Changes to the Driver Licencing System Mega Thread

Placebo

Slow coach wrote: »

For what?

Do you think it's a good idea for unqualified drivers to be driving on the road?

was there a survey held where most accidents had 'L' drivers involved?
curious.

kikel

Totally agreed that this rule should be enforced. But it coming in next tuesday is a joke. How can L drivers get this sorted on time with such long waiting lists. Why weren't all L drivers informed about this upcoming change. Our roads are a joke. VRT is a joke. The RSA are a joke.

Dave!

Yeeshk, check it out!

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhmhmhqlauey/rss2/

Technology will be installed in every car used by a leaner driver that will cap its power, under plans unveiled today.

Road safety chiefs want to limit the acceleration or capacity of engines being used by inexperienced motorists as part of a crackdown on road deaths.

Noel Brett, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), said that once the right device or technology is found new laws will be brought in to make it mandatory.

“We are searching to find the most appropriate way of limiting the power of a car – that already happens for motorcycles,” he said.

The road safety chief said bringing in restrictions on car engine size for learner drivers alone was too simplistic.

“That wouldn’t work and that would have all sorts of issues for our community,” he insisted, at the launch of the Government’s five-year road safety strategy.

“What we have to find is the mechanism to limit vehicles, mechanically or otherwise, that keeps people as safe as possible without denying them access to [safety] features that are on bigger cars.”

Mr Brett said research is already under way to find the most appropriate way of stopping inexperienced drivers getting behind the wheel of powerful cars.

The technology is also likely to limit anyone else using the same car.

“We will find the most appropriate technology, whether it is engine limiters, engine governors, speed restricters or some other technology to make sure that young and inexperienced drivers don’t have access to the most dangerous vehicles,” he said.

“Learners will be able to drive the family car but the car will have to be restricted.

“Once we have concluded the engineering research to get the best way of doing that we will introduce it by legislation.”

Motorcycles used by learners already have to meet power-to-weight ratios while the speed on large trucks and buses is also capped.

Stark

kikel wrote:

Why weren't all L drivers informed about this upcoming change.

This has been on the cards for some time. It was in the Government's election manifesto if I can recall.

Like I said on another thread, I have sympathy for the 140,000 people who are currently on the waiting list. The other 300,000 are getting what they deserve.

Placebo

i find the 6 month wait till you take you full test ironic, i mean they really didnt need to explicitly state that rule at all, it happens automatically anyway

Stark

I wonder what the new learner permit will look like...

Dave!

Stark wrote: »

The other 300,000 are getting what they deserve.

That's a bit harsh. If the Gardaí don't take the current legislation seriously, why would your average learner?

I'd certainly have more sympathy for the people on the waiting list, but really 5 days is a p*ss take for anybody.

Cionád

DaveMcG wrote: »

really 5 days is a p*ss take for anybody.

It really is!!

Imagine if all those 300,000 not already on the waiting list applied tomorrow lol
chaos, i love ireland

Placebo

Stark wrote: »

I wonder what the new learner permit will look like...

so will your son in the next coming years But im sure daddy can take time out to drive with him everywhere

Our man in Havana

Stark wrote: »

I wonder what the new learner permit will look like...

Let me guess,

A green piece of paper with a photo and folds up to conveniently fit in a plastic wallet.

Stark

Clon&#225 wrote: »

Imagine if all those 300,000 not already on the waiting list applied tomorrow lol
chaos, i love ireland

That's why I think this is a good move, if not for the reasons they think. 300,000 people applying for their test tomorrow will show up the system for the shambles it really is.

Stark

Placebo wrote: »

so will your son in the next coming years

I'm having a son? Fecking hell, that's even bigger news that this story to be springing on me.

Placebo wrote:

But im sure daddy can take time out to drive with him everywhere

Yeah his other daddy can.

inertiaman

Hello All,

I must admit I do feel sorry for the people that this will effect however I don't believe that this will be enfoced to the degree that most people are worried that it will. Having said that I still feel relieved to have passed my test this year.

Please note that what follows is not a "Lets bash the Government" rant, it's more of an observation.

As I'm sure many people will agree we have a Government in power who's main priority for some time now has been to maximise the amount of revenue taken in by the exchequer. There are approx 400,000 provisional drivers on our roads who through driving daily generate an astounding amount of Revenue for the Government.

As far as I'm aware over 50% (probably higher) of the price of the petrol you pay for goes to the Government. Every Cent of road tax goes to the Government. VRT on new cars which can go as high as 30% of the total cost of the car goes to the Government. I would imagine that the NCT is quite the Cash Cow also. Many learner drivers regularly pay a toll on the M50 (Governemt Owned) which is exceptionally profitable. On street parking costs go to Local Authorities. When you pay a fine it IS NOT to teach you a lesson, it's another form of revenue for the Government.

The list could go on but this post would be a little too repetitive. By the way this does not take into account the immediate knock on effect that that this would have on the Motoring industry in terms of smaller revenues hence less tax for the Government.

Huge ammounts of cash would need to be invested immediately into public transport and other infrastructure to prevent a backlash from those affected whether they need to get the kids to school or the creche before commuting by car from Meath (just one of many examples) to Dublin whilst avoiding the buses and trains that are already packed to capacity in the morning.

