Provisional Licence Driver?

spunkymunky

Guys
Im currently on my 4th prov licence (I know 4th but had a bike for years and foolishly fill in the car section on the licence aswell) anyway... I am currently insured on the car at home and the folks have a hang up about me driving on my own on account of having to have a fully licenced driver in the car at all times!!!
My question is
How strict is this rules with regard to the gardai and the insurance folks? Would i be cool driving on my own (the girlfriend doesnt like the company)?
Thanks
SM

edmund_f

cops + young male unlicensed driver = cool???

at the very least get a date for a test, and carry the letter around with your provisional license, perhaps you may be able to argue the point with the cop at the side of the road, if you are lucky enough to find a cool one.

If you do, get his number, i want to meet him/her, the mythical cool cop. Must be sort of like the fish that got away, must be out there, heard of them, just never actually seen one of them with my own eyes.

MrPudding

How many lessons have you had? How much supervised driving have you done? Do you really think you should be driving on your own? The rule is there for a reason.

MrP

seamus

MrPudding wrote:

How many lessons have you had? How much supervised driving have you done? Do you really think you should be driving on your own? The rule is there for a reason.

That's really the crux of it. You say you were driving a bike for years, so how long have you been driving a car? The bike will give you certain roadcraft, but the style of driving is fundamentally different, so I don't think your bike experience counts for loads.

As for the Gardai....well the problem is the usual one in Ireland. The penalties are quite severe. Judges have recently been imposing 6 month bans on prov. drivers for driving unaccompanied, as a deterrent. But there's no detection. Like everything else in this country, the penalties are there, but not enough people receive them.

I've been driving 5 years now at this point. 1.5 years in a car and the remainder on a bike. 3 times, my licence has been looked at. In 5 years. Once was after an accident, and twice was coming out of town after work at midnight, they were doing tax checks (my tax disc and licence used to be in the same sleeve). In the last two years, I've met random checkpoints twice, and not had to present my licence even once. And I do the averge 10k miles per year.

So there's your answer. I wouldn't advise driving without accompaniment, but your chances are being caught are very low.

spunkymunky

Yeah i know the bike experience doesnt really come into it, i mean what are lanes for . As far as experience ive been driving since september accompanied and am getting there. I feel id be ok on the short hopes. But a six month ban (if found out) i dont think that would work at all. Was just wondering is all. Was more the insurance side (if i hit somebody)
My dad is driving me mad with his "slow down, mind this and that" when its all obvious.
Suppose ill just have to keep as is. Test should be soon but you know with this irish system, could be forever!!!
Thanks
SM

Andrew Duffy

If you hit somebody, the third-party part of your insurance will cover their damages, whereas your cover (if you have any) will be invalid.

Seth Brundle

spunkymunky wrote:

My dad is driving me mad with his "slow down, mind this and that" when its all obvious.

Is there a reason for him saying this?

lomb

kbannon wrote:

Is there a reason for him saying this?

yeah hes lost his sanity and rational thinking mechanism and believes whatever the goverment tell him go metric go safe

koneko

Is it their car? Wasn't clear from your original post, but if so, then yeah it's fully understandble. You might feel like a very safe/good driver, but most learners do, even when they aren't. Your parents are older and have the benefits of years of driving experience and can probably see bad habits or small dangerous things, that you aren't even aware of. Aside from that it's illegal as you know, and you could land in a bit of bother if the Guardi catch you and do something about it (and your parents are looking out for your best interests).

Book a test.

ambro25

kbannon wrote:

Is there a reason for him saying this?

(...) when it's all obvious (...)

Probably his young pup of a son, thinking by the look of thinks like he can drive with the best of'em and has already forgotten more than his dad will ever know...