Precautions for new driver

Guest101

wba31 wrote: »

Black box is a good shout, when I passed at 19 I was a complete moron behind the wheel, a black box would have been good for me to slow me down etc

Unlikely if parents are footing the bill though

Joe_Horner

[quote=[Deleted User];71382680]I believe there is only one road in the UK with a 70 sign. No doubt others will disagree.[/QUOTE]

2 I think. One stretch of the A55 just up the road from here and one somewhere in Scottish land.

Both because they're non-motorways but have motorway restrictions in place so don't fall under the rules that determine the national speed limit.


OP, try not to fret too much.

Despite the media impressions the vast majority of young drivers get along absolutely fine without harming themselves, their cars, or anyone else. Otherwise where have all those older drivers that you're asking for advice come from?

elsien

Deleted_User wrote: »

I wouldn't use green P plates either. Just screams to other road users that you passed by fluke and not a confident driver. They will take advantage of you too..

How on earth do you equate a P plate with someone only passing as a fluke?
How will other drivers take advantage? If they don't get into silly head to heads, that can only be a good thing.

forgotmyname

I bought the car they paid the insurance. Seemed sensible to me. If they dont drive carefully then they wont be able to afford next years premium.

unforeseen

Joe_Horner wrote: »

2one somewhere in Scottish land.

Both because they're non-motorways but have motorway restrictions in place so don't fall under the rules that determine the national speed limit.

A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass comes to mind. Always found it strange that it appeared to be a motorway but was an A road. I thought it was a weird Scottish thing

Iceweasel

[quote=[Deleted User];71382680]I believe there is only one road in the UK with a 70 sign. No doubt others will disagree.[/QUOTE]

One road in England maybe.

But we have:

The dual carriageway A1 heading East out of Edinburgh.

The A720 Edinburgh bypass

The A55 in North Wales.

N Ireland - I don't know.

It's all to do with speed limits under the 'Special Roads' Act 1949 - the 'Highways Act 1959 and then 1980.

Motorways come under different legislation e.g. The Motorways Traffic (Speed Limit) Regulations 1974

There are loads of these 'Special Roads' in Scotland.

Joe_Horner

unforeseen wrote: »

A720 City of Edinburgh Bypass comes to mind. Always found it strange that it appeared to be a motorway but was an A road. I thought it was a weird Scottish thing

That's the other one

It's (obviously, as the A720!) not a motorway but for whatever reason they've restricted the usual non-motorway traffic (learners, tractors, cyclists, pedestrians etc) which means it can't be a "general road" because a general road has to be open to all users (barring weight / width limits).

The NSL definitions only apply to motorways and general roads so an NSL sign on those stretches would leave them unrestricted (as NSL used to be). We're not allowed any fun nowadays, so they put up 70 signs instead.

Oh, and green P plates usually a bad idea unless the driver wants the "comfort" of having them.

Many drivers seem to react as badly to them as they do to L plates and, rather than making extra allowance / paying extra awareness (as intended) treat them as a reason to bully / harass / get impatient.

lister

elsien wrote: »

How on earth do you equate a P plate with someone only passing as a fluke?
How will other drivers take advantage? If they don't get into silly head to heads, that can only be a good thing.

Would agree with Lee. As a driving instructor I always advise my students not to put P plates on.

If you saw both how badly (and dangerously) many drivers act around learners, and how overly considerate many others are (equally problematic), you would understand why.

Might as well put a massive sign on the roof saying 'treat me like dirt I am a newbie'.

I wouldn't agree it says you passed by chance, but I get what was meant. Typically people who put P plates on are those who are not the most confident of new drivers. By putting them on, you get carved up even more than average, therefore helping to perpetuate any lack of confidence.

Sadly, life on the roads can be something akin to life on the savannah as a wildebeest or gazelle, and putting a big advert up saying you may well be one of the weaker members of the herd isn't really a smart thing to do in my book when the lions and hyenas (usually in the guise of BMWs and Audis) are prowling. Hide amongst the masses and gain experience is the way to go.

Joe_Horner

lister wrote: »

[...] (usually in the guise of BMWs and Audis) [...]

Was agreeing with that whole post up to that bit

Next time you see a red E34 5 series in your mirror giving your pupil an appropriate 3 second or so gap before correctly overtaking (including use of the optional indicator system) when safe and legal to do so, it's probably me. :beer:

bigadaj

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Was agreeing with that whole post up to that bit

Next time you see a red E34 5 series in your mirror giving your pupil an appropriate 3 second or so gap before correctly overtaking (including use of the optional indicator system) when safe and legal to do so, it's probably me. :beer:

You're the exception that proves the rule.