L Badges and N Badges together on one car?

PowRTocH

Why is it that the Gardaí never tell Irish drivers that you cannot be a learner and a newly passed driver at the same time - if they cannot make up their minds what they are they shouldn't be driving?

I have seen quite a few L and N badges on the same car recently - is it that the person cannot decide whether they have passed yet? Or is it that they cannot see the L badge when they put on the new N one?

And if two different people drive the same car - the one that doesn't apply to them surely has to be removed?

Lets hope the N driver is not teaching the L driver?

But I don't suppose that matters in Ireland either - with the number of L drivers still driving on their own with no supervision - and it is so easy to get a Pass certificate without even knowing what to do at a round-a-bout - which is the correct lane to get in and which indicator to use.

But I suppose they part is not covered in the driving test - or where you buy your licence.

L1011

There is, currently, no rule preventing a fully licenced driver from driving with L or N plates on their car. You can have a situation where someone with N plates drives the car unaccompanied legally and the L plate is up for another driver when undertaking lessons or otherwise accompanied.

spacetweek

Moved to Motors forum.

ironclaw

L1011 wrote: »

There is, currently, no rule preventing a fully licenced driver from driving with L or N plates on their car. You can have a situation where someone with N plates drives the car unaccompanied legally and the L plate is up for another driver when undertaking lessons or otherwise accompanied.

In the case of the L plate it would be a fairly numpty thing to do if you are fully qualified as you are just going to get untold attention on motorways.

I believe its people being idiots. The chances of someone having an N and L plate driver on the same car are pretty remote, not impossible, but certainly not enough of the population to justify the amount I see every day. Its terrifying as these people have passed tests and possibly make decisions in their work life, but are unable to comprehend the difference between the plates and when you should / should not display them.

skibum

I know of a car that is shared with a brother and sister, brother is on "N" plates and sister is still a learner on "L" plates, they leave both plates up, so if they are stopped they are covered....

RandomAccess

skibum wrote: »

I know of a car that is shared with a brother and sister, brother is on "N" plates and sister is still a learner on "L" plates, they leave both plates up, so if they are stopped they are covered....

Yes, This ^
Christ its hardly crime of the century.

JohnBoy26

ironclaw wrote: »

In the case of the L plate it would be a fairly numpty thing to do if you are fully qualified as you are just going to get untold attention on motorways.

I believe its people being idiots. The chances of someone having an N and L plate driver on the same car are pretty remote, not impossible, but certainly not enough of the population to justify the amount I see every day. Its terrifying as these people have passed tests and possibly make decisions in their work life, but are unable to comprehend the difference between the plates and when you should / should not display them.

No it's not.

jimgoose

Inappropriate use of "L" and/or "N" plates is illegal in the U.K. but it is not illegal here. And rightly so, it would be a colossal pain in the hole in households where a couple of youngsters use the family car. All I can say to you is, try to cope somehow, and regularly wipe the flecks of spittle off the rear-view mirror.

lifer_sean

+1 on multiple drivers.

I don't see why the OP is surprised by this.

Lots of households have more than one teenager learning to drive. Shortest period of time to get test here (in Limerick) is 9 months, so L plate up for at least 9 months. N plate has to be up for two years. So quite likely to need both plates up.

As for taking them up and down all the time ... not workable. For example, I sit in with one of the teenagers when driving to town (accompanied L driver). If I drive home from town, I'm not going to take down L plate, and then put them back up an hour later.

BettePorter

Having either on the car (never mind BOTH) is hardly a badge of honour OP (for a 17 yr old newbie maybe) so i'd take it that they're both in place with reason! How exactly does it offend ur senses so much that it deserves a whole thread!?

Tbh i'm more offended by naff baby on boards signs

ironclaw

ironclaw wrote: »

. The chances of someone having an N and L plate driver on the same car are pretty remote,.

It's not remote at all, loads of people learn to drive as a named driver on a parents car and lots of family's have multiple children who often have over lap in their leaning to drive. An N plate is up for two years so it's very likely a sibling will be learning to drive in the mean time.

It would be stupid if you had to remove the N plate and out up the L plate and vice versa every time the driver changes, it would be a massive pain in the arse.

uck51js9zml2yt

Can't see how people think its a monumental pain to chailnge the L and N. Takes a whole 60 seconds.

jimgoose

Jared Old Rationalism wrote: »

Can't see how people think its a monumental pain to chailnge the L and N. Takes a whole 60 seconds.

