'N for novice' plate in new learner driver laws

Yakult

Haven't seen a L plate in a while, must be no learner drivers out there!

mutley18

N for NOOBS...

UCDVet

I thought everyone just got a permit and drove on it for a few decades?

kate.m

When is this going to be enforced/made an official rule? Or did that already happen?

JustAThought

UCDVet wrote: »

I thought everyone just got a permit and drove on it for a few decades?

That excludes of course the people hat just arrive and buy cars and set off on a voyage of discovery. Some unbelievablely dangerous antics in the roads . Watched someone driving the wrong way up the N7 yesterday before swerving into the " right" side of the road - and then re-correcting to the wrong side before pulling back in almost under the wheels of a truck. Maybe they were just from the airport but they had L plates up - and weren't white.

0 - and that's not a racist statement - its a factual description.

It's the Irish W drivers that we really have to watch out for - and the gaurds who just arnt interested.

ScumLord

Shouldn't this be the other way around? Learner are going to make mistakes, that's a given, why does the experienced driver get to make twice as many mistakes as the inexperienced one?

Learners should be restricted to small engined cars (really small, something that would have trouble doing 90klm) so they simply can't get themselves into as much danger.

Jester252

The Novice status should also apply to "experience" drives with 6 or more points. They clearly don't know how to drive.

scamalert

In my country couple years back they introduced stickers with a green leaf on the back for provisional s and learners,that said someone made a good saying:leaf on the back ,tree behind the wheel

When are they introducing a ban for driving an Audi?

Nemeses

Deleted User wrote: »

When are they introducing a ban for driving an Audi?

Never. They will be forced to wear the "Neeewwbs" plate as well.


What's wrong with an Audi anyway?

msg11

Deleted User wrote: »

When are they introducing a ban for driving an Audi?

What's wrong with driving a Audi or BMW, don't think it's the cars fault there's a clown behind the wheel.

alphabeat

Deleted User wrote: »

When are they introducing a ban for driving an Audi?

when you stop touching yourself

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I've had my licence about 5 years so I'm not completely experienced but I can drive and would consider myself pretty competent on the road. My gf is just starting to learn on my car so had L plates on the car. Jesus it was terrifying. People just completely take the piss, overtaking at ridiculous times, tail gating, flashing lights etc. The n plates will just prolong this for people new to the roads.

On a side note, most drivers are total c units.

starlit

It's to be out in September. It's good as safety and precaution measure for recently passed learner drivers and for full licence holders but the only thing is full licence holders will treat them like they are still learner drivers with 'L' plates!

So could be a considered a nuisance but drivers should treat them with just as much respect as if they full licence holders why should they be treated any differently. Learners, n plate holders and full licence holders should be treated equally on the road. Don't forget the learning never stops!

Moon Indigo

I think that driving education needs to be brought into secondary as a module. It will help when the time comes as many people may reach 17,18,19 get a car and not put up L plates but still take it on the road. The other thing I feel needs to happen is the cost of lessons needs to be addressed. The fact that you need to have 12 EDT lessons is good but not good enough because if you have no car to practice in you either have to them as a block or you are doing one and one and losing knowledge and time and practice inbetween. This may not be the case for everyone but for many. If the lessons were a standard fee across the board this would encourage people to take lessons and get driving safely. It all cost with driving and its unfair to constantly come down on L drivers. Bring in mandatory re-testing after a set period of time for everyone. Not maybe the same as the driving test but the basics such as roundabouts etc. The amount of people with out L plates who I can only assume are not L drivers who don't know what lane to use is shocking. And this is coming from an L driver. Its constant restriction all of the time and I feel you need a car in many parts of Ireland but due to expense and the fact that even as an L driver I can't take my car anyplace anyway without a full driver means the car is almost no good to me unless someone is with me and now add N plates onto that?! What about plates for those who never took the test? Or those who took it say over ten years ago and never did lessons etc since? Bad habits and all.. it all needs to re-examined. I do like the idea of plates reflecting your stage on driving as in L to N to E ( experienced after a basic test say after 5 years) to A ( advanced, again after a basic test after say 10 years)... over all this system sounds fairer to me to everyone and means not just one section..L driver getting targeted yet again.

