Cop stopping L drivers on M50

HelterSkelter

Passed a motorbike cop today (Sunday) who has an L driver pulled over at Dundrum exit on M-50. I was heading Northbound. A few mins later he sped past me, I was doing 120kmh so he must have been doing at least 150. Caught up with him at Firhouse exit where he had another L driver pulled over. Looks like he was targeting learner drivers on the motorway. I thought the cops turned a blind eye to this so all you learner drivers.

Turner

Cops dont turn a blind eye to it. But would generally only prosecute if there were other offences detected. Like failing to drive on the left, no tax, bald tyres...

Prosecuting a case in court with just one offence for a l driver driving on a motorway would be a waste of time.

Not to mention overtime.

Theres no fixed penalty for driving on a motorway while on provisional licence. Can only be dealt with by summons to a district court.

Bamboozled

They're clamping down big time all over with L drivers.

they're gonna get fed up of stopping L-plated drivers on the M50 though. A lot of fully licensed drivers have L plates on their cars because their kids are on their policy and are on provisional licenses and a lot cant insure their own cars let alone buy one and insure it.

So they might be stopping cars with L plates on them but they'll not necessarily catch them all being driven by provisional licensed drivers.

is_that_so

At the very least it gives the impression heretofore non-existent that maybe you can get caught. This is the main reason given for our apalling statistics and "average" road behaviour. The L Plate system is daft and is a danger to the learners and experienced drivers alike.

commited

Good to see it. There was an L driver doing 40mph on the M1 today looking scared out of her mind. Silly bint. Fair play to the guards

Stark

Bamboozled wrote:

they're gonna get fed up of stopping L-plated drivers on the M50 though. A lot of fully licensed drivers have L plates on their cars because their kids are on their policy and are on provisional licenses and a lot cant insure their own cars let alone buy one and insure it.

Afaik, it's illegal to have L-plates displayed on a car when a fully licenced driver is driving. They sell non-adhesive L-plates for the purpose of taking them on and off when you're switching between provisional/full licence driver.

Bamboozled

Who takes them off? Where'd you find that? I'm nosey and want to check in case a cop stops us.

Lots of drivers that should have them displayed, dont.

It is Ireland.

Töpher

They're stuck on our car, glued to the outside or something! (The way they were designed!) My younger brother is on it as a learner, and neither myself or my folks remove them when driving (all full licences) - mainly, I think, as they won't come off easily! And if they do come off, they won't go back on! We all do a fair whack of motorway driving.

commited

Stark wrote:

Afaik, it's illegal to have L-plates displayed on a car when a fully licenced driver is driving. They sell non-adhesive L-plates for the purpose of taking them on and off when you're switching between provisional/full licence driver.

Yup - thats what we used to do

Our man in Havana

The actual the UK highway code says that L plates must be removed/covered up when not being used by learners.

is_that_so

commited wrote:

Yup - thats what we used to do

And they are not expensive.

optiplexgx270

HelterSkelter wrote:

Passed a motorbike cop today (Sunday) who has an L driver pulled over at Dundrum exit on M-50. I was heading Northbound. A few mins later he sped past me, I was doing 120kmh so he must have been doing at least 150. Caught up with him at Firhouse exit where he had another L driver pulled over. Looks like he was targeting learner drivers on the motorway. I thought the cops turned a blind eye to this so all you learner drivers.

The very reason my L plates are in the boot And my cover story worked in the past when stopped (mom/whoever takes them off when they drive and i "forgot" to stick them back up)

Stark

Reminds me of someone I knew who lived in Carlingford and who used to take down the L-plates when going shopping in Newry

Though I wouldn't have liked to have been him if he was caught considering they're a lot stricter in the UK regarding provisional licence rules.

optiplexgx270

Well im on my third (out of lazyness havent failed a test or anything) waiting on the test since August (not in a bit rush really). I'm a grand driver although i recon i'd fail on minor things like sticking to the speed limits etc i have tried in the past and just find driving @ 50kph on some of the roads a joke and you cause tail backs doing so. And then try and fo 80kph on some of the country lanes and really strugle to hit 70kph without damaging the car madness.

maidhc

Bond-007 wrote:

The actual the UK highway code says that L plates must be removed/covered up when not being used by learners.

I dont think we have anything similar though.

Seth Brundle

Stark wrote:

Reminds me of someone I knew who lived in Carlingford and who used to take down the L-plates when going shopping in Newry

Though I wouldn't have liked to have been him if he was caught considering they're a lot stricter in the UK regarding provisional licence rules.

