"6,000 learner drivers fined for breaking law"

galwaybob

ztoical wrote: »

The punishment is a large fine, seems fitting to me......you'd rather jail time?

Actually given that you can get a large fine and/or jail time for not having a tv license, a fine for driving alone/without L plates might be a little weak.

Yes...perhaps say 50 lashings would be more appropriate

ardmacha

Given that motorists can be clamped for overstaying on meter for a few minutes, this seems proportionate enough. Unqualified people driving is a serious thing and should have a large fine.

mark renton

How is it a serious thing?

Stark

I know cars might be new to you but bear in mind that they do weigh >1000kg and are capable of moving at speeds well in excess of 100km/hr. They also tend to make a lot of splat if you make a mistake while in control of one and hit someone.

mark renton

How would they be new to me???

Stark

Well given that you haven't been for a test yet, I assume you're less than 6 months driving anyway. Either that and you failed and are bitter about it, in which case it's unsafe for you to be out unaccompanied until you sort out whatever it was that caused you to fail.

Spiritoftheseventies

Bogger77 wrote: »

life is simple.
1) Got a car, pay insurance and road tax
2) Got a learners permit, then arrange for accompanying driver.

if you cannot afford 1, and cant be bothered about 2, then dont whinge if/when caught.

is option two really workable. you might as well just get them to drop you off to your point of destination.

Stark

You wouldn't exactly learn much then would you?

Spiritoftheseventies

Stark wrote: »

You wouldn't exactly learn much then would you?

What im saying is that most L Drivers going to work are hampered by this arrangement. You learn to drive for the most part by taking driving lessons.

mark renton

Stark wrote: »

Well given that you haven't been for a test yet, I assume you're less than 6 months driving anyway. Either that and you failed and are bitter about it, in which case it's unsafe for you to be out unaccompanied until you sort out whatever it was that caused you to fail.

Your assuming as usual is making an ass of yourself - gather the facts before you make comment or pass judgement on people

galwaybob

The idea that the guy who passes his test on the Wednesday is suddenly a better driver than he was on the Tuesday is farcical.

mark renton

Very true bob - then you have the scaremongers saying "The streets are not safe with drivers with provisional licences" when actually there is no difference between 95% of provisional licence holders passing the test, they are the same drivers

Tar.Aldarion

I don't see how you don't think it would be retarded that I could go in to a theory test centre, pass a very short multiple choice question exam, that you don't even have to study for to pass, and then be allowed behind the wheel without supervision of something that can easily kill.

And yeah, I have a learners permit.

Spiritoftheseventies

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I don't see how you don't think it would be retarded that I could go in to a theory test centre, pass a very short multiple choice question exam, that you don't even have to study for to pass, and then be allowed behind the wheel without supervision of something that can easily kill.

And yeah, I have a learners permit.

think its the case that the majority of L drivers are more careful behind the wheel. their insurance rockets if they are involved in a crash

Alanstrainor

Right lads, next person to insult another poster or breech the charter in any way gets a weeks ban.

galwaybob wrote: »

The idea that the guy who passes his test on the Wednesday is suddenly a better driver than he was on the Tuesday is farcical.

No they're not a better driver, and i don't think anyone here has been suggesting that. They have proven to the tester that they can control a car safely under normal circumstances with the inclusion of set manoeuvres. Successfully passing the driving test does not prove you are a good driver, it shows you are a safe driver for the 30 or so minutes driving one does during the test.

john47832 wrote: »

Very true bob - then you have the scaremongers saying "The streets are not safe with drivers with provisional licences" when actually there is no difference between 95% of provisional licence holders passing the test, they are the same drivers

The test is there to prove you are safe. If you can't pass a basic test, then you are not deemed to be safe enough to control a car on your own. Saying there is no difference between 95% of learners is something you've plucked out of thin air and has no grounding in fact.

Raskolnikov

Clamping down on learner drivers is one thing; we need to worry about the maniacs who somehow have a licence despite being outrageously wreckless on the roads. I would go as far as saying that half the people I know, regularily do things on the road that would cause them to fail their test.

What we really need is mandatory resitting of the driving test, every ten years. Bad habits need to be hammered out of people.

mark renton

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I don't see how you don't think it would be retarded that I could go in to a theory test centre, pass a very short multiple choice question exam, that you don't even have to study for to pass, and then be allowed behind the wheel without supervision of something that can easily kill.

Couldnt agree more, I believe it would be very retarded to allow you to go into a test centre, pass an exam, and allow you behind the wheel of a car

Tar.Aldarion

bayviewclose wrote: »

think its the case that the majority of L drivers are more careful behind the wheel. their insurance rockets if they are involved in a crash

Yes I am certainly more careful and more cautious than a driver of years, because we don't have the experience they have or the ability they have. We can be as careful as we want but we can easily make a mistake being new at this, and it's not the insurance that matters, if you react badly people die. Things are getting stricter here, and with that road deaths are lowering every year! So I think that is good. It is annoying yes that those of us that feel we are safe can't go out on our own, but when you are at that level you don't need to go out much to be ready for the test. And lets face it, a lot of people will think they are good drivers when they don't have enough experience of the things that can happen around them.

And then there are the reckless drivers with full licences, I don't think they should be allowed on the road either.

Tar.Aldarion

john47832 wrote: »

Couldnt agree more, I believe it would be very retarded to allow you to go into a test centre, pass an exam, and allow you behind the wheel of a car

Stop talking bollocks. It's like of going into an exam where you are asked to name various foods, then you feel you are entitled to be a head chef.

And I agree with the poster above with retesting or something to prove youa re still safe on the road, as huge amounts are not.

mark renton

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Stop talking bollocks.

Now I might be a little over sensitive here but that to me seems like an insult :eek:

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Sunjammer

I see they're keeping you on your toes tonight Donegalfella :rolleyes:

Lads look at this another way:

A student heart surgeon that is not taking his final exams until tomorrow, would you be happy to let him preform open heart surgery unaccompanied on you tonight even though he's up to the standard for to sit his exams tomorrow! Or would you wait until he can prove he has passed his exams and knows exactly what he's doing.... If you think about it it's the same thing as a learner driver let loose on a public road with a lethal weapon (a car)

mark renton

Now their is a difference in technical ability required to perform heart surgery and driving a car - I'm sure if I looked on youtube then I would find footage of a monkey driving

ztoical

john47832 wrote: »

I'm sure if I looked on youtube then I would find footage of a monkey driving

But could the monkey past the test?

Seriously this thread is pointless and going in circles.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.