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2008-06-18 04:16:14
Airwolf
Latter Alcoholic
+287|7142|Scotland
This is my first serious topic in an age... in fact my first topic in an age. But I've become quite hacked off with the driving system in the UK. To be fully qualified to drive you have to:

  • Obtain a provisional license (£50)
  • Buy enough driving lessons to be confident on the road (~£400)
  • Pass two driving tests, a theory exam (£35) and a final practical test (£56)


After that, comes the obscene insurance, road tax and general running costs of a car. Only recently did these costs rise (by about 10%) and it's just out of order. If prices rise like that, I can expect to be paid more at work surely. Wrong.


Another thing. Insurance. Yes, everyone will say it will be hard at first to pay for it. Damn right. £1600 a year to insure a 1.0L VW Polo. Come on.... there's just no need in that. Why do the majority of careful young drivers (like myself) have to pay for the stupid mistakes other young drivers make. Because they want to show off to their "mates"


Urgh, it's just horrible. I can get a decent car for around £400... insurance is like quadruple that for the year.


Air out.
2008-06-18 04:24:15
PureFodder
Member
+225|6708
You don't have to get a driving instructor to teach you. Anyone who has been driving for something like 3 or 5 years can teach you to drive.

Personally I have a license but no car, basically because the costs outweigh the benefits.
2008-06-18 04:26:25
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7042|Mhz

Dude where you getting your insurance from?

It's £707 fully comp, with added options for courtesy cars (extra £21) to insure a 1.9 litre 206 for me and it's my first car, only passed the test last week lol.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2008-06-18 04:36:51)

2008-06-18 04:28:04
ZombieVampire!
The Gecko
+69|6249

PureFodder wrote:

You don't have to get a driving instructor to teach you. Anyone who has been driving for something like 3 or 5 years can teach you to drive.
Which, IMHO, is an issue.
2008-06-18 04:55:23
Airwolf
Latter Alcoholic
+287|7142|Scotland

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Dude where you getting your insurance from?

It's £707 fully comp, with added options for courtesy cars (extra £21) to insure a 1.9 litre 206 for me and it's my first car, only passed the test last week lol.
you have that policy as a named driver? I'm getting mine insured as just myself.
2008-06-18 05:14:25
Onidax
Member
+41|6915

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Dude where you getting your insurance from?

It's £707 fully comp, with added options for courtesy cars (extra £21) to insure a 1.9 litre 206 for me and it's my first car, only passed the test last week lol.
Ok:
How old are you?
Whats the value of the car?
Are you the main driver (your policy)?

It will go up next time you insure it because you have passed and wont in the insurance companies eyes drive so carefully.
2008-06-18 05:23:03
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7042|Mhz

Airwolf wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Dude where you getting your insurance from?

It's £707 fully comp, with added options for courtesy cars (extra £21) to insure a 1.9 litre 206 for me and it's my first car, only passed the test last week lol.
you have that policy as a named driver? I'm getting mine insured as just myself.
Just me.

Onidax wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Dude where you getting your insurance from?

It's £707 fully comp, with added options for courtesy cars (extra £21) to insure a 1.9 litre 206 for me and it's my first car, only passed the test last week lol.
Ok:
How old are you?
Whats the value of the car?
Are you the main driver (your policy)?

It will go up next time you insure it because you have passed and wont in the insurance companies eyes drive so carefully.
24
£1800
Yup, only driver.


And why will it go up next time? That really makes no sence lol.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2008-06-18 05:24:46)

2008-06-18 05:50:05
DrunkFace
Germans did 911
+427|7103|Disaster Free Zone
My question is why get comprehensive insurance for such a shit car?
2008-06-18 05:56:12
Onidax
Member
+41|6915

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

24
£1800
Yup, only driver.


