road rage at learner drivers

ilovejames

i am a learner driver and i am getting sick of the impatient drivers in carlow!
i do drive a bit slower than i should, i do cut out now and again and i am learning but its so hard when cars are constantly beeping and revving engines and overtaking and been so rude. we were all learner drivers once. Is it just me or is everyone in a rush flying around carlow? Some road manners would be much appreciated who agrees!
p.s i have noticed that truck drivers are very nice on the roads.

Overheal

**** them. keep driving safe. dont speed up just because you have an asshole on your tail.

Remember if he slams into your boot, he's pretty much 100% at fault when it goes to traffic court.

ilovejames

yea thats true, i really hate when they literally drive up my a** and try to force me onto the hard shoulder grrr. or i could be going the speed limit and they overtake me anyway, well i hope everyone of them gets a speeding fine!

bluefirefly

Just ignore them. Make sure you are driving safely and thats all. If they want to overtake you, that's their business. As long as they don't crash into you, just ignore them. If they do..they'll be in the wrong

I see you might be a new commer to the board? Under Rec there's a Learn to Drive section you can go there have a look. Very useful informations there help you being an L driver. helped me a lot

SV

Just wondering.. Do you have your LPlates up? Could have a lot to do with it if you don't.


I'd have a lot of patience for someone driving slow or cutting out etc if I knew they were a learner but it's when it appears they're a full license driver that this starts to piss me off.



I wouldn't worry about it OP.
Good luck with the driving anyway.. You'll get there eventually!

ShayK1

Has your accompanying Full-licensed driver not given you any advice yet?

tech77

ilovejames wrote: »

i am a learner driver and i am getting sick of the impatient drivers in carlow!
i do drive a bit slower than i should, i do cut out now and again and i am learning but its so hard when cars are constantly beeping and revving engines and overtaking and been so rude. we were all learner drivers once. Is it just me or is everyone in a rush flying around carlow? Some road manners would be much appreciated who agrees!
p.s i have noticed that truck drivers are very nice on the roads.

I'm always conscious not to be aggressive towards learners- even if they cut out.

It just doesn't really make sense and i'd wonder what's wrong with someone who did act the pr1ck towards them.
Ignore it.

Gurgle

ilovejames wrote: »

i do drive a bit slower than i should, i do cut out now and again and i am learning but its so hard when cars are constantly beeping and revving engines and overtaking and been so rude...

I completely agree, there is no excuse for beeping / revving at you etc.

But if you're tootling down a country road at 20mph with a trail of cars a mile long behind you - pull in and let them past.

There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck behind someone driving ridiculously slowly for mile after mile, with no opportunity to overtake safely.

Patience wears thin.

celticbest

ilovejames wrote: »

i am a learner driver and i am getting sick of the impatient drivers in carlow!
i do drive a bit slower than i should, i do cut out now and again and i am learning but its so hard when cars are constantly beeping and revving engines and overtaking and been so rude. we were all learner drivers once. Is it just me or is everyone in a rush flying around carlow? Some road manners would be much appreciated who agrees!
p.s i have noticed that truck drivers are very nice on the roads.

My advice would be to stay out of the busy areas during rush hour & to display your L plates front and back to ensure all people know you are a learner.



On a Provisional Licence in Ireland,

In the Republic of Ireland, you can obtain a learners permit at the age of 17. Before applying for your first learners permit you must pass a computerized Driver Theory Test. When driving on a learners permit, you must display L-plates (one front, and one rear) and be accompanied by a driver who has held a full license for at least two years. These laws were not routinely enforced by the Gardaí (Police), however from 30 June 2008 all learner drivers, including those on legacy provisional licensees, face a fine of €1,000 for a first offence and €2,000 for a second. Similar penalties apply for not displaying L-plates.

A learners permit is valid for two years, and will be renewed once without the holder having sat a driving test. After this, proof of an upcoming test appointment or a recent test failure is required for further renewal. A permit holder may not sit a test for at least six months after receiving their permit.

