Big countries vs. small countries

[Dannyalcatraz]

Minimum ages for car rental are set by the car rental companies, not by law (says someone who rented a car @ age 24 in Atlanta for a friend's wedding, though he did get charged extra for it). And generally they just charge you extra, they don't keep you from renting a car (because, for one, people under 25 do occasionally go on business trips).

While you may have done so, generally speaking, its illegal...as in, against the law in most states. There are exceptions. Avis has an agreement with the military, for instance, that lets servicemembers 18+ to rent with them.

Under the age of 25 and want to Rent a Car
Policies vary from state-to-state, as some states don't allow you to rent cars at all while other invoke additional fees or limitations. It is suggested that you read every state owned policy to make sure it is fully understood what fees and liabilities will be applied.

Texas is one that has an age prohibition.

The thing is, there are enough states with this prohibition that it is economically feasible for the rental companies to just have a general minimum age rental policy. Again, though, some states have differing laws- NY and Michigan require car rental companies to allow rentals to drivers as young as 18.

 

[El Mahdi]

...NY and Michigan require car rental companies to allow rentals to drivers as young as 18.

WooHoo, Michigan!

(now if I could only be 18 again...)

 

[drothgery]

Texas is one that has an age prohibition.

The thing is, there are enough states with this prohibition that it is economically feasible for the rental companies to just have a general minimum age rental policy. Again, though, some states have differing laws- NY and Michigan require car rental companies to allow rentals to drivers as young as 18.

I'm really surprised by that, because I can't think such a law would survive a serious legal challenge (of course, I'm not sure how the drinking age of 21 has held up, either; it seems to me that either 18-year-olds are legal adults or they're not).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I agree that our country is a bit muddled on what it means to be an adult.

18 = You can vote...and serve in the military and get shot!

21 = You can drink beer legally!

25 = Finally! You can rent a car!

Seems out of order, doesn't it?

Sure, there are valid statistical reasons for those ages being thresholds for this or that...but dang it, if you're old enough to die for your country, you should be able to drink and drive!

(Just not at the same time, of course.)

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

18 = You can vote...and serve in the military and get shot!

You forgot sex and porn. The two best adult priveledges/responsibilities on that list by a LONG shot.

 

[Welverin]

Sure, there are valid statistical reasons for those ages being thresholds for this or that...but dang it, if you're old enough to die for your country, you should be able to drink and drive.

This gets mentioned often, and I'd argue that the problem isn't the drinking age being too high, but the age for joining the military and voting being too low.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

This gets mentioned often, and I'd argue that the problem isn't the drinking age being too high, but the age for joining the military and voting being too low.

I disagree on both. I voted before I was 21 and did so responsibly, not just picking a bunch of people I knew nothing of, and knew plenty of my peers that did so as well. And 18 is a reasonable age for the military, when you consider historically that people were fighting at younger ages than that.

I do like keeping the drinking age up, and wish it'd be more vigorously enforced. My freshman dorm took that law, chugged a few rounds of it, then vomitted all over it. And then went out to throw a wheelchair around in the hallway, cause apparently that's what drunken idiots do for fun.

 

[Morrus]

18 = You can vote...and serve in the military and get shot!

21 = You can drink beer legally!

25 = Finally! You can rent a car!

Admittedly my knowledge only comes from US TV shows, but you let children* drive don't you?

*As in teenagers under the age of 16.

 

[drothgery]

Admittedly my knowledge only comes from US TV shows, but you let children* drive don't you?

*As in teenagers under the age of 16.

Driving ages vary by state, but usually you can get a license at 16. Historically, rural states tended to have lower driving ages, but I don't know if that's still the case. In many states, there are restrictions on your license until you're 18, and your driver's license will clearly indicate that you're under 21 (since at least in the US, driver's licenses are what most people use for a photo ID).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In most states, a kid 16 or older can get a driver's license. However, it may have restrictions- only with a licensed driver over 18; only between 7AM and 10PM; only within certain physical boundaries.

Rural areas commonly have relaxed rules on this, especially for driving farm equipment, and those drivers can be as young as 14.