Young do, indeed, lack enthusiasm for driving

[James Landi]

   
   
Numlock News: April 23, 2019
Apr 23   Public post         
By Walt Hickey

"
Drivers
The share of 16-year-olds who get their drivers license is down 20.2 percentage points between 1983 and 2017, dropping from 46 percent in the ‘80s to 26 percent in 2017. Eventually kids realized that if they want to get into bars they will inexplicably need to certify with the state that they can drive, but still only 80 percent of 20- to 24-year-olds in 2017 were licensed drivers, down from 92 percent in 1983. Part of it is that cars are expensive, gas is expensive, even driver’s ed costs a few hundred dollars these days.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Probably because the youngsters want to go out and drink themselves stupid, and therefore are catching taxis.

Modern compact living (Units and condos etc.) doesn't go well with car ownership, and with the bland look of new cars, there is no reason to splash out for buying costly cars.

Bruce.

[Big Apple Caddy]

Some previously posted articles on the subject of young people and cars:

"Actually, we were all wrong â€" millennials love cars" --
https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-love-cars-2016-11

"Who says they don't like cars? Millennials are the fastest growing segment of car buyers, according to experts" --
http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/news/millennials-are-fastest-growing-segment-of-car-buyers-article-1.2983590

"Don't Believe the Hype! Cars Matter to Millennials" --
https://www.ally.com/do-it-right/car/dont-believe-the-hype-cars-matter-to-millennials

"Ninety-Two Percent of Gen Z Teens Own or Plan to Own A Vehicle" --
https://mediaroom.kbb.com/ninety-two-percent-gen-z-teens-own-plan-own-vehicle-according-study

"Study: Millennials Like Cars More Than Social Media" --
https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/study-millennials-cars-more-social-media-234471

“TC insurance firm's survey finds millennials like cars after all” --
https://www.techcentury.com/2018/06/27/tc-insurance-firms-survey-finds-millennials-like-cars-after-all

"Millennials like buying cars after all" --
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/30/millennials-like-buying-cars-after-all.html

"Millennials collecting cars with new classics ranging from Datsuns to DeLoreans" --
https://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/sc-autotips-0817-millennials-collecting-cars-20170816-story.html

"The New Majority: Millennials and Gen Xers Dominate Classic Car Market" --
https://thenewswheel.com/the-new-majority-millennials-and-gen-xers-dominate-classic-car-market/

"Millennials and Gen X's interest in classic cars increasing" --
https://www.autoclassics.com/posts/news/millennials-growing-in-classic-car-market

[Scot Minesinger]

Well all three of my children had their learner's permits the day of or after their 15.5 year birthday and were licensed the day it was legal form an age perspective in Virginia (16 years, 3 months).  If it is bad that children are not getting licensed at age 16 like they should, blame the parents.  Unless the children are legally separated from their parents at age 16 they have to comply.  My kids were a little anxious and would like to have put it off, but I would have none of it, was not going to be their driver any longer than necessary.

My son's girlfriend at age 18 did not have her license primarily because of her parents inattention/lazy.  I taught her to drive and she got it.

When we reflect how the younger generation is not doing what the older (us) generation wants them to do, we have no one to blame but ourselves, certainly not the children we raised.

My youngest daughter was in traffic yesterday as a passenger and spotted a 1970 Monte Carlo and sent me a text with a picture of it, so she gets it.

[quadfins]

Many of my students don't have their licenses because their families can not afford the insurance.

Jim

[z3skybolt]

Jim,

What is wrong with the kid working to pay for the insurance as did I and most of my contemporaries when we were teenagers? Indeed I had to pay a "high risk" rate because of my father who had a long history of driving violations and was at that time in prison.

Bob

[Big Apple Caddy]

Many of my students don't have their licenses because their families can not afford the insurance.

One must also consider the increasing numbers of young people attending college as well as how those expenses have notably increased over time.  Less than 50% of new high school graduates in 1980 were enrolled in college compared to about 70% today.  More and more young people (and/or their parents) having to deal with higher education costs may also force some to have to delay car ownership and/or getting a license even though the interest and desire is there.

[Dan LeBlanc]

One must also consider the increasing numbers of young people attending college as well as how those expenses have notably increased over time.  Less than 50% of new high school graduates in 1980 were enrolled in college compared to about 70% today.  More and more young people (and/or their parents) having to deal with higher education costs may also force some to have to delay car ownership and/or getting a license even though the interest and desire is there.

Up in this neck of the woods, the high concentration of students pursuing degrees has created a shortage of skilled tradespeople.  I could hire 4-5 skilled glaziers tomorrow and keep them permanently employed.  They just don't exist anymore.

The ticket to doing well these days (at least here) is to pursue a trade through a community college, spend about $7500 and 1-2 years worth of your time to learn a trade, emerge debt free if you're smart, and earn more money fresh out of a community college than a person with a degree in an entry level position.

But . . . that means one would have to WORK!  Argh.  Egad.  How dare someone would suggest that to today's youngins.