Prior to October 2007, a "provisional license" was issued which had more lax restrictions - on its first renewal, the holder could drive unaccompanied (but must continue to display L plates), and the accompanying driver did not need any experience, just a full license. The third or further renewals of the license - e.g. after failing a test and the expiry of your second license - brought back the accompaniment requirement. This unusual arrangement led to a situation where a learner driver, having failed their driving test on a 2nd Provisional, could legally drive away from the test center unaccompanied.

Prior to December 2007 an L-plate was not required for motorcyclists. A fluorescent tabard displaying an 'L' on the rear is now required for motorcyclists using a provisional licence or learner permit.[7]

The new measures were brought in in an effort to improve road safety, and will be followed by the introduction of 'tiered licensing', with harsher rules applying to those holding a full license for less than two years. However, the changes were not retroactive.

The Gish

While I do understand completely that some drivers on the road do NOT execrcise good manners when driving behind a Learner driver I also understand why some drivers do get a little irate on the road.

While some L drivers are a little nervous and are only starting out there are some that think because they have an L plate up they can get away with whatever they like. I know this because it has been said to be by anm L driver.

Should we pull in and allow others to pass.......of course we should when safe to do so.
Should we pull back and allow a driver to re-start their motor or to get their bearings in the car / on the road .......... of course we should.

Sometimes it not the level of competency of the driver...it just bad manners....both from the L driver and the qualified driver ( Or should I say non L driver)

Lawros Tache

ShayK1 wrote: »

Has your accompanying Full-licensed driver not given you any advice yet?

Spot on. If you haven't got an accompanying full-licensed driver with you and you're driving like a muppet then you've got absolutely no complaints.

And before anyone starts, i learned to drive in the UK, where you simply (and quite rightly) cannot drive unaccompanied unless you pass your test. What you have is a permit to LEARN how to drive, not a driving license, so if your not in full control of your vehicle then you honestly shouldn't be on the roads.

ShayK1

I moved this here cause its not really Carlow specific.

spurious

There are idiots all over the country.

I was in North County Dublin last Thursday, with my plates, being tailgated by an idiot driving a van for a major fruit supplier in the area.

My instructor was with me and told me I was fine, in a correct position on the road, maintaining a correct and appropriate speed and to not let him intimidate me. So I didn't.

Suddenly he swept out about 30 metres from a right hand turn, overtook me, jammed on the brakes and took the right hand turn. I managed to brake and avoid hitting him (despite his best intentions), but my instructor was raging at how dangerous what he had done was.

He knew well I was a learner. I appreciate he may have been frustrated, but he had to wait about 10 seconds and I would have been past the turn he wanted. It was a real F U manoeuvre and morons like that should not be on the road, much less driving for a living.

cr0bar

(this is in Galway city)

A couple of weeks ago when I'd the L-plates, I hesitated pulling out on to the main road from a housing estate, which caused some woman in a Trajet behind me to honk 3 or 4 times and turn on full beam right behind me (this was between 10:30 and 11:00 one morning). I pulled out after that car for which I hesitated (about 5 or 10 seconds waiting time) and the Trajet then proceeded to tailgate about a metre behind me despite me going at 50-55km/h (in a 50 zone) and driving mostly in to the left hand side of my lane to give her some space to pass should she wish to. Didn't overtake at all until after some 5 or 10 minutes of being up my arse despite me myself spotting several opportunities of wide straight road with no oncoming traffic at all. She then roared past me shortly before that mini roundabout, cut in front of me and sped off up the hill.

Quite a few cars also, for example when going over the Tesco bridge in the "slow" lane at 50km/h would tailgate, roar past and pull in much too early than which would be considered safe, and then speed off away.