Now I'm not suggesting for one moment that as of Tuesday 400,000 people will park their cars and attempt to get through the day some other way but if even a small percentage did stop driving it would have a far more negative impact than a positive one for various industry and the Exchequer.

For the record I do believe that in the long term this will have a positive impact on road safety but I think it should be implemented gradually.

As a matter of interest you might figure out how much money you spend each year to enjoy the luxury of driving then multiply it by the number of people who will no longer be allowed to drive from Tuesday (400,000).

Let me finish by adding that I find it quite amusing and typically Irish that this life saving measure is to be introduced AFTER a bank holiday weekend which is statistically a far more dangerous time to drive.

kikel

Stark wrote: »

This has been on the cards for some time. It was in the Government's election manifesto if I can recall.

I knew it was on the cards too. But L drivers should of being informed and given the possibility of taking their test at least twice. If this is introduced the waiting lists will be two years because every learner driver will want a test ASAP. Their won't be cancellations because everyone will want a test now.

Full licence BTW

_Kaiser_

From the RTE 9pm News:

Noel Brett, Chief Executive, RSA wrote:

"The fine is up to 1000 pounds for your first offence for non-display of L-plates, and up to 1000 pounds for a first offence of not having an accompanying driver

Sterling I presume? :rolleyes:

kikel

In 2006 165,000 test were done 47% failed. info taken from here
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/motoring-1/driving-tests/driving_test
87K pass each year then. How long would it take to clear the backlog that this new rule would cause.

Red Alert

I think it's a positive development but the speed of introduction is just crazy. I only found out about it here on boards today. I have a third provisional and I get the feeling this is going to be majorly enforced so effectively I'm off the road from Tuesday onwards.

orbital83

Wtf?!! Couldn't believe my ears when I heard this on the news.

I passed my test in March (thank god) but this is pretty shoddy on the behalf of the government.
"Oh, by the way, you can't drive any more from Tuesday.
What, you've got a job you can't get to? Your nearest shop is ten miles away? Well f**k you. Here's the dole and you better plant some veggies in your back garden."

I did suspect something would happen shortly after the election but didn't think it would be this barbaric.
We all know L-drivers should not be on the road on their own but this is a situation created by the government's incompetence and should be handled accordingly.

I always wondered why a L-driver pressure group wasn't formed long ago.
If these stupid measures are enforced, such a group could have a massive impact, e.g. "handbrake-down" protest on every national route in the country or a 5 mph drive to Dublin from large population centres.

If someone here has time on their hands and some motivation it mightn't be a bad idea if things get nasty.

Henry Ford III

How many cars will be off the road?

Stark

Hah, just went outside to put out the rubbish and noticed that the 3 cars with L-plates that were parked outside have just had their L-plates "magically disappear".

busykill

This will affect so many people, Some worse than others. I'm doing my leaving next year, i know at least one person who's parents are both on provisionals.
Think about his problems. Theres no public transport in the boglands of limerick and 10 miles is a fairly long walk. What a country this is...

P.s. sorry if it seems like i'm ranting but im just so p***** having just put a deposit on a car knowing that it'll just be sitting there. AHHHH

littlejukka

looks like i'll be doing and awful lot more driving for work. 3 of our site architect's are on L-plates and there aren't many options for getting to the more remote sites. bugger, but yay for mileage.

littlejukka

DarkJager wrote: »

I personally have absolutlely no intention of paying any notice to this law. I've been driving for 2 years and it will be over my dead ****ing body I'll allow this 2 bit joke of a government to take me off the road. I'm on a waiting list for the full test and if I am stopped in the meantime and fined, I will quit my job (I work 40 miles from home with no workmates for at least 15 miles) and will sue this pack of bastards for loss of earnings.

And to everyone who voted this pack of useless clueless ****ing clowns back....Fcuk you.

that's the spirit. have you been waiting 2 years or has it only recently occured to you to apply?

kikel

Henry Ford III wrote: »

How many cars will be off the road?

None probably

Holsten

Load of bollox, been waiting 5 months now for a test and nothing so far.

If they actually do enforce this I'll just take the L plates off, otherwise it's business as usual.

Wishbone Ash

busykill wrote: »

i know at least one person who's parents are both on provisionals

And there are quite a few older drivers who fell under the 12th August 1985 exemption. Anyone who held a provisional before then was exempt from the accompanied driver rule. That's going to be a major change for them. (I know two people who fall into this category).

DarkJager

Exactly. How they actually thought they'd get away with this is beyond me... I'm not going to sit back and take it anyway. Where would be the best place to get an email address or contact number for the minister of transport?

Aedh Baclamh

400,000 suddenly stopping on Tuesday?

Henry Ford III

This is clearly a very hot issue. My view is nobody has a "right" to drive.

Jessibelle

It's bloody unreasonable is what it is!! I'm on my second provisonal, and live in Dublin, but work in Wicklow. I'm a good and safe driver!:mad::mad: First train to leave Dublin for anywhere near where I work is at 8.20, which is great news for my 730 start. I like my job, and I've a lovely boss, but I can't see him being too lovely after I ring him to say I'll be late because I can't drive, but also have to leave early to get home???? Seriously, they think the ecconomy's down turning? If this is enforced they may as well wave any boom good bye, as no one will be capable of getting to work.