Help with provisional licence

Sugarbear

Hey everyone

I just got my provisional licence and I seem to be having some problem with figuring out what to do next. I'm the first person in the family to even dream about owning a car. My mum has never possessed a licence nor car and I'm the eldest of my siblings. I am going to get some lessons soon but I don't know anyone close enough with a full licence who can help me get some experience. I'm aware that I should not be driving without a fully licensed person in the car, but I'm also aware that the experience I get from lessons alone will not be enough to help me pass the test, so would anyone be able to tell me what the general attitude of gardai is to people driving alone on a provisional license?

Gary ITR

I did five lessons and passed first time. Anybody I know that passed first time only had lessons or lessons and very little driving experience. No bad habits picked up and not going in over-confident is a huge help

patrickc

I disagree Onkle i think more lessons is better, ten should be mandatory for new drivers. and sugarbear at the moment gardai are not paying too much intention to provisional drivers, however with the current clamp down this more than likely will all change soon.

Seth Brundle

It seems that the OP has absolutely no driving experience but is wondering about driving alone - only in Ireland!!!!

patrickc

and that great loophole of the 2nd provisional even though, you may never have driven of first.

Rabies

Get some lessons first. Learn the basics and become comfortable on the road. Then look for someone to go driving with you.

Gary ITR

patrickc2006 wrote:

I disagree Onkle i think more lessons is better, ten should be mandatory for new drivers. and sugarbear at the moment gardai are not paying too much intention to provisional drivers, however with the current clamp down this more than likely will all change soon.

I'm not telling the op to only get 5 lessons, just making the point that just having lessons would be ok, be it 5,10,15,20 or 150

Spipov

whats the story with a 2nd provisional licence?dont quite understand how that works

Wishbone Ash

Onkle wrote:

just making the point that just having lessons would be ok

Yes, I agree. I passed the test in the truck, artic, bus and motorcycle categories with only lessons as experience. No bad habits picked up while only accompanied by an instructor.

Spipov wrote:

whats the story with a 2nd provisional licence?dont quite understand how that works

In most categories there is no requirement to be accompanied while on the second provisional but it is required for any subsequent provisional licences (3rd, 4th, 5th etc.).

The loophole is that you can get the first, not use it and then apply for the second one and legally drive unaccompanied.

rebel.ranter

My advice is apply for your test right now. The wait is long enough as it is. Get your few lessons in, you should aim for the 10 really.

zilog_jones

I was pretty much in the same position last year, i.e. no one in my immediate family owned a car, my mother never really drove properly, etc. When I had enough money for a car I started getting lessons, and got a car a few weeks after. I had about 8 or 9 lessons (about one a week), the last few of which were in my car - you'd be surprised how different cars can be to drive, especially with the clutch. I then drove a few times with some of my cousins or my uncle (who all had full licenses), then I started driving on my own a few weeks later when I felt confident enough.

From my experience, you should start getting lessons and try and get a car as soon as possible. If you don't get a car of your own you'll never get any experience, not to mention named drivers don't usually get a NCB

Spipov

In most categories there is no requirement to be accompanied while on the second provisional but it is required for any subsequent provisional licences (3rd, 4th, 5th etc.).

The loophole is that you can get the first, not use it and then apply for the second one and legally drive unaccompanied.

do u have to lose/tear/wash the first one?or u must wait 2 years for it to expire?would they not give u a duplicate of ur first one?

patrickc

you have to wait for it to run out..

unkel

Sugarbear wrote:

I'm also aware that the experience I get from lessons alone will not be enough to help me pass the test

In the vast majority of other EU countries, that's exactly how it works: you get lessons in a dual control vehicle with a licensed instructor only until you pass your test

Sugarbear

Thanks everyone. I think I'll apply for the test as soon as possible and buy the car a couple of months before i'm due to take it. That way I'll get some experience and not pick up any bad habits! Thanks again

gaeilgegrinds

My bestfriend is engaged to a guard who told me it's not just a matter of having the first provisional, you have to have been insured on it. Makes more more sense than just waiting for it to expire!

maidhc

zilog_jones wrote:

not to mention named drivers don't usually get a NCB

They do!

newtothis

gaeilgegrinds wrote:

My bestfriend is engaged to a guard who told me it's not just a matter of having the first provisional, you have to have been insured on it. Makes more more sense than just waiting for it to expire!

Have to disagree, i only started driving on my second provisional licence, and was never insured on the first one as it was only used as photo id and i had no problems!

