Accompanied driving rules & penalties for noncompliance

zynaps

G_H wrote: »

a lad that i know he was caught today in a banger with no tax nct or insurance and he reconds he will get banned(rightfully so) so personly i think they deal with ever case differntly and that if you dont have an attitude and do things right they show a bit of lenency because at the end of the day there not ticks and they know who there looking for

Yeah I'd say so - a friend of mine was driving an untaxed, unNCTed, uninsured car with not even a learner's permit to his name. Every time I met him, I asked if he was still doing it and told him to get rid of the damned car before he got in trouble, especially since he lived a 5 minute walk from college :pac:
Then one day he came in and when I said "have you been caught yet?" he answered "yeah, they told me I have to get rid of the car, so I sold it".
Got off pretty lightly! :P

I suspect there's some added leniency (for less ridiculously rule-flaunting people who at least have a learner permit, tax, insurance and an NCT) given the fact that passing the test seems to be so difficult. At least two other people I know have failed 3 tests and either plan to take down their L-plates or already have, and at €75 a pop with often long waiting times (although people seem to get cancellations quickly enough?) and often borderline situations leading to a fail (e.g. overtaking a car that was left in the middle of the road for over 30 seconds, but being too close to that or another car during the manoeuvre) it's kind of understandable.

My first test is coming up soon - is it really that hard to pass? Why are the failure rates so high (especially triple failures!)? I won't take my plates down if I fail, because I'm a bit of a stickler anyway.

bastardsweeney

Does anyone know what the law says about L drivers being accompanied by non-Irish license holders?

Stark

It's okay if the accompanying driver holds a valid EU license as far as I know.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Richie15

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure a Swiss one will do too. If you're in any doubt, I'd suggest ringing your local Garda station or check out irishstatutebook.ie.

Oriental Doll

I failed my driving test yesterday but I will need a car to drive into work due to the changing of office location and I have no other way to get into work. Does anyone know if I'll still be covered by my insurance if I drive on my own without a full licence driver accompanied.

zynaps

Oriental Doll wrote: »

I failed my driving test yesterday but I will need a car to drive into work due to the changing of office location and I have no other way to get into work. Does anyone know if I'll still be covered by my insurance if I drive on my own without a full licence driver accompanied.

When I scrounging around for insurance quotes, some companies explicitly stated that the cover did not include "driving to work or college", iirc, since this would likely involve driving on your own.

I went with an insurer who didn't state this restriction, since I drive to college with a passenger who holds a full license quite often. In fact it's pretty much the only practice I'm getting these days before my second test...

I'd expect that, unless there is a clause in your insurance contract that gets them out of insuring you while you drive to work, you would be covered. Have you checked the contract?

Oriental Doll

zynaps wrote: »

When I scrounging around for insurance quotes, some companies explicitly stated that the cover did not include "driving to work or college", iirc, since this would likely involve driving on your own.

I went with an insurer who didn't state this restriction, since I drive to college with a passenger who holds a full license quite often. In fact it's pretty much the only practice I'm getting these days before my second test...

I'd expect that, unless there is a clause in your insurance contract that gets them out of insuring you while you drive to work, you would be covered. Have you checked the contract?

Thanks a lot. I just rang the broker and was told they'd still cover me even if I drive on my own and it's against the law. I'm just hoping nothing will happen and I'll get my test date again soon.

Thanks again.

Richie15

Oriental Doll wrote: »

...they'd still cover me even if I drive on my own and it's against the law.

They cover you if you break a red light and hit someone, and that's against the law. It might be a factor in determining who's at fault, but unless it's explicitly stated in your policy (my last one said it was invalid if I had anything to drink, for example) they have to cover you as normal.

zynaps wrote: »

...Some companies explicitly stated that the cover did not include "driving to work or college."

Surely you could get around that by driving to the shop beside your job, then walk the rest of the way? :P

ynwa_17

Just wondering if someone could give me a quick answer on this. Is the "accompanied driving" rule set down in any legislation or law? I know it was put into practice following orders from the RSA but i can't seem to find it put down in any act or relevant legislation

Cheers

EDIT scrap that think i've found it Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 1999.

cup of tea

ynwa_17 wrote: »

Just wondering if someone could give me a quick answer on this. Is the "accompanied driving" rule set down in any legislation or law? I know it was put into practice following orders from the RSA but i can't seem to find it put down in any act or relevant legislation

Cheers

EDIT scrap that think i've found it Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 1999.

link please??thanks

Wishbone Ash

cup of tea wrote: »

link please??thanks

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1999/en/si/0352.html

(Could you not have simply Googled it yourself???)

cup of tea

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1999/en/si/0352.html

(Could you not have simply Googled it yourself???)

I did,I've been looking through legislation last night trying to find it and still no luck.I'm new to this sort of think so I was trying to make it easier for myself.I was not looking for a link to the act itself but a link to the particular section that contained it.I suppose the better question would have been what section was is it in,in the act?.thanks

dillo2k10

If you are caught driving without a full licenced driver then will you be banned from driving, made re-do the theory test or receive points.
How strict are they on enforcing this?

spurious

dillo2k10 wrote: »

If you are caught driving without a full licenced driver then will you be banned from driving, made re-do the theory test or receive points.
How strict are they on enforcing this?

