P Plates or not to P Plate

Windsor70

Hi

I am a newish driver, I passed my test about 7 months ago. I wear my P Plates when I am doing a route that I am not overly familiar with.

This evening I was doing a route that I have only done once before, I felt really comfortable driving but had my P Plates on just incase. I had this silver car driving up my bumper even though I was doing the speed limit for the road, 40mph, I then came to do a right turn, I was lined up at my point of turn (mirror in line etc so I dont cut corners) and this twit of a man, effed me! it has upset me as I cant think for the life of me what I could have possibly done wrong to grate on his driving nerves!!

So to more experienced drivers, can I ask what you think when you see P Plates, do you give extra distance etc or are P Plates a red rag to a bull?

PasturesNew

He was probably just an arrogant twit, who would have effed you if you'd been younger than him, older than him, female, grey, a different colour to him, with a tatty car, with a smarter car then him.

Any good driver will be mindful of a P plate - you clearly encountered a bad driver.

wallbash

If and when I see the 'P' I will try and remember what it was like when I started out on my own .And treat the driver with all the consideration of a learner i.e give them room , be patient and expect the unexpected.
Use the 'P' until you feel comfortable .

Hammyman

Some drivers are just morons. He was probably annoyed at having to drive at the speed limit - not your problem.

KillerWatt

P plate to me means the driver is a noob and I should expect them to f*** up from time to time - ergo cut them some slack as we all had to learn at some point.

There are some forum users here who wouldn't extend that courtesy if their life depended on it judging by what I have seen of their driving skills, but I'm sure they'll meet someone who is just as bad as them at some point and get the lesson they so badly need.

Windsor70

PasturesNew wrote: »

He was probably just an arrogant twit, who would have effed you if you'd been younger than him, older than him, female, grey, a different colour to him, with a tatty car, with a smarter car then him.

Any good driver will be mindful of a P plate - you clearly encountered a bad driver.

He was my age. Slightly older in his 40's. My car did look better than his actually lol it was cleaned yesterday and looks fab even though its not a new one so maybe he took offence to the sparkle coming it?

Windsor70

wallbash wrote: »

If and when I see the 'P' I will try and remember what it was like when I started out on my own .And treat the driver with all the consideration of a learner i.e give them room , be patient and expect the unexpected.
Use the 'P' until you feel comfortable .

Thanks for the reply, I do wear them also as courtesy to other drivers. They do seem to annoy white van drivers who could really send the fear up me by driving so close, I am more confident now and just carry on driving at the speed for the road and have had idiots drive dangerously to avoid me as if the P stands for Plague!

rev_henry

Middle aged twit. Feel free to ignore. Personally I think you've been driving long enough to not use P plates but each to their own and that. And what does 'effed' mean? I presume some offensive gesture?

Windsor70

Hammyman wrote: »

Some drivers are just morons. He was probably annoyed at having to drive at the speed limit - not your problem.

Thanks Hammyman, I know you are right and the replies are starting to make me feel better and not question myself. I even started to read the highway code again as it bothered me so much lol

Windsor70

KillerWatt wrote: »

P plate to me means the driver is a noob and I should expect them to f*** up from time to time - ergo cut them some slack as we all had to learn at some point.

There are some forum users here who wouldn't extend that courtesy if their life depended on it judging by what I have seen of their driving skills, but I'm sure they'll meet someone who is just as bad as them at some point and get the lesson they so badly need.

Thanks Killerwatt, I dont think the P's are a bad thing, after all I can honestly say I have learnt more since passing my test than with an instructor sat next to me which is the whole point of getting experience.

I would even worry about my parking skills, until I started to see how badly others can do it, so I dont beat myself up if I am slightly wonky in a bay.

Its just nuts how some people are on the road and my daughter was sat in the passenger seat as well. If I had been obstructive and holding him up, I could maybe understand his language but I wasnt.

Windsor70

rev_henry wrote: »

Middle aged twit. Feel free to ignore. Personally I think you've been driving long enough to not use P plates but each to their own and that. And what does 'effed' mean? I presume some offensive gesture?

Hi Rev_Henry, effed = the F word lol he shouted for f-sake or something through his window at me! Defintely that swear word.

Yes you are right, and I dont always use my P's to be honest, just on unfamilair routes (maybe as a comforter to me) but also out of respect for other drivers.

I will try and ignore though, its not like I could go hunt him down and hopefully will probably never encounter him again, it just is a bit of dented confidence which I guess I will get over