Provisional Driver needing to use Motorways

Fizman

I'm driving 3 months (just turned 24) and in a few days i need to drive from Limerick to Swords for my job. I've already done Limerick to Naas. However, what is the general consensus with L-plates on the motorways (and i'm not looking for any high-horse lectures please)???

I was fortunate enough never to need a car through college....but now i'm in a decent job where i really need to get around to different sites. I've been to co. cork and galway already, and i'd regard myself as a comfortable driver (i know some of you will think a 3 month driver can't be too competant).

1. Are L-plates pulled on motorways? If so what is done about it?
2. If I take them off, but get caught in a routine check somewhere will i get into even more trouble??

I have to travel so any constructive advice is welcomed lads cheers.

ninty9er

use the AA route planner and click avoid motorways....you could always chance it, but the Traffic Corps are becoming more visible these days

Tony Danza

If I was you I'd go for it, doubt anything would happen if you did get pulled over.

Wossack

is it a once off trip? if so I'd risk it - otherwise not

leave the plates on though

BrandonBlock

I do it 5 days a week, I'm an L-driver been driving for 1 year. The thing I find about the M50 is obviously there's not going to be any garda "checkpoints". And they aren't going to stop or pull you over on a motorway unless they have good reason to. So just take down the L-plates and watch your driving - be careful joining/changing lanes etc and they won't bother you. You will see garda cars/traffic corps jeeps driving along the M50 but just act normal - don't start freakin out or gettin nervous because they'll get suspicious. Just drive along like you have as much right to be there as everyone else.

neacy69

if you take down the L-plates and dont speed or do anything stupid then they will have no reason to stop you and they are rarely any random checkpoints on the motorways so if you do risk it you should get away with it

Stark

I drove on the motorways a fair few times when I was on a provisional and never had any hassle. I never bothered to take down the L-plates either. I know a lot of people with full licences who drive cars that are shared with learners and they never have hassle driving on motorways with plates up. Just drive sensibly and don't do anything that attracts attention.

nialler

Think about this question from the OP, being a comfortable driver, not over confident, sensible and concerned by the sounds of it.

You're a provisional driver, in theory you're not allowed to drive on motorways and you're willing to abide by the rules of the road.

You do your test tomorrow, let's say in churchtown, you pass your test, you can f*ck off to the M9 and fly along at 120-130kph, where's the sense in that?

I'd agree with what has been posted above, go on the motorway, stick in the left lane, do 120 or less if you're not comfortable at it but ffs leave on your L Plates I'm sure it's a more serious offence to get caught with them off.

My wife has passed her test recently, I want to bring her out on a motorway to teach her (she's never driven on one) there's rules, there's etiquette and then there's the lunatics watch everything and everyone and trust no one but again go on the Mway and leave your L plates on.

hermit

Just be aware that if you are involved in an accident on the motorway as a provisional driver that your insurance company can devoid your insurance.(most likely they wouldn't do that but it is within the power of your contract with them and the law that they can refuse your cover under such circumstances).

unkel

Moved to the learning to drive forum

Stark

hermit wrote:

Just be aware that if you are involved in an accident on the motorway as a provisional driver that your insurance company can devoid your insurance.(most likely they wouldn't do that but it is within the power of your contract with them and the law that they can refuse your cover under such circumstances).

If you have an accident and someone claims off you, then your insurance company has to pay out. So in that sense, you're still insured. In theory, your insurance company can then turn around and sue you for violating the terms of your licence, but I don't think this has ever happened. There are so many people driving around unaccompanied on provisionals other than their 2nd and the insurance companies don't want to lose this market.

omega man

Have you thought that your insurance might be void if you had an accident on the motorway?? Im sure insurance companies can claim you were driving illegally and therfore not covered. Just a thought.

Just beaten to it! (as above post)

WhiteWashMan

BrandonBlock wrote:

I do it 5 days a week, I'm an L-driver been driving for 1 year. The thing I find about the M50 is obviously there's not going to be any garda "checkpoints". And they aren't going to stop or pull you over on a motorway unless they have good reason to. So just take down the L-plates and watch your driving - be careful joining/changing lanes etc and they won't bother you. You will see garda cars/traffic corps jeeps driving along the M50 but just act normal - don't start freakin out or gettin nervous because they'll get suspicious. Just drive along like you have as much right to be there as everyone else.

ifyou crash while youre a learner driver, and you arent showing your l-plates, your insurance will be voided quicker than you call Quinn direct.

besides, its against the law.

im going to ban every single person here who has suggested breaking the law.