As with almost any other motoring law in Ireland, inconsistent and fairly slack.
It's part of the problem.

I work with a woman who drives unaccompanied in and out of work every day, has been stopped at least three times now, gives them the same old 'ah sure, amn't I terrible, I know' nonsense every time and gets told to drive on. Meanwhile I rarely get to practice more than twice a week because of difficulties getting an accompanying driver.

We either have a law or we haven't.

Richie15

dillo2k10 wrote: »

If you are caught driving without a full licenced driver then will you be banned from driving, made re-do the theory test or receive points.

First I've ever heard of that. When, if at all, did this come into force? Is it just something they're proposing at the moment?

spurious

AFAIK, it's a possible 1000 euro fine and two points if caught and the guard bothers to pursue it.

PH4T

spurious wrote: »

AFAIK, it's a possible 1000 euro fine and two points if caught and the guard bothers to pursue it.

What's the best excuse to give if caught?

hayyman

spurious wrote: »

As with almost any other motoring law in Ireland, inconsistent and fairly slack.
It's part of the problem.

I work with a woman who drives unaccompanied in and out of work every day, has been stopped at least three times now, gives them the same old 'ah sure, amn't I terrible, I know' nonsense every time and gets told to drive on. Meanwhile I rarely get to practice more than twice a week because of difficulties getting an accompanying driver.

We either have a law or we haven't.

I had the same experiance at a check point myself last friday night, i was driving my girlfriends car, got stoped and gaurd looks at lplates checks tax and insurance, gives me a dirty look and tells me to drive on but if car tax had of been out a week he probably would of took the car off me.

zynaps

spurious wrote: »

As with almost any other motoring law in Ireland, inconsistent and fairly slack.

A Chinese friend from college was driving with no insurance, no tax, no NCT and not even a learner permit. Eventually (of course) he came in and said he'd gotten caught at a checkpoint. When quizzed by the garda, he simply played stupid ("In...sure...ants? What? Where I buy licence?") and was told to get rid of the car ASAP, so he did. Dodged a bullet really, I can't imagine getting away with that!

The mind boggles... :eek:

millington

I know a lot of people on provisionals with no L plates and none of them have ever been done for it (or having no licensed driver).

It is a totally stupid rule IMO. As is the 6 month wait before doing the test. If it was me, I would wait a while anyway but having a rule is just a pain as there is plenty who could pass 1st time on their 1st day of legal driving. :rolleyes:

**Timbuk2**

I applied for my full licence today, and they took my learner permit off me, so I effectively have no licence at all! Does this mean I can't drive until I receive my full licence? Or can I drive if I bring the receipt with me?

robbie_998

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I applied for my full licence today, and they took my learner permit off me, so I effectively have no licence at all! Does this mean I can't drive until I receive my full licence? Or can I drive if I bring the receipt with me?

yes you can drive with a receipt.

well done btw.

Alanstrainor

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I applied for my full licence today, and they took my learner permit off me, so I effectively have no licence at all! Does this mean I can't drive until I receive my full licence? Or can I drive if I bring the receipt with me?

You are not technically fully licensed until you receive your pink license. So L plates and accomp drive would still technically be required. However, i would have my doubts if a gard would really enforce this, if you have applied for your full license.

robbie_998

Alanstrainor wrote: »

You are not technically fully licensed until you receive your pink license. So L plates and accomp drive would still technically be required. However, i would have my doubts if a gard would really enforce this, if you have applied for your full license.

Woman in tax office said its ok cos your literally just waiting for it to be delivered to you... just like when you apply for an NCT and your disc is out of date but its already booked...... must investigate ???

Stark

You should have gotten a receipt if you went into the tax office to exchange your licence. Carry that around in the car with you and show it to a Garda if you're stopped.

Alanstrainor

robbie_998 wrote: »

Woman in tax office said its ok cos your literally just waiting for it to be delivered to you... just like when you apply for an NCT and your disc is out of date but its already booked...... must investigate ???

I was also told the same when i passed my test. But this is not correct.

I think where the confusion arises is when you go to renew your full driving licesne you can indeed drive as a fully licensed driver with the receipt from the tax office. However, you are not fully licensed until your license has been issued. Which is not the case upon applying for a license.

EDIT: As i said, this is more of a technicality. but none the less it's how it works.

robbie_998

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I was also told the same when i passed my test. But this is not correct.

I think where the confusion arises is when you go to renew your full driving licesne you can indeed drive as a fully licensed driver with the receipt from the tax office. However, you are not fully licensed until your license has been issued. Which is not the case upon applying for a license.

EDIT: As i said, this is more of a technicality. but none the less it's how it works.

i can see what you did there.

the RSA do make it clear that when you pass your test and receive your cert does not mean you are now fully licensed that your tax office needs to get your actual license.

Carsinian Thau

Hope this hasn't already been asked but:

If someone has had a full category B license from the UK (or the equivalent in the UK if it's not called a category B over there) for more than two years, can they act as the accompanying driver for someone on a learner permit in Ireland?

spurious

Carsinian Thau wrote: »

Hope this hasn't already been asked but:

If someone has had a full category B license from the UK (or the equivalent in the UK if it's not called a category B over there) for more than two years, can they act as the accompanying driver for someone on a learner permit in Ireland?

Yes.