And why will it go up next time? That really makes no sence lol.
Well your 24 for starters, this dude has just paeed and is likly 17-18. When I was first insured it was £1600 before I had passed. Why does it tend to go up once you have passed? Well it does make sence. Think about it, while your learning there is always someone in the car with you who has to be responsible for your driving weasther it be an instructor or another adult. As soon as you have passed you dont need them there and are more likly to be reckless. As your soo old though your getting to the point where your age doesnt depend so much on your insurance cost. 17-22 or so we get raped.
2008-06-18 05:58:35
belldawg
Serial Jay-Walker
+52|6406|Perth, indian ocean
In Australia we have to do 100 hours of supervised driving before we can go for our P plate

100 freakin hours
2008-06-18 06:00:22
PureFodder
Member
+225|6708
Car insurance is also very dependent upon your postcode
2008-06-18 06:01:32
ZombieVampire!
The Gecko
+69|6249

belldawg wrote:

In Australia we have to do 100 hours of supervised driving before we can go for our P plate

100 freakin hours
Not that much.  Also, some of it should be with a certified instructor.
2008-06-18 06:06:52
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7042|Mhz

Onidax wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

24
£1800
Yup, only driver.


And why will it go up next time? That really makes no sence lol.
Well your 24 for starters, this dude has just paeed and is likly 17-18. When I was first insured it was £1600 before I had passed. Why does it tend to go up once you have passed? Well it does make sence. Think about it, while your learning there is always someone in the car with you who has to be responsible for your driving weasther it be an instructor or another adult. As soon as you have passed you dont need them there and are more likly to be reckless. As your soo old though your getting to the point where your age doesnt depend so much on your insurance cost. 17-22 or so we get raped.
Erm yeah, I didn't insure my instructors car lol. This quote was for my car with full license, it hasn't been insured by me before that, it isn't going up.
2008-06-18 06:17:51
The#1Spot
Member
+105|6962|byah

ZombieVampire! wrote:

belldawg wrote:

In Australia we have to do 100 hours of supervised driving before we can go for our P plate

100 freakin hours
Not that much.  Also, some of it should be with a certified instructor.
Yea in the US you can just have your parent tell the dmv that the child did it and they will believe. I did about 15-20hours of the combined 60hours I was suppose to do. Failed the 1st time (couldnt remember a 3pt turn which US roads are big and this move is almost obsolete). 2nd time passed with a 73 I didnt use my turn signal every time I was within 150ft of making a turn.
2008-06-18 06:20:01
ZombieVampire!
The Gecko
+69|6249
In Victoria you have to have the supervising driver sign each time.  Having said that, they can always lie.


I'm amazed that you passed without turn signals.
2008-06-18 06:20:58
belldawg
Serial Jay-Walker
+52|6406|Perth, indian ocean

ZombieVampire! wrote:

belldawg wrote:

In Australia we have to do 100 hours of supervised driving before we can go for our P plate

100 freakin hours
Not that much.  Also, some of it should be with a certified instructor.
not that much? whaaaaaaat?
It was like 25 i think but if you have your birthday after June you have to do 100 god dammit
2008-06-18 06:29:19
JahManRed
wank
+646|7050|IRELAND

I just applied for the bike test.

ANYONE WHO IS EVER THINKING OF GETTING BIKE TEST DO IT NOW.
They are making it much much harder. A night test and an off road test are being added to an already difficult test. What the fuck they want an off road test for escapes me.

Car insurance is cheapest with the farmers union. I told them I was a farmer. Well I have a few chickens and a dog so I guess I am.
2008-06-18 06:34:07
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,822|6528|eXtreme to the maX
Yea in the US you can just have your parent tell the dmv that the child did it and they will believe.
Its the same in Aus.
No-one has any real driver training - and it shows.

