How many of the L drivers on this website drive unaccompanied

swingking

How many of the Learner drivers on this website drive unaccompanied.

I am a learner driver and I always drive accompanied. Do many people follow this

rule. I believe that the penalty for breach of this rule should be strict. I

understand that there is a backlog in the driving test, but if you aren't a

competent driver (a qualified driver) then you should not drive unaccompanied

mloc123

When I was on my provo I did.

Rabies

I have my full licence for about 4-5 years now. Before that I was on my second provisional. Usually was driving unaccompanied.

Lorax

For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..but driving with fully licensed driver in the car would just annoy and distract me, I hate ppl talking to me when Im driving so no.. Ive had enough lessons at this stage and was told by my instructor Im ready to do the test, haev read and know the rules of the road, theres no need for me to drive accompanied.

Lorax

By the way I would be careful giving out any personal details or anything that might identify your car because gardai read these forums.

Stark

I always drove accompanied on my first provisional. Currently on my second and mostly drive unaccompanied.

lubie76

That rule is crazy! There is no way they could police it logically. Any passenger in the car could say they're fully licensed as they won't necessarily be carrying their license on them just because they are in the car with a provisional licensed driver. Why should they? They could give the name of anyone they know with a license if asked to present it at a later stage. It will be a while before they can roll this stupid rule out and definitely not before the backlog of learners is cleared.

mloc123

Lorax wrote:

I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..

I thought you drove a 1.4 astra?

Stark

Cullen said they'd be introducing a penalty point offence for it but he said he wouldn't introduce it until the backlog was cleared. Which we can probably read as never.

seamus

Lorax wrote:

For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..but driving with fully licensed driver in the car would just annoy and distract me, I hate ppl talking to me when Im driving so no.. Ive had enough lessons at this stage and was told by my instructor Im ready to do the test, haev read and know the rules of the road, theres no need for me to drive accompanied.

In fairness, you're not driving long. You're not capable of deciding if you're able to drive safely. I'm not saying you're unable, but there's a lot of experience that you don't have. Thinking that you're well able and can handle anything on the roads (over-confidence) can get you into trouble.

Sam Vimes

i did a few times but with a waiting list of over a year its just impractical. my mother made sure i was confident driving before she let me drive me on my own.

Stark wrote:

Cullen said they'd be introducing a penalty point offence for it but he said he wouldn't introduce it until the backlog was cleared. Which we can probably read as never.

oh no, not at all. they hired 17 new testers

Sonnenblumen

Lorax wrote:

By the way I would be careful giving out any personal details or anything that might identify your car because gardai read these forums.

Thats right Lorax and you're next!

TempestSabre

Lorax wrote:

For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..but driving with fully licensed driver in the car would just annoy and distract me, I hate ppl talking to me when Im driving so no.. Ive had enough lessons at this stage and was told by my instructor Im ready to do the test, haev read and know the rules of the road, theres no need for me to drive accompanied.

Way to go. Make up your own rules.

lubie76 wrote:

That rule is crazy! There is no way they could police it logically. Any passenger in the car could say they're fully licensed as they won't necessarily be carrying their license on them just because thsy are in the car with an unlicensed driver. Why should they? They could give the name of anyone they know with a license if asked to present it at a later stage. It will be a while before they can roll this stupid rule out and definitely not before the backlog of learners is cleared.

I could be wrong I thought you had to carry your licence while driving now.

Redrocket

awaiting random smart remarks of non-approval,
from day 1, drove unaccompanied on a second provisional, still waiting on a test.

Waltons

Just started driving recently enough - since around August - and I've had around 8 lessons. I haven't taken the car out an awful lot of times in recent times, but a few of them have been unaccompanied.
Like Seamus was saying, I'm probably not in a position to judge whether I can drive safely yet. I'd like to think I am, but I haven't encountered a lot of things yet. Unfortunately, only practise is going to help me encounter more, and I can't really see someone sitting in the car with me everywhere I go (and I'm sick of paying for bloody lessons), so I probably will end up going out on my own after a while

Squirrel

I very rarely drive unaccompanied, and that's only if we're stuck. And usually then it's a short drive to collect someone who will from then accompany me

godtabh

I got lessons for 6 months before I drove on my own with my 1st provisional. On my second I got drove on my own but not on the motorways. Past my test a few weeks ago so all legit now.

I got stopped twice in my whole life. On the same night. By the same squad car. The first time I was dropping a friend off and she was my accompanying driver. Cop let me go (was checking to see if I had been drinking). Second time got stopped different copper got out of the car when I was on my own and gave me loads. Kept saying he my license was fake (he reckoned I looked a lot older than the age in my license).

At the end of it he said he wasn’t in the business of giving tickets for L drivers. I don’t think he wanted the hassle of the paper work.

