having problems with other drivers when practising

Chickus

Hi, I prepping for driving test in my own car..i am having problems with other drivers especially when im doing reverse around the corner..they dont know what im doing, beep, try to overtake dangerously etc..can i put up sign for test day saying test in progress or something.its driving me mad... L-plates mean nothing to other drivers in castlebar..

Alanstrainor

You have no right of way when you are reversing, if someone comes up behind you when you are trying to complete your maneuver you will first have to stop, and most likely you will have to pull around to where you started to let the car pass.

I think your L plates are sufficient enough to let other drivers know you are learning.:)

3DataModem

Reversing around a corner is dangerous, and one sniff of a car OR PEDESTRIAN means stop.

What do you want them to do, stop and wait for you to finish? Then they'll fail their own test!

DriveSkill

Just to re-iterate the other point you must stop if there is traffic approaching from behind and you are reversing. Also if there is a car emerging from the road you are reversing into you again have to stop but if you are obstructing them then you must pull forward out of their way.

Finally, and very importantly, you can ONLY reverse from a major road to a minor road, if you are reversing out on to a major road then it may be reason for people to be beeping at you (quite rightly in this instance).

Best to find a quite residential or industrial area and practice there first. Also, dont continually use the same corner over and over again - the local residents will get very annoyed. Find a corner, practice perhaps twice or 3 times at most and then move on and find another etc.

ADIDriving

There are two sides to this. Firstly, they should be a little more aware and considerate. They had to learn too. Nobody drove out of the womb. On the other hand. Perhaps you ARE in the way. Specifically on a reverse round a corner. If someone driving forward, is looking to use the same section of road, they have priority. Therefor you should see them and stop before they get too close. They should drive around you. But if they do not, you should drive forward to your starting position. This is what you should do on the day of your test too. Years ago I had a student that had to reverse around th corner three times as a result of this type of situation. He thankfully passed.

ABajaninCork

If you're trying to reverse, do you put the hazards on to warn people?

**Timbuk2**

ABajaninCork wrote: »

If you're trying to reverse, do you put the hazards on to warn people?

In both my tests, I didn't do this and I wasn't marked.

It really isn't necessary. A reversing vehicle has no right of way anyway. Your reversing lights should be indication enough to approaching traffic. I would actually recommend NOT putting on your hazard lights.

ABajaninCork

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

In both my tests, I didn't do this and I wasn't marked.

It really isn't necessary. A reversing vehicle has no right of way anyway. Your reversing lights should be indication enough to approaching traffic. I would actually recommend NOT putting on your hazard lights.

Yes you're right. A reversing vehicle has no right of way, and it's not something that would be marked on your test either in Ireland or the UK AFAIK. But I DON'T agree with your recommendation.

I learnt to drive in London, and this is what I was taught. You would be amazed how many vehicles DO NOT take note of reverse lights! Many's the time I've gone to reverse, (e.g. in a car park), and a car's right up my arse even when the car's in reverse and the hazards are on...

Chickus

Thanks for all replies... it just is this corner that I have the problem with..most learner drivers in Castlebar do..Its just a very dangerous spot..difficult for people to pass me out etc.. il just have to get on with it and pray that i dont get it on Friday.. Thanks

BostonB

Chickus wrote: »

Thanks for all replies... it just is this corner that I have the problem with..most learner drivers in Castlebar do..Its just a very dangerous spot..difficult for people to pass me out etc.. il just have to get on with it and pray that i dont get it on Friday.. Thanks

You shouldn't reverse around a dangerous corner.

Chickus

Well the corner is on the test routes, dont think i can object to doing it if RSA has it in place..

ADIDriving

All you can do is make sure everything you do is safe. Don't use the hazard lights. 'Practice' on a quiter corner. There will be lots of different corners that they use. Just do one or two there. Drive slow. Lots of observation.

BostonB

Seems nuts to me.

ABajaninCork

BostonB wrote: »

Seems nuts to me.

Sorry, but don't follow...What do you mean??

BostonB

If a road is that busy, that its dangerous, then people shouldn't be reversing around a corner on it. Thats just common sense. I would question an examiners ability (and sanity) if they made ask you to reverse around a dangerous corner. I thought they usually bring you somewhere quiet for that.

ABajaninCork

Ah right - I'm with you now. Yes - I do agree!

superflyninja

some people are unreal in this regard. fcuking insane actually. on a local road ( in an estate)we park the car.no bother. when leaving we turn to the right 90degrees,go forward and then reverse back in the opposite direction. very standard, usually very quick for us.(we are both learner drivers). But on the first manoveur as we pull forward to the right(thus blocking the road) herself had a driver pull so far up to her she couldnt back out of the way. he then proceeded to squeeze between her and a parked car,up onto driveway and around.(same thing happened to me)

that same driver at a later date drove right at herself while practicing reversing round a corner. i know he had right of way but should have let my gf have the space to safely maneuver out of the way.Even when Im driving on an open road, doing the speed limit EXACTLY Im constantly overtaken( on the left and right) by drivers just aching to get past the learner. (I presume)

I guess what Im trying to say is that some drivers (fully licensed) behave very dangerously toward learners. most odd!!!!!

