Novice Drivers.

Davarus Walrus

I was just reading about the new N Plate that must be displayed on the car of drivers' who have passed their test. Anyone else think this is a really sensible idea?

It allows the more experienced driver to note those motorists who have recently taken to the road without having the guidance and mentoring of a driver with multiple years of experience. You can then exercise more caution when using the same road as the recently licensed driver.

There were few things worse than seeing some spotty gimp in a banger of a car, where the alloys were worth more than the car itself, tearing down the road without L plates.

Very positive move imo.

No Pants

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

There were few things worse than seeing some spotty gimp in a banger of a car, where the alloys were worth more than the car itself, tearing down the road without L plates.

Why would he be wearing L plates if he had passed his test?

Nib

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I was just reading about the new N Plate that must be displayed on the car of drivers' who have passed their test. Anyone else think this is a really sensible idea?

It allows the more experienced driver to note those motorists who have recently taken to the road without having the guidance and mentoring of a driver with multiple years of experience. You can then exercise more caution when using the same road as the recently licensed driver.

There were few things worse than seeing some spotty gimp in a banger of a car, where the alloys were worth more than the car itself, tearing down the road without L plates.

Very positive move imo.

Maybe that spotty gimp has a full license.

The superiority complex of drivers like you never ceases to amaze me. I see middle aged pricks in Mercs bombing up and down the roads like they own them every single day.

Said prick probably got his licence when they were handing them out to clear the backlog a few decades ago.

Pherekydes

It's a brutal idea.

Novice means brand new to something. But these drivers have passed a competency test.

Why couldn't they have used the same letter as our neighbours?

wazky

Even more plates for people not to display.

moxin

Pherekydes wrote: »

It's a brutal idea.

Novice means brand new to something. But these drivers have passed a competency test.

Why couldn't they have used the same letter as our neighbours?

Neighbours display the N Plate?

Daveysil15

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

Anyone else think this is a really sensible idea?

No.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

They are still a novice. They have JUST passed the driving test. They are new to driving on their own.

Pherekydes

moxin wrote: »

Neighbours display the N Plate?

Isn't it an 'R'?

kneemos

Make a jot of difference even if anybody does use them.

Pherekydes

Lennon Brave Bib wrote: »

They are still a novice. They have JUST passed the driving test. They are new to driving on their own.

So if they had an experienced driver with them would they still be required to display an 'N'?

RayM

They should take it further. 'I' plates for idiot drivers who don't indicate when exiting roundabouts (that'll be around 90% of drivers then). 'H' plates for people who hog the overtaking lane. 'M' plates for anyone caught using a mobile phone when driving. And 'C' plates for anyone who drives an Audi A4.

Sir Arthur Daley

RayM wrote: »

And 'C' plates for anyone who drives an Audi A4.

Could extend that to merc and bmw drivers too. :pac:

Davarus Walrus

Nib wrote: »

Maybe that spotty gimp has a full license.

The superiority complex of drivers like you never ceases to amaze me. I see middle aged pricks in Mercs bombing up and down the roads like they own them every single day.

Said prick probably got his licence when they were handing them out to clear the backlog a few decades ago.

A driver who has recently obtained their full licence is still inexperienced. They've reached a certainly level of competency, but it doesn't give them carte blanche to go tearing around the roads. The N plate will be a good indicator to other road users that the driver is still inexperienced. It's a wholly positive move.

ryanch09

No Pants wrote: »

Why would he be wearing L plates if he had passed his test?

Well I still have my L plates even though I passed 3 months ago, it's handy to let other drivers know I'm still an inexperienced driver and may sometimes need a bit more time at lights.

kneemos

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

A driver who has recently obtained their full licence is still inexperienced. They've reached a certainly level of competency, but it doesn't give them carte blanche to go tearing around the roads. The N plate will be a good indicator to other road users that the driver is still inexperienced. It's a wholly positive move.

What would you do differently if you saw an N plate?

greenman09

People shouldn't be driving on their own til test is passed anyways works in the north so don't see why it wouldn't here.
Penalty points increase is good too for those offences mentioned the other day. Enforcement is the biggest thing. Esp those on the phones.

Davarus Walrus

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Could extend that to merc and bmw drivers too. :pac:

I've always felt that the animosity felt towards drivers of premium German marques comes from people who can just about afford to keep a 10-year old Ford Fiesta on the road.

Peanut2011

kneemos wrote: »

What would you do differently if you saw an N plate?

He would push on for driver to speed up, tailgate to get them to move over and so on! Isn't that the treatment L drivers get?

Arthur Beesley

RayM wrote: »

They should take it further. 'I' plates for idiot drivers who don't indicate when exiting roundabouts (that'll be around 90% of drivers then). 'H' plates for people who hog the overtaking lane. 'M' plates for anyone caught using a mobile phone when driving. And 'C' plates for anyone who drives an Audi A4.

And 'W' for people that make silly generalisations.

JustAddWater

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

It allows the more experienced driver to note those motorists who have recently taken to the road without having the guidance and mentoring of a driver with multiple years of experience.

Wha? N plates don't mean that person didn't learn without a qualified driver

Your rambling, generalising and making f - all sense if I'm honest

Daveysil15

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

A driver who has recently obtained their full licence is still inexperienced. They've reached a certainly level of competency, but it doesn't give them carte blanche to go tearing around the roads. The N plate will be a good indicator to other road users that the driver is still inexperienced. It's a wholly positive move.

Plenty of people don't give a toss when they see a driver with an L plate up. Do you really think an N plate is going to make much of a difference?

RayM

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I've always felt that the animosity felt towards drivers of premium German marques comes from people who can just about afford to keep a 10-year old Ford Fiesta on the road.

It comes from the fact that so many of them drive utterly obnoxiously. Especially Audi A4s, for some reason.

