Grrrr... Venting about learning to drive

theallpowerful

Toots wrote: »

Did you report her to the police or crimestoppers?

I know I should, and have considered it on a number of occasions, but it's our best friend's sister, and I've got conflicting senses of right and wrong - I know it's right to dob her in, but at the same time I'm also a loyal friend and don't want to be responsible for doing it (even though she'd probably never find out...

marleyboy wrote:

I think the point he is getting at, is it goes on, and is very common, I know of people who do likewise, as much as I am against it I dont want to branded as the towns Grass, I lost my neice a few years ago whom was killed in an accident by an uninsured driver, she was 17 and had a child, who now is growing up minus a Mother, so I know exactly how it makes me feel.

The problem is they do it because they can, reporting one isnt going to stop the other. Its more likely just going to cause me more problems, I just pray they get caught before another victim does.

Indeed... If a system isn't working, and the system can't cope with the amount of criminals that enforcement would create, then it's time to do something to the system...

Imagine, for example, a 17 year old from a family living below the poverty line wants to "better themselves" and do training at a college. Buses are really expensive (It costs me more to get a bus into the centre of Preston everyday than it does to run two cars! Madness!) Driving lessons, however, are expensive, as are driving tests, and it may take a few attempts to pass it...

In this fictional situation, which do you think is the more likely outcome?

Now apply it to the more "difficult" members of society, and you can see why many people choose to just buy a £100 wreck and drive it around without a license or insurance...

How do we sort this situation out?

We can either:

1) Increase enforcement, leaving more people with criminal records, and fining the poorest members of society who can't afford the fines anyway, or even applying prison sentences which we don't have prison space for.

2) Reduce the cost and difficulty level of driving tests, meaning that people on low incomes/with low personal motivation find them more accessible...

Dave_Brooker

theallpowerful wrote: »

My friend's sister is 16 and has been driving around on a daily basis, including trips up the motorway from Bristol to Preston without so much as insurance for the last year... the Police have stopped her once, asked to see her documents, and then given her 72 hours to present documents... she didn't of course, not having any.. that was 3 months ago, and absolutely nothing has happened...

How can this be true?

They don't need to have you present documents any more as it is all on computer, why would they let someone drive off who has no licence???

theallpowerful

Dave_Brooker wrote: »

How can this be true?

They don't beed to have you present documents any more as it is all on computer, why would they let someone drive off who has no licence???

Don't know... Depends whether you believe their computer system is as good as they say it is, and whether all Police officers are as dedicated and thorough we'd like them to be...

I have a feeling she gave a false name, (probably her Mum's, who does have a license and has insurance on her own car, but not on the one she was driving) but I'd have to check on that one...

dangeroussports

Why not get a bike? Or a moped or bus or train.

dangeroussports

I mean use a train or Bus.

Dont buy a train or bus. Thats not the advice I have given so dont take me up on it.

Use the bus or train.

superscaper

dangeroussports wrote: »

I mean use a train or Bus.

Dont buy a train or bus. Thats not the advice I have given so dont take me up on it.

Use the bus or train.

Don't know about that, a guy at a place I worked at bought one of those big red double deckers London transport were selling off a while ago. Surprisingly cheap and you can use the bus lanes. Probably not the most environmentally friendly and parking might be a bit difficult at times (although what's to stop you simply parking at a bus stop ).

dangeroussports

You know thats not a bad idea.

I think the insurance for the OP's wife and diesel costs might be a tad high but if she buys third party only and uses red diesel then it would be acceptable.

As a bonus you could make money buy driving people around in a predestined route.

Which leads me to another good idea....

theallpowerful

dangeroussports wrote: »

I mean use a train or Bus.

Dont buy a train or bus. Thats not the advice I have given so dont take me up on it.

Use the bus or train.

Using buses is actually more expensive for me than running two cars! That's another rant I have about the cost of public transport! Same deal with the train!

I have a bike, and use it for short journeys, but my job requires I do a lot of long distance travel, so a bike just ain't practical! Bikes are also a nuisance in the (almost constant) rain we get 'up north'

dangeroussports

Fair enough.

I have no other advice I can offer you. You will just have to either carry on paying the excessive costs or rethink your life.


Farewell.

pinkfluffybabe

I can see the point about how easy it can be to get away with, and how it is the cheaper option to not bother, but my god does this make me seething mad :mad: :mad:

Its all very well to think it is easy to drive and unlikely to get caught without insurance, but what happens when you drive into someone and then they get seriously out of pocket as a result? What if they die?

The system seriously needs looked at to prevent the easier option of not sitting a test or getting insurance. I don't understand why, with all these computer systems they rave about, that they can't pinpoint who doesn't have insurance and who isn't taxed.