Normal penalty in court for driving unaccompanied

AldilaMan

I've being reading on this forum that the max fine for unaccompanied provisional drivers is €1000. Can anyone tell me what a typical fine would be. Other people have said around €80. €1000 seems excessive for something that a lot of provisional drivers seem to do regularly to get to work.

ProudDUB

People doing it doesn't make it any less dangerous or illegal.

seamus

There's no typical fine, it's dependent on the judge on his mood.

A story I've told here on boards before is relevant. Years back, before fixed notices and penalty points, if you were caught speeding, you went to court.

My uncle got a summons for speeding one day and appeared in court dressed in his suit, all respectful like. The judge was dealing only with speeding fines that day. He'd call out the name of each case in turn. If the person didn't appear in court, the judge would say, "£80 fine, next!". The guy who was sitting next to my uncle had his name called out, he stood up, the judge spoke to him, asked him who he was, what he did, etc, then proceed to rant at him for five minutes about the dangers of speeding. £150 fine.

Another guy gets his name called out, stands up, same deal, judge rants at him, £120 fine.

So then my uncle's name was called. "Screw this" he thought, stayed seated and said nothing.

"£80 fine, next!".

My point being that what will happen very much depends on the judge. I would be surprised if you get a fine bigger than €250, but a judge could decide to make an example of you.

AldilaMan

ProudDUB wrote: »

People doing it doesn't make it any less dangerous or illegal.

Feeling bored today or something? Why bother posting if you can't answer the substantive question. I don't normally post here but it seems every forum has the odd idiot.

ManMade

AldilaMan wrote: »

I've being reading on this forum that the max fine for unaccompanied provisional drivers is €1000. Can anyone tell me what a typical fine would be. Other people have said around €80. €1000 seems excessive for something that a lot of provisional drivers seem to do regularly to get to work.

Average fine about €150, max fine is €1000 which has never been issued. You'd have to meet a Garda/judeg on a bad day to have anything happen.

Last year 3,150 learner drivers were summonsed for driving unaccompanied and of these 854 were convicted, with an average fine of €150. The maximum fine of €1,000 was not imposed.

Source:http://www.irishtimes.com/news/learner-drivers-face-penalty-points-1.754121

AldilaMan

ManMade wrote: »

Average fine about €150, max fine is €1000 which has never been issued. You'd have to meet a Garda/judeg on a bad day to have anything happen.

Source:http://www.irishtimes.com/news/learner-drivers-face-penalty-points-1.754121

The guard said he got a smell of weed (not true). Searched the car from top to bottom. Asked for insurance (which was shown to him), then tax, nct which were all fine. Then the parting gift was "you'll be getting a summons for driving without a fully qualified driver". He was devastated he didn't find anything so had to find something to throw at me.

Bad form IMO

seamus

AldilaMan wrote: »

The guard said he got a smell of weed (not true). Searched the car from top to bottom. Asked for insurance (which was shown to him), then tax, nct which were all fine. Then the parting gift was "you'll be getting a summons for driving without a fully qualified driver". He was devastated he didn't find anything so had to find something to throw at me.

Bad form IMO

Yeah...

If you're asked to speak in court, just say you have no excuse for what you did and that you're sorry it happened. If you can pass your test and get a full licence before you go to court that will help to.

Making excuses or blaming the Garda will just annoy the judge and he may impose a larger fine.

Alanstrainor

AldilaMan wrote: »

Feeling bored today or something? Why bother posting if you can't answer the substantive question. I don't normally post here but it seems every forum has the odd idiot.

Warning given. Attack the post not the poster.

Cookie_Monster

ManMade wrote: »

Average fine about €150, max fine is €1000 which has never been issued. You'd have to meet a Garda/judeg on a bad day to have anything happen.

Source:http://www.irishtimes.com/news/learner-drivers-face-penalty-points-1.754121

that's disgraceful IMO, why is 1k not the default issued? behaviours are never going to change if people know they'll get away with 150 odd

joetoad

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

that's disgraceful IMO, why is 1k not the default issued? behaviours are never going to change if people know they'll get away with 150 odd

I rather them on the road, safer than most full license drivers. You never see them speeding, overtaking and actually know how to use indicators

December2012

AldilaMan wrote: »

The guard said he got a smell of weed (not true). Searched the car from top to bottom. Asked for insurance (which was shown to him), then tax, nct which were all fine. Then the parting gift was "you'll be getting a summons for driving without a fully qualified driver". He was devastated he didn't find anything so had to find something to throw at me.

Bad form IMO

How is it bad form?

The laws the law and you got caught by a Garda doing their job.

ManMade

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

that's disgraceful IMO, why is 1k not the default issued? behaviours are never going to change if people know they'll get away with 150 odd

>.>
<.<
*pulls down L-plates*

Sheesh! This system is fine!
*Hides Green license*




They're changing it if you read my link. Next September new learners will face 2 points for driving unaccompanied, double points for speeding and half the points to get a ban. Ill have my shiny new licence by then so Im all for it
So this time next year it'll be a thing of the past. Also bleeding R plates as well, I'll just dodge that bullet!