Sure am going to be considerate to learners after seeing how certain individuals act towards them.

greenie

It's funny but a lot of people presume if you are a learner driver then you're crawling along doing less than half the speed limit! I usually keep to the limit but on a few occasions I have gone a bit over (never under unless in estates) but I'm constantly shocked at the amount of cars racing past me and if I'm doing the limit then what are they doing? I feel like they see the L plates & just develop a sense of urgency.
Now the most annoying and dangerous thing I'm seeing from Non Learner, 'experienced' drivers all the time is position on approach to traffic lights.
If you are turning left or going straight ahead, your position should be left left left. When I take up position a car will no doubt come up beside me on the right hand side with the intention of going straight. Its scary and freaks me out because here are two cars heading into one lane so I usually hold back while they race on ahead. I'm now finding myself taking up position in the centre of the road just so this doesn't happen even though I know it's wrong.
It seems like after a certain amount of time driving rules tend to be forgotten..

Mr. Presentable

It has very little to do with being a learner, and much to do with many road users being pure-bred <SNIP>.

OP, what I am saying is, even when you are fully qualified, if you obey speed limits etc, you will get similar treatment. Chin up, and <SNIP> the lot of them.

**Timbuk2**

As a matter of interest, does this improve after you pass the test (i.e. L plates gone), even if you drive in the exact same manner?

ilovejames

yea i have my learner plates up, its usually the little convertibles and business men in there BMW's that beep me !

ilovejames

Gurgle wrote: »

But if you're tootling down a country road at 20mph with a trail of cars a mile long behind you - pull in and let them past.

There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck behind someone driving ridiculously slowly for mile after mile, with no opportunity to overtake safely.

Patience wears thin.

Yes i agree with that completely and i do move in to allow cars to pass when its safe to do so but when its lashing raining and theres floods at the sides of the roads and i am already doing the speed limit and theres cars beeping and flashing for me to move in it makes me very nervous.
also my experienced driver who is not always with me like when i have to work says the same thing as most of ye, to move in if its safe, to ignore those that try to intimidate, to not panic, to be mannerly but if all else fails beep back!

slimjimmc

Lawros Tache wrote: »

And before anyone starts, i learned to drive in the UK, where you simply (and quite rightly) cannot drive unaccompanied unless you pass your test. What you have is a permit to LEARN how to drive, not a driving license, so if your not in full control of your vehicle then you honestly shouldn't be on the roads.

That's the law here too, hence the Learner Permit. Unfortunately the law is widely ignored.

slimjimmc

ilovejames wrote: »

Yes i agree with that completely and i do move in to allow cars to pass when its safe to do so but when its lashing raining and theres floods at the sides of the roads and i am already doing the speed limit and theres cars beeping and flashing for me to move in it makes me very nervous.
also my experienced driver who is not always with me like when i have to work says the same thing as most of ye, to move in if its safe, to ignore those that try to intimidate, to not panic, to be mannerly but if all else fails beep back!

Aside from the illegality of what you're doing, if you're so inexperienced that you get other cars beeping at you then you shouldn't be driving unaccompanied at any time, an experienced driver could help you avoid irritating other traffic.

ilovejames

slimjimmc wrote: »

Aside from the illegality of what you're doing, if you're so inexperienced that you get other cars beeping at you then you shouldn't be driving unaccompanied at any time, an experienced driver could help you avoid irritating other traffic.

i don't do anything wrong thats the whole point of what i am talking about is the fact that so called "experienced" drivers are in such a rush and so rude on the roads that they are illegally overtaking me and trying to intimidate me and speeding over the limit. whether i am with an experienced driver or a driving instructor or alone it does not make a difference. i do not see how i am irritating other traffic when i am simply trying to drive in a safe manner.

Finbarire

Hello, It is your driving that has serious errors, if you are driving slow you should only be on nursery roads, i would also suggest it is your training that is at fault, you are only a danger to other road users driving slow, we train every body to drive at the speed for the road they are on to suite the road and traffic and weather conditions, i hope this helps you in your fuchetur learning


edit: no pimping your business please

milly4ever

when i was learning there was no question of whether i would drive unaccompanied- if you do not have your full licence you should not be driving alone. you cannot give about other drivers being rude when you are breaking the law.

Finbarire

Hello, that statement is incorrect, if you are driving in a manner wich would cause an accident, you are to blame for the accident.