**Timbuk2**

I have never noticed any difference between having L-Plates up or down (the L-Plates are my brothers, but I never bother taking them down when I drive because they don't unseal and seal back very easily). I do feel a bit guilty when I drive on the motorway with L-Plates though, as I wonder if this startles other cars, but I have never been treated any different on motorways either, L-Plates or no plates.

However, I learned to drive with a well known driving school that had a big yellow car (i.e. very obviously a learner). During lessons, I noticed that cars sometimes pulled out ahead of me just so as not to get stuck behind the learner, without actually taking into account what speed I was going, they just assume learner = slow. Some of them pull out ahead of you and ironically go slower.

I noticed something - it's the cars that pull out of side roads very fast that will go slowly, usually. The cars that like to make decent progress will just smoothly pull out and accelerate on the road. Of course this is irrelevant.

If any drivers try and hassle you, just ignore it and don't let it affect you're driving, provided you are no in the wrong. My brother seems to be having a much tougher time than I did, but he hesitates more than I did which irritates drivers. One man in a van, stuck behind him as he was waiting for a gap to turn right on a busy road (with a hill start) stuck his head out the window and roared "Would you go..." and then some additional language that isn't appropriate for a public forum. Hardly fair as this can only fluster the learner more.

DriveSkill

superflyninja wrote: »

some people are unreal in this regard. fcuking insane actually. on a local road ( in an estate)we park the car.no bother. when leaving we turn to the right 90degrees,go forward and then reverse back in the opposite direction. very standard, usually very quick for us.(we are both learner drivers). But on the first manoveur as we pull forward to the right(thus blocking the road) herself had a driver pull so far up to her she couldnt back out of the way. he then proceeded to squeeze between her and a parked car,up onto driveway and around.(same thing happened to me)

that same driver at a later date drove right at herself while practicing reversing round a corner. i know he had right of way but should have let my gf have the space to safely maneuver out of the way.Even when Im driving on an open road, doing the speed limit EXACTLY Im constantly overtaken( on the left and right) by drivers just aching to get past the learner. (I presume)

I guess what Im trying to say is that some drivers (fully licensed) behave very dangerously toward learners. most odd!!!!!

Just 2 quick points here which stand out :

1. On the first description it sounds like you are doing a turnabout in which case the other traffic does have the right of way so you need to ensure you dont begin unless the road is completely clear. You say you can do the maneouver quickly but yet there have been issues with people coming upon you on more than one occasion so perhaps the location you are doing this in is unsafe if you dont have a good view of approaching traffic. If they want to drive behind you or up on the footpath, best advice is leave them be and proceed once they have passed.

2. In the second para you mention that traffic is constantly overtaking you on the left and right. Whatever about traffic overtaking you on the right, if you are being constantly overtaken on the left then there is something wrong. Remember it is your responsibility to drive in the left-most lane so if there is an empty lane on your left which people are using to overtake then you are in the wrong lane. The fact that they may be breaking the speed limit is irrelevant (to some extent anyway )

There are a fair amount of impatient drivers with bad road manners out there and you will meet them occassionally but if you are constantly encountering drivers which you feel are putting you undue pressure then it might be useful to get the opinion of an instructor just to ensure you are not doing something which is causing annoyance without you actually realising it.

superflyninja

DriveSkill wrote: »

Just 2 quick points here which stand out :

1. On the first description it sounds like you are doing a turnabout in which case the other traffic does have the right of way so you need to ensure you dont begin unless the road is completely clear. You say you can do the maneouver quickly but yet there have been issues with people coming upon you on more than one occasion so perhaps the location you are doing this in is unsafe if you dont have a good view of approaching traffic. If they want to drive behind you or up on the footpath, best advice is leave them be and proceed once they have passed.

2. In the second para you mention that traffic is constantly overtaking you on the left and right. Whatever about traffic overtaking you on the right, if you are being constantly overtaken on the left then there is something wrong. Remember it is your responsibility to drive in the left-most lane so if there is an empty lane on your left which people are using to overtake then you are in the wrong lane. The fact that they may be breaking the speed limit is irrelevant (to some extent anyway )

There are a fair amount of impatient drivers with bad road manners out there and you will meet them occassionally but if you are constantly encountering drivers which you feel are putting you undue pressure then it might be useful to get the opinion of an instructor just to ensure you are not doing something which is causing annoyance without you actually realising it.

1. We begin turnabout whne road is totally clear. the cars jsut SPEED in the estate and come upon us that quick.
2.the lane to my left is a bus lane. which those drivers are not allowed enter (unless overtaking me of course) between 7am and 7pm.

challengemaster

superflyninja wrote: »

Even when Im driving on an open road, doing the speed limit EXACTLY Im constantly overtaken( on the left and right) by drivers just aching to get past the learner. (I presume)

Being completely honest, as soon as you pass your test, you'll start doing the same. Once you have your license for a while (as in, are driving properly not concentrating on a test at some date in the future), you figure out that being behind learner drivers for long periods, in most cases, just leads to frustration.

