R Plates

System

If your full license is issued by DVLNI you need to display R plates whilst driving in Northern Ireland. That's no matter where you did your test.

So if you do your test on the mailand send your certificate to Swansea who will issue a GB license. R plates are then not required when driving at home.

I believe P plates are optional on the mainland.

HOPE

Indo77 wrote: »

You don't need R-Plates up if you passed your test outside Northern Ireland ever. It's a stupid law since it's illegal for someone to drive at more than 45mph on a motorway.

I think you will find that the speed limit on the motorway is 70 mph and 60mph on a two way unrestricted road.

Indo77

HOPE wrote: »

I think you will find that the speed limit on the motorway is 70 mph and 60mph on a two way unrestricted road.

Unless I am mistaken it's not for R-Plate drivers - maybe this has been changed. 45mph is a dangerous speed to drive on a motorway. On several occassions I have had to reduce speed dramatically when an R-Plate driver has some off a slip road. You can hardly change lanes if the overtaking lane is occupied. It's not their fault, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Golden_Anemone

Indo77 wrote: »

It's not their fault, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Actually I think the scenario you've describved would be their fault. They should ensure there is noone approaching them in the lane they are about to enter before entering it by stopping at the end of the onslip if necessary. I've had to do this at busy motorway onslips on many an occasion and I'm not restricted. Agreed they are inexperienced but they still have to give way to traffic who are already in the lane.

jtay77

R Plate restrictions are indeed a restriction of the Northern Ireland licence, along with the speed restrictions. You only ever have to serve one period of restriction, so if you were banned until retest, on passing you are not bound by the restrictions.

As another poster has said, if you are driving on a licence from another country, you are bound by whatever restrictions are imposed on that licence. For example, southern drivers used to be able to drive unaccompanied as a learner, and were able to do so in the North, but i'm not sure if this is still allowed.

As regards displaying R plates, you are supposed to take these up and down as the driver changes, the same with L plates. If an unrestricted driver displays L or R plates and exceeds 45 mph on an unrestricted road, you can be liable for a speeding ticket, although I think there are no points attached to it.

SnowyOwl_2

jtay77 wrote: »

As another poster has said, if you are driving on a licence from another country, you are bound by whatever restrictions are imposed on that licence. For example, southern drivers used to be able to drive unaccompanied as a learner, and were able to do so in the North, but i'm not sure if this is still allowed.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Their law has changed now and L drivers in the south are not permitted to drive solo. It caused much whining and gnashing of teeth as it was normal to go out alone without having demonstrated any level of competency. I am quite stunned that non-licensed drivers were ever allowed out on NI roads.

As far as driving on the road in NI as a restricted driver, then are you even allowed on the motorway? The point of an R plate is to allow the driver to gain experience as a driver before they start driving at higher speeds. Learning to drive to pass your test is one thing, but being competent in all road conditions and circumstances is harder to teach and can really only be learnt by experience. I think that the R plate system is a very very good idea as it shows other drivers that a particular driver may be nervous or may make some errors due to lack of experience.

With regard to the answer to the OP's question. err, dunno, sorry...

Indo77

SnowyOwl wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Their law has changed now and L drivers in the south are not permitted to drive solo. It caused much whining and gnashing of teeth as it was normal to go out alone without having demonstrated any level of competency. I am quite stunned that non-licensed drivers were ever allowed out on NI roads.

As far as driving on the road in NI as a restricted driver, then are you even allowed on the motorway? The point of an R plate is to allow the driver to gain experience as a driver before they start driving at higher speeds. Learning to drive to pass your test is one thing, but being competent in all road conditions and circumstances is harder to teach and can really only be learnt by experience. I think that the R plate system is a very very good idea as it shows other drivers that a particular driver may be nervous or may make some errors due to lack of experience.

With regard to the answer to the OP's question. err, dunno, sorry...

In theory the R-Plate system should work but it doesn't. The focus is on your first year driving and not on maturity (i.e. age). The majority of serious accidents are caused by the 18-25 group, meaning a 19 year old could be driving 2 years and not have the R-Plate restriction applied anymore. To those who do abide by it, they are forced to drive at 45 mph on a motorway which is crazy, 60 mph should be the limit in these conditions.

suki1964

I loved my first year on R plates - having taken my test at 42

For me the driving lessons were all about passing a test - not learning to drive - that took the year or R plates. Sure I used to exceed the 45 restriction where the conditions demanded it but if I was feeling nervous, not sure of where I was etc, it was great to be able to fall back on the R's and having other road users having to be patient with me.

Saying that the first time I came down the M2 and onto the M3 - I would have killed or been killed if I had stuck to the 45mph. I had to speed up to road conditions in order to safely manoeuvre.

As for the OP - you have a licence issued from Swansea you dont need your R plates here. As for P plates which are sometimes seen on English roads, these are optional for new drivers as a warning to others around them that they are new drivers. There are no restrictions to heed so P drivers are not really shown any courtesies

astrid35

If your licence was issued in GB, then no R restriction applies in NI. However, DVLA (in GB) don't allow you to register an NI address on a GB licence and vice versa. So if the licence holders permanent address is in NI, they technically should apply to the DVLNI for an NI licence (it is free to exchange your licence from GB). However, what I don't know is if you exchange your licence within the first year of passing whether a restriction applies.

If the licence holder's permanent address is in GB and they are just driving in NI sometimes, then the GB licence is fine and no restriction applies.

HOPE

Indo77 wrote: »

Unless I am mistaken it's not for R-Plate drivers - maybe this has been changed. 45mph is a dangerous speed to drive on a motorway. On several occassions I have had to reduce speed dramatically when an R-Plate driver has some off a slip road. You can hardly change lanes if the overtaking lane is occupied. It's not their fault, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Sorry Indo77 - I had not my glasses on!! Was thinking of fully qualified drivers.