Archeron

Lorax wrote:

For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..but driving with fully licensed driver in the car would just annoy and distract me, I hate ppl talking to me when Im driving so no.. Ive had enough lessons at this stage and was told by my instructor Im ready to do the test, haev read and know the rules of the road, theres no need for me to drive accompanied.

Annoy and distract you? In my humble opinion, being able to drive a car with a passenger without becoming annoyed and distracted would be a very important part of being fully and competantly able to drive. If the tester himself also qualified as one of those people who would annoy and distract you, then I suggest you may not be as ready for your test as your instructor suggests.

Keith C

Took 2 lessons then drove on my own unaccompanied, had driven motorbike for 4 yrs previously so knew rules of the road, got letter from job & got test date 3 mths later, passed it with 2 green ticks.

Mc-BigE

I think we all, at some stage of our 1st Prov. Licence, drove unaccompanied, I know I did 15 years ago, perfect example is going to work, not many full licence holders are going to go with you to work, unless you collect a working colleague with a full licence very day.

Its strange to me how a 1st provisional licence holder must drive accompanied, but a 2nd provisional licence holder can drive unaccompanied.

Lorax:If you think you’re the best driver in the world, surely your ready for doing your driving test? Or at least apply for it?

Larry David

mloc123 wrote:

I thought you drove a 1.4 astra?

Yeah - powerful for a pussy on his 1st prov.

Seth Brundle

Lorax wrote:

For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too..but driving with fully licensed driver in the car would just annoy and distract me, I hate ppl talking to me when Im driving so no.. Ive had enough lessons at this stage and was told by my instructor Im ready to do the test, haev read and know the rules of the road, theres no need for me to drive accompanied.

This is crazy. You have been driving for four months. You can't really be this blind to reality - can you?
So passengers annoy and distract you - why? Is it the advice they offer that annoys you?
You appear arrogant and over confident and will (if you continue) end up putting you or someone else in hospital with this attitude.

TempestSabre

Mc-BigE wrote:

...Its strange to me how a 1st provisional licence holder must drive accompanied, but a 2nd provisional licence holder can drive unaccompanied....

I reckon the assumption is someone is more experienced after a year of driving. Its a bad system. Personally I reckon L drivers should have more restrictions placed on them. That said its pointless without enforcement.

elvis2002

I am on my first provisional, I drive on my own all the time and also I drive on the motorway. :eek:

layke

Mc-BigE wrote:

Its strange to me how a 1st provisional licence holder must drive accompanied, but a 2nd provisional licence holder can drive unaccompanied.

Because 2 years road experience is better then any 'lessons' an instructor gives you. Anyone who has ever done any 'lessons' should know that driving instructors teach you how to pass the (very very very flawed) exam, not how to drive. Don't get me wrong, they teach basics but If you can't drive after 2 years on the road your a hazzard.

I'm a full license holder but have been driving unaccompanied for 5 years before hand. No accidents, no points in fact no problems. Only get pulled every so often by Gardai who assume everyone with a modded car has stolen something or dealing hard drugs.

Archeron wrote:

Annoy and distract you? In my humble opinion, being able to drive a car with a passenger without becoming annoyed and distracted would be a very important part of being fully and competantly able to drive. If the tester himself also qualified as one of those people who would annoy and distract you, then I suggest you may not be as ready for your test as your instructor suggests.

I have a full license and I hate people talking to me. It can be distracting especially when your watching a vehicle that may stop suddenly and your getting quizzed about something.

Mc-BigE

layke wrote:

Because 2 years road experience is better then any 'lessons' an instructor gives you.

That's assuming the person on his 2nd provisional licence was been driving for 2 years, its a possibility that the person applied for his first licence but never actually drove a car for 2 years, could be off travelling the world.

The only person to judge that you are a competent driver is the driving test instructor.

Bottom line, if you’re driving on your own on your 1st provisional licence, at least apply for the test.

Beruthiel

Many years ago I was on my second prov. licence. Never got around to doing the test.
I then drove motor bikes for over 10 years, got a full licence for the bike.
Bought a car again last spring and have had to get another prov. licence, I drive to work every day, alone.

layke

Mc-BigE wrote:

That's assuming the person on his 2nd provisional licence was been driving for 2 years, its a possibility that the person applied for his first licence but never actually drove a car for 2 years, could be off travelling the world.

The only person to judge that you are a competent driver is the driving test instructor.

Bottom line, if you’re driving on your own on your 1st provisional licence, at least apply for the test.

Point taken, however I have friends who passed their test very early. One did it in 6 weeks of driving. Imo he did not have the experience (and even he admits it) required as a full license holder.

Heinrich

kbannon wrote:

This is crazy. You have been driving for four months. You can't really be this blind to reality - can you?
So passengers annoy and distract you - why? Is it the advice they offer that annoys you?
You appear arrogant and over confident and will (if you continue) end up putting you or someone else in hospital with this attitude.

