Offtopic question.

[karapetkov]

Forgive me for this absolute offtopic, but I want to ask something.

In my country, when someone gets his driver's license, he's considered a "young driver" and a special sticker is recommended to be put on his car for a period of time.

How is this called in the US? What term or slang do you use for these young drivers?

And how does the respective US sticker look?


Thanx.

[Larry Rutledge]

They are called provisional drivers, or drivers with a provisional license. This is for drivers under the age of 18. There are no stickers for the car, but the drivers license is marked "provisional". The restrictions placed on a provisional license is that they cannot transport a passenger under the age of 20 nor drive between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am unless accompanied by another licensed driver 25 years of age or older.

That is how it is in the state of California, I assume the other states are similar.

[Jason Ramsey]

Nothing like that in here in Alabama... Just an under 21 across it, so folks can't doctor their id's as easily to buy alcohol underage.

Later,
Jason

[Matthew R. Rodwell]

In Texas you have to have your license renewed every year till you are 18 so they can make sure you didnt drop out of high school.

[karapetkov]

Thanks.

And do yo use "provisional driver" also in everyday talk?

I mean this delicate attitude towards the rookies?

Maybe we have this "young driver" thing because traffic here is crazy,.. I mean really crazy and often rough, and this attitude is a kind of bonus to the beginners. A "Let him go" kind of thing.

[mikkowilson]

In Alaska its reffered to as a "Learner's Permit"..
At 14 you take the written test, and get the permit. You can drive normally, but you have to have someone over 19 with a full license in the car with you.
At 16 you take the road test and get a full licence (which has a big "under 21" across it) which you renew when you turn 21. Then Renewal every few years with an eye test.


In Finland you take driving school (expensive!) and at 18 you can get yrou license. And it's good untill your 65th birthday - no renewals untill then!

Or you can do what I did and turn in a US licence as proof of ability and get the Finnish license without any tests or restrictions! How cool is that?


- Mikko

[Charli]

Back in the day in Texas, if you were under 18, on your photo, you had to turn your head like a profile shot, this immediately identified you as a minor.

[The Noble Robot]

In Minnesota, if you are 16, your first license is a "provisional license," which has restrictions on the number of people you can have in the car, and has harsher penalties for traffic violations. This only lasts 6 months, and then (whether you replace the card or not) as long as your record is clean, you revert to a full license, which needs to be renewed at various (but seemingly random) intervals, as in other states.

Even though I was a fully licensed driver 6 months after I got it, I didn't actually need to replace my original "provisional" card until I turned 19, and then I had to replace it again when I turned 20! It's been many years since then, and I still have a year left on it. Meanwhile, the state issued new cards with holograms and made from a flexible polymer, and I'm the only person I know still stuck with a old-fashioned one.

It makes no sense.

[karapetkov]

In Bulgaria, you can't drive under 18. You can get your exams after 16, but anyway you have to wait till 18 for the action. When you get your license, it's valid till 60 or so, I believe, and if your record is clean.

I'm asking this because I wanted to include a small joke in a clip I'm editing right now, and I was wondering how would our "young driver" be translated in English [American slang actually]. For the subtitles, you know.

But I think I'll go with rookie. :)

[CallaghanFilms]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/6548/1190690320.jpg

Really now...who would proof you anyways?

[karapetkov]

LOL man, :) :) :).

There isn't a separate license, it's just a slang thing.

LOL. :thumbsup:

[J Michael]

It's not considered delicate treatment here. They (young drivers) are considered dangerous because so many of them are irresponsible risk takers - a beer in one hand, cell phone in the other, doing 100 mph in a 35 mph zone, while making out with the girfriend. They really shouldn't be using the cell phone.

[Dick Campbell]

They still do the profile in Texas to identify minor drivers.

[JConnors]

When I got my license which was like 11 years ago, you would get your "Beginners" 3 months before your 16 birthday, which meant you could drive with a parent or guardian, and then like a month after your birthday you could take the drivers test. Once you past the test there wasn't any restrictions. I failed my first time for speeding, literally like 2 minutes into the test.

[morten]

In canada it's called "New Driver" and you have to drive around with a big green N on your car for I think it's one or two years.

[JConnors]

In canada it's called "New Driver" and you have to drive around with a big green N on your car for I think it's one or two years.


I think thats only in BC though. I haven't seen it anywhere else in the country.

[ugafan]

there is no american equivalent to a "young driver". in georgia, one can get a "learner's permit" at the age of 15. with the learners permit, one may practice with a licensed driver at least 21-years-old in the front seat. after having a learners permit for one year, you are eligible to get a drivers license. you do not have to put a sticker on your car.