Is it worth learning to drive?

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You dont actually earn any no claims bonus unless you have car insurance to earn it on. You would still have a clean licence with no convictions on though which looks good and as you get older your insurance shouldnt be as expencive (with younger drivers anyway).

Okay Explain this scenario to me please

A man purchases a ford focus. he is insured on this for 4 out of 12 months. he then goes from getting a focus to a Volkswagen passet and changes insurance company. does he still get the 1years NCB even though he swaps both him car and insurance company? Also does it have to be a full 12 months of driving to gain the 1years NCB or can you get it after say just 5 months of clean driving?

ARGHHHHHHHHHH (sorry)

Reply 21

Moleymann

Or, ride a motorcycle? After doing a CBT, I'm riding around on a YBR125 Custom (google it for an image), it gets me around everywhere I need to go, I've got a years experience on the road, my petrol costs me around £3 to £4 a week, and a full tank will get me 300 miles. Plus my road tax is only £18, and insurance £150 (fully comp).

I can take it to uni, and after hopefully passing my test I'll take a bigger bike, have 4 years more experience, and then when I start to learn to drive, I already have that confidence on the road. Plus hopefully 5 years no claims on a bike, which is a good haggling tool when it comes to me getting car insurance.

Not gonna lie, it's harsh in the winter, but it's so awesome in the summer :cool:

Reply 22

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

Original post by berryboysh

You have to be driving for one full year to get one years no claims. You cant only drive for a couple of months then get a years no claims. Just like you cant not drive for a year and get a years no claims. If you get a new car part way through the year then you just phone the company to get the car changed on your insurance, theres no need to change insurance companies or anything. If you have car insurance for a year and dont have to make a claim on your insurance THEN you get a years no claims. If you only have car insurance for part of the year or not at all because you dont drive then you dont get no claims. Simples.

Reply 23

oh-my-diddy

Original post by lukas1051

I'm 16, but my birthday is not until August, so I can't start learning to drive until at least then, which probably means I wouldn't be able to actually drive until at least the end of the year at the earliest. I'll almost certainly be going to university in 2012, so I'm just wondering whether it is actually worth learning to drive. I don't have any money (or a job), my parents certainly can't afford to pay for a car or insurance, plus I'd need money for petrol. Even if I were to find a job, at this age insurance will be ridiculously expensive, plus I'd have to pay for a car, maintenance, MOT, insurance, my provisional license... so much stuff. In addition I'm not particularly interested in cars and I know nothing about them.

All of my friends are now learning to drive, and it just seems like something that you're expected to do aged 17. It's not that I don't want to learn to drive, I'm just not sure whether it's really worth it. Would having a car be useful when I go off to university? Do you think it's worth saving up some money now, or is having a car at this age unnecessary and overly expensive?

Not really. I passed my test in Feb last year and haven't driven since.

Reply 24

hanaalou

yes. most freedom you'll ever have

Reply 25

emi_sarb

A car isn't very useful at uni but the younger you are the easier it is to learn. Once you've passed your test you have your licence until you're 70 so even if you're not driving now it's useful to have. I know someone who started learning at 48 and is now 51 and still can't pass the test but everyone I know who started at 17 passed within a year.

Reply 26

LavenderBlueSky88

If you're in a position to learn now then do it, even if you don't have a car untill you're older at least you've learnt a life skill. I didn't learn to drive when everyone else did at school as I never had the money but I never wanted to either, all through uni I never wished I had a car as I was happy to use public transport. I am learning now only because I'm having a 'gap year' and have the time to focus on it, but I am not planning on owning a car any time soon. It's just something thats best to get out of the way in my opinion.

Reply 27

Wenger

Of course it is worth learning to drive. It is skill that increases your employability, that doesn't require any intelligence whatsoever.

The sooner the better, fuel as a compliment to the price of driving lessons is increasing rapidly, I'd get it over and done with...

Reply 28

Arekkusu

Original post by lukas1051

Completely not worth it. If you have to get around, ride a moped. Cars are a dead end these days. If you live in a city, continue to rely on the buses.

Currently you will pay certainly more than 5k in total in driving lessons, car and insurance. Despite being a lover of cars myself, and already having taken my test two years ago (living in a remote area), and having been driving as a named driver on my mum's ****ty Ford Ka, I am going to get a bike when I leave uni. It's just not worth it.

Reply 29

LateNightSkies

I was the same as you and originally thought I wasn't going to bother, thinking about not needing it at uni etc but I started learning last july and passed 2nd time around just over a month ago. In total, with all of my lessons, 2 pracitcal tests and 2 theories (because I was ill for my first one but couldn't cancel in time) I spent £800 on learning to drive.

My parents have insured me as a named driver on their car (an old ford focus estate that's done 100,000 miles) and I now drive in to school and around town and over to see various family members etc. It costs £60 to fill up the tank and that lasts me around 250 miles or 6 weeks worth of pottering around town, so its really not overly expensive. Certainly cheaper than the bus though you have to factor in the cost of the insurance.

