some 18 year olds will cope , some won’t - a bit like 21 year olds now ! I’m sure the average 21 year old now is no different than an 18 year old
What makes them able to cope is a good attitude not their age - and if they can pass the test all they need is a chance to get an assesment drive with a company to get a job ! ( getting the insurance company to understand might be the hard bit )
My youngest daughter did her C at 18 ( and is planning to do C+E before she’s 20) and copes brilliantly ( Ok, I know she didn’t have trouble getting a job as I’m employing her)
My eldest daughter waited until she was 21 before doing hers ( and is working for somebody else doing UK & Euro work with horses) - there is no difference between their driving abilities
Denis F:
some 18 year olds will cope , some won’t - a bit like 21 year olds now ! I’m sure the average 21 year old now is no different than an 18 year old
What makes them able to cope is a good attitude not their age - and if they can pass the test all they need is a chance to get an assesment drive with a company to get a job ! ( getting the insurance company to understand might be the hard bit )
My youngest daughter did her C at 18 ( and is planning to do C+E before she’s 20) and copes brilliantly ( Ok, I know she didn’t have trouble getting a job as I’m employing her)
My eldest daughter waited until she was 21 before doing hers ( and is working for somebody else doing UK & Euro work with horses) - there is no difference between their driving abilities
give them a chance to prove they can do it !!
One thing I did mean to add though, I was virtually born behind a steering wheel, driving a Ford Dexter tractor at 8 year old, yeah it was basically just steering it while it was loaded with turnips, tatties, bales, or cabbages, but I was in overall control. I hated waiting for 16 for my moped/tractor, 17 for my car and 21 for my HGV, all of them years were a lot slower than any that have gone since
My son is now well over 17, he has his car provisional, and has passed his theory test, he seems to show no desire to learn to drive, and although I find this attitude totally alien, I ain’t gonna push him
Denis F:
…My eldest daughter waited until she was 21 before doing hers ( and is working for somebody else doing UK & Euro work with horses) - there is no difference between their driving abilities…
Can’t they afford tractor units??
On a serious note, I think the problem is going to be mainly as it is with cars. There are those that can be sensible and responsible and those that cant. We all know the consequences of some young drivers showing off.
Its an issue that is certain to come up, and I for one, wouldnt like to be on the recieving end of some teenage road rage when he gets his / her balls or knickers in a twist.
Wait til ya see, max power etc will be using toplines for cover pics, lowered on air bags, 22.5" alloys, underglow neons, any boy racers dream lol oh and a big sunstrip leaving about half an inch clear at the bottom!! On a serious note I know a guy whos just turned 18 and once september comes he’s getting straight in for his cpc etc due to having a fm12 tipper waiting for him to operate due to his granda recently retiring and keeping the wagon on for him!!
My personal opinion on it being lowered to 18 is that its too young, I dont really agree with 16year olds getting 50cc road bikes so young and now to think that 2years later they’ll be able to bounce into an artic!! Fair play many 18year olds know the workings and responsibilities of lorries but the fact that average joe can turn 18 and do their test is madness. Some companies may take them on too due to the 18year old national minimum wage being so low. he’s not going to be worried about gettin nmw if he’s gettin to ship about all day in an xf105 or something lol, drop the trailer then go cruising down the local carpark!!
garnerlives:
Delboytwo and myself had a discussion about this on the chatroom a while back, we came to the conclusion whoever thought of the idea is an utter [zb] wit Mainly for the reasons listed above ROG
my ears were burning but that’s right
can i asked this one to a trainers how much is it going to cost you for insurance for 18 year old to do there training, or should i say will there let you
But there again you are all putting it Down to the steriotype which young people are always faced with. Yes I agree that most young people can’t be trusted using a wheelbarrow with a flat tyre but I think there should be a more advanced test which under 21’s HAVE to take because at the end of the day you need to start somewhere and gain some experience somehow. Young people need to be given a chance to show that mature 18 years old’s can be responsible for a 44 tonner.
i havnt heard of anyone pushing for a lower age limit
but as people now have to take 2 tests to drive plus theory and Dcpc
then maybe this is the same as being on the young drivers scheme
and that means we older drivers can take it easy whilst
the keen youngsters do all the graft
I got class 3 at age 18 and class two at age 20 and drove all manner of trucks in several countries without causing too much mayhem. I was however in the British Army and as such was subjected to military discipline and the fear that brought of any consequences should I get it wrong.
I doubt many of todays 18 year olds would have the responsibility to drive a fully laden wheelbarrow though (excepting those in the services) and this is a very ill conceived idea.
Most of us who passed their Class 1 around the age of 21 already had some road sense, whereas someone taking their test at 18 will not have much if any. Unless of course the government lower the car driving age to 14.
I wouldn’t put anything past them.
I’m amazed there hasn’t been a huge public outcry to this idea. Perhaps the public don’t know about it.