Oh for fcuk sake. Do you even drive? Outside of the XPlayBox, like??

uck51js9zml2yt

jimgoose wrote: »

Oh for fcuk sake. Do you even drive? Outside of the XPlayBox, like??

Been driving vehicles bigger than a car for over 25 years. I don't have an Xbox and know how to phrase a question without inserting grammatically incorrect words.

jimgoose

Jared Old Rationalism wrote: »

Been driving vehicles bigger than a car for over 25 years. I don't have an Xbox and know how to phrase a question without inserting grammatically incorrect words.

Good for you. I assume you're talking about trucks? Happy plate-changing. Have a wink back.

uck51js9zml2yt

jimgoose wrote: »

Good for you. I assume you're talking about trucks? Happy plate-changing. Have a wink back.

You can get back to your Xbox now !

JohnBoy26

Jared Old Rationalism wrote: »

Can't see how people think its a monumental pain to chailnge the L and N. Takes a whole 60 seconds.

Whats the point in taking them down when they'll only have to be put back up again?

jimgoose

Jared Old Rationalism wrote: »

You can get back to your Xbox now !

It's a ZX Spectrum!

Pugzilla

Legally, you can't have both up since it's impossible for the driver to be simultaneously a learner and a novice.

jimgoose

Pugzilla wrote: »

Legally, you can't have both up since it's impossible for the driver to be simultaneously a learner and a novice.

Rubbish.

The_Honeybadger

A family with young adults could easily have two regular drivers of the car, one learning and one recently passed their test. It would not be practical to change the plates every time they sat into the car. Mystery solved!

I really don't see the issue at all.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

Pugzilla wrote: »

Legally, you can't have both up since it's impossible for the driver to be simultaneously a learner and a novice.

Schrodinger's car?

Dean12319

On this subject I've seen a few cars like this with both fair enough, but more than one can affect visibility. For example yesterday I saw a car driving around with both plates on either side of the rear and front screen.

pillphil

Jared Old Rationalism wrote: »

Been driving vehicles bigger than a car for over 25 years. I don't have an Xbox and know how to phrase a question without inserting grammatically incorrect words.

Why would you run the risk of forgetting to put them back up?

Pugzilla

jimgoose wrote: »

Rubbish.

Tell me why? A driver is either a learner, a novice or a normal driver. The plates are specifically for the current driver of the vehicle in that exact moment of time and space. They aren't supposed to be left on out of pure laziness when someone else drives the car. Only one plate should be up at any time.

J.pilkington

Pugzilla wrote: »

Tell me why? A driver is either a learner, a novice or a normal driver. The plates are specifically for the current driver of the vehicle in that exact moment of time and space. They aren't supposed to be left on out of pure laziness when someone else drives the car. Only one plate should be up at any time.

At the end of the day they are stickers they are not made to be taken on and off frequently

Pugzilla

J.pilkington wrote: »

At the end of the day they are stickers they are not made to be taken on and off frequently

No one does it in practice, but technically they should only be on when that respective driver is in control of the vehicle.

slimjimmc

Pugzilla wrote: »

No one does it in practice, but technically they should only be on when that respective driver is in control of the vehicle.

I understand you believe it should be that way but technically Irish law does not say any such thing. It says a learner must show an L-plate and a novice driver must show an N-plate, but technically it does not prohibit other drivers displaying it nor does it prohibit both being displayed at the same time.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

No one does it in practice, but technically they should only be on when that respective driver is in control of the vehicle.

There is no such law in Ireland and rightly so, you are incorrect. The plates are stickers they are not designed for being taken on and off. The driver of the car could change 3 or 4 time a day imagine having to take up and down plates multiple timers per day, it would be crazy carry on. I don't see why you have such an issue with it anyway what difference does the plates make to you.

Fully licence drivers are driving cars with L plates for years and years when driving the car in which a learner is also driving. People (with little else to worry about) are only taking notice now with the addition of N plates also.

Pugzilla

Well **** it....
So someone with a driving licence for 30 years can drive around with a L plate without repercussions?

Pugzilla

I hate the ***** with L plates on motorways

slimjimmc

Pugzilla wrote: »

Well **** it....
So someone with a driving licence for 30 years can drive around with a L plate without repercussions?

No legal repercussions but some drivers might not treat them nicely though.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

Well **** it....
So someone with a driving licence for 30 years can drive around with a L plate without repercussions?