Merch

UCDVet wrote: »

I thought everyone just got a permit and drove on it for a few decades?

you having a larf, right?

doovdela wrote: »

It's to be out in September. It's good as safety and precaution measure for recently passed learner drivers and for full licence holders but the only thing is full licence holders will treat them like they are still learner drivers with 'L' plates!

So could be a considered a nuisance but drivers should treat them with just as much respect as if they full licence holders why should they be treated any differently. Learners, n plate holders and full licence holders should be treated equally on the road. Don't forget the learning never stops!

They dont exist any more, hardly anyways guvner.
So, what I foresee is, people will not want to have the plates up, for the shame or due to restrictions (are there any?) so it will do bugger all good.

downonthefarm

i have seen full licence drivers do some pretty dicey stuff too,just because they have it it doesnt give them right to drive like imbeciles

rizzodun

My wife is currently learning, and having L plates on her car is like painting a massive target for assholes, not that it bothers me when I'm driving mind, but I can understand why people feel intimidated by other drivers.

Adding a 'N' plate will not magically stop young drivers from breaking the speed limit and disobeying the rules of the road.
Adding a 'N' plate will give those people who like to intimidate learner drivers more people to target.

Is there any figures to prove any benefit of 'R' plates in the UK?

JP Liz V1

Every driver should take the test every 5 years (but bring down the test price)

Tail Docker

I'd prefer it if they made all the people that were handed a licence back in the '80s without doing a test put up "G" plates, one lad I know has every category going, artics, busses, the lot, and has never sat a test or sat in an artic.

G for gowl, usually.

starlit

It can still happen when you are a fully licenced driver you meet a few like that but found that its a lot less since I passed the test. Its amazing how some people treat learners with less respect we all share the road and others that respect the learner enough to learn. I know it can be a nuisance and can try your patience but we were all learners once others should take that into consideration and I do so too if I meet a learner its not that long ago since I was one so I understand. Though at times you do get frustrated with drivers whether they learners or not!

I was thinking that too, they treat learners the same as those with an N plate just cause they are learners and just passed their test not really fair they might target them the same way. Though they only allowed a max of 6 penalty points for N drivers compared to full licence ones with 12.

I agree with those that have not done a driving test ever that got their licences back in the 60's, no in the 80's they would have had to do a test, they would have been introduce in the mid to late 60's the driving test. There should do one specific for them but different to the usual driving test.

Beano

doovdela wrote: »

I agree with those that have not done a driving test ever that got their licences back in the 60's, no in the 80's they would have had to do a test, they would have been introduce in the mid to late 60's the driving test.

There was an amnesty in the 1980's where everybody on a second (or third?) provisional licence was given a full licence because of the waiting list for tests.

Whisko

Can you still drive down there with out a full license?

Whisko

rizzodun wrote: »

My wife is currently learning, and having L plates on her car is like painting a massive target for assholes, not that it bothers me when I'm driving mind, but I can understand why people feel intimidated by other drivers.

Adding a 'N' plate will not magically stop young drivers from breaking the speed limit and disobeying the rules of the road.
Adding a 'N' plate will give those people who like to intimidate learner drivers more people to target.

Is there any figures to prove any benefit of 'R' plates in the UK?

R plates are Northern Ireland only, they don't have them in the rest of the UK.

They may not discourage speeding, but they do lower the speed limit of a R plate driver to a max of 45mph- and only allows 6pp.

I knew plenty of drivers who lost there license for breaking this speed limits.

Yamanoto

Whisko wrote: »

Can you still drive down there with out a full license?

Only if accompanied by a full license holder.

In practise though, enforcement is lax & there's little chance of being seriously sanctioned for flying solo.

starlit

Beano wrote: »

There was an amnesty in the 1980's where everybody on a second (or third?) provisional licence was given a full licence because of the waiting list for tests.

Oh right didn't know that.

rizzodun

Whisko wrote: »

R plates are Northern Ireland only, they don't have them in the rest of the UK.

They may not discourage speeding, but they do lower the speed limit of a R plate driver to a max of 45mph- and only allows 6pp.

I knew plenty of drivers who lost there license for breaking this speed limits.

Thanks for pointing that out, but do you think it'll stop people from speeding on N plates? I can't find out anything about any restrictions on speed or motorway driving etc, so what's the difference apart from getting less penalty points before disqual. and pointing out to everyone else you're a novice driver? I have a feeling that like L plates, N plates will just be like a red rag to a bull.