I'd say you should get a permit when possible. If your parents believe you responsible enough at the wheel to place their lives and cars in your hands, then the practice is good. Waiting longer makes driving more stressful. It's suggested that one of the reasons teens are in far more crashes than any other age group is because they don't have practice, so I believe it to be important to receive practice with those who are experienced right there.
Also, while it's true that the decision is ultimately a decision of the parents, @CasualNuker cannot use a driving permit if he also doesn't want to. Telling him that you don't want to offer advice because we aren't his parents is nonsense because we're not making the decision, we are just offering advice.