When I was a prov licenced driver (for all of 6 months and most of that was because I was too lazy to apply), I drove in NI many times. Stopped most times buy the RUC and army at various checkpoints and even had my car searched by RUC/Army/Customs at Aughnacloy where a sniffer dog and customs officials searched the car from top to bottom.
The RUC knew my car after a while as my girlfriend was living uphill from Strand Rd barracks in Derry.
I never was questioned or commented to about my licence. However these were the days where they had bigger things to worry about up there!

jesus_thats_gre

Yup been driving on a prov for year myself and have been stopped in the north a handful of times with nothing been said. In border towns it is fine but go deeper in to the the north and it is a different story apparently.

sandyg

When i was learning to drive i got the magnetic L driver plates from Atlantic. I see now that boyds are selling them now. They were so handy just stick on and pull off with no damage of sticky tape etc being left on the car. I would recommend them to anyone.

Henry Ford III

I never realised L drivers actually went to the bother of displaying their L plates.

andrew_ireland

From what I remember, there is a one point penalty on driving unaccompanied on a provisional.

Stark

No, there are provisions in road traffic law for making it a penalty point offence, but so far they haven't introduced that.

rick_fantastic

im on a provisional and i drive on the motorway everyday. never put up learner plate and i never will.

ive been stopped a few times and given the garda my provisional license which is my second provisional and they have never said anything to me bout learner plates

Mr. Presentable

rick_fantastic wrote:

im on a provisional and i drive on the motorway everyday. never put up learner plate and i never will.

ive been stopped a few times and given the garda my provisional license which is my second provisional and they have never said anything to me bout learner plates

Have they ever said anything about being unaccompanied by full licenced driver?

Stark

rick_fantastic wrote:

im on a provisional and i drive on the motorway everyday. never put up learner plate and i never will.

ive been stopped a few times and given the garda my provisional license which is my second provisional and they have never said anything to me bout learner plates

I'm a contemptuous person when it comes to rules, but I always wear my L-plates. I don't see the point of not wearing them.

nipplenuts wrote:

Have they ever said anything about being unaccompanied by full licenced driver?

It's perfectly legal to drive unaccompanied on a second provisional.

Kersh

Is it any wonder that the motorway merging/exiting on the sliproads is brutal in this country. L drivers arent allowed on the Mways, so when they pass their test, thay can suddenly drive off down to an mway, and make a complete balls of merging.... not to mention being dangerously slow when they reach the merge line... cos they never got any practice doing it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Stark

Many dual carriageways have sliproads. Unfortunately dual carriageways aren't covered in the driving test. Novice drivers shouldn't be on the motorway but as for experienced L-drivers vs full licence drivers, you can't really bitch about the L-drivers as your full licence says nothing about dual carriageway/motorway driving.

smarty

I like the term "Experienced L Drivers".

Stark wrote:

you can't really bitch about the L-drivers as your full licence says nothing about dual carriageway/motorway driving.

It doesn't say anything about competency, but it does entitles you to drive on motorways.

layke

LOL! I thought you were talking about me, I got pulled on Sunday at the Firhouse exit on the M50. It turned out that the cop didn't want me he was after the guy behind me. Wouldn't mind but i've paid my tax last week but i'm still waiting on my new disk!

The relief was mighty.

rick_fantastic wrote:

im on a provisional and i drive on the motorway everyday. never put up learner plate and i never will.

ive been stopped a few times and given the garda my provisional license which is my second provisional and they have never said anything to me bout learner plates

Ditto, I have been asked if my license was my first or second, when I tell them it's my second they just nod and usually go about their business.

I don't know how that affects anything but apperently it does.

Stark

smarty wrote:

I like the term "Experienced L Drivers".

Brought to you by 14 month waiting lists

smarty wrote:

It doesn't say anything about competency, but it does entitles you to drive on motorways.

Yeah it's a purely legal thing though. You can pass your driving test without ever learning to drive more than 30mph. Which means that from a road safety point of view, noone should be allowed on motorways.

Nuttzz

andrew_ireland wrote:

From what I remember, there is a one point penalty on driving unaccompanied on a provisional.

they wont do that until the clear the testing backlog

Bamboozled

andrew_ireland wrote:

From what I remember, there is a one point penalty on driving unaccompanied on a provisional.

