I've been driving...on a computer

[TAOWBST]

That may be, mr-e, (hey that ryhmes :) )

But that still doesn't make it right, does it? No claims bonuses are hardly a consolidation,IMO. Although, no claims is good to reward the better drivers, who subsequently cost the insurer less, but these are then compensated for by increasing the policy charge overall.

[mr_e]

Nope, but seeing as insurance companies are run as businesses, there's not much we can do about it. Any attempt to tailor to individuals would just further push up premiums due to higher admin costs. Catch 22?

[TAOWBST]

Yeah I know. I raised this issue on another forum not so long ago. The general response was just like yours, "its a business therefore you can't change it" sort of attitude.

I never said it could or is likely to change, all I said was it isn't right. Just because things are so, doesn't mean thats how it has to be, does it? The problem is that people are forced, by law, to insure thier cars, so the insurer wins every time. You have to have insurance so they can make you pay anything they want. Thats capitalism for you. My point is we shouldn't be so passive about these things. They tell you to pay... so you do. If I told you the sky was green would you believe me? So why do you think that because insurance companies say you should pay x amount, that it should be so?

[mr_e]

Insurance could work on an informal basis by pooling money amongst friends, but even that would be frought with problems. The only real reason for doing it the way it's done is to spread the costs of public liability (may not be the correct term): if someone sues you when you crash into, say, a pedestrian, who won't have insurance as a matter of course, who would pay the potential millions of pounds for care if they were severely disabled? That's the real reason for it being compulsory, as Mike has also pointed out in conversation. Otherwise innocent victims of accidents are left without adequate compensation.

It would be interesting to see any workable alternatives, but my brain's too tired to think of any at present.

[johnriley1uk]

I understand that if you have a suitable sum of money (maybe a million or two) you can lay this aside instead of having insurance. Not sure what the terms are for doing this, but I suspect I will never have to find out....

[TAOWBST]

I agree that insurance is and should always be compulsory. But should policies discriminate against particular groups? It is the duty of insurance to pay for such things, as innocent victims of accidents. But then there is nothing stopping companies developing a policy for pedestrians, (a stupid idea I know but this is a stranger world). After all its not alwys the drivers fault, so why penalise them constantly? If a pedestrian isn't sufficiently aware when dealing with traffic, it is their own fault, therefore unfair to claim for damages from someone else,IMO.

[mr_e]

Pedestrian insurance would be great: statistically, I think most accidents of that sort occur under the influence of alcohol. With car insurance, as long as one group resents essentially subsidising the other, which is precisely what insurance does, there will always be dicrimination in insurance policies. No, it isn't "right", but economics and supply-and-demand prevent it from being any fairer. Until we have an efficient way of assessing individual risk factors. Impasse.

[TAOWBST]

Pedestrian insurance would be great: statistically, I think most accidents of that sort occur under the influence of alcohol. With car insurance, as long as one group resents essentially subsidising the other, which is precisely what insurance does, there will always be dicrimination in insurance policies. No, it isn't "right", but economics and supply-and-demand prevent it from being any fairer. Until we have an efficient way of assessing individual risk factors. Impasse.

Yeah I can just imagine that becoming compulsory.....it would be idiocy if perdestrian insurance existed. Yes, I've been told this time and time again, on another forum I raised this issue on. You are too young to care, inusrers are a business who only have to look out for themselves. Well I have to say, I'm not too younng, and just because thats how it is doesn't mean thats the way it should always be.

[Fez]

i started this thread a long time ago to tell everyone i had passed my theory test.

since then i have failed the practical twice and am lining up a third test in early december.

any words of wisdom to make this third time lucky?

[Mike]

Pretend you know what you are doing, it worked for me! :D

[TAOWBST]

Only pretend eh,Mike?

[Mike]

Only pretend eh,Mike?

He's good! That is exactly right

[TAOWBST]

Only pretend eh,Mike?

He's good! That is exactly right

yaay thanks,Mike

[Chrissie]

Confidence is definately key, and try not to think too much about driving before the test in the morning or you can freak yourself out.

[Mark Scollon]

I found that I was much more relaxed after 2 minutes of my second driving test as I had already convinced myself that I had failed. Once I thought I'd failed, the rest of the test didn't matter so I just drove as I'd been doing in my lessons. Much to my surprise at the end of the test I was told that I'd passed. This also made for better celebrations as the "pass" was so unexpected.
Good luck with it anyway Fez.