Spinning wheels

Naturally, then, most teens are just as excited as ever about getting their licenses, for nothing spells freedom like jingling keys and a purring engine. There have, however, always been downsides to driving, and as the skyrocketing price of gas brings them into relief, some teens have good reason to feel apprehensive about what would otherwise be a carefree point in their lives.

In fact, The New York Times in February reported that in the last decade, the proportion of 16-year-olds nationwide who hold a driver's licenses has dropped from nearly half to less than one-third. The facts come from the Federal Highway Administration.

The reasons vary:

• Tighter state laws with rules when, how and with whom a teen can driver.

• Higher insurance costs, sometimes as much as an 80 to 100 percent increase in the policy.

• The shift in many states from in-school driver's ed to expensive private classes.

Now, we can add the climbing price of gas.

SKIP THE CAR

One Anchorage teen who took the no-car route is William Wright, a senior at West and an avid bicyclist. Rather than shoulder the costs of car ownership last year -- which his parents would not pay -- he chose to buy a racing bike and use it as transportation whenever possible.

Since then, he's had the opportunity to examine the pros and cons of being a license-less teenager in Anchorage and form a few opinions.

What has he noticed?

First, as mentioned, the price of gas has been climbing steadily, especially in recent months. That's no secret, but it does mean that however much Wright may want a license, the associated costs are just getting steeper.

"When I was 16, I saw absolutely no need to get a license. ... Now I might like to have a license, but with the price of gas, that's quite a bit," Wright says. Compounded with maintenance and insurance, gas prices have made things difficult for young drivers, especially those who have to pay for those items.

PROVISIONAL LICENSE

Any Alaskan younger than 18 years of age who chooses to earn a license must endure the limitations of a provisional license for six months. During that period, he or she may not drive anyone under 21 years of age with the exception of siblings. The idea is to give teenagers a bit of practice with as few distractions as possible. However, it also sets up a period during which a license is only half-useful since carpooling with friends is essentially illegal.

"I think it's kind of a silly rule," Wright says. "It's not necessarily a bad idea, but no one really follows it. ... Definitely, it would be a drag." Indeed, some teenagers may even decide to wait until they are legal adults to earn licenses just to skip the provisional.

SPRAWLING LANDSCAPE

In many cases, though, it's impossible to wait that long. As today's families get busier, parents need help from older children with errands (shopping, dropping kids off, etc.). Given the style of development that dominates in Anchorage, that almost always requires a car.

"We have large areas of housing and separate packets of stores -- no corner stores or anything. It makes cars more necessary for buying essential goods," Wright says. In that sense, having a license in this city is a requirement.

Sadly, then, the idea of biking everywhere in Anchorage is almost quixotic.

WINTER CICYLING

To be sure, the city boasts a fine network of bike paths, but the distances involved in everyday chores can be discouraging. This is especially true in winter, when biking requires special equipment such as studded tires, a headlamp, heavy clothing, etc.

Vexingly, during the winter -- when cars are most helpful -- teens are at their busiest. "To manage (a car) during the winter, I'd probably have to take a job, which would be tough considering the classes I'm taking," Wright says. "It would just add to the balancing act."

FREEDOM OF DRIVING

Faced with the realities of getting around in Anchorage, Wright has gotten a learner's permit and may get his license soon. There's no doubt it will be helpful in quite a few ways and even liberating.

"I have a girlfriend now," Wright says, "and having a license would be more convenient than bumming rides from my parents."

But there's no denying that the freedom of driving comes packaged with new problems from insurance payments to petty errands. Far from feeling empowered, newly licensed teens may feel shackled to a mediocre status quo symbolized by ever-rising prices at the gas pump and a society built around the motorway.

David Mills is a senior at West High.