To get a scooter/moped for DD when she turns 16?

[kirktonhouse]

Just that really, did you/would you allow it?

YABU - would not
YANBU - would buy one

Just to clarify, she wants one and live 5 miles out of town (rural roads).

I had one at 16 as we lived out of town with shocking public transport links. I would of been quite isolated without it, as my parents worked and couldn’t always give me lifts.

I had one it was great, I’d definitely let mine

I would do everything in my power to avoid my 16 year old riding a moped in a town, never mind rurally. It's so dangerous out there.

We did this for my son - he loved it. Hey are limited to 28mph on a 50cc, so have to take it fairly slowly. The biggest benefit was then not needing many car driving lessons when he turned 17, and passing within 6 weeks. Driving instructor said it was because he already had lots of road sense / anticipation of other cats on the road from 12months on a moped around town. Saved us money, and he got a pass to a car.

Agree with pp.

My DH works in roads policing and was adamant that our 2 sons would never have a moped / motorbike

Should add I had a good friend in the same situation at 16 who had a moped who was knocked off it by an articulated lorry.She was ok, but it could have been very different.

Much too dangerous

Look up mortality and accident rates. Very, very dangerous. No way

My god no. When I was younger I saw an accident between a car and a kid on a moped. The poor kid got flung so far off the moped he didn't survive. That memory has stayed with me for years.

I don't agree......😲another poster jumped in....

Nope. No way would I buy a moped for anyone, let alone my teenage child. So dangerous.

My mum had a moped at about 18 to get to work and got knocked off it. Has a bad scar on her neck. The accident could have easily been much worse.

No way. One of my friends got knocked off her moped twice in the space of a year. It’s not worth the risk.

Depends a lot on how sensible & capable the teen is. DH is a biker, he would be happy in theory with our two having a moped at 16 but he's always said it will depend on their character / common sense / spatial awareness / observation skills. No blanket rule.

Obviously there's always the possibility of accidents. But dh is a much safer driver than me because he is also a biker. He is very aware of what a crash feels like when you don't have a metal box to protect you!

He also passed his driving test after three lessons as he'd already been riding a couple of years by then so it was second nature to him. An additional advantage.

I think you are very vulnerable on them.

If she wants to get one fir herself at 18, up to her - but I wouldn’t facilitate it at 16.

Will be getting a car at 17 so would be unlikely to want a bike at 18 I would think.

My son had a moped and a push bike... I would make sure ifshe went ahead and got one please ensure she has a good helmet and protective clothes and make her wear gloves even in the summer. She will have to take her CBT too

I grew up cycling in the road and got a scooter at 17 but the criteria was I had to pass the full license (it's more complicated now) not just the CBT and wear all the gear all the time, not armoured trousers because we could find any that fit and we're practical)

I've probably had more near misses on a bicycle than motorcycle tbh but then I rode one more than the other. Did get hit by a car on my scooter but that was in the same direction of travel so not bad.

My ds1.and was fine. However he had excellent awareness and was only using it to get to his evening job and on quiet roads. I do think it gave him excellent road awareness..especially how road conditions change with weather, and he went on to get his driving licence easily, and has had a car a few years now.

My other children.. no way. They are less aware generally. One went on to drive a car and is very competent now but hated it at first, and one still hasn't learned in her late 20s.

I had one at 16. We were pretty rural and it gave me a lot of freedom. That Saadi, the roads are scary nowadays - the standard of driving is bad and cars are more powerful, so I’m not sure!

A girl in my class at school got one for her 16th birthday. She was killed the following day, driving it to school. So no, I would never have let my DD have one.

I don't know anyone who rides/has ridden a moped or a motorbike who hasn't had an accident on it. My DM was a Sister in A&E for 20 years and after seeing so many horrific accidents and some really traumatic deaths from moped and motorbike accidents, she made both my DSis and I promise we would never get on one. I've asked my DDs to promise me the same - although I know that won't actually stop them, it may make them think twice.

I understand the hassle of living rurally and having to either rely on infrequent bus services or your DPs for lifts, but as the saying goes; it's better to get there later, than never to arrive at all...

Sorry to be such a downer on the idea, but I can't think of another activity a parent would happily encourage their child to do, which could have such dangerous - and possibly even tragic - consequences.

Did she pass her test? Or was it the 'good old days' where you slapped on an L plate and off you went.

I ride a bike, a 750cc so reasonably big. I dont like small bikes, they are slow and not as stable as bigger machine that can keep pace with surrounding traffic. That said with proper training in defensive riding then they can be safe and Independent on a 50cc scooter. Usually its not the biker that is the cause of the accident but they will come off worse. The problem here is younger riders have an immortality complex and believe that it will never happen to them so arn't as safety aware as someone who has driven/riden for a few years. That said only you know your kids.