Re the OP.
Unfortunately there are so many 18 year old noobs on the road who wrap themselves around trees the Insurance companies are fed up with it.
You're in a high risk group, you pay more.
Its a competitive business, the price accurately reflects the risk.
Limited mileage policies are cheaper, a bigger excess will cut the cost too.
Cut off all the frills like hire cars and that will help.
Make sure you get legal costs insurance though, its relatively cheap and well worth having.
Fuck Israel
2008-06-18 06:34:13
ZombieVampire!
The Gecko
+69|6249

belldawg wrote:

ZombieVampire! wrote:

belldawg wrote:

In Australia we have to do 100 hours of supervised driving before we can go for our P plate

100 freakin hours
Not that much.  Also, some of it should be with a certified instructor.
not that much? whaaaaaaat?
It was like 25 i think but if you have your birthday after June you have to do 100 god dammit
100 was always the recommended number.  How do you expect to be capable after 25 hours?

Besides which, it works out to less than an hour a week.
2008-06-18 06:36:24
belldawg
Serial Jay-Walker
+52|6406|Perth, indian ocean

ZombieVampire! wrote:

belldawg wrote:

ZombieVampire! wrote:


Not that much.  Also, some of it should be with a certified instructor.
not that much? whaaaaaaat?
It was like 25 i think but if you have your birthday after June you have to do 100 god dammit
100 was always the recommended number.  How do you expect to be capable after 25 hours?

Besides which, it works out to less than an hour a week.
are you saying 100 weeks of driving supervised? pass
2008-06-18 06:37:33
ZombieVampire!
The Gecko
+69|6249
If you only do an hour a week, then yes.

How do expect to learn to drive in 25 hours?
2008-06-18 06:40:30
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|7179|Argentina
The most expensive part of a car insurance is the civil responsibility or the part in case you kill someone with your car.  That's why a car insurance is expensive even for a shitty car.
2008-06-18 07:37:21
BVC
Member
+325|7118
In NZ we have three grades of liscence:
Learners - Must drive with a supervisor (someone who has had their Full for 2 years+)
Restricted - Can drive between 5.30am and 10.30pm, otherwise must drive with a supervisor
Full - drive anytime
There are endorsements for certain types of vehicles also.

You have to take a test to pass each type of liscence - learners is a scratchie test, restricted is a basic drive, full is a hazard-identification drive.  Also, you have to wait a certain amount of time between types (less time if you're over 25).  Being that we've got a lot of land, and fuckall people to fill it, people tend to start driving ASAP (min age for learners is 15).

That said, if fuel prices stay the way they are for the next 10 years, there won't be as many cars on the road as there are now.
2008-06-18 09:30:54
Vilham
Say wat!?
+580|7188|UK

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Onidax wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

24
£1800
Yup, only driver.


And why will it go up next time? That really makes no sence lol.
Well your 24 for starters, this dude has just paeed and is likly 17-18. When I was first insured it was £1600 before I had passed. Why does it tend to go up once you have passed? Well it does make sence. Think about it, while your learning there is always someone in the car with you who has to be responsible for your driving weasther it be an instructor or another adult. As soon as you have passed you dont need them there and are more likly to be reckless. As your soo old though your getting to the point where your age doesnt depend so much on your insurance cost. 17-22 or so we get raped.
Erm yeah, I didn't insure my instructors car lol. This quote was for my car with full license, it hasn't been insured by me before that, it isn't going up.
You are 24. What don't you understand about that sentence?

If he is 17 like I was he has 3 years to wait before he will get insurance as cheap as yours.

Im driving a 1.6l  10k miles a year, fully comp, named driver, 3 years no claims and my insurance is £800.
2008-06-18 09:53:34
rh27
Not really a Brit
+51|7018|England
100 hours is ridiculous.

Even 25 is a lot considering how expensive lessons are here in the UK.

I passed after 12 hours, first time, mind you the biggest problem was the cost of it all. It's insanely expensive even if you don't have a car.

My friend passed with no lessons as he used to drive his car supervised with his Dad even though he was underaged at the time, subsequently he passed at 17. Starting to think he had the right idea.

 

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