Now, don't get me wrong here. I know everyone learns at some point, and we're not all schumacher as soon as we sit into the car. Sure I only passed my test a year ago. But, if you get the chance to overtake a L driver, you will. It's not a lack of respect, or that you think they're shíte, or some such. A good few weeks ago, I was coming off the motorway, and coming onto a main road, there was a L driver at the top of the junction turning out. Now, they stalled the car about 6-8 times - these things happen when you're learning, I didn't care, I still made sure to pass them as soon as I could once on the main road though. It's just better for your sanity not to sit behind L drivers continuously.

Also, I'd always prefer to be in front of someone that is somewhat more likely to be a hazard on the roads. Just my opinion

daveharnett

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I have never noticed any difference between having L-Plates up or down.

It depends on the car and driver I think. For something golf sized or bigger that's making reasonable progress, the L plate seems to have a minimal effect on other drivers. If the car is driven slowly or hesitantly, particularly if it's a stereotypical learners car (micra, yaris, punto etc), it will be a lunatic magnet.

Del2005

superflyninja wrote: »

some people are unreal in this regard. fcuking insane actually. on a local road ( in an estate)we park the car.no bother. when leaving we turn to the right 90degrees,go forward and then reverse back in the opposite direction. very standard, usually very quick for us.(we are both learner drivers). But on the first manoveur as we pull forward to the right(thus blocking the road) herself had a driver pull so far up to her she couldnt back out of the way. he then proceeded to squeeze between her and a parked car,up onto driveway and around.(same thing happened to me)

superflyninja wrote: »

1. We begin turnabout whne road is totally clear. the cars jsut SPEED in the estate and come upon us that quick.

You should consider parking you're car facing the other way if at all possible or use the footpath like everyone else does. Practice doing the turn about correctly somewhere safer.

that same driver at a later date drove right at herself while practicing reversing round a corner. i know he had right of way but should have let my gf have the space to safely maneuver out of the way.Even when Im driving on an open road, doing the speed limit EXACTLY Im constantly overtaken( on the left and right) by drivers just aching to get past the learner. (I presume)

If he drove at you're GF she should have aborted the manoeuvre and pulled back to the left side of the road. If she was doing her test she'd have failed.

I guess what Im trying to say is that some drivers (fully licensed) behave very dangerously toward learners. most odd!!!!!

You'll learn soon enough that every other driver on the road is out to kill you.

superflyninja

Del2005 wrote: »

You should consider parking you're car facing the other way if at all possible or use the footpath like everyone else does. Practice doing the turn about correctly somewhere safer.

We are not practicing the turnabout. We are simply doing a turnabout.(and fairly quickly I might add). The alternative to that is reversing around a corner.what do you mean use the footpath?

Del2005 wrote: »

If he drove at you're GF she should have aborted the manoeuvre and pulled back to the left side of the road. If she was doing her test she'd have failed.

She couldnt. The guy was too close.

Del2005 wrote: »

You'll learn soon enough that every other driver on the road is out to kill you.

Its difficult for me to explain the exact nature of the road Im talking about.but experienced(and fully licensed) people who saw the incidents were disgusted at the other drivers behaviour.

Del2005

superflyninja wrote: »

We are not practicing the turnabout. We are simply doing a turnabout.(and fairly quickly I might add). The alternative to that is reversing around a corner.what do you mean use the footpath?

You said that the other driver squeezed between another car and onto a driveway. If there are driveways/footpaths available you're much better to use these if people are driving that dangerously on the road, while not the correct way to do it it may be the safest.

I avoid doing turnabouts at all costs when I'm driving for the reasons you have pointed out.

She couldnt. The guy was too close.

You may need to pick a different place to practice if a car can get that close.

Its difficult for me to explain the exact nature of the road Im talking about.but experienced(and fully licensed) people who saw the incidents were disgusted at the other drivers behaviour.

I don't need to know the road it happens everywhere, as I said you'll soon learn that everyone is out to kill you.

senordingdong

It's a dated manouver alright.
I reckon it would be deemed illeagal if the rules got an overhauls

**Timbuk2**

daveharnett wrote: »

It depends on the car and driver I think. For something golf sized or bigger that's making reasonable progress, the L plate seems to have a minimal effect on other drivers. If the car is driven slowly or hesitantly, particularly if it's a stereotypical learners car (micra, yaris, punto etc), it will be a lunatic magnet.

It's a Yaris, so probably a car stereotypical of learners.

Don't get me wrong, I experience my fair share of lunacy, but I think it's just general lunacy as opposed to lunacy caused by having L-Plates up. I have driven bigger cars and seen the same amount of idiot drivers around the place.

I think it's just the luck. I learned to drive in the same car and same area as my brother is currently learning to drive, and possibly the reason that he seems to be getting a harder time than me might be down to the fact that he hesitates more - which is fair enough for a learner driver, being honest!