22 learner drivers a day summonsed for breaking laws

Johnny86

http://www.irishexaminer.ie/ireland/22-learner-drivers-a-day-summonsed-for-breaking-laws-127098.html

alot more than i thought getting summons, considering i dont know anyone that has got summoned.
i wonder if the gardai crack down more on 17-23 year olds and leave olders people off??

Max Power1

I drove to work and back, 10 miles a day 4-5 days a week for the last 9 months,around dublin, plus a monthly trip of 40 miles motorways, all unacompanied.

I got stopped once and was let off with no tax and no l plates in addition to driving unnacompanied.

In addition I have never heard of anyone being "done" for driving unnaccompanied. IMO until the laws are enforced, L drivers will continue to flout them.

Permabear

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bugler

donegalfella wrote: »

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It still seems strange that we have so few people on boards who have had it happen them or know someone who it has happened to. Maybe I'm over-estimating boards membership.

If 2010 continues as it is, there are likely to be 3,000 odd summonses for driving unaccompanied by the year end. That's roughly 1.25% of the total number of learner permit holders. Of course a large number of the 240,000 learners probably are not on the road at all, so the percentage of actual driving learners caught is probably a good bit higher.

But who are they?

Permabear

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Faith+1

donegalfella wrote: »

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Holy mother of god!:eek::eek::eek::eek:

LilMsss

I have mentioned previously on here that I drive unaccompanied. And while I am not advising anyone else to do this, I have had no problems to date.

I live in a very busy part of Dublin and have gone through at least 12 Garda checkpoints in the last three months, particularly around Bank Holiday weekends. My tax, insurance, NCT etc are all up to date, I always display my L-Plates and not one guard has questioned me over driving unaccompanied. I realise I have been very lucky so far, but honestly don't see that changing in the coming months.

In addition, I also find myself side-by-side with garda cars at traffic lights, am passed by guards on bikes and still no problems. This may have something to do with the fact that I am a safe and cautious driver, don't speed or drive ridiculously slow, and generally don't take stupid risks when driving, so don't do anything to draw their attention to me. I'm also a woman and a little older than many learner drivers usually are.

And before anyone posts the usual: if I'm such a good driver then why haven't I taken my driving test and passed and starts demanding that I apply for a cancellation which I will get within a week or two so I can 'prove' my driving skills, I am not in a position work-wise where I can just leave in the middle of the day if I got short notice of a cancellation and would need several weeks notice to book time off work.

From the time I applied for my test to the time I will sit the test in two weeks time, I will have been waiting for almost 13 weeks, so these things are not as immediate as some may suggest. I am not disputing that there are consistently people who are and will be prosecuted for driving unaccompanied, but in my case I'll take my chances.

SantryRed

That report is bull.

Draupnir

I had never heard of it myself until this week, good friend of mine was caught in a bus lane on Tuesday night driving unaccompanied with no L-Plates up.

Guard said the fine for the bus lane would be in the post and he was summonsing him for the no l-plates and driving unaccompanied. Feel bad for the guy, going to court for something like this is extremely harsh.

**Timbuk2**

I have only heard of two people caught. My second cousin was once caught driving to secondary school unaccompanied, and just last week my neighbour was caught (she said the reason the gardaí pulled her over is because she was driving too close to the cerb) - but I think she was let off.

People shouldn't be let off - it's that attitude that makes these learners think it's ok to drive unaccompanied. It baffles me how people can think they are good enough to drive alone when they haven't yet passed a test where you drive around 50km/h zones for 25 minutes making less than 8 serious faults

LilMsss

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

It baffles me how people can think they are good enough to drive alone when they haven't yet passed a test where you drive around 50km/h zones for 25 minutes making less than 8 serious faults

I can only speak for myself, but I know I am a very good driver, and have been told this by my driving instructor, and various friends and family members (all with full licences) who happen to be in the car with me from time to time. My instructor has specifically told me that in his professional opinion, I should have no problems passing my driving test, and am just waiting for the date to come round.

And as has been stated on this forum on numerous occasions, passing a driving test does not automatically equal being a competent and safe driver, just like being a learner driver (as a driving status) does not equate with being someone who either can't or is unable to drive safely and competently.

There are huge questions raised regarding the fairness and accuracy of the driving test across various test centres, with failure rates as high as 63 % in Carlow, 62.3 % in Raheny, and only 34.4 % in Tuam. I am not suggesting that testers are failing candidates for superficial reasons, but there are significant discrepancies. Although pass rates are up for 2009 compared to figures from 2008.

Here is an article that appeared in the Irish Times on pass rate discrepancies:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2010/0526/1224271138160.html

Johnny86

SantryRed wrote: »

That report is bull.

they're duking the stats for carcetti!!

**Timbuk2**

LilMsss wrote: »

I can only speak for myself, but I know I am a very good driver, and have been told this by my driving instructor, and various friends and family members (all with full licences) who happen to be in the car with me from time to time. My instructor has specifically told me that in his professional opinion, I should have no problems passing my driving test, and am just waiting for the date to come round.

Exactly what I was told when I was learning first. The instructor said I am an extremely quicky learner and that I should easily pass the test. I failed first time, which he was shocked about. I think the opinions of yourself, your family, and your driving instructor are somewhat biased. You may be an extremely competent driver for all I know, but there is nothing to prove it only opinion.

If somebody thinks they can pass the test easily, then why not ring the RSA and accept a cancellation slot, and have the test over and done with in the next two weeks?

LilMsss wrote: »

And as has been stated on this forum on numerous occasions, passing a driving test does not automatically equal being a competent and safe driver, just like being a learner driver (as a driving status) does not equate with being someone who either can't or is unable to drive safely and competently.

This I agree with. However, if you can't pass the driving test, which is set entirely in 50km/h and isn't representative of all the types of driving (motorway driving, night driving, parking, etc.) then how can you, or anybody, justify driving on the road without an accompanied driver?

mach1982

LilMsss wrote: »

I can only speak for myself, but I know I am a very good driver, and have been told this by my driving instructor, and various friends and family members (all with full licences) who happen to be in the car with me from time to time. My instructor has specifically told me that in his professional opinion, I should have no problems passing my driving test, and am just waiting for the date to come round.

l[/URL]

That what everyone told me , and I failed it many times, i did pass the last time and was all due my amazing driving instructor, he was my fourth or fifth all the others said I'd pass he brought me back to basics Mirror , Signal , Mirror,Position Speed and Maneuver , suck with him over 2 years and at lest 4 test an I finally passed . You might think your a get driver, unless you can full fill cirtera of the test you'll fail. I only know one person who passed fist time it my brother, but then he been driving cars since he was 11.

daveharnett

Draupnir wrote: »

I had never heard of it myself until this week, good friend of mine was caught in a bus lane on Tuesday night driving unaccompanied with no L-Plates up.

Guard said the fine for the bus lane would be in the post and he was summonsing him for the no l-plates and driving unaccompanied. Feel bad for the guy, going to court for something like this is extremely harsh.

Failure to demonstrate common sense tbh. If you are driving around with a thousand euro fine over your head, why would you draw attention to yourself by driving in a bus lane?