One thing is for sure. When the first 18yr old artic driver has a bad crash resulting in a fatality, then the transport lobby groups will come down on him/her like a ton of bricks.
have thay started takeing new drivers out on there test empty at first then with a load on yet think that s the best way . or a tanker harf full with no boffals in and see how thay get on .
if thay can afford to take there test .
why the flip would anyone wont to start driveing a truck . at this time where there is no jobs anyway .
army paid for mine as well loaded and unloaded . the best way .
tortoise:
So is the training period going to be extended?.
Apart from the new INITIAL DRIVER CPC bits added, the general training & test will be the same as now.
How much of hours of training does the acquiring of that initial drivers cpc will be requiring over there and how much of training hours average new CE-licence holder is currently getting? Here in Finland it’ll be at least 280 hours after new regs, which I think is minimum amount given by EU. I’m just asking out of interest as from what I’ve gathered in this forum is that training over there seems to be lasting only a week or two (I’m likely to be wrong, but that’s why I’m asking…).
Offtopic: How about the requirement of HGV drivers retraining for every five year under this same EU regulation, do you think your training companies manage to cope with the demand?
For the questions
Is the average 18 year old going to have the RESPONSIBILTY to be driving one
Are the insurers going to be happy to insure them
Will companies be willing to take them on
Is this going to compromise road safety
Well, I think I can answer only to questions 1 and 4 and even then only with a view from a country where traffic jams are generally unheard of (when compared to UK). Answers to 2 and 3 would be 2) yes (insure is per vehicle and amount of drivers or their age doesn’t affect it) and 3) yes.
1 & 4) Average 18 year old is not going to have responsibility, but with proper training most of them can have some of the needed responsibility. Currently getting CE-license in Finland with age less than 21 years requires (military service or) three years of study in applicable school and plenty of sitting in a lorry on real life situations. Many of the lorries used by these schools are having something like four seats, one for instructor and other for trainees which, in my opinion, helps the trainee to get the needed responsibility as he sees much more than he would when driving only with the instructor. That and longish training helps in acquiring the responsibility, but even so many of them are having bit of the “hey look, I’m driving big juggernaut and I know it all” attitude (usually the most eager lorry enthusiasts are the worst). So I’d say being 18 and getting CE-licence with the 280 hours of minimum training will compromise road safety, but I can’t say how negligible or not that amount will be. Personally I’d be much more happy to see professional CE-licence to be at least 19 or 20 so they’d got some practice before getting lorry on their hands.
Well, actually I shouldn’t be talking here as I got my military CE-licence during conscript service when I was 18 and drove a-frame drawbar for a profit in a private company when I was 19. The military also helps in growing up to the needed responsibility as if you don’t show it and get caught you’ll get some pretty intensive feedback. It’s quite educational…
You see a lot of young blokes of 17 or 18 driving Fastracs and other big tractors hauling spuds etc, they are going like a bat out of hell, the adrenaline is flowing, someone is going to get killed. Keep the age to 21 for artics, more mature by then.
Dave the Renegade:
You see a lot of young blokes of 17 or 18 driving Fastracs and other big tractors hauling spuds etc, they are going like a bat out of hell, the adrenaline is flowing, someone is going to get killed. Keep the age to 21 for artics, more mature by then.
So people over 21 don’t speed or drive like muppets
Put simply, it will give an insight into how to secure a load and a lot of THEORY on other matters.
2 tests - 1st is theory, 2nd is PRACTICAL demonstration.
How much of hours of training does the acquiring of that initial drivers cpc will be requiring over there and how much of training hours average new CE-licence holder is currently getting? Here in Finland it’ll be at least 280 hours after new regs, which I think is minimum amount given by EU. I’m just asking out of interest as from what I’ve gathered in this forum is that training over there seems to be lasting only a week or two (I’m likely to be wrong, but that’s why I’m asking…).
UK had the option of longer training but plumped for the multiple testing system instead.
can i asked this one to a trainers how much is it going to cost you for insurance for 18 year old to do there training, or should i say will there let you
We changed insurers this March to a company more enlightened to our needs. Previously we were subject to a massive excess for very young drivers. But with the anticipated take up from 18 year olds, we needed a more sensible approach.
BTW, just walked in to the staff room to hear this topic being discussed by instructors. “I don’t think it’s right, shouldn’t be allowed, blah blah. Having said that, the young lad I trained last week on the bus was brilliant”
“Would you be happy to ride with him then?”
“Yes, no problem. ShXX. Just shot meself in foot, haven’t I”
It’s all to do with attitude and training. Nought to do with the number of years on this earth.
Dont forget about the farmers sons and daughters that gained truck driving experience off road hauling grain or hay/straw,before they were 18.And tractor/combine driving,although not the same as on road experience.How many other countries,is the age limt 18 for HGV licences.?
)
Mainly for the reasons listed above ROG
but that’s right