There are no penalty points for driving unaccompanied on a first, third and subsequent provisional license.
It does carry a fine though.

layke wrote:

Ditto, I have been asked if my license was my first or second, when I tell them it's my second they just nod and usually go about their business.

I don't know how that affects anything but apperently it does.

Second licenses allow you to drive unaccompanied. Third or any other you're not allowed so keep telling them its your second

All provisional licenses carry codes on them.
I dont have a provisional license here to look at it, but if you have to wear corrective lenses, your license must carry that code.

Third licenses carry a code to say it is a third (or subsequent i think, not sure) license and that's how the cops can tell the difference between first, second, third licenses if they read the license properly.

Nuttzz wrote:

they wont do that until the clear the testing backlog

they will be clearing the backlog. Outside testers are being allowed.

cormie

The whole system is a joke, my friend got her 1st provisional whatever amount of time ago and just started driving a few weeks ago on her 2nd provisional. She hasn't really got a clue but yet she is considered a safer driver than somebody on their 1st provisional who's been driving about a year and is 10 minutes away from passing their driving test:rolleyes:

I never wore my L plates when I was commuting for about 6 months every day there and back from what was Sandyford to Finglas on the M50. I kept to the rules and kept to the limit, no speeding, no dawdling, I never got pulled over, but another car doing the same route to where I was going got pulled twice. He had tinted windows, L plates and probably sped. I had an oul ones Micra with clear windows.

layke

My provisional has no such codes on it. Comparing with one of the lads here in the office he has a big stamp saying 2nd provisional on it, mine does not.

Stark

Bamboozled wrote:

they will be clearing the backlog. Outside testers are being allowed.

It's a once-off outsourcing of 40,000 tests. The backlog is 130,000 and supply is still less than demand. We'll have a little bit of relief (my test might be moved forward by a month or two) but the system will still be the same shambles that it always was.

cormie wrote:

I never wore my L plates when I was commuting for about 6 months every day there and back from what was Sandyford to Finglas on the M50. I kept to the rules and kept to the limit, no speeding, no dawdling, I never got pulled over, but another car doing the same route to where I was going got pulled twice. He had tinted windows, L plates and probably sped.

Yeah, all the L-drivers I've seen pulled have been boy racers. If you're going to break the law, then you shouldn't be drawing attention to yourself.

layke wrote:

My provisional has no such codes on it. Comparing with one of the lads here in the office he has a big stamp saying 2nd provisional on it, mine does not.

991 - 1st provisional
992 - 2nd provisional
993 - 3rd provisional
etc.
999 - must be accompanied by a full licenced driver.
01 - must wear corrective lenses.

Your licence should have at least one of the above codes on it. They're usually in quite small print, written next to the B for car entry.

Bamboozled

I've never got licenses in Dublin (i see your location) so maybe its an issuing office type thing?

Come to think of it, i'v only ever seen Cork provisional licences so maybe not "all" licenses. I wont edit the above in case it confuses.


Is it only 40,000 tests? Jeez that is ridiculous :rolleyes:

Stark

I got my licence when I was living in Cork.

Bamboozled

Sorry, I was answering layke about the codes and licenses.

Ah you edited the post after I read it. Thought i was gone mad after posting.

Big Balls

Joining the M50 at the Spawell/Tallaght end yesterday evening, a Clio was just heading down the slip road towards the motorway and a Primera squad car had them pulled in... the reason? L PLATES!!!

About time too.

Seth Brundle

Big Balls wrote:

Joining the M50 at the Spawell/Tallaght end yesterday evening, a Clio was just heading down the slip road towards the motorway and a Primera squad car had them pulled in... the reason? L PLATES!!!

About time too.

How can you be sure?

trout

... are there any regulations around the size & colour of L plates ?

I'm asking as I've seen several import hot hatches (well, lukewarmish) with 'tailored' L plates showing a red L with little or no white background ... not sure what the point is

Stark

There are legal regulations regarding the size and colour of them.

I don't see the point of the illegal ones myself. What's the point of wearing an L-plate at all if you're going to wear an illegal one.

They're about as much use as a leprechaun's handkerchief these days anyway, what with parents driving around with their kids' L-plates on, and the kids driving around with no L-plates.

saobh_ie

The L lates are a complete waste of time. two years ago I wasn't obliged to display them when starting out on motorbikes but now I'm obliged to display them on my car, and can't go on the motorways. That makes sense.

In anycase, they're not worth a jot. What's the point of identifying the learner drivers who might just do something silly at any moment when every other car on the road might just do something silly at any given moment.

