Wally and Driving

[C_ME]

Was it ever explained why Eddie and Lumpy got their driver's licenses way before Wally? I think Wally was 17 when he took driver's ed. Does it have anything to do with the fact that Ken Osmond and Frank Bank were both a couple of years older than Tony? Just curious.

[Mijada]

I know Lumpy was at least one year older than Wally because it was mentioned on the show that he failed a year in HS. I think Eddie was several months older than Wally which would explain why both boys had their licences earlier than Wally.

[MikeZ]

Possibly Ward was just being very careful, and wanted to be sure that Wally was actually ready to start driving.

[Jack1000]

"Wally's Driver's Licence" is a great episode but there is one point of contentiion. Wally gets his temps and goes out that first night on a date. He even mentions to Beaver about driving home alone and the importance of driving responsibly. However, when you get your temps in most states, I believe that you have to have someone over 21 with you in the car at all times until you get your perminent licence. Wally is alone in the car on his first night out with his licence, which would not happen until he got his perminent one.

Jack

[C_ME]

Jack, I think that you are getting a temporary license confused with a learner's permit. When you get a permit, you have to drive with someone over 18 with a year of driving experience. However, your temporary license is as good as a permanent one, because you receive it after you pass your driver's test. You usually get your permanent license (complete with your photo, lamination, and everything) from the mail three weeks after your test and then you can discard the temporary. At least that's how it worked for me in Texas.

[GidgetCleaver]

My daughter got her license last week and she has to wait 3 months before she can drive anyone around under the age of 21, unless they are a licensed driver (just like when she had her driver's permit). But, I don't really know what laws were in effect when Wally got his license.

[Mijada]

Originally posted by GidgetCleaver
I don't really know what laws were in effect when Wally got his license.

They've really clamped down on the driving laws these past few years. Back in the 50's and 60's they weren't nearly as strict. I remember my mom even saying once that if you had a really good reason you could get your permanent drivers licence as early as 15 yrs old. She also told me that when she first got her licence in the 50's there was no photograph on it and it wasn't even laminated.