I prefer to stick with the geordie standard of nodding and saying "Arite?" It's fairly neutral. If the occasion calls for anything more than that I'll prefer to strike up a full conversation - working in retail means you have to get the hang of doing that pretty quickly.
My 18 year old son passed his driving test last month at his first attempt. He was so pleased and very excited. He is at college full time and only earns a small amount working on a market stall on a Saturday so he has no money. He can't afford to go out and buy a car or insure it. We learnt of a nice cheap car up for sale and had a look at it, it is a 1994 'M' Rover Metro 1.1. We had a look at the car and decide to buy it for our boy, it only cost us £250. When we came to insure it we got a real shock. We knew it was going to be expensive but did not realise quite how expensive. Our daughter who is only 19 bought a new car last year, a 2007 '07' Ford Fiesta which she insures fully comp. That was expensive but our sons insurance, third party, fire and theft was over £1,200, almost 5 times the cost of his car. Is it any wonder, with insurance costing what it does, that there are so many people just not bothering to insure their cars. If stopped by the Police they get a £200 fine, 6 points on their licences (if they have a licence at all) and their car confiscated. We and my son want to do things properly and legally but is is worth it? The cost of the fine and losing the car is less than half of the insurance cost. I would never knowingly break the law and would not condone the breaking of the law by anyone. What are your views?
I spent the first year driving on my mum's 1.6 Astra Estate on a policy that only let me drive 3 times a week (but unless I claim 3 times in 1 week, how would they know? ;) ) after 7 months driving with no accidents a family friend passed away and it wasn't the best circumstances but I was left his Peugeot 405 GLD (That's a 1.9 straight diesel saloon car), the initial quotes for it were atrocious but NID Insurance (shameless plug, I know) were willing to give me the equivalent discount of 1 years driving for my 7 month and knocked a whopping 500 quid off the original 2k quotes I was receiving and a further 100 off by naming my Mum on my policy.
Obviously not everyone drives a car that they'd be able to/willing to name their children on their policy but the alternative example would be my older (now 25) year old brother who also passed at 17 and has been named on our Mums policy since... although he doesn't have any no-claims he is 25 and has been driving 8 years... although the fact he's never paid for any petrol whatsoever in that time does show in his driving style, he's not getting anywhere near my car.
Alternatively four friends of mine come to mind, one of which passed their test at 17 and their parents bought them a Corsa and named him and his car on their policy - he drives like an idiot and blames his air-filter for his poor MPG... not the 50MPH in 3rd gear.
The 2nd friend also passed at 17 and purchased a 1.2 Ford Fiesta (the old model) and drove that psychotically for just under 2 years before buying themself a BMW 3-series (2-litre turbo) and every insurance company on the planet refused to insure him on the car but his Dads company were willing to do it by naming him and the car, the best part being the company offered him a discount because he admitted he would be the main driver - and the no-claims on the policy is protected... he still drives like an idiot though, good job he has traction control.
The 3rd friend bought themselves a 1.2 Fiat Punto and immediately after passing their test took up the PassPlus course and on his own insurance policy and having paid for the car himself became a very sensible (for the most part anyway) driver and now has 2-years no claims.
The 4th friend is the most by-the-book driver I know, largely because not only is he on his own policy but he's also driving a brand-new 1.2 Mitsubishi Colt that he's still paying off the finance for.
In my experience being on your own policy and paying for your own car results in safer driving - even if it is more expensive, that and the moment you have 1-year no claims it immediately becomes cheaper than being named on another's policy.
Do you have any good putdown lines, you know when someone says something maybe a bit nasty or mean but the pther person comes back quick as a flash. I was on the bus this afternoon, with my mate, going to get groceries and have a coffee, and there was a teenage girl on board,who was dressed lovely, had a pretty face and nice hair, but the poor kid was very fat. Two young boys were sniggering and making remarks quietly to each other,and then said, ''Who ate all the pies then?'' as she got up to get off..she just turned and said very coolly, 'I'd love to stay and talk to you, boys, but I can't be a****'and got off...ithere wasnt another peep out of the lads... know it wasnt nice language but i couldnt help admiring her for her quick reply.
