I saw an L driver on the M50 today

Ronanom · 01-11-2007 8:03pm #1

Isn't this illegal

zAbbo · 01-11-2007 8:04pm

You saw a car with L plates ?

Could be an oversight of a shared car.

jhegarty · 01-11-2007 8:04pm

Ronanom wrote: »

Isn't this illegal

which M50 have been using ?

C_Breeze · 01-11-2007 8:05pm

Ronanom wrote: »

Isn't this illegal

only if youre heading southbound

SligoBrewer · 01-11-2007 8:05pm

if it was a L driver yes.

but it could also be the father, mother, brother of an L driver who shares the car but couldn't be arsed taking down the plates

Ronanom · 01-11-2007 8:05pm

Young lady peering over the steering wheel on her own with L plates displayed...I'm guessing she was a L{earner}

Stark · 01-11-2007 8:06pm

Ronanom wrote: »

I saw an L driver on the M50 today

And in other non-news...

Ronanom wrote: »

Isn't this illegal

Yes, but isn't all road traffic law in Ireland a mere technicality?

Dave! · 01-11-2007 8:08pm

I saw someone speeding today. What's your point?

Ronanom · 01-11-2007 8:10pm

DaveMcG wrote: »

I saw someone speeding today. What's your point?

I already made my point in the first post... put on your reading glasses

Keith186 · 01-11-2007 8:11pm

Holy moly will someone think of the children.

Pherekydes · 01-11-2007 8:38pm

DaveMcG wrote: »

I saw someone speeding today. What's your point?

Less of the sarcasm. Ronanom just passed-his-test/had-his-first-trip-to-the-big-smoke and spotted an L driver on the M50.

Ronan, L drivers have been on the M50 (and other M-ways) since it opened.

Dub13 · 01-11-2007 10:00pm

SligoBrewer wrote: »

but it could also be the father, mother, brother of an L driver who shares the car but couldn't be arsed taking down the plates

This is also illegal.

MarkR · 01-11-2007 10:44pm

Pit Manouever for the win. Or if you can hand signal two other drivers you could organise a rolling roadblock while calling the fuzz.

Of course it is illegal. You should know that from the huge signs saying no Learner drivers allowed. Unless you weren't paying attention to road signage. Tut tut.

Barlow07 · 01-11-2007 10:49pm

Ronanom wrote: »

Isn't this illegal

Let me guess because it had L plates? There are hundreds of cars on the M50 with L plates, but that does not mean they are learner drivers.

If you are right and it was a Learner driver, then i think come June 08, they will clamp down on the M50 and learner drivers quick enough.

Stark · 01-11-2007 11:37pm

SligoBrewer wrote: »

if it was a L driver yes.

but it could also be the father, mother, brother of an L driver who shares the car but couldn't be arsed taking down the plates

Dub13 wrote: »

This is also illegal.

Not in the Republic.

Dub13 · 02-11-2007 12:40am

Stark wrote: »

Not in the Republic.

A couple of years ago I was driving MrsDub13s car,she was a learner at the time.I was stopped at a checkpoint and had the L plates up,I cop told me it was an offense for a full license driver to drive with L plates.He was fine about it and just said I could get another cop in a bad humor and could be done.

star-pants · 02-11-2007 12:48am

As far as I was aware - you didn't have to take them down. I was on my dad's car for a while & when mother asked if he was going to remove the Ls to drive (on the M50), he said he didn't have to - because even if he was stopped -he's a full license.

wil · 02-11-2007 3:04am

Dub13 wrote: »

I cop told me it was an offense for a full license driver to drive with L plates.He was fine about it and just said I could get another cop in a bad humor and could be done.

Word of a garda on the street is not necessarily confirmation that something is genuinely illegal.
I think its only illegal in UK

Aside - Amusing to hear interview with an Australian police recruiter on radio, they are currently actively recruiting gardai in to their police force, cant get enough of their own. While explaining some of the differences (they carry guns for a start) he said gardai were well respected, good at defusing difficult situations without weapons, but as many gardai cant drive, we teach them. Far be it for me to concur but...

Esel · 02-11-2007 3:29am

wil wrote:

..he said gardai were well respected, good at defusing difficult situations without weapons, but as many gardai cant drive, we teach them. ...