...and failing the driving test. Ah, the arrogance of youth. The Monaghan crash was very likely caused by this type of attitude. The clock was stuck at 150. kph!

TempestSabre

A prov licence shouldn't be used instead of a full licence. Its a failure of the system that your allowed to do so, and a blind eye is turned to it.

A passengers can be distracting. But then equally many aren't can can be useful as a 2nd pair of eyes especially around a city. Depends entirely on the people (driver and passenger).

Lots of people who pass the test are poor drivers, but at least they know enough to pass the test. Theres no way of knowing that with a Prov licence holder. Equally people need to be retested as you gain bad habits over the years.

stipey

..theres no need for me to drive accompanied

well apart from it being the law!

I agree though - its insane to expect L drivers to be able to find a fully licensed driver who is willing to accompany them on every journey they make - we all need to get to work and christ knows our public transport infrastructure is a crock of ****.

We need to replace this with a law which introduces the licencing of driving instructors and makes it mandatory to complete a certain number of hours training (say 50 - split between classroom and practical tuition) which should include driving in all types of conditions on all types of road.

The number of people dying on our roads is crazy - but hey its an election year and who's going to do anything that stops people getting killed when there are approx 400,000 voters on provisionals.

TempestSabre

You might as well say you don't need a licence to drive a car in this country or any training.

Stark

stevenk wrote:

awaiting random smart remarks of non-approval,
from day 1, drove unaccompanied on a second provisional, still waiting on a test.

Well if you hopped straight into a car without even a few lessons under your belt, then you deserve the smart remarks.

saobh_ie

I'm on my third B provisional so by rights I should be accompanied by a fully B licensed driver. But there's nothing to gain by being accompanied, I'm not going to learn anything by having a passenger, they're not going to be able to help if I get into difficulty, and I'm typically a better driver than they are. Flip side, I'm not going to loose anything.

I have a full A license for two years though so I like to joke that I am accompaning myself. =]

Mc-BigE

saobh_ie wrote:

and I'm typically a better driver than they are.

Am I right in thinking that to be on a 3rd prov licence means you've failed your test? As apposed to someone who’s passed their test, like a full b licence holder?
So how does that make you a better driver?

MargeS

saobh_ie wrote:

I'm on my third B provisional so by rights I should be accompanied by a fully B licensed driver. But there's nothing to gain by being accompanied, I'm not going to learn anything by having a passenger, they're not going to be able to help if I get into difficulty, and I'm typically a better driver than they are. Flip side, I'm not going to loose anything.

I have a full A license for two years though so I like to joke that I am accompaning myself. =]

As far as I am aware, you were supposed to have done a driving test before you get a third provisional. If you get a 3rd prov license then you would have failed your test, therefore you revert back to having to be accompanied
Might be wrong though!

TempestSabre

As your insurance drops by getting a full licence it makes no sense to still be on a 3rd provisional unless you have a problem with doing the test.

Stark

MargeS wrote:

As far as I am aware, you were supposed to have done a driving test before you get a third provisional. If you get a 3rd prov license then you would have failed your test, therefore you revert back to having to be accompanied
Might be wrong though!

You don't have to have done the test, just applied for it.

layke

MargeS wrote:

As far as I am aware, you were supposed to have done a driving test before you get a third provisional. If you get a 3rd prov license then you would have failed your test, therefore you revert back to having to be accompanied
Might be wrong though!

You can go car, then bike, then car etc = 5 (or more) year provo licenses like moi.

TempestSabre

layke wrote:

You can go car, then bike, then car etc = 5 (or more) year provo licenses like moi.

Why? It just costs you more in insurance?

layke

Lazy.
Could afford it.
Fear of exams.

Honest truth.

Angels

I had 12 lessons before i started to drive my own car.I was driving for 2 years on my 1st prov licence and i did drive unaccompanied whilst going to work for those 2 years, now at all other times i had a full licence driver with me. I applied for my test and i passed it first time it was marked with 1 minor error.

I am now a full licence driver but let me remind all L plate drivers, that even though i have been driving for 3 years now I AM STILL LEARNING!

I say this because believe me if your only driving for 4 months you are not going to know how to handle a car in all situations cause your not driving long enough!

[Lorax
For gods sake. I always drive on my own (1st prov) and its a fairly powerful car too]

Don't be so cocky cause that's when accidents happen.

mloc123

Larry David wrote:

Yeah - powerful for a pussy on his 1st prov.

oh snap

cold_filter

Mc-BigE wrote:

Am I right in thinking that to be on a 3rd prov licence means you've failed your test? As apposed to someone who’s passed their test, like a full b licence holder?
So how does that make you a better driver?

