edited January 20, 2015 by ncomarc

[Dolomite_supafly]

I would assume it is to prevent distractions from other teens in the same vehicle.

 

Once a person starts collecting social security retirement they should be required to take annual reaction tests just to check their reaction times to emergencies. Then every 3 years they should do a behind the wheel driving test like a 16 year old does. If a person is on disability, like me, they should also be required to take a driving test periodically.

 

One thing I really, really wish they would do is change the colors of handicap placards periodically to prevent fraudulent use. Every 3 years change them to a different color because that is the renewal interval if I remember correctly. I see placards that are either expired or completely missing an expiration date.

[npgunner]

If teenage boys don't have enough sense to NOT race friends on the way to a movie; they don't deserve to drive.  

For what its worth, I got my license as part of this program, and it never effected my ability to hang out with friends.  

[Erik88]

Greg,

 

I think the idea is that when kids are together then tend to show off, get distracted, or just act like general idiots. When I look back at the crap that I pulled from 16-18 I'm lucky to be alive. 

 

I once did 143mph in my Maxima on I-40. Granted it was 0300 and I was the only car on the road. It was still dangerous as hell.

 

I understand what you're saying though.

[Trekbike]

There is a saying that holds some truth, not always but many times.   

 

One boy = one brain

Two boys = half a brain

Three boys = no brain at all

[BigK]

When I was 16, I was a way bigger idiot with a car load of friends than I was alone or with just one friend. Like someone else said, I'm lucky to be alive after all the ignorant crap I pulled.

[Motasyco]

There is a saying that holds some truth, not always but many times.   

 

One boy = one brain

Two boys = half a brain

Three boys = no brain at all

 

There's some truth there.  I spent over six months getting my first car, a 64 Impala 2 door, (I bought with my own money that I earned) mechanically road ready before I was old enough to get my license.  Yep, I rebuilt my first engine at 15 years old.  I did great driving until the first night I was hauling several of my friends around.  I think the words I heard were "hit the gas, see if you can make it slide!"  It slid.  I then got my introduction into doing my own body work.  Fortunately, only the car suffered injuries that night.

[gregintenn]

If teenage boys don't have enough sense to NOT race friends on the way to a movie; they don't deserve to drive.  

For what its worth, I got my license as part of this program, and it never effected my ability to hang out with friends.  

Living in a rural area is quite different from living in town. We have to drive quite a distance to get much of anywhere. Although gas is cheaper, it is still a consideration for a teenage boy.

 

As far as the racing, I can't say what these boys would do, I was referring back to personal experience.

 

I guess my gripe is that I don't need the state of Tennessee to perform my parental duties for me.

Edited January 20, 2015 by gregintenn

[Ugly]

It sounds like a stupid law to me, just like the many that are there to protect us from ourselves.

[Mike.357]

qft

 

 

 

 I don't need the state of Tennessee to perform my parental duties for me.

 

[peejman]

There is a saying that holds some truth, not always but many times.   

 

One boy = one brain

Two boys = half a brain

Three boys = no brain at all

 

 

I've heard a similar thing about getting behind the wheel of a race car... Your IQ gets divided by 3 when you strap in. 

[Ray Z]

Pier pressure is a very powerful thing to a teenager. They all want to belong. Its hard to say no when other teens are with you. Even those that you know, without a shadow of a doubt would never something will give in to it And any mom or dad that says that "My little Johnny wouldn't do that" have a rude awakening coming. And there are some parents that just don't care. Case in point. Smoking cigarettes is really cool especially if you can do the French inhale and blow smoke rings. It's really cool until you got a 3 pack a day habit going.   

[10-Ring]

I was a good kid coming up.  Most all of my friends were good kids.  I firmly believe that you can take the most responsible, mature, well behaved kid and stick him behind the wheel of an automobile and he is going to do really stupid things for at least a year.  It's all about testing the limits of a vehicle, just curiosity.  I remember one kid I went t high school with that had been racing cars since he was big enough to sit in a go kart, he was the exception. Acting a fool in a street car meant nothing to someone who had flogged a racecar in a controlled environment. 

 

Just for fun here's a partial list of the inappropriate things that I did, and I was one of the "good" kids.

-drag racing.

-jumped my truck

-drove a two wheel drive truck up a big steep dirt pile, it's a miracle it didn't flip.

-turned construction barrels into slalom cones.

-hit the construction barrels to see how far they would go. 

-donuts

-burnouts

-knew the top speed of every vehicle that I could get my hands on.

 

These activities did come with consequences.  There were crashes, thank God there were never any substantial injuries to anyone else or myself.  And yes, the stupidity went up when there were more passengers in the car.  BTW, I was forbidden to carry passengers. 

 

Teenagers come equipped with a certain amount of stupidity.  A teen can have the ability to be a great driver, they just always have a tendency to make bad choices when they think they can get away with it.  Truth is there are just as many bad drivers on the road at any age, the public's driving skills just downright suck!

[vontar]

As much flack as I get for this opinion, I'd support raising the age by a year. It's amazing how much growth happens between 16 and 17.

 

 

On a semi related note: I would be fully behind repeated driving tests each 5 years for life

Dad didn't let me get my license until 17, although at 16 he let me get my motorcycle license. (I had rode since 1st grade).

[LagerHead]

I'm appalled by how much government intrusion some of the folks here think is OK, as long as it has nothing to do with our guns. When we talk about gun laws we preach individual responsibility, but when we're talking about licensing for other activities, it seems no amount of government intrusion is enough. 

[tennesseetiger]

From personal experience...if me and any one of my buddies from when I was younger were in separate cars we always got to where we were going a lot faster than if we were all together. We had quite a few close calls and a lot of fun and nobody got hurt in the process.
 

My best friend and I worked in a speed shop together all through high school and grew up around cars so we did some things that could be defined as stupid, but in all honesty we were in control most of the time...we still race on tracks together today. As we got older we realized that the track was the place to have fun because tickets get expensive.........

Edited January 20, 2015 by tennesseetiger

[ncomarc]

It sounds like a stupid law to me, just like the many that are there to protect us from ourselves.

When I was single I would have agreed with you 100%, now that I have kids I want laws that help protect my kids from the others who do not have the parental guidance or too immature to do right for themselves. Life's a balance......

[gregintenn]

Pier pressure is a very powerful thing to a teenager. They all want to belong. Its hard to say no when other teens are with you. Even those that you know, without a shadow of a doubt would never something will give in to it And any mom or dad that says that "My little Johnny wouldn't do that" have a rude awakening coming. And there are some parents that just don't care. Case in point. Smoking cigarettes is really cool especially if you can do the French inhale and blow smoke rings. It's really cool until you got a 3 pack a day habit going.   

I don't recall saying my kid wouldn't do anything. I was an idiot as a teenager, and I'd be a fool to not expect the same from my offspring. All we can do is buy insurance, teach them what they need to know, and keep an eye on them to a certain extent. They have to grow up, learn to make decisions, and learn about consequences.

 

As far as I'm concerned, I got into just as much crap with one buddy as I did with a carload.

 

I can't see, for example. two teenage couples going on a double date in one car being more of a threat to public safety than if they went in two cars.

 

It seems that personal responsibility is an outdated concept. :down:

Edited January 20, 2015 by gregintenn

[Trekbike]

It seems that personal responsibility is an outdated concept. :down:

It appears that's the government's job now. :)

[Volphin]

My kid can drive at 18.  I don't need the liability... let him deal with some sue happy lawyer.