Supercell

Sugarbear wrote:

so would anyone be able to tell me what the general attitude of gardai is to people driving alone on a provisional license?

I got 10 lessons, bought my first car and that was it, no other driving experience.
As long as you don't drive like a muppet the guards will pay zero attention to the L plate unless maybe if you are on a motorway (and even then probably only if you are driving unsafely).

jhegarty

gaeilgegrinds wrote:

My bestfriend is engaged to a guard who told me it's not just a matter of having the first provisional, you have to have been insured on it. Makes more more sense than just waiting for it to expire!

your friend is wrong..... you don't even need to have seen a car during the two years of the licence....

chrislad

I just passed my test yesterday at the first attempt. Like yourself, I had no driving experience. I did about 12 lessons starting off. Did 5 months of driving by myself while waiting for the test (which I applied for the second I got my provisional) and I got 2 lessons and a pre test lesson before my actually test.

My brother on the other had has 4 years of driving experience, only did 5 lessons after he had been driving for a year after he failed his first test (as far as I can recall), did one pre test and failed his second test. He's a grand driver but you have to do things almost mechanically in the test.

Best advice I can give you, limited as it may be, is do plenty of lessons, drive alone when YOU feel comfortable to do so, immediately apply for your test and do as many lessons as you feel you need before the actual test.

Always wear L plates too. Guards go easier on you if you have the L plates up. Been stopped twice while I was on the provisional (checkpoints) and both times I was told that I should have a full licence driver, but since I had my L plates up to go on.

Spipov

chrislad wrote:

I just passed my test yesterday at the first attempt. Like yourself, I had no driving experience. I did about 12 lessons starting off. Did 5 months of driving by myself while waiting for the test (which I applied for the second I got my provisional) and I got 2 lessons and a pre test lesson before my actually test.

My brother on the other had has 4 years of driving experience, only did 5 lessons after he had been driving for a year after he failed his first test (as far as I can recall), did one pre test and failed his second test. He's a grand driver but you have to do things almost mechanically in the test.

Best advice I can give you, limited as it may be, is do plenty of lessons, drive alone when YOU feel comfortable to do so, immediately apply for your test and do as many lessons as you feel you need before the actual test.

Always wear L plates too. Guards go easier on you if you have the L plates up. Been stopped twice while I was on the provisional (checkpoints) and both times I was told that I should have a full licence driver, but since I had my L plates up to go on.

were you driving on a first provisional?

chrislad

Yes, I was. I only got my first ever license in August. Applied for the test straight away. Did 12 lessons during August. I also went out driving with my uncle and dad for a bit. Started driving alone in September. Got test for Feb 14th. Passed.

Green_Martian

chrislad wrote:

Yes, I was. I only got my first ever license in August. Applied for the test straight away. Did 12 lessons during August. I also went out driving with my uncle and dad for a bit. Started driving alone in September. Got test for Feb 14th. Passed.

Congrats on Passing, I Passed mine today (Thank God).
My test was to be on Wed 14th at 11:50 got a phone call at 8:57 to say it was cancelled and to call to arrange another date (which was today at 12:30) this was the second time they had cancelled my test the original was at the end of Jan,........Well chuffed its like a massive weight lifted of me..:D

Supercell

Congrats on passing lads, brilliant feeling eh
Welcome to the world of cheaper (a little!!) insurance and more respect (a little!!) from other drivers on the road.
Try to remember what it was like next time you come across a stalled L plater at the lights hehe.

Green_Martian

Rang the Insurance Company earlier, and they are refunding me a total of €53.00 not bad since i only have 2 months left on the current policy

Spipov

do you get a date as soon as you book your test?waiting to receive my provisional by post and its been a week now. (monday went there) and will apply for a booking then. they give u a date immediately?

chrislad

I got a refund of 200, but I have 7 months left on my policy. Just updated it to fully comp and got 40 back instead.

Spipov, you don't get a date. You just wait and you get a letter 2 weeks before the test.

Green_Martian

I am already on fully comp with my insurance, hopefully my quote for next year (whuch is in May) will be a hell of a lot lower with my full licence and my full 5 yrs NCB

OfflerCrocGod

patrickc2006 wrote:

and that great loophole of the 2nd provisional even though, you may never have driven of first.

Ye I was laughing once I found that one out - I have never driven before getting the second provisional and now I can legally drive around on it with an insured car. Really quite mad but I don't care as I don't see how else I could get experience to pass the test otherwise.

MadsL

I don't see how else I could get experience to pass the test otherwise.

:rolleyes: oh sweet god. Lessons ffs!