I've done my test twice now and failed both times 4 blue ticks 3 blue ticks and 1 red and 1 red respectively on my tests. Both grade 3's came from "going to fast" which may have been the case on the first one as it was bucketing down and i spentmore time concentrating on the road in front than the speedometer and i also had been driving about 2 months so i was still pretty nervous!.
So 1 year later i took it again did 6 hours of pre-test leading up to it, they all said i would be fine. I got failed again for "going to fast" even though i never once brokt the speed limit. the tester said when we went though housing estates i was going to fast, i said i didnt break the speed limit, it doesnt matter he replied you went too fast.

So i've failed twice, my friends girlfriend passed first time she's crashed more times than i can count and the instructor told her to turn left.... she turned right (shes got big boobs... you work it out...) my girlfriend who cannot drive to save her life cut out 4 times... and passed. And the creme de la creme. One of my friends passed her driving test... driving home she crashed and wrote off her car. 1 months later while trying to do her make up on the M11 driving at 70 mph missed her turn off so she turned sharply to make it the car filpped over a number of times, so that car was wrote off... then she put her 3rd car within a year into her front room when she was pulling in to the driveway she pressed the accelerator instead of the break. Now if anyone can tell me these people are competent to drive and i am not because of a stupid "test" then you are stupid.

The driving test does not prepare people for real life driving situations it test people can they drive the way a book says for 30 mins that is all.

Stark

cold_filter wrote:

the tester said when we went though housing estates i was going to fast, i said i didnt break the speed limit, it doesnt matter he replied you went too fast.

The official limit through housing estates is 50km/hr, but you should actually be doing closer to 30km/hr, otherwise you're going "too fast for the situation".

Jimoslimos

Began to drive on my own towards the end of my 1st provisional all the way to my third. I didn't have a problem with a qualified driver/instructor being in the car with me giving advice etc., but its just too impractical to does this all the time while waiting for a test. I also drive at night and on motorways (overglorified dual carriageways IMHO) alone. I've found driving alone has probably helped more than hindered me.

Also I find the reverting to driving accommpanied on the 3rd provisional after a fail ludicrous especially when examiners refuse tell you where you've failed the test. I've recently passed my test in England and the transparency (whether you've passed or failed) is amazing compared to Ireland. If Cullen was serious about improving driving standards it might be a good idea for examiners to point out to drivers where potentially serious mistakes were being made particularly since there is no compulsory training for instructors. Anyhow rant over:)

Jimoslimos

cold_filter wrote:

the instructor told her to turn left.... she turned right (shes got big boobs... you work it out...)

A little off-topic but AFAIK its not a failable mistake, as long as she positioned her car, made observations and indicated to turn right. She would've failed if she indicated left and turned right.

Royale with Cheese

Got my provisional a while back, have had a hanful of lessons since... too lazy/busy to organise more at the moment.

I don't intend to drive accompanied for 2 years, I think it's a fairly impractical thing to ask of someone. It would be fine if you got your test within 2 or 3 months of applying for it... that way you would be able to fail the test quite a few times in 2 years. Having said that I'd consider myself quite sensible. I haven't been insured on the car yet as after a few lessons I wouldn't even be comfortable driving it on my own. I wouldn't drive unaccompanied until I really thought I was ready to. Alot of my friends drive too fast, and the odd one recklessly and I'm the only one who seems to have a problem with it. Unfortunately from what I've seen the high insurance premiums for young male drivers seem to be justified.

I don't think I know anyone who didn't drive unaccompanied on their 1st provisional.

Seth Brundle

saobh_ie wrote:

I'm on my third B provisional so by rights I should be accompanied by a fully B licensed driver.

You have had over four years to sit a test but obviously have not yet passed one. This indicates that you are not suitable to be driving alone.

saobh_ie wrote:

But there's nothing to gain by being accompanied, I'm not going to learn anything by having a passenger, they're not going to be able to help if I get into difficulty, and I'm typically a better driver than they are. Flip side, I'm not going to loose anything.

Nothing to gain at all? there is the benefit of neing within the law for a start. As for you being "typically a better driver than they are" - how did you manage to work that out?
Lastly, as for not losing anything, you could be stopped and dragged to court & fined, you also are losing out on an insurance reduction and finally, if in an incident you and held (partly) responsible, you run the risk of the insurance company pursuing you for costs.

Max_Damage

I always drove accompanied untill about the last 2-3 weeks before my driving test, by then my parents didn't really care.

Stark

kbannon wrote:

You have had over four years to sit a test but obviously have not yet passed one. This indicates that you are not suitable to be driving alone.

Reminds me of when some guy crashed into the back of me while I was waiting to take off at a roundabout ("oh I didn't see that car coming from the right, thought you were about to drive straight through"). He was blabbering on about how he had been driving for 6 years, I was like "Why do you still have your L-plates in that case".