Backwards first - our island is about 32 miles by about 12 miles. We have a pretty good bus service, linking the four major towns, and in and around the area of Douglas, the capital - I have just been doing some work on our Church website and listed twelve different bus routes that stop near it. Villages like my Mum's may only have 4 o 5 bses a day though.
Children could get a provisional licence, to start learning, at 16 until a few weeks ago, when they made it 17. They must be accompanied at all times by an adult who has held a full licence for at least two years. If they pass both their theory test and their driving test (about 45 minutes of driving around the town, doing manoevres etc with an examiner in the car) they get a restricted licence - they must have R plates on the car, may not travel at over 50mph, and I think there are engine size restrictions as well. A year of R plates and you become a fully qualified driver.
You can take your test the day after your 17th birthday if you want - although no-one does, as they would not have had any lessons of course - there is no set age progression, you just have to pass the test. Many people have to try two or three times - it is not easy. Many people don't start lessons until they are in their twenties - this is true across Britain - ours actually start younger on average than most.
Farm kids often start early - they drive tractors and then cars around at home - but they are not allowed on any public roads until they have a provisional licence, and need to take their test just like anyone else.
And aren't those trees wonderful? I don't think our pictures really did them justice.
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Children could get a provisional licence, to start learning, at 16 until a few weeks ago, when they made it 17. They must be accompanied at all times by an adult who has held a full licence for at least two years. If they pass both their theory test and their driving test (about 45 minutes of driving around the town, doing manoevres etc with an examiner in the car) they get a restricted licence - they must have R plates on the car, may not travel at over 50mph, and I think there are engine size restrictions as well. A year of R plates and you become a fully qualified driver.
You can take your test the day after your 17th birthday if you want - although no-one does, as they would not have had any lessons of course - there is no set age progression, you just have to pass the test. Many people have to try two or three times - it is not easy. Many people don't start lessons until they are in their twenties - this is true across Britain - ours actually start younger on average than most.
Farm kids often start early - they drive tractors and then cars around at home - but they are not allowed on any public roads until they have a provisional licence, and need to take their test just like anyone else.
And aren't those trees wonderful? I don't think our pictures really did them justice.