Even before I was old enough to get my learner's permit, I was passionate about cars and driving. I watched my parents drive like a hawk, and asked questions (about the car, about the rules of the road, etc.). When it was close to my 16th birthday, I grabbed and studied the guide, but I already knew everything with the exception of things like DWI blood alcohol percentages, points against your license for infractions, etc. Passed my learner's permit test first time. Then took my road test in my Dad's 1976 VW Rabbit with a 4-speed stick. People thought I was crazy taking my road test in a manual tranny car (you had to use hand signals during the road test back then), but I did it smoothly, and passed my road test on the first try too.
My son turned 16 just a couple of weeks ago, on 3/24. His birthday was on a Saturday, which would have killed me when I was 16. But my son didn't have the burning desire to start driving ASAP like I did when I was his age. I finally got him to take his learner's permit test this past Monday, and that was only because he's on spring break, and I had Monday off as a floating holiday from my employer. So it was convenient for both of us. Even so, I had to urge him repeatedly to study and make sure that he was ready, or he wouldn't have taken the test on Monday either. He passed the test with a 90%. I'm teaching him to drive a stick now, using my old 1999 Honda Civic that I kept as a "kids' car" after buying the 2010 Golf. My 18-year-old daughter learned to drive on the Civic, and now it's my son's turn.
But neither of my kids had the burning desire to drive like I had when I was 16. For me, driving was priority #1. My kids' indifference was overwhelming.
I just don't get it.