UKC

What can you legally do at 16 that you couldn't do before?

It's my boy's 16th and trying to work out a suitable activity for him as a birthday treat. Preferably something with an element of danger / excitement.

Any suggestions?

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Sign him up for the army?

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Join the army?

In reply to gribble:

Ride a moped

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Get married (with parents permission)

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Buy a lottery ticket and have sex (not neccesarily together).

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Work as a street trader and buy and sell scrap metal apparently, so you might want to consider giving him a small cart and an old boiler.

He can also be detained in custody and apply for legal aid, choose his own doctor and consent to medical treatment, which sounds like a proper night out.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

I think you should take the old fashioned approach, and take him over to Paris, and find a lady to make him a man.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Good question... although I have no answers. My memories of being 16 revolve around school work and interminably waiting outside school for a lift home... and other things, but they weren't exactly novel, by then.

The moped idea sounds grand.

I vaguely remember that my brother did a bit of an apprenticeship at the miniature live-steam railway at about that age - the minimum age according to the club's constitution. If your son has an engineering bent, miniature live-steam trains are a sure win. Also, life lessons and honest work and all. I'm not sure if such chances exist, today.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

A reliant Robin.

In reply to Xharlie:

I would guess the miniature steam trains/make him a man options are mutually exclusive. Engaging in the first activity massively decreases the chances for the second.....

In reply to Phil Anderson:

He could have sex with somebody in the army whilst riding a moped and smoking. That should have an element of danger / excitement.

Alternatively - flying lesson, track day, surfing lesson or coasteering?

In reply to stevieb:


Or take him to Thailand and find a man to make him a lady

In reply to Hat Dude:

Oi, I used to have a Thai girlfriend and she was very nice and understanding.

She always used to assure me that penis size didn't matter at all.

Mind you, I still wish she hadn't had one!

In reply to Shapeshifter:


If he doesn't use a condom, that would introduce the lottery element

In reply to Hat Dude:

That's the spirit - how about having sex with a member of the Thai armed forces of indeterminate gender, without condom whilst riding a moped and smoking?

Not everybody is gonna get that for their 16th for sure.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Well if the danger is too much, he can take himself to A and E or minor injuries!

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Learn to fly*. It's usually pretty cheap for kids in your local gliding club with most offering decent discounts for youngsters.

Learn to drive in the Isle of Man**.

*recently changed so you now can fly solo at 14 but that's no reason not to try at 16
**you'd need to double check the residency requirements for getting a provisional license
jk

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Thanks all - I really should've seen some of those coming. Flying lesson sounds like a possible option. Any other thoughts?

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):


Take him to Scotland. Get married. Don't need permission.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

GCSE Chemistry exam

(well that is the only memory I have of my 16th - and yes I passed!)

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Could you find somewhere rural and interesting with hills to go to as well, with a nice pub for you (and other peeps) to go for a drink in after some walks?

I remember enjoying the fact I could get away with drinking in pubs in the Lakes when on walking holidays with family/family friends. Being with partying baby boomers, it was the natural thing for me to be bought pints after walks.

Depends whether you want to encourage that I suppose, and if he'd like it. I possibly only suggest it because I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic at the mo.

In reply to Oceanrower:

I remember my son coming in from school and saying "dad I had sex with the teacher today", I was a bit shocked but when I thought about it I was quite proud of him. I said "Son I'm going to buy you a Bike to celebrate". He said "Can I wait until my arse feels better before I ride it?"


I'll get my coat (Again)

In reply to Phil Anderson:


Err, well, a nice birthday card and a cake with 16 candles ought to do it for starters Phil ...


Then take the lad down the local knockin' shop for a rotisserie.

In reply to Timmd:

Is it still legal to have a drink with a meal at 16?

In reply to marsbar:
I don't know - it wasn't the legality I was thinking of.

In reply to marsbar:


Take him out for a meal in a gay bar and that should sort the elements of excitement and danger

In reply to LastBoyScout:
All those predatory gay people?

:-/

In reply to marsbar:

Yes, beer or wine so long as you are with someone aged 8 or over

You can also join a trade union and presumably take part in industrial action.

In reply to Phil Anderson:

How about a 1-1 raptor day or 1/2 day? You get introduced to the bird and coached how to fly it, care for it (I think we had a Harris hawk), etc.

Not sure where you are located, but I think there's some place in Dorset (and possible somewhere else in the UK) where you can go sailing on a tall ship for a day.

Learn to surf?

In reply to Phil Anderson:

Inter railing with a friend? Not sure there's an age restriction on that, the cost was the main thing that held me back.

Moped of a good idea, though what bike? I think 50cc is the max, so scooter, scrambler or tiny sports bikes are the interesting ones as they are only owned a year, as you can then go bigger (they'll do 30mph.) Scooter is probably most sensible, tiny sports bike least sensible and I'd probably recommend that type you can get cheapest insurance on.

In reply to jonnie3430:


To ride anything on the road at 16 you'll need a CBT - that's most of a day and costs around £120-ish. They will supply bike, helmet and some other bits - check current prices and what you need to bring with your local school. The danger is he'll want one

50cc bikes do tend to be owned for a year until the owner moves on to a 125cc at 17 - this generally means most of them have been absolutely thrashed to bits by 16 year olds hoodies ragging them around. A bunch of them that lived down the road from my last house rode them like maniacs and were regularly seen trying to pop wheelies on them.