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Original poster

To not want my 15yr old driving yet?

63 replies

betteronmondays · 02/04/2025 13:37

My son turns 15.5yrs in a month and says can he apply for his provisional driving license in a month and then wants to drive with us under supervision. We live in central London. We drive an expensive car after years of having a cheap small car because we can finally afford one we all fit into. I object to so many things… a 15yr having a say in car decisions. A 15yr driving around London. The cost, responsibility, entitlement, necessity, danger… I mean we hardly even drive we use it to get out of London!
my husband says all he did from the age of 10 is drive and drive his parents around from 15.. I know he’s exaggerating as he was a full boarder from the age of 7yrs. But now I am being made to feel unreasonable…

OP posts:
Marianwallace · 02/04/2025 15:09

Definitely 17. And yes the insurance will be prohibitive.

RanyaJerodung · 02/04/2025 15:09

betteronmondays · 02/04/2025 13:51

THANKYOU I thought I was going mad.

Why on earth are you listening to him?
Just shut this nonsense down.

RanyaJerodung · 02/04/2025 15:10

Moveoverdarlin · 02/04/2025 15:06

Both your son and DH are talking bollox. It’s 17.

This!

WeeOrcadian · 02/04/2025 15:20

You're NOT going mad, they're talking shite

Your insurance wouldn't even entertain the idea of putting him on the policy (which you'll need to do) at this age

HolidayC0untdown1234567 · 02/04/2025 15:46

I am in my 50s & have been driving since I was 17

My father will not let me drive his car

So I have to take him places in my car

The entitlement of a 15 year old !

murasaki · 02/04/2025 15:57

Nice try, kiddo.

But no.

Hankunamatata · 02/04/2025 15:58

You can apply for provisional but can't actually learn to drive car until 17. Dc has had his provisional since turning 16 as its handy ID

CaptainMyCaptain · 02/04/2025 15:59

TeapotCollection · 02/04/2025 13:39

Eh? You have to be 17 to drive <confused>

This. A 15 year old can't drive.

IvanaTinkles · 02/04/2025 16:01

OllysArmyRidesAgain · 02/04/2025 13:52

Just to say, both DH and I have large powerful/expensive cars (not a boast just a fact) and neither of our DC have ever been allowed to drive them, and one is now 25!

I’m not allowed to drive my mum’s sporty car - I’m 45!

incandescentglow · 02/04/2025 16:10

to be fair it's seemingly not as easy as saying no to the kid when you have the dad supporting it too

redgingerbread · 02/04/2025 16:13

incandescentglow · 02/04/2025 16:10

to be fair it's seemingly not as easy as saying no to the kid when you have the dad supporting it too

Yeah, but she’s saying no to something not legal. It’s not that she’s saying no he can’t play Fortnite and eat only McDonald’s….

incandescentglow · 02/04/2025 16:21

redgingerbread · 02/04/2025 16:13

Yeah, but she’s saying no to something not legal. It’s not that she’s saying no he can’t play Fortnite and eat only McDonald’s….

Show quote history

yes but she didn't know that in the beginning did she otherwise she wouldn't have made a thread about it

B1indEye · 02/04/2025 16:25

Do you drive @betteronmondays , I can't believe that any driving adult doesn't know that you need to be 17

Delphiniumandlupins · 02/04/2025 16:27

I suggest your DS (and his father) check the law before they get carried away with their fancy plans.

B1indEye · 02/04/2025 16:27

incandescentglow · 02/04/2025 16:10

to be fair it's seemingly not as easy as saying no to the kid when you have the dad supporting it too

Eh, saying to no to something because, you know, it's illegal is up there with the easy parenting issues surely

HolidayC0untdown1234567 · 02/04/2025 16:50

A person can ride a 50cc moped at 16

Check insurance
Check if a course or test is required (rules keep changing)

I had one at 16
Then a 125 & 250cc at 17 onwards

Riding a moped assisted with road sense, before learning to drive a car

Fizbosshoes · 02/04/2025 17:14

2 acquaintances taught their 15 year old boys to drive (on private land, although not their own land)
One of them was caught taking their parents car our for a spin on public roads when he was 16. Can't remember if they pranged the car.

I couldn't see the point of teaching them to drive that early

DumpedByText · 02/04/2025 17:28

It's 17 unless he's disabled. I tried to insure my DD on her own car for learners insurance and they wouldn't let me until the day of her 17th birthday.

Your the adult here so you tell him no and he's wrong!

Peachy2005 · 02/04/2025 17:49

We had to buy a little secondhand runabout for the kids to learn on - a family member was changing their car so it worked out quite well. Even if we had wanted them to, they couldn’t have gotten insured to learn on either of our cars due to engine size. When they eventually pass their tests, they still wouldn’t be able to be insured on either of ours due to high cost.

itsgettingweird · 02/04/2025 17:52

Iknowaboutpopular · 02/04/2025 13:39

You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you're 15 years and 9 months old. You can start driving a car when you're 17. You can drive a car when you are 16 if you get, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Quoted from the GOV website.

And it takes so long to get a license if you’re disabled you’d be lucky to apply at 16 for a provisional and have it before your 18th birthday!

Glittertwins · 02/04/2025 17:58

We bought a little car for ours to learn in from their 17th birthday. We were pleasantly surprised how little it cost to put them on that policy however they’re only ever out with us. That will change once they’ve passed the test. As per other PPs, there is no way they are going near our cars!

LlynTegid · 02/04/2025 18:07

Your DS gets free bus travel and reduced tube fares. He should stick to that.

Original poster
betteronmondays · 02/04/2025 19:22

Wow went back told my house of boys they are all wrong look at govt etc… and they still don’t believe me I give up… I mean I’m no trampled wife or shrinking violet I’m the bread winner in prof job and feisty character but apparently testosterone trumps it my ability to judge on this I give up. 🤦🏾‍♀️

OP posts:
labradorservant · 02/04/2025 19:25

But how do they not know this? Kids talk about driving when they are 17 and drinking when 18. Ask them to look on tik tok. Then they might actually believe it 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️.