L Drivers

unnameduser · 21-10-2006 10:54am #1

Another thread sparked this comment

Anyhu, the driver test waiting list is obviously a farce and L drivers must drive unaccompanied. However why don't L drivers use their fecking L plates?

Sam Vimes · 21-10-2006 11:08am

unnameduser wrote:

Another thread sparked this comment

Anyhu, the driver test waiting list is obviously a farce and L drivers must drive unaccompanied. However why don't L drivers use their fecking L plates?

so they can drive on motorways i assume. if you've seen learners without their L plates up, how do you know they were learners?

TempestSabre · 21-10-2006 12:12pm

unnameduser wrote:

Another thread sparked this comment

Anyhu, the driver test waiting list is obviously a farce and L drivers must drive unaccompanied. However why don't L drivers use their fecking L plates?

Why ask the question? Its pretty obvous why they don't. So they don't get stopped (fat chance) and its also an image thing, which is why some people cut the white off, which looks completely pathetic IMO. If I see a L plate I give them a bit of extra room and time.

unnameduser · 21-10-2006 12:19pm

Commander Vimes wrote:

so they can drive on motorways i assume. if you've seen learners without their L plates up, how do you know they were learners?

Great question. Your Medal is in the post. You cant tell! But i am speaking about the people i know who are on a provisional. I can think for about 8 ppl i know who are on prov's and dont use L plates.

I agree with the last poster. With the L plates up one can identify a learner and give that bit of extra space.

starn · 21-10-2006 12:29pm

When I was a learner I never had my L plates up. The main reason being the hassel it used to cause going round Dubblin city center. What I found was that as soon as other drivers saw you had a L plate up they used to try and Bully there way past me in traffic, at Junctions. Beep and Flash thre light and all that sh1te so I took them off and never got anymore hassele

aphex™ · 21-10-2006 12:32pm

unnameduser wrote:

With the L plates up one can identify a learner and give that bit of extra space.

Well that is not what happens. What happens is the brilliant drivers of Ireland start pulling out in front of you in case they have to wait .2 seconds longer or overtake you going around a corner (which had another turn off around it) which makes for a very dangerous driving experience.

People become impatient and irratic when they see a learner.

Wishbone Ash · 21-10-2006 1:52pm

Many who do display them cannot even get that right. Ever notice how many are put on back to front. :rolleyes:

aphex™ · 21-10-2006 2:04pm

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Many who do display them cannot even get that right. Ever notice how many are put on back to front. :rolleyes:

You could always, you know, watch the road instead of checking to see if every driver has the stickers on correctly.

Wishbone Ash · 21-10-2006 2:09pm

aphex&#8482 wrote:

You could always, you know, watch the road instead of checking to see if every driver has the stickers on correctly.

They stick out a mile - I don't have to specifically look for them.

TempestSabre · 21-10-2006 3:17pm

aphex&#8482 wrote:

Well that is not what happens. What happens is the brilliant drivers of Ireland start pulling out in front of you in case they have to wait .2 seconds longer or overtake you going around a corner (which had another turn off around it) which makes for a very dangerous driving experience.

People become impatient and irratic when they see a learner.

Since there are very few "brilliant" drivers, it can't happen very often. Going by the number of Learners you see holding up traffic on main routes during peak traffic times I can understand people frustration. :mad: Can they not stay on quiet routes off peak while they are learning.

Problem is you can drive in this country with no checks on you at all.

aphex&#8482 wrote:

You could always, you know, watch the road instead of checking to see if every driver has the stickers on correctly.

If you can't manage to do both you shouldn't be driving.

Dr. Loon · 21-10-2006 4:45pm

starn wrote:

When I was a learner I never had my L plates up. The main reason being the hassel it used to cause going round Dubblin city center. What I found was that as soon as other drivers saw you had a L plate up they used to try and Bully there way past me in traffic, at Junctions. Beep and Flash thre light and all that sh1te so I took them off and never got anymore hassele

Spot on. A few weeks upon learning to drive I cut out approaching the Pavillions roundabout in Swords in heavy traffic. I had my L plates up and some c*nt beeps me before I even had the chance to turn the key again. Stressed me out as I was a poor learner and I cut out again! Similar situations happened to me all the time with the plates on.