[Dan LeBlanc]

Nope. One of my employees passed away last November. Prostate cancer that quickly spread. His lady day of work was September 9th. Even battling cancer at 67, he could work circles around any of the 20-somethings I'd hired.

[quadfins]

Jim,

What is wrong with the kid working to pay for the insurance as did I and most of my contemporaries when we were teenagers? Indeed I had to pay a "high risk" rate because of my father who had a long history of driving violations and was at that time in prison.

Bob

Nothing is wrong with it. And many do. It is not my place to tell them what to do, or how to prioritize their budgets.

I am simply stating a fact, as relayed to me by them.

Others do not, or have other preferences to spend their dollars on.
Insurance for my honor student daughter is well over a thousand dollars a year. Many families here see that as an extravagance.

Jim

[Matt CLC#18621]

My 18yo son has no desire to drive, no interest in his 99 Mustang convertible at all. Prefers to be dropped and either his GF or friends drive and he gladly forks over gas money.

Good for me, no insurance claims.

Regards,
Matt

[64\/54Cadillacking]

The cost of owning a vehicle and such is much more expensive today than ever. Also one has to consider the location of where one lives in the country.


As much as our government out here in CA tries to push us out of our cars and into public transit, you simply cannot get around in places like L.A. San Diego and Orange County without having a car to drive, these metros are just way too spread out to take a bus, the train or the trolley.

The car is seen as a appliance more so than ever before and kids now just don’t have the desire to own a vehicle like they did in the past.

Plus with many cities urbanizing at a rapid rate, more young people are moving back into the urban core so that can also be why. Again, it all depends on the size and location of the city that could be a factor.

With Uber and Lyft having become so popular, this I am sure has a lot to do with it too.

[Glen]

Many of my students don't have their licenses because their families can not afford the insurance.

Jim

That was my parent’s excuse.  The results were that I had to learn how to drive from my Navy buddy’s.  The catch was I had to buy the beer.  What could go wrong with that plan?     

[Big Apple Caddy]

But . . . that means one would have to WORK!  Argh.  Egad.  How dare someone would suggest that to today's youngins.

An element of every older generation seems to feel that way about the next/young generation.  Kids today don't want to work, feel entitled, lack work ethic, want everything for nothing, etc are views that have been expressed for ages!  This was being said about my generation when I was young, about my parents' generation when they were young, about my grandparents' generation when they were young, and so on.

Of course, young people have also long complained about the older generations being too rigid/set in their ways, unwilling to embrace new technologies, new ways of thinking or doing things, new ideas, change, etc.

Ahh, the generation gap continues to be alive and well.

[Big Apple Caddy]

The cost of owning a vehicle and such is much more expensive today than ever.

What are you basing this on?  While the average cost may be at or near highest in current dollars, government data/research appears to show that the average inflation adjusted cost of car ownership (fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation, etc) is actually lower today than most years dating back to that earliest data from 1975.

Inflation adjusted average ownership/operating cost per mile, based on 15k miles/year:
2018 â€" 60.1 cents
2008 â€" 64.4 cents
1998 â€" 72.3 cents
1975 â€" 69.5 cents

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I can believe the costs associated with car ownership is significantly higher in certain geographic locales within the US.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

I think I Art hit it on the head. With all the social media stuff out there kids can be in the same room with their friends while being on the other side if the country. My son plays some game wearing a headset and a live pix of his friends doing the same thing. He never had an interest in a license until we got the 55 and he wanted to take it to prom.  Now he drives all over the place (mostly in his daily driver if course) and can't imagine not having a car. He works and pays his own insurance and gas on his daily. We cover the 55.

[Scot Minesinger]

I agree with Art, the video world teenagers can so inexpensively access has replaced some of thrill of driving to enjoy the world.  However, video does not completely replace driving, and for most is essential.

OK, the good thing about video with teenagers is that it is easy to mold them.  If they do not work a job or whatever else is good for them but they do not want to do, just take the video away, or make it a reward after they cut the lawn, finish home work or whatever.  It would be better if we did not trash young people for lack of work ethic, and etc. because the people writing on this forum in their 50's or so raised them and it reflects onto the authors.  I have not suffered any problems with young people not working hard, as it is no trouble for me to motivate them amicably.  Now on the subject of them spouting off about political opinions of which is based upon no facts - that is another matter.

My kids all enjoy my Cadillacs.

[quadfins]

.  Now on the subject of them spouting off about political opinions of which is based upon no facts - that is another matter.

This happens with ALL generations.

And a large proportion of the students at my school DO appreciate old cars, especially when they actually SEE them.

So, I guess the lesson for us is to drive these cars, get them out and seen, and be open and willing to spend the time to chat and share.

Jim

Jim

[hornetball]

How does it go again . . .

"If you're 20 and not a liberal, you don't have a heart.  If you're 30 and not a conservative, you don't have a brain."

Timeless.

Also, I apparently never had a heart.