Coming Of Age

[Susan Atherton]

No: HPFGUIDX 75456

Arya wrote:
> Seeing the posts about the age to drive or own a bike, I was 
wondering and 
> wonder if an actual UK'er can give an answer (not a guess from one 
of us 
> living elsewhere)-- what are the milestone ages in the UK?  Like 
when can 
> you get a driving license?  What is the age of consent (sexual)? 

Golly replied:
In the UK it is 18 to drink - as it is in most places in the world.  
But when I was there, you could drink in nearly any local pub - they 
never carded.  Only clubs carded and I never had any problems buying 
alcohol at any store.

I reply: 
Not to step on your toes, but I'm English, and wanted to throw in my two cents. Now, if I'm not very much mistaken, isn't it only the UK and America that have ages on drinking? I thought "most places in the world" didn't have a drinking age? Can someone in France or Germany or Spain or Holland etc englighten me?

As for the UK:

5 - legal to: drink alcohol purchased by someone else over the age of 18 and inside your own home
12 - legal to: enter a 12 or 12A certificate film by yourself
13 - legal to: have job (but without an NI number, you won't get much)
14 - legal to: be in a pub in sight of the bar (rather than in a kiddy section)
                : be responsible for fastening your own seatbelt in a car (the adult driver can't be fined if you don't have your seatbelt on if you are 14+)
15 - legal to: enter a 15 certificate film by yourself
16 - legal to: get a National Insurance card, and therefore get a job better than a paper round
                : be in a pub and order a soft drink 
                : be in a pub and drink an alcoholic drink with a meal if someone over 18 buys it for you.
                : have sexual intercourse (heterosexual)
                : buy cigarettes
17 - legal to: apply for provisional driving license (learner's permit) and begin driving lessons
18 - legal to: buy alcohol to be consumed by yourself on the premises or anyone else off them
                : vote in General or local elections
                : have sexual intercourse (homosexual, male)
                : enter an 18 certificate film by yourself
21 - legal to: run for public office as an MP (Member of Parliament)
                : apply for a provisional HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) license and begin driving lessons



They may be others that I've forgotten, and unless they've changed the rules when I haven't been looking, there is no age of consent on female homosexual intercourse because Queen Victoria didn't believe women would do that and didn't make it legal or illegal when the legislation was written. (Makes you wonder what old Albert was like in the sack, really.)

Everything used to be 21 at one time, then they started bringing things down in dribs and drabs until the only things left at 21 are things people don't want to do until they're 21 anyway. I think the reason driving is 17 rather than 18 is that they don't want people to discover the novelty of driving and drinking legally at the same time. And as for the age 25 insurance thing, Golly's right, that is just insurance statistics. Male 17-25, Female 17-25, Male 25+, Female 25+ is the order the risk groups run in, from most risky to least. Under 25s are more likely to have an accident, so when you hit that age your insurance drops like mad. Unfair? Maybe. Realistic? Yup.

Hope that helped people,
Susan
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