My oldest son, who is 28, got his license just as the graduated licensing laws were established in MA. They are even stricter now, though. One part of the law says anyone between 16.5 (the youngest you can be to get a license here) and 18 can only drive alone, with parents/those over 21 or a sibling. One day DH was coming home from work early and was behind him; he was driving his best friend home. Turns out, he had been doing this all year; DH saw him turn into the parking lot of a store and dump his friend out, when he saw DH in the rearview mirror! Both of my kids got their licenses the day they turned 16.5 and we couldn't wait. At the time, we lived about 6 miles from their school, in a more rural town. There was a commuter rail about 3.5 miles from the house, but it was not really walkable. I was *so* sick of driving them. When DS #2 didn't have to rely on us to get to races, it was a good day. We still went to watch some of them, but it was our choice. Cycling parents are as bad as soccer moms...