HydeRoad

There is nothing strictly wrong with a learner driver keeping within the speed limit on the average road. The problem often occurs at intersections, where they slow up too soon, dawdle on approach to a green light, position badly for a turn, brake before indicating, cut up other drivers, or generally cause a much larger obstruction than merits the size of their car.

All of that is well and good in the course of learning under the tuition of an experienced driver. The problem is that nineteen out of twenty cars with 'L' plates are being driven by somebody without proper education, who are basically teaching themselves to drive, and for whom causing a massive obstruction to everyone else is an irrelevance in the face of their perceived right to drive at will where they wish.

The unfortunate thing is that as soon as you put 'L' plates on your car, you are fairly or unfairly lumped with that sector of the driving population. The best thing you can do is get proper tuition, drive smartly and safely, and pass your test as soon as possible to be rid of those 'L' plates. Don't dawdle. If you are nervous or unsure behind the wheel, then you probably need more tuition, even if you have passed your 'test.' You should be relaxed and in control of your car, not have your car in control of you.

Alun

I'm not condoning aggressive behaviour towards other road users, 'L' drivers or otherwise, but do some people agree with me that the fact that having an 'L' plate up on a car in Ireland means absolutely nothing in practice results in other road users effectively ignoring them?

In other countries where people learn to drive only via registered driving schools it's a pretty clear cut thing, and in the UK it's quite rightly an offence to drive with 'L' plates if you're not learning, but here it could be someone driving around unaccompanied on their n'th provisional, or more likely, the partner/friend/family member of an 'L' driver who can't be arsed to take them down when they're driving, so the fact that an 'L' plate is displayed means nothing.

celticbest

ilovejames wrote: »

my experienced driver who is not always with me like when i have to work

You do know it's illegal for an L driver to drive a vehicle without being accompanied by a fully licensed driver at all times ???

Reloc8

ilovejames wrote: »

Yes i agree with that completely and i do move in to allow cars to pass when its safe to do so but when its lashing raining and theres floods at the sides of the roads and i am already doing the speed limit and theres cars beeping and flashing for me to move in it makes me very nervous.
also my experienced driver who is not always with me like when i have to work says the same thing as most of ye, to move in if its safe, to ignore those that try to intimidate, to not panic, to be mannerly but if all else fails beep back!

But sure, of course you're going to be more likely to be causing problems for other road users when you're driving unaccompanied - no doubt you're going slower than you might and should otherwise, not driving as smoothly as you would otherwise, not making progress as you would otherwise.

And you're liable to a minimum fine of €1000 for doing exactly what you're doing by the way. I'd have no sympathy for anyone who gets hit with it who isn't in an emergency, speaking as a Learner Driver myself.

daveharnett

ilovejames wrote: »

p.s i have noticed that truck drivers are very nice on the roads.

As a group, I have found truckers to be some of the most considerate, safe and predictable drivers on the road. The level of competence required to get those beasts around safely and efficiently really puts the rest of us to shame.

Incidentally, I have found that learners are by far and away the group most likely to use their signals properly.

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

As a matter of interest, does this improve after you pass the test (i.e. L plates gone), even if you drive in the exact same manner?

Depends more on the car than on the plates I think. The stereotypical learner's cars (micra, yaris, cinquecento, punto and the like) will always be lunatic magnets, L plates or no. I learned in a golf, and once I was competent enough to make progress, the L plates didn't really seem to alter other drivers' behaviour.

CR 7

nipplenuts wrote: »

It has very little to do with being a learner, and much to do with many road users being pure-bred as5holes.

OP, what I am saying is, even when you are fully qualified, if you obey speed limits etc, you will get similar treatment. Chin up, and f*** the lot of them.

Was about to post the same thing. I think learners use this as a sort of crutch, "I didn't make a mistake, he just beeped cos of the L plate." The way it seems to go is that, while learning we tend to focus more on doing everything "properly" and once we pass our tests we begin to learn to apply more common sense too.