Also there are now a number of motorway spec dual carraigeways around the country. Learners can drive onto them and they are probaly more dangerous than the motorways.

I've been driving my fathers car on and off for the past year and the L plates have been displayed on it for that entire time even the months where I couldn't afford to insure myself on it and even though I'm not obliged to because I'm on my second provisional I always drove accompanied by a full license holder.

Now I expect that license to run out before my test comes up, I'll be on my third license and be required to display L plates and be accompanied. I recently bought my own car two days ago and intend to do nethier in it, I'll be on the motorways too.

I don't think enforcing restrictions on the L drivers is the way forward anyway. Educate them.

yknaa

What drives me mad is when I see 'diy' L plates on the wrong way round with the 'L' inverted. If people have't the sense to put 'em on correctly it doesn't give 'em much hope in the driving stakes.

Hagar

The wrong way round ones are usually stuck to the inside of the rear window. They look fine from the inside, so there is an excuse however weak. It's the upside down ones that crack me up.

BTW isn't it illegal to affix anything* to a window where it may obstruct the driver's view.

* Except for required Tax disc/NCT Cert/Insurance Square (they're not round FFS, so they can't be discs can they)

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

... Nobody should be allow out on the road until they have the test done and passed...
this idea of going in and getting a p licence and hoping in a car and going out onto a public road without any test is outrageous...

people go on here about failing the test and having to get another p licence for another 6 or 12 months.... i mean hold on.
you fail a test that determined if you capable of driving on the public roads and are allow back on the road...are we mad?

Seth Brundle

Hagar wrote:

The wrong way round ones are usually stuck to the inside of the rear window. They look fine from the inside, so there is an excuse however weak. It's the upside down ones that crack me up.

Im of the opinion that if you are not intelligent enough to place a sticker on the correct way then you should not be allowed to drive.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

... Nobody should be allow out on the road until they have the test done and passed...
this idea of going in and getting a p licence and hoping in a car and going out onto a public road without any test is outrageous...

people go on here about failing the test and having to get another p licence for another 6 or 12 months.... i mean hold on.
you fail a test that determined if you capable of driving on the public roads and are allow back on the road...are we mad?

You sound like you are only realising this now!

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

kbannon wrote:

Im of the opinion that if you are not intelligent enough to place a sticker on the correct way then you should not be allowed to drive.

You sound like you are only realising this now!

so if one can put on the sticker the right way round, one should be allow to drive...


great post... .sigh.

Stark

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

... Nobody should be allow out on the road until they have the test done and passed...
this idea of going in and getting a p licence and hoping in a car and going out onto a public road without any test is outrageous...

people go on here about failing the test and having to get another p licence for another 6 or 12 months.... i mean hold on.
you fail a test that determined if you capable of driving on the public roads and are allow back on the road...are we mad?

And how do you propose that people learn how to drive so they can pass their test?

Or do you mean that learners shouldn't be allowed on the road unaccompanied?

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

Stark wrote:

And how do you propose that people learn how to drive so they can pass their test?

Or do you mean that learners shouldn't be allowed on the road unaccompanied?

no i mean the should not be allow on the road full stop.
their should be two licenses...
learner "L" (pre test) not allow on the road at all
provisional "P" (post test) hold this for two years after the test

same as canada USA and australia... private learning centers.

Seth Brundle

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

so if one can put on the sticker the right way round, one should be allow to drive...


great post... .sigh.

You said that not me! You chose to misinterpret my words!

Stark

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

no i mean the should not be allow on the road full stop.
their should be two licenses...
learner "L" (pre test) not allow on the road at all
provisional "P" (post test) hold this for two years after the test

same as canada USA and australia... private learning centers.

No need to copy verbatim what other countries too. It's bad enough getting the current Irish administration to organise one test for people.

How do you know that a person on a P-licence is able to drive after 2 years? Shouldn't they be retested in real driving conditions as opposed to just knowing how to start and stop a car in a driving school?

Don't the US have automatics everywhere, what do they do, bring people to the local funfair and let them drive around on the go-kart track before giving them their P-licence? Some friends of mine went over to the US for the summer and were on the road straight away. They came back to Ireland and they can't drive for ****.

In my opinion, an initial batch of compulsory lessons would be the way to go. Let the driving instructor decide when someone is ready to be let out on public roads. That's how I started off, needed to do 10 lessons before my parents' insurance companies would let me on their policy. That way, they have the basic mechanics and rules of the road and it's just a case of gaining experience from there.