Would these be the colour-blind ones? :eek:

omega man · 02-11-2007 10:51am

Used to drive the wifes car with L plates on the motorway from time to time so doesnt mean they were an L driver. The majority of peolple i know who are L drivers use the motorway all the time but i can honestly say i never did and i commuted from sandyford to the airport! Would your insurance pay out if you had an accident on a motorway as an L driver???

daedalus2097 · 02-11-2007 10:56am

I know of cases where they did pay out... Seemed not to care when a friend ran into the back of someone, and she was a learner at the time. Her insurance didn't even question it, they just paid out for the car in front and hiked her insurance up...

That will probably all change next June though

green123 · 02-11-2007 10:57am

omega man wrote: »

Used to drive the wifes car with L plates on the motorway from time to time so doesnt mean they were an L driver. The majority of peolple i know who are L drivers use the motorway all the time but i can honestly say i never did and i commuted from sandyford to the airport! Would your insurance pay out if you had an accident on a motorway as an L driver???

yes you are covered
just like driving alone on a provisional is covered
but you might only be covered 3rd party

Jumpy · 02-11-2007 11:00am

esel wrote: »

Would these be the colour-blind ones? :eek:

No, these would be the irish taught ones. The aussie police are trained to the nines in pursuit and tactical driving.
They also drive beasts of cars (most of the time). Of course a little investment could have them in Lancers or Rexs' rather than the 5 litre pig heavy V8's. But, each to their own.

whosedaddy? · 02-11-2007 11:23am

What happens if the gards stop an L-Driver on the M50? (should happen under the law)

I can't find it in the penalty points list, but the RoTR say its a "serious offense".

unnameduser · 02-11-2007 11:32am

If a full licensed driver was sharing a car with a L driver, it is a bit much to ask them to keep putting up and take down 2 L plates. Sure the fecking things will stop sticking to the windows.

On another note, for some there is a stigma attached to driving a car with L plates and they would yank down those L plates before you know it.

Stark · 02-11-2007 11:44am

unnameduser wrote: »

If a full licensed driver was sharing a car with a L driver, it is a bit much to ask them to keep putting up and take down 2 L plates. Sure the fecking things will stop sticking to the windows.

You can get magnetic plates or plates that stick to the inside of your windows using static.

Marcus.Aurelius · 02-11-2007 12:07pm

whosedaddy? wrote: »

What happens if the gards stop an L-Driver on the M50? (should happen under the law)

I can't find it in the penalty points list, but the RoTR say its a "serious offense".

You are not licensed to drive on the M50, it should be treated as such. some Gardai will issue a summons for it, but judges are quite lax. Some though, are very harsh and put them off the road for 6 months to a year or two. It's a mug's game. L plate drivers should not be let on the M50, it's a bit of a kick in the teeth to the rest of us who actually passed the test so we could drive on these roads properly.

Mitch Connor · 02-11-2007 12:21pm

maoleary wrote: »

You are not licensed to drive on the M50, it should be treated as such. some Gardai will issue a summons for it, but judges are quite lax. Some though, are very harsh and put them off the road for 6 months to a year or two. It's a mug's game. L plate drivers should not be let on the M50, it's a bit of a kick in the teeth to the rest of us who actually passed the test so we could drive on these roads properly.

The thing that annoys me about the motorway rule is the fact it is easier to drive on a motorway then a DC imo, as there are no right turns and thus no reason to be in the overtaking lane if not overtaking (ie. if you don't want to travel at the sppedlimit, you can trundle along in the driving lane and take your exit, which will always be on the left.

If it is considered safe enough for an L Driver to be on a DC, I don't get why a motorway is a big 'no-no'.

JohnCleary · 02-11-2007 12:26pm

Ronanom wrote: »

Isn't this illegal

Tut tut, good things you're a perfectly law abiding citizen who never ever ever breaks the law

cjt156 · 02-11-2007 12:29pm

Tauren wrote: »

If it is considered safe enough for an L Driver to be on a DC, I don't get why a motorway is a big 'no-no'.

Because SPEED KILLS! didn't you know? That extra 20 km/h means we're all living on a knife edge every second, even though these roads are statistically the safest in the country.

nice1franko · 02-11-2007 12:29pm

maoleary wrote: »

L plate drivers should not be let on the M50, it's a bit of a kick in the teeth to the rest of us who actually passed the test so we could drive on these roads properly.

"L plate" does not mean the driver is a learner.
It means the car is used by a "learner" (who, in many cases, may be a seasoned driver).

edit-

maoleary wrote: »

it's a bit of a kick in the teeth to the rest of us who actually passed the test so we could drive on these roads properly

By passing the test you automatically knew how to go on the motorway properly?

I saw an L driver on the M50 today

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