Nib

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I've always felt that the animosity felt towards drivers of premium German marques comes from people who can just about afford to keep a 10-year old Ford Fiesta on the road.

Just goes to show that certain people with top class cars have little class themselves.

I always thought they were over compensating for something. Thanks for confirming this.

Davarus Walrus

JustAddWater wrote: »

Wha? N plates don't mean that person didn't learn without a qualified driver

Your rambling, generalising and making f - all sense if I'm honest

I'm not saying that someone with a N plate on their car is somehow a bad driver. But they are inexperienced. Like anything else the more you drive, the more you learn about driving and the actions of other drivers. Having the sign on the car will allow contentious road users to give the N driver a wider berth, or to be more patient if they make a mistake.

SureYWouldntYa

Its a stupid idea. If anything drivers who just passed their test are among the safest on the road

fleet_admiral

There should be 'E' plates to warn other users that a pensioner is driving the car

Daveysil15

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I'm not saying that someone with a N plate on their car is somehow a bad driver. But they are inexperienced. Like anything else, the more you drive, the more you learn about driving, and the actions of other drivers. Having the sign on the car will allow contentious road users to give the N driver a wider berth, or to be more patient if they make a mistake.

And what about the road users who aren't contentious? A contentious road user should be contentious regardless of what plate they have up.

Sir Arthur Daley

fleet_admiral wrote: »

There should be 'E' plates to warn other users that a pensioner is driving the car

What is E short for?

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Pherekydes wrote: »

So if they had an experienced driver with them would they still be required to display an 'N'?

Yea, they would.

They are not "learning" per say, but they are by no means experienced.

Arthur Beesley

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

What is E short for?

Elderly?

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Its a stupid idea. If anything drivers who just passed their test are among the safest on the road

Those drivers have never been on a motorway, or above 60MPH on a road, they are most certainly not the safest drivers on the road.

osarusan

Japan has these stickers for drivers who have just got a licence. They are compulsory.

http://injury.research.chop.edu/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/media/japan.plate_.jpg?itok=jhMSA1GX

Sand

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

A driver who has recently obtained their full licence is still inexperienced. They've reached a certainly level of competency, but it doesn't give them carte blanche to go tearing around the roads. The N plate will be a good indicator to other road users that the driver is still inexperienced. It's a wholly positive move.

They have recently passed their test and probably are far more knowledgeable and better trained than drivers who never sat a modern driving test and have picked up a host of bad habits and complacency to go along with their experience.

entropi

Daveysil15 wrote: »

Plenty of people don't give a toss when they see a driver with an L plate up. Do you really think an N plate is going to make much of a difference?

Exactly this. What's the point in changing it from an N sticker from an L sticker? They're still an inexperienced driver either way. Another useless waste of time from the government.

Sir Arthur Daley

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

Elderly?

P would be a better option though.

Davarus Walrus

Daveysil15 wrote: »

And what about the road users who aren't contentious? A contentious road user should be contentious regardless of what plate they have up.

I don't disagree with that at all. You can be driving for 20 years and still be a prick on the road. But in the push for greater road safety, having new drivers displaying a plate on their car to show they are inexperienced, or new to driving on their own, can only be seen as a good thing.

wazky

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

I don't disagree with that at all. You can be driving for 20 years and still be a prick on the road. But in the push for greater road safety, having new drivers displaying a plate on their car to show they are inexperienced, or new to driving on their own, can only be seen as a good thing.

Why?, do these plates grant special power to the user?

The Backwards Man

Garda cars should have a DGAF plate on display.

L plates, N plates, using a phone, drink driving, they don't don't give a fcuk about enforcing any of them.

Tail Docker

Lennon Brave Bib wrote: »

Those drivers have never been on a motorway, or above 60MPH on a road, they are most certainly not the safest drivers on the road.

Lol. Yeah, right.

No Pants

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

Having the sign on the car will allow contentious road users to give the N driver a wider berth, or to be more patient if they make a mistake.

As opposed to?

Nodin

No Pants wrote: »

As opposed to?

Getting out the 12 gauge and giving them a lesson they won't forget.

Arthur Beesley

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

P would be a better option though.

They may not all be be Pensioners. Assuming that's what P stands for.

_Kaiser_

RayM wrote: »

It comes from the fact that so many of them drive utterly obnoxiously. Especially Audi A4s, for some reason.

Oh I dunno.. anytime I notice someone sitting in the outside lane of a motorway for no reason (M50 aside) or trying to get into my back seat by tailgating in the last year or two, it usually seems to be 20-40 year old women in hatchbacks.

Or like the idiot in the above bracket this morning who was doing her makeup in the rear view mirror while driving :rolleyes:

Dempsey

Novice plates are a stupid idea and adds another money maker to the process of being a motorists.

No Pants

Dempsey wrote: »

Novice plates are a stupid idea and adds another money maker to the process of being a motorists.

Money maker how?

Noob plates

Davarus Walrus

No Pants wrote: »

Money maker how?

The €6 for the plate will be a real struggle for the young Irish driver.

Dempsey

No Pants wrote: »

Money maker how?

Do you think the plates are free?

How difficult is it to make your own! :rolleyes:

Sir Arthur Daley

They should introduce a double plate system:

17-20 years of age = 1
20-30 years of age = 2
30-40 years of age = 3
40-50 years of age = 4
50-60 years of age = 5
60-65 years of age = 6
65-70 years of age = 7
70-80 years of age = 8
80-90 years of age = 9
90 -100 years of age = 10
100 + years of age = 11

Now for the letter part system:

Learner = L
Novice = N
Competent full licence = C

So e.g if we saw a car with the plates C6 we know its a competent driver approaching pension age. This dual plate should be small enough to fit where some put the nurburgring sticker.