People like me

Souljacker

Niall Keane wrote: »

The O.P. has a point though. I’ve noticed this with a relative in her 30’s learning now. How many holier than thou fully qualified drivers became such by always driving with a qualified driver while learning? I’d imagine a lot of the evangelists here probably had an L plate happily decorating their cars for years. Driving on your own, making those decisions on your own is surely crucial?
There’s a fair element of response training to learning to drive, I don’t know how well this can be learned on a 1 lesson a week basis, by the following week the person has probably forgotten the “feel” again.
Before this topic becomes emotive, I’m not advocating a free for all, but perhaps allowing Learners with a certain amount of clocked up hours from a professional instructor, on to the roads displaying L Plates at certain restricted hours, say Sunday 1pm to 4pm might be an idea, allowing them to improve their skill in a situation drivers frequently find themselves in – on their own.
I think the outright ban was another political knee-jerk reaction that will now mean greater numbers of dangerous fully qualified drivers who can reverse around a corner all right, but have not had experience in driving without the safety net of an accompanying driver. At least with an L Plate on a car you knew to watch out for the b@*@>$d!

Political Knee -jerk reaction? Please tell me another country in the western world which allows unqualified drivers drive unaccompanied? I never drove unaccompanied before I got my test because there was the very real risk of getting a ban, fine and day in court (I live in N.Ireland). The loophole in the Law in the Republic (regarding 2nd provisional licence holders) was bizarre to say the least.

roosterman71

When I was 17 and needed to get somewhere I used a bike/walked or took the tractor :pac: I even brought it to school a few times I missed the bus!!

Permabear

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Niall Keane

"Research from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute shows that an unaccompanied novice driver (defined as someone who has held a full licence for less than two years) is up to 33 times more likely than an accompanied learner driver to be involved in a collision (Gregersen et al., 2003). And statistics from Britain and the UK show that 20 percent of newly licenced drivers become involved in collisions during their first year of independent driving (Grayson, 2005)."

Q.E.D.

So like I said, perhaps a Sunday afternoon allowance with an L-Plate, so fully licenced and experienced drivers can be made aware of the potential hazzard, as it stands people get licences without ever driving by themselves, and your figures seem to suggest that this is the problem.

Permabear

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P. Breathnach

donegalfella wrote: »

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I thought we had that.

Firetrap

I've a certain amount of sympathy for the OP. I was lucky enough not to have that law to deal with when I first started driving. I do understand why it exists though; I've driven in Ireland and the UK and really notice the difference. All the OP can do is take steps so that they can get to work. Get a 2nd hand moped somewhere. It's cheap, will get you from A-B and won't cost much to tax/insure/fuel. The law is the law - it suits some people. Doesn't suit others.