My son has crashed his car.

newfoundglory

frosty wrote:

the country roads have a speed limit of 60 mph,they dont have the experience or skill to drive at these speeds,the roads are full of sharp bends

Its funny you say this. When I was having driving lessons about 5 years ago - at 17 - my instructor used to take me down little country roads in our area (with the national speed limit). One-laners, hedges, ditches, blind bends, wet grass, holes in the road, and a 60mph limit. He wanted me to drive as fast as possible. Bwhaha, what fun I thought.

Actually, he was trying to prove a point that its impossible to go 60 without killing yourself (and possibly others).

Maybe they should make it a compulsory part of driving courses!

UK007BullDog

Troubleatmill wrote:

I would suggest that your Son would be much "smarter" if he got a job and got the loan himself.
He would be more likely to treat the car better.
And if if he prangs it - he is responsible for the rest of the payments.

Being a guarantor is a really really bad idea. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

Best
Troubleatmill

Hi Trouble,

He has a job, and a very good paying one at that, I also know my son and he knows me that I would take the car away and use one of his dads clamps or even park it at his dads workplace where it would be locked away. He knows I don't mess about if he stops paying. However he has saved up the £3,000 for the insurance year/premium he needs already and he is only 2 paychecks away from his £2000 down payment and would need me to guarantee his loan of £5000. He is doing all this by himself and we did not pay toward it. I am hoping that he will be more responsible as he had to work for it himself. I also want him to have a safe car and not some old tincan from yesteryears gone by.

He is very thrifty and will save quite a bit of money by paying the whole year of insurance up front. He has even skimped on the Christmas presents so save every little penny. His girlfriend is upset as she only got a little prezzie. :rotfl:

He needs me as a guarantor because he is 18. If he were 21 he could do it himself. So he still needs us. However there are lenders out there willing to lend to 18 year olds but the finance from the dealership is cheaper than the one from the bank.

jackieb

frosty wrote:

I wish they would up the age for driving,where we live (rural area)they see an open road and put their foot down,they never think they are going to crash,kill themselves or injure anyone else.The death toll here is heading for 60 and they are nearly all under 21 years old.I am praying my son gets banned for a long time and that he learns a lesson.

Same here. I wish they'd also limit they size of car they could drive - to say a 1200cc. You're not in Aberdeenshire by any chance? The amount of accidents round here are terrible.

achtunglady

nemo183 wrote:

Very true. On the other hand, if the government were really serious about reducing accidents and improving driving skills, they would enforce a mini driving test for us all, every five or ten years. When I passed my test, back in 1980, it was based on a 1980 car and the 1980 highway code.

Since then, it hardly needs saying that both have changed.

It just seems to me that not only is the general standard of driving going downhill, but also basic knowledge of even the highway code. And worse still, I feel that on average, it's actually drivers over 40 that are making it so, with their complancy and ignorance both of the current highway code, and the changes in technique that modern cars allow. Whilst their increased levels of roadcraft and general experience should mean the opposite.

Having passed my test a month and a half ago, I am of the opinion that you are only taught the basics to PASS the test. I was taught to stop in the gear you were in, no need to change down unless you were turning a corner, was not taught to get into a higher gear as soon as possible for fuel economy. This is causing a bone of contention between me and the OH. Now I know that on the motorway the limit is 70mph in ALL lanes, not 60 for the middle lane and 70 for the right hand lane and fifty for the left hand lane, but how many times do you see people in cars driving in the middle lane alongside lorries going at 56mph?
Its not just about passing the test, you learn more everyday, judging speeds and road conditions. I only drive alone locally, and am very familiar with routes, anywhere else I have the other half with me.

As for having mini tests every five years, hgv drivers will have to do this from next year, I think its a great idea for car drivers to do the same, as the older drivers are driving to different standards to the newer drivers who have to pass a theory test and hazard awareness test. The amount of people who have said to me in the past, hurry up and take your test before they bring in all these other tests, I turned around and said that if it made me a better driver then so be it, I will wait until i am ready, not because its the "in" thing to do. I am glad i waited because at my age (35) i am alot more responsible and especially driving with children in the car. I am alot more patient too, whats the point in speeding and getting into an accident, you won't get where you were going any quicker!!!

nickmack

achtunglady wrote:

Having passed my test a month and a half ago, I am of the opinion that you are only taught the basics to PASS the test.

Exactly, many drivers think they know it all when they've passed their test.

You don't really start learning until you begin experiencing unexpected events, hazards and situations on the road.