I now don't put the L plates up and have had no hassle, although I'm now a fully confident driver and rarely cut out, but I find people accept the small things easier without the L plates. Most drivers I've come across are arséholes though. The impatience around the city is amazing.

TempestSabre · 21-10-2006 5:25pm

Why are you driving around the city center and/or in heavy traffic if you only still at the very basic stage of stalling the car?

mloc123 · 21-10-2006 5:52pm

I never had L plates up when I was on a provo, reason being I didn't want to attract extra attention to myself. In 3-4 years of driving I was never stopped.

Dr. Loon · 22-10-2006 4:32pm

TempestSabre wrote:

Why are you driving around the city center and/or in heavy traffic if you only still at the very basic stage of stalling the car?

Why can't you read my post before replying?

"although I'm now a fully confident driver and rarely cut out"

Anan1 · 22-10-2006 4:48pm

L plates are not just for the benefit of the learner driver - they also serve to warn other road users of a potential hazard.

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 5:46pm

Dr. Loon wrote:

Why can't you read my post before replying?

"although I'm now a fully confident driver and rarely cut out"

Its nothing to do with confidence. It doesn't make sense to drive around in heavy/busy traffic when you are learning. Regardless of when it was.

Anan1 · 22-10-2006 5:53pm

TempestSabre wrote:

Its nothing to do with confidence. It doesn't make sense to drive around in heavy/busy traffic when you are learning. Regardless of when it was.

I'm guessing that he meant competent when he said confident.

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 6:48pm

Anan1 wrote:

I'm guessing that he meant competent when he said confident.

Thinking you are competent is confidence.

maidhc · 22-10-2006 7:00pm

Dr. Loon wrote:

I had my L plates up and some c*nt beeps me before I even had the chance to turn the key again. Stressed me out as I was a poor learner and I cut out again! Similar situations happened to me all the time with the plates on.

You shouldn't be stalling. Being able to make the car move is one of the more basic driving skills, and one that should be mastered before going on a public road!

Dr. Loon wrote:

Most drivers I've come across are arséholes though. The impatience around the city is amazing.

Busy city... busy people.

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 7:02pm

In some countries moving construction vehicles and agricultural vehicles can't be done during rush hour. Learner drivers should be the same IMO.

Squirrel · 22-10-2006 7:38pm

I don't have L - Plates up anymore. I used to and I found myself being cut up, being given the finger for staying at a safe speed, being overtaken on a blind bend, being overtaken because I was waiting to turn right (yes, overtaking, as in on the right), being overtaken when waiting to go around a corner joining a road with traffic (the guy who overtook me caused a crash and tried to blame it on me, got done for dangerous driving in the end)

Now I don't drive with them, people give me space to move out, their more courteous towards me. And it also makes me a better driver. If I'm going to be doing a hill-start people used to give me loads of room in case I rolled back but now with no room I can't rolled back (and I have never rolled back thus far on a hill start).

Us Irish are very good at generalisations and one of them is all L-Plated drivers are sh1t and are going to slow me down getting to sit in traffic 100 metres up the road.

Oh and I have applied for my driving test and if I was in a different country I'd have a chance to show that I'm a competent driver, if I fail I'll put my L-Plates back up when I get my test

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 8:14pm

Oddly enough I find all those things happen regardless. Tends to happen more often when you drive a smaller car too. Such is life.

Whats the legal and insurance implications of not having the plates up. Of course in practise I assume with the lack of enforcement probably nothing would happen.

maidhc · 22-10-2006 8:54pm

I often drive a car with L plates, even though I have a full licence. I never have noticed any difference in the way people treat me. Perhaps people have more respect for learners driving aging ford mondeos...

ljtracey · 22-10-2006 9:12pm

I suppose id be of the same opinion. My sister and i share our car, shes on provisional and im on full licence. For that reason, our L plates are left up even though shes away at the moment and rarely uses the car. Iv never had any problems like that. besides, i suppose if i did mess up (never do:),it would allow other drivers to vent their anger at something abstract like the L rather than me as an individual.