Mister Jingles

AldilaMan wrote: »

The guard said he got a smell of weed (not true). Searched the car from top to bottom. Asked for insurance (which was shown to him), then tax, nct which were all fine. Then the parting gift was "you'll be getting a summons for driving without a fully qualified driver". He was devastated he didn't find anything so had to find something to throw at me.

Bad form IMO

Know somebody who had a similar experience, got told they'd be getting fined but never did.

joetoad wrote: »

I rather them on the road, safer than most full license drivers. You never see them speeding, overtaking and actually know how to use indicators

I have to agree with this, a lot of people, especially older and who don't have any L plates do not know how to use their indicators on a roundabout particularly when taking the third exit.

Alanstrainor

Mister Jingles wrote: »

I have to agree with this, a lot of people, especially older and who don't have any L plates do not know how to use their indicators on a roundabout particularly when taking the third exit.

I have to disagree with the statement that says learner drivers are safer on the road. Failure to indicate has nothing to do with being a safe driver.

Inexperience, and not showing yourself capable in a driving test situation means you are a complete unknown in terms of road safety and capability. The test only covers the very basics of driving in its current form. One should be able to obtain a learner permit and be ready for test within 6 months. That is no time at all, flouting the law in this time, just because you can doesn't mean you are safe and doesn't make it right.

joetoad

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have to disagree with the statement that says learner drivers are safer on the road. Failure to indicate has nothing to do with being a safe driver.

Inexperience, and not showing yourself capable in a driving test situation means you are a complete unknown in terms of road safety and capability. The test only covers the very basics of driving in its current form. One should be able to obtain a learner permit and be ready for test within 6 months. That is no time at all, flouting the law in this time, just because you can doesn't mean you are safe and doesn't make it right.

Indicating is part of been a safe driver and to think otherwise you shouldn't be on the road. I have my full license and never had any hassle from learner drivers. They generally just keep around the 60 in the 80 zone and taddle along and drive grand. Its the fecker's overtaking ya on bad corners, drink drivers, people pulling out in front of ya, people speeding, not using feckin indicators are the main culprits. Any idiot can Pass the test but it does not make you a safe driver if you have the intelligence of a pineapple and do stupid things while driving.

I was just pointing out that I never had hassle from learner drivers and not questioning the legailty of it. Perhaps they shouldn't be on the road(I drove on provisional by myself every day) but just pointing out never had any problems with them and seem to obey the law more so than full license drivers.

S28382

My brother got done for driving unaccompanied he got a 120euro fine.

Corkbah

AldilaMan wrote: »

I've being reading on this forum that the max fine for unaccompanied provisional drivers is €1000. Can anyone tell me what a typical fine would be. Other people have said around €80. €1000 seems excessive for something that a lot of provisional drivers seem to do regularly to get to work.

just out of curiosity .... do you plan on driving to and from the court unaccompanied ?

not trying to stir it up but you do realise that you could face getting caught by the same garda or another garda upon leaving court...or even on your way to court !! (again ...like the judges ...depends on their mood)

Del2005

joetoad wrote: »

Indicating is part of been a safe driver and to think otherwise you shouldn't be on the road. I have my full license and never had any hassle from learner drivers. They generally just keep around the 60 in the 80 zone and taddle along and drive grand. Its the fecker's overtaking ya on bad corners, drink drivers, people pulling out in front of ya, people speeding, not using feckin indicators are the main culprits. Any idiot can Pass the test but it does not make you a safe driver if you have the intelligence of a pineapple and do stupid things while driving.

While indicator use is nice, I don't believe what a little light flashing on a vehicle is telling me what vehicle is about to do.

They aren't being taught very well if they're doing 60 in an 80, that's failure to make progress.

joetoad wrote: »

I was just pointing out that I never had hassle from learner drivers and not questioning the legailty of it. Perhaps they shouldn't be on the road(I drove on provisional by myself every day) but just pointing out never had any problems with them and seem to obey the law more so than full license drivers.

How do you know that the people driving badly have passed the test? There's plenty of posts here of people driving unaccompanied not showing L plates.

Red Crow

joetoad wrote: »

Indicating is part of been a safe driver and to think otherwise you shouldn't be on the road. I have my full license and never had any hassle from learner drivers. They generally just keep around the 60 in the 80 zone and taddle along and drive grand. Its the fecker's overtaking ya on bad corners, drink drivers, people pulling out in front of ya, people speeding, not using feckin indicators are the main culprits. Any idiot can Pass the test but it does not make you a safe driver if you have the intelligence of a pineapple and do stupid things while driving.

I was just pointing out that I never had hassle from learner drivers and not questioning the legailty of it. Perhaps they shouldn't be on the road(I drove on provisional by myself every day) but just pointing out never had any problems with them and seem to obey the law more so than full license drivers.

What good is 60 in an 80 zone? Just cause their slow and use their indicators doesn't mean their good drivers. Your logic is baffling. The test is there for a reason despite its flaws. Most of the idiots driving on the road down my way are learners with no L plates.

Thank god you're not in charge of the RSA!