WhiteWashMan

neacy69 and brandonblock both banned for a couple of weeks for suggesting removal of plates.

this is the 'learning to drive' forum, not the 'advice from stupid people' forum.

Wossack

well said

golden

As people have pointed out in reference to the insurance aspect could be voided in the event of an accident.

Also motorways are not for learner drivers for a reason.

There are ways to get up to Dublin without using the M7. I used to do a lot of commuting up and down from Limerick to Dublin. If you are driving up to Dublin you just have to get of the N7 at Portlaoise.

You could ask your employer if you can have a letter saying that you require a car to carry out your job and that might speed up the process of you getting a driving test. Until you get a full driving licence (correct category for whatever vehicle you are driving) then you can not drive on the motorway legally.

nialler

golden wrote:

As people have pointed out in reference to the insurance aspect could be voided in the event of an accident.

Also motorways are not for learner drivers for a reason.

There are ways to get up to Dublin without using the M7. I used to do a lot of commuting up and down from Limerick to Dublin. If you are driving up to Dublin you just have to get of the N7 at Portlaoise.

You could ask your employer if you can have a letter saying that you require a car to carry out your job and that might speed up the process of you getting a driving test. Until you get a full driving licence (correct category for whatever vehicle you are driving) then you can not drive on the motorway legally.

You say motorways are not for learner drivers, let's put the situation this way, what happens if he gets his test tomorrow and passes? He's legal to drive on the Motorway it certainly doesn't make him any more experienced driving the motorway than he was today, yes I'm pointing out the inherent weakness in our testing & training system.

As the OP sounds like a sensible young man maybe the sensible thing to do is avoid the motorway and ignore my suggestion of using it earlier (but using L plates) you'll probably get to dublin quicker anyway.

golden

If the person passes the test he/she has a level of competency to be capable of driving to a certain standard thats the theory anyway!!

Wishbone Ash

BrandonBlock wrote:

The thing I find about the M50 is obviously there's not going to be any garda "checkpoints".

You must have missed them BrandonBlock. They happen occasionally.

nialler wrote:

what happens if he gets his test tomorrow and passes? He's legal to drive on the Motorway it certainly doesn't make him any more experienced driving the motorway than he was today, yes I'm pointing out the inherent weakness in our testing & training system.

That arguement could be used in any situation where a person has passed a test!

Is the doctor, who has passed his final examinations, better than he was the day before? Probably not, but few people would be willing to be seen by a doctor who hasn't qualified.

Royale with Cheese

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Is the doctor, who has passed his final examinations, better than he was the day before? Probably not, but few people would be willing to be seen by a doctor who hasn't qualified.

You've missed his point. A doctor who's passed his final examinations will then go on to perform tasks he's been trained to do.

A learner driver is never allowed to drive on the motorway, during lessons or not. Somebody who has just passed their test has no more experience of driving on motorways than a learner would. If it's so dangerous to drive on motorways then it should be a part of the learning to drive process. But it's not possible to ban learner drivers from motorways and let them learn how to drive on them. The whole system just needs to be overhauled.

green123

WhiteWashMan wrote:

neacy69 and brandonblock both banned for a couple of weeks for suggesting removal of plates.

this is the 'learning to drive' forum, not the 'advice from stupid people' forum.

unfair ban

when they posted their suggestions this thread was in the motors forum

Trampas

Strange thing is a company having a person on a provisional licence driving around the place.

It wouldn't happen where I work

Wishbone Ash

green123 wrote:

unfair ban

when they posted their suggestions this thread was in the motors forum

The Motors Forum and the Learning to Drive Forum use the same charter.

Glowing

Do the responsible thing and get your test first. You can usually have these things in a matter of weeks with a note from your employer.

You HAVE only been driving 3 months - just in case anything did happen on the motorway, the consequences would be a LOT higher than if you crashed on a local or national road.

hermit

Royale with Cheese wrote:

You've missed his point. A doctor who's passed his final examinations will then go on to perform tasks he's been trained to do.