Of course they can and have been for years as I said in my edited post above. Most parents of learner drivers drive with L plates on if the car is also the car their son/daughter is learning in. My parents drive with L plates for years as there was a few of us leaning over the years in their cars and they had full licences for 30 years plus.

Why should their be any repercussions?

Pugzilla

Christian Spicy Chimp wrote: »

Of course they can and have been for years as I said in my edited post above. Most parents of learner drivers drive with L plates on if the car is also the car their son/daughter is learning in. My parents drive with L plates for years as there was a few of us leaning over the years in their cars and they had full licences for 30 years plus.

Why should their be any repercussions?

Would be nice to know if someone is a genuine learner. I can tolerate slow learners.

If everyone is driving around with L plates, then it renders it useless.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

Would be nice to know if someone is a genuine learner. I can tolerate slow learners.

If everyone is driving around with L plates, then it renders it useless.

They are pointless anyway, I never alter my driving be it a learner, N plate or no plates. Any one can be equally as bad or good.

I see no reason at all to care about people driving with L or N plates who are fully qualified it's silly nit picking nothing more.

JohnBoy26

Pugzilla wrote: »

Well **** it....
So someone with a driving licence for 30 years can drive around with a L plate without repercussions?

Better to have them up all the time than not up at all. The only repercussion will be for the learner driver if no plates are displayed.

cletus

This is nearly as ridiculous as the thread last year with the fella complaining about people having antlers on their car at christmas

jimgoose

Pugzilla wrote: »

Tell me why? A driver is either a learner, a novice or a normal driver. The plates are specifically for the current driver of the vehicle in that exact moment of time and space. They aren't supposed to be left on out of pure laziness when someone else drives the car. Only one plate should be up at any time.

That's a whole other question. I personally think it's no harm to leave plates up - sure everyone gets shown respect, courtesy and patience on the road, right?? - but as I said earlier this is illegal in the UK, but not here.

Pugzilla

cletus wrote: »

This is nearly as ridiculous as the thread last year with the fella complaining about people having antlers on their car at christmas

Tell me why please. It's as bad as having no plates in my eyes.

kleefarr

Makes sense if a learner and newly passed driver use the car.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

Tell me why please. It's as bad as having no plates in my eyes.

How do you feel about driving instructors driving their own cars?

Pugzilla

Deleted User wrote: »

How do you feel about driving instructors driving their own cars?

They have driving licences, so no problem there.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

They have driving licences, so no problem there.

So do the people that you don't want driving cars with L plates on them. Just like the driving instructors.

Pugzilla

Deleted User wrote: »

So do the people that you don't want driving cars with L plates on them. Just like the driving instructors.

It's pretty obvious that if there's a lone driver in one of those cars that it's not a learner. That's not the case with normal cars.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

It's pretty obvious that if there's a lone driver in one of those cars that it's not a learner. That's not the case with normal cars.

That's how I tend to work it, if someone doesn't have a passenger, then they're not a learner.

Pugzilla

Lots of learners still driving unsupervised. Hard to catch them if other people are inappropriately using L plates.

Pugzilla

Pugzilla wrote: »

Lots of learners still driving unsupervised. Hard to catch them if other people are inappropriately using L plates.

Fair point.

Fred Swanson

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No it shouldnt, it's a nonsensical rule in the Uk that does nothing but cause hassle for people sharing a car. It's far more sensible here.

Pugzilla wrote: »

It's pretty obvious that if there's a lone driver in one of those cars that it's not a learner. That's not the case with normal cars.

What if they have family members in the car, instructors also use their cars for private use.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Pugzilla wrote:

Tell me why? A driver is either a learner, a novice or a normal driver. The plates are specifically for the current driver of the vehicle in that exact moment of time and space. They aren't supposed to be left on out of pure laziness when someone else drives the car. Only one plate should be up at any time.

Is the concept of multiple drivers on the same care that alien to some people?

Are you suggesting the plates are changed every time the drivers change? Do you have any idea how idiotic that sounds?

Pugzilla

Monroe Grumpy Star wrote: »

Is the concept of multiple drivers on the same care that alien to some people?

Are you suggesting the plates are changed every time the drivers change? Do you have any idea how idiotic that sounds?

It takes 10 seconds to change the stick-on plates. Not like they're bolted on to the car. It's not a valid argument. It's down to typical Irish laziness and the 'be grand' attitude.