Age Limits - UK v's U.S.A. (8954 hits)
Category: Politics -> LibertariansRating: 0.44 on 10 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Trout (View user info) at 2004-03-26 10:29:10 EST
Ok, so the whole my country's better than your country has been done to death. This post isn't about that. It's about the various different age limits imposed on us by "the man". Each age limit will have its pros and cons so it will be a personal judgement as to which is better.
But since this is my post I will decide which country has the most sensible age limits.
(Correct me if I'm wrong on any of these ages as I'm no legal expert).
So let the games begin:
Sex
UK - 16
US - 18
On balance the US limit is probably more sensible. 16 is probably a touch too young to be doing the beast with two backs. Plus, 14 is almost 16 which is probably why there are so many young mothers in the UK, as everyone knows you should knock off a couple of years from any age limit to make it sensible.
US wins.
Driving
UK - 17
US - 16
The older you are when you start driving the better. Boy racers are little fucks. I'd make driving 21. Young drivers are terrible.
UK wins
Alcohol
UK - 18
US - 21 (31 states, rest 18)
Drinking is fun. Since the UK limit is 18 my parents allowed me to drink at 16 (they employed the -2 from anything the government says rule). Now that I'm 28 and had over a decade of drinking experience I can see that older may be better as 18 year olds just can't handle their drink too well and end up annoying everyone else in the pub.
But there was no way on earth I could have waited until I was 21 to drink (or even 19 for that matter).
I'm over-ruling my liver here.
UK wins
(2-1 to the UK so far)
Smoking
UK - 16
US - 18
Smoking is bad. I smoke. I thought I looked cool at 16 smoking. I didn't. I still don't. Much as I love my camels I'm giving this one to the US.
US wins.
Marriage
UK - 16
US - fuck knows
Both lose. No-one should be allowed to get married until they're 30 and have lived enough of life to be able to make such a decision sensibly.
Scores so far are two apiece with one draw.
The only other age limits I can think of is cinema admission (too complicated to compare), car hire (who gives a rats ass) and voting (like that makes a difference).
Did this post suck or what?
I'm so going to get my arse booted in March Madness if this is the quality of work................or am I?
Yes, I am.
User Reviews
Submitted by DenDen (user info) at 2004-05-13 07:55:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
You forgot the real "age of majority." You know--when people can vote, are legally responsible for themselves, etc.
Submitted by Magno (user info) at 2004-05-13 07:33:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by yt <t> at 2004-05-13 07:17:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
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Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2004-03-26 13:09:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Trout...
Many of the laws you mention are state regulated not federally regulated. Whereas in the UK the laws blanket the entire country. Different Laws in Florida than in california or wyoming.
Drinking age in the US is 21 nationwide though otherwise states lose federal funds.
-Turtle
Submitted by polyamorousaj (user info) at 2004-03-26 11:25:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
The age for sex is circumstancial in the 50 states. For example, in Iowa, if you are 14, you can legally have sex with anyone within four years of age unless the parents file statutory rape charges. Once you're sixteen here you're free and clear.
Submitted by reallybored (user info) at 2004-03-26 11:19:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Even though the UK has a lower age of consent, the US still has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the Western world...
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(the first part is wrong) But either way it doesnt matter. We have a higher murder rate so it cancels out all those preganancies.
Submitted by reallybored (user info) at 2004-03-26 11:17:44 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Its funny how every single one of these numbers (American) i wrong.
Sex
US - 18 - I take it your talking about the implications of statutory rape. In which case your wrong. In most states its a sliding scale with 16 actually being the magic number. Like i said, MOST states.
Driving
US - 16 - What type of license are you talking about? They are three different ones i know about. Learners, working, and full. This is also a state by state thing. Certain states with heavy farming allow kids to get licenses younger so they can drive tractors and whatnot. I know for a fact that Florida and New York have different ages.
Alcohol
US - 21 (31 states, rest 18) - Wrong. Its 21 in every state. The reason being since the US gov couldnt pass a fed bill, what they did to get around it was to withhold grant money for roads for any state that had it at 18. (That was the old legal drinking age.)
Marriage
US - fuck knows - Depends on state. I know in Utah you can get married at 14.
Try getting your facts right before doing a post like this.
Submitted by jb (user info) at 2004-03-26 11:17:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Even though the UK has a lower age of consent, the US still has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the Western world...
Submitted by domenad (user info) at 2004-03-26 11:12:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"Both lose. No-one should be allowed to get married until they're 30 and have lived enough of life to be able to make such a decision sensibly. "
Mega-trues +2s
Submitted by Dervel (user info) at 2004-03-26 10:51:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Don't think it really matters anyway, nobody waits till any of its legal. In fact the older the age limit the sooner you want to do it. Especially getting served beer in a bar, thats like a passage of man.
Think we should win though as your allowed guns and thats just insane.