My twin sister hasn't learnt, because she 'can't be bothered' and 'doesn't see the point when she quite likes public transport' though she has got her provisional, so I now ferry her around :wink:

My motivation came from all of my friends learning to drive, I just wanted to be able to do what everyone else was, so I changed my mind and learnt.

Personally it was a good decision, the feeling of freedom and the fact that its a life skill means that at some point I would have had to learnt. I had time on my hands and money from my part-time job so I could afford the lessons and tests (I'll also be paying my parents back for the insurance eventually).

Like everyone else has said, I'm not planning on taking a car to uni, but I've got 7 months before uni when I can have the added freedom to go where I want and when I want rather than waiting for some bus or trying to blag a lift from the parents.

Another thing to think about is that at university your off on holidays for 5 out of 12 months of the year. If you come back (especially in the summer - 3 months off!!!) and get a part time job, or want to visit friends, then you will probably need a car to get you around. When I come home from uni the car will be there waiting for me and I can be put back on the insurance short-term.

Also, if you have your license now and don't use it, it won't die! You have it till your like 70 and you can use it any time till then. The cost of learning to drive will only increase between now and when you finish uni, and at that point you'll have even less money to pay for it.

Personally, its totally worth it and I'd do it sooner rather than later :smile:

Reply 30

lukas1051

Thanks for your replies everyone, I'm still not sure, but maybe it is better I learn sooner rather than later (even if I don't have a car to drive). I'll see how I feel when I'm actually 17.

Reply 31

PapaShmurff

I had the same view as you, mum offered to pay for lessons for my 17th but i said i wasn't interested. Two years on and i decided to start taking lessons at the beginning of this year, do it when you're ready basically

Reply 32

bengalisoldier

Well I think its good to learn driving for yourself and family.

Reply 33

KittieSocks

I'm only learning because my boyfriend works in a different town to where we live and it'd be easier for me to drive to take him and etc, also cause we liked going on holidays in the UK and rather than go with National Express (costly and a lot of time wasted changing buses) I'd rather drive. I haven't passed yet but I've got a car already (my sister's old S-reg fiesta) which I love to bits. Just want to pass now, but even when I pass I can't afford everything all at once so it'll be at least 1-2 months after I've passed before I'll be actually driving.

Reply 34

fwed1

For me it was worth it,

PROS:
The course I am applying to for uni requires me to have a full category b license.
If I wanted a promotion at work I would need a license.
Many more jobs open up when you have a driving license.
It is easier to learn new things when you are young.
If you can afford it it is a huge freedom being able to drive wherever whenever.
Some jobs require you to have held a license for x amount of years so if you get one whilst you are young you have more job option available later.

CONS:
The price, learning to drive in itself is expensive whether you go on to buy a car or not. Insurance for young people these days is through the roof and climbing so it is not affordable for most people.
University. Generally universities do not allow you to have a car therefore for the 3 or so years you are at university your skill level will drop and you will not be to the same standard as wen you passed your test.

Reply 35

LouboutinLove

I was in the same situation in that I'm an August baby so the last in my year to start driving! I passed in January of the following year though and I'm glad I did, I don't drive a huge amount now but I'm glad I got it out of the way as early as possible. Like the person above said, it can be a big factor when you're looking for jobs - even now I'm looking for a sandwich placement from my uni course, a number of the jobs I applied to I wouldn't have been able to apply if I didn't have a driving licence.

Reply 36

nikki_louise

I was in the same situation as you when i was doing my a levels.
i decided against it just because i wouldnt be driving at all and money was rather tight anway.
instead i waited and saved a lot of money up in the holidays- having four months off between uni years helps! and i managed to fit in lessons easily in my second/third year. I passed in december and since i was able to save up some money and due to living with a partner who doesnt go to uni i have managed to get a car.

waiting for me was perfect. I needed time to save up since my parents didnt help plus now i use the car all the time and will even more when i start teacher training next year (i had to really of passed before then anyway to get to placements).

if you dont really have the money and really dont feel you need to then wait and maybe spend a bit of time finding yourself a job and save up and do it through uni like i did?

Reply 37

n65uk

Original post by lukas1051

If you can afford to get all the lessons and pay for the tests, then yes, it is worth it.

A couple of reasons why but biggest one is the driving test will always change, rarely, but it will change. Once you've done the test, you've done it. That's 95% of the challenge done, the last 5% to getting out there for the first time on your own!

I passed 2 years ago, haven't drove a car since.

Reply 38

boromir9111

You don't need to get a car straight away, it's good to have the license just in case you may need one in the future......prudent planning all the way :woo:

Reply 39

TheFatController

I'd suggest you learn now.

Driving lessons aren't going to get any cheaper, and you're less likely to get help from your parents if you take them post-uni. Driving tests certainly aren't going to get any easier or cheaper either. Also, insurance companies are increasingly basing their premiums on your driving experience rather than just your age, so if you learn now, hold a license for 4 years and then get a car and insurnace, you'll find yourself paying much less if you learn then.