A learner driver is never allowed to drive on the motorway, during lessons or not. Somebody who has just passed their test has no more experience of driving on motorways than a learner would. If it's so dangerous to drive on motorways then it should be a part of the learning to drive process. But it's not possible to ban learner drivers from motorways and let them learn how to drive on them. The whole system just needs to be overhauled.

I do believe that training in the safe and approrpiate use of motorways is important for any driver - but let's not forget about the 100/120 Km/h speeds - it is not a safe training ground for the learner driver or other road users to allow drivers who are not fully competent in safe and responsible driving to practice on. Don't forget neither myself or you know how competent the OP is in terms of driving ability and its not correct for anyone to suggest that he/she gives it a go and hope not to get caught.

Possibly their should be a two tier provisional licence system were the 1st provo. licence is for learning the basic safety, responsibility and skills for driving. The learner driver has a test and is given a second provisional - where motorway usage is allowed and then a further test is used in order to fully qualify a driver as beng competent (the test to also include a stretch of motorway driving). However, I don't believe such scheme could implemented in the short to medium term, given the problems with our current licensing/testing system. I''m sure there are better suggestions out there tho.

Royale with Cheese

hermit wrote:

I do believe that training in the safe and approrpiate use of motorways is important for any driver - but let's not forget about the 100/120 Km/h speeds - it is not a safe training ground for the learner driver or other road users to allow drivers who are not fully competent in safe and responsible driving to practice on.

That's not the view other European countries take. A friend from Germany told me on his third or fourth lesson he was taken out onto the Autobahn and taught how to drive at 200km/h. I kinda implied that it was a bit dangerous but he was having none of it, it's seen as something you need to learn how to do. And rightly so.

What should happen (but won't) is to get rid of the provisional licence alltogether. The only way to legally drive a car without a licence would be with a driving school. You have to have a minimum amount of lessons, we'll say 10, before you can sit the driving test. The lessons involve learning how to drive on motorways. Of course they'd have to erradicate the test waiting list for this to be possible.

I've been driving about 7 months myself, waiting on my test for about 6 months. No sign of that coming anytime soon. I'll be driving down through Wicklow tonight on the motorway without much fear of either being caught or what will happen to me if I am caught. I drive unaccompanied all the time. You can say what you want about not letting L drivers drive unaccompanied or use the motorways (I only use them when I have to) but it's simply not fair to tell me I can't drive for a year because of the ineptness of the system currently in place.

Get rid of the waiting list first, then tackle the problems of incompetent L drivers on the road. I'm not one of them, I'm not stupid and wouldn't be driving on my own or on motorways if I didn't think I was capable of it. I'm a competent driver, but I can't prove that because I'm being asked to wait probably 9-12 months to sit a short driving test.

P.S. I also know a couple of absolutely rubbish drivers who've passed the test recently. Doesn't make them competent, just that they got lucky on the day.

wet-paint

hermit wrote:

The learner driver has a test and is given a second provisional - where motorway usage is allowed and then a further test is used in order to fully qualify a driver as beng competent (the test to also include a stretch of motorway driving).

And then every single person in the country would have to go up to Dublin just to drive on a motorway. Good luck.

Stark

There are plenty of dual carriageways around. Many of them are full motorway standard. People could be trained/tested on these.

wet-paint

Thus eliminating the need for a second provisional! And you're allowed go seventy on the Motorways, and only sixty on the DC's. I agree, they're just as fine a road, it's BS the way it is. I'm a learner, but have no L plates up or second fully licensed passenger. I'm told by cops in town that I'm fine. That's enough for me.

ambman

i am getting worried none of the know it all's around here pointed out that if you are only driving 3 months then you should not be driving on your own never mind on the motorways . haven said that get on take your time leave the L plates up and you should be fine. i did it for a long time and no hassle at all.
also could excuse if your late for work. say you werent allowed on the motorway:rolleyes:

Wishbone Ash

ambman wrote:

i am getting worried none of the know it all's around here pointed out that if you are only driving 3 months then you should not be driving on your own never mind on the motorways

Probably because the 'know it alls' have read the OP's post. At no stage does he say that he is driving unaccompanied.