L plates

A pal's sister was trying to learn to drive and got so intimidated by all the beeping, flashing lights and gestures at her, she has apparantly stopped driving completely.
 
I'm quite surprised at some of the stories in this thread. I had my L plates up for about a year and only got beeped at once ever - and this was when I stalled twice at traffic lights...I would have beeped at myself that time!
 
As a current learner driver myself , I come across a lot of these people who I can only call idiots and the the ones usually beeping are the ones I would call dangerous drivers.

When I first started driving if I stalled and someone beeped me which they usually did , this only served to make me more flustered and panic as a result I found it v off putting and didnt want to go back out on the road but then a friend told me if hit happened again just roll down my window and give them the finger, not very polite I know but certainly effective.

I am a lot more competent at driving now and would consider myself v cautious and stick to all the rules of the road speed limits, INDICATORS etc which full licence drivers seem to forget
 
Long time ago since I learned to drive but I still remember one of my first lessons and the idiot behind sitting on his horn after my car stalled at a junction. It only made matters worse as I frantically tried to get the car going only to flood the engine.
Also i had to restrain my Dad who was teaching me from getting out of the car and giving the other driver a piece of his mind.
I've always kept this in mind and even when I'm behind the most incompetent L drivers I never ever beep them! However that doesn't apply when I come up against some more "experienced" drivers!
 
Only started driving last year as I've never had a real need for a car and probably still don't.

Didn't find any major problems with the L plates when I had them.

However I do find many drivers trying to intimidate me because I drive an old and small car. I often get jumped at roundabouts and tailgated on major and minor roads.

I don't really bother blowing the horn when I get jumped as it's about as intimidating as the bell on my bike. When I get tailgated I just take the foot off the accelerator and slow right down. I was freewheeling at 20kph last week in the Phoenix Park with a Taxi on my bumper. When they back off I speed up. Usually works for me.
 
DeeFox said:
I'm quite surprised at some of the stories in this thread. I had my L plates up for about a year and only got beeped at once ever - and this was when I stalled twice at traffic lights...I would have beeped at myself that time!
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I don't see the point of beeping at people who've stalled at lights, even if it happens several times. They're not doing it deliberately so its not going to speed things up. People who are daydreaming and dont notice the lights have turned green (as I have often done) need to be beeped at to get moving.
 
i remember it well its a disgrace. i remember there was 2 lanes onto a main road one to go left one to go right i was going left watching the traffic busy road well didnt a TAXI driver go into the right lane and cut right across me. Pure ignorance. so anytime i see a Learner driver im always very patient and let them go at their own pace.
 
I make allowance for any learners in test cars, or learners who are very obviously under instruction (driving slowly etc), but make no special allowance (either way) for unaccompanied learner drivers - if they are driving poorly, chances are they are on first licence and shouldn't be unaccompanied.

I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to make life awkward for them by tailgating, passing unsafely or unnecessary beeping of horn which I experienced as a learner driver and occasionally see others do.

Plus in fairness, you're as likely to see poor behaviour from drivers with learner plates as drivers without them. And let's not start on Taxi drivers.
 
And let's not start on Taxi drivers.
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There seems to be some new rule in Dublin whereby Taxis must have one of their breaklights not working (hard to say if indicators are not working as they dont use them anyway). It also appears to be mandatory to have fog lights on with no headlights at night.
 
i have just started giving some driving lessons to a family member,and i,ve noticed its mainly women drivers who are honking,the male ones just pass by regardless of continous white lines ,roundabouts etc,so has anyone else found this.
 
We all had to learn to drive so am tolerant enough myself. However there are some specials out there.

However what bugs the hell out of me are those who have cut out the 'l's out of the signs and just put them up, or those that have managed to put them up the wrong way round (i.e. with the horizontal part of the l pointing to the left). My particular favourite that I saw today was an L sig hanging from a 'Baby on Board' sticker, and a 'Princess on Board' sticker hanging from that. Also a small collection of soft toys in back window. It's a car not a display cabinet! Puhleese!!

Sorry for going OT
 
amtc said:
My particular favourite that I saw today was an L sig hanging from a 'Baby on Board' sticker, and a 'Princess on Board' sticker hanging from that.
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I don't get the rationale behind "baby on board" or similar signs. Is that to warn me of possible projectile vomiting heading my way from junior having gorged themselves with too much coke & chocs ? I know that cars are likely to carry children. Equally I know that they are likely to carry elderly people, middle aged people etc. etc. Should we have signs for "great-grandad in zimmer frame onboard" ? I'll be equally careful of the car in front of me regardless of signage. It's not the kids on board one has to be careful about but that most dangerous component in the car... the nut behind the steering wheel. ( Tuesday morning after b/holiday rant over)
 
rmelly said:
I make allowance for any learners in test cars, or learners who are very obviously under instruction (driving slowly etc), but make no special allowance (either way) for unaccompanied learner drivers - if they are driving poorly, chances are they are on first licence and shouldn't be unaccompanied.

I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to make life awkward for them by tailgating, passing unsafely or unnecessary beeping of horn which I experienced as a learner driver and occasionally see others do.

Plus in fairness, you're as likely to see poor behaviour from drivers with learner plates as drivers without them. And let's not start on Taxi drivers.
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dont think u should be doing this to anyone as its illegal
 
foxylady said:
dont think u should be doing this to anyone as its illegal
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I think perhaps you mis-read what rmelly said?

rmelly said:
I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to make life awkward for them
by tailgating, passing unsafely or unnecessary beeping of horn
which I experienced as a learner driver and occasionally see others do.
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I understood that to mean that rmelly would NOT do what was done to him/her and what he/she still sees going on.
 
I drive a van and never give learner drivers a hard time, what's the point?
All that happens when learners are flashed or beeped at is they get frustrated, panic and make mistakes.

I have always driven a van did my test in it and have had a full licence for some years but I want to get a car so I can put big stupid looking L plates on to it so when someone beeps or flashes me I'll get out of the car and ask them what their problem is?

Grrrrr can't wait!!!
 
TreeTiger said:
I think perhaps you mis-read what rmelly said?


I understood that to mean that rmelly would NOT do what was done to him/her and what he/she still sees going on.
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I understood that too, but it was made to sound as if they were doing learner drivers a favour as oppesed to just driving properly.
 
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