Bam Bam · 22-10-2006 9:17pm

TempestSabre wrote:

In some countries moving construction vehicles and agricultural vehicles can't be done during rush hour. Learner drivers should be the same IMO.

Thats one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. So basically L-drivers will be late to work, and late home.

Makes sense for construction vehicles, but would never work in Ireland.

Squirrel · 22-10-2006 9:18pm

TempestSabre wrote:

Oddly enough I find all those things happen regardless. Tends to happen more often when you drive a smaller car too. Such is life.

Whats the legal and insurance implications of not having the plates up. Of course in practise I assume with the lack of enforcement probably nothing would happen.

Well I am in a Micra so could have something to do with it. My licence states I have to drive accompanied, so I do. I haven't studied every mm of my licence but I haven't seen anything on it stating I need L plates.

Insurance wise the company said if I'm insured with them they'll cover me regardless.

Sam Vimes · 22-10-2006 9:21pm

unnameduser wrote:

Great question. Your Medal is in the post. You cant tell! But i am speaking about the people i know who are on a provisional. I can think for about 8 ppl i know who are on prov's and dont use L plates.

well forgive me. i assumed that you were talking about people in general because if i knew 8 learners who drove without their plates up, i'd ask them why instead of posting on boards

Squirrel wrote:

Now I don't drive with them, people give me space to move out, their more courteous towards me. And it also makes me a better driver. If I'm going to be doing a hill-start people used to give me loads of room in case I rolled back but now with no room I can't rolled back (and I have never rolled back thus far on a hill start).

that pisses me off. i've been driving a few months and i always have my L plates up. i'm not 100% confident on hill starts yet though i've never rolled back and people pull up right behind me. there's no need to stop that feckin close people!!

speaking of which, who's liable if a learner with plates displayed rolls back into someone who decided to park 6 inches behind them?

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 9:24pm

Bam Bam wrote:

Thats one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. So basically L-drivers will be late to work, and late home.

Makes sense for construction vehicles, but would never work in Ireland.

The L plate is for you to learn to drive not drive everywhere unqualified. Thats why you are meant to have a qualified driver with you to prevent people using the L plate as a means of transport before they are qualified. But with the lack of enforcement makes a farce of that.

Road safety is a joke in this country and this is perfect example, people simply don't take driving (or the laws) seriously.

Squirrel · 22-10-2006 9:27pm

Commander Vimes wrote:

that pisses me off. i've been driving a few months and i always have my L plates up. i'm not 100% confident on hill starts yet though i've never rolled back and people pull up right behind me. there's no need to stop that feckin close people!!

speaking of which, who's liable if a learner with plates displayed rolls back into someone who decided to park 6 inches behind them?

I've found that them being up my ass helps me an awful lot as I'm fairly confident on hill starts. If you're not confident go to a car park which has a hill (car park in Marlay Park being perfect) and do hill starts for ages, I did that when I was first learning, that and living on a hill.

Not sure about that one, suppose the learner would get most of the blame, as the L plates are only an indication to others that you're learning, not an excuse

maidhc · 22-10-2006 9:28pm

Commander Vimes wrote:

speaking of which, who's liable if a learner with plates displayed rolls back into someone who decided to park 6 inches behind them?

The car that was moving, i.e. the learner.

How hard is it to be able to do a hill start? Spend a few hours some saturday or sunday practicing in some quiet cul-de-sac or empty industrial estate.

TempestSabre · 22-10-2006 9:30pm

Squirrel wrote:

Well I am in a Micra so could have something to do with it. My licence states I have to drive accompanied, so I do. I haven't studied every mm of my licence but I haven't seen anything on it stating I need L plates.

Insurance wise the company said if I'm insured with them they'll cover me regardless.

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/provisional_driving_licence.html

"...All provisional licence holders, must display L-plates to the front and rear of the vehicle they are driving at all times. ..."

Better hope that question doesn't come up.;)

L Drivers

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