Originally Posted by
StrangeWill
Anyway, for those that argue inexperience, you don't get it by not experiencing stuff, and for those that argue age and maturity, you don't mature without responsibility.
Very true. I got my initial road experience on a bike. I was expected to follow the rules of the road (signal, stop at stop signs etc) and I wasn't allowed to bike places alone til I'd demonstrated that I could.
My parents then found themselves in the unenviable position of having a teenager who didn't want to drive. I could get where I wanted to go (the library and work) by bike or walking. I thought (and still think) cars were dangerous and I wanted no part of them. My cheapskate teenage self also thought car insurance was a horrifically expensive scam. So I was *required* to learn to drive and my parents subsidized my insurance costs. I ended up not getting a license til I was 18.
(turns out it didn't work so well for getting me to drive... I haven't driven in about 3 years and am now carfree
. I'm always happy to tinker on cars, since car repair is fun. Driving mostly isn't.)
Thing is, you and I are not typical of teenagers. For every one of me, there's a teen like my brother. He was responsible for 2 car accidents before he was old enough to drive, and has had at least 5 more. About his only saving grace is he's never hurt anyone. That's *really* not typical of someone who has such a rough learning curve. (and no, he didn't get the same subsidy from mom and dad... *he* wanted to learn and didn't need any encouragement) He's better on a bike, but that's only because he can't go as fast.