I thought I would help the less intelligent road users regarding learner drivers.
Firstly, they are liable to do the following: Stall, roll back on a hill, drive slowly - or even, believe it or not - at the correct speed for a particular road.
To help you further, these learner drivers are also easily recognisable by a large red letter L.
So for all you impatient and irritating road users, I hope this helps you when you are shouting abuse, sounding your horn and intimidating these learner drivers.
Mark Harris, DSA ADI, Shifnal
18 Comments
Well said. I passed my test 7 years ago and found driving lessons at times to be terrifying when facing the type of road users described above. I will admit to driving too fast on occations now but when behind a learner driver I do keep my distance and try not to intimidate them as I remember how awful it can be.
I remember well how it feels to be a learner having not long passed my test and agree with Sarah that it can be terrifying especially when it seems that the other drivers on the road forget that they were once in the same position. I would also like people to spare a thought for the ‘new’ drivers, the ones with the ‘P’ plate, sadly this plate as with the ‘L’ plate does not seem to make many other drivers realise that you may be a bit hesitant or stall and surprisingly stick to the speed limits as you are still getting used to being in the car on your own
People should remember that they were once in that situation. I passed in 1994 and I can still remember how terrifying lessons can be.
Can I just point out another angle on this, not only should other drivers be more consideration but cyclists need to sort themselves out especially at night.
Frequently on the road are cyclists with no lights or reflective clothing (most professional cyclists are very good at making themselves seen). If you can afford to by a bike then £10 for decent lights should be a drop in the ocean and a lot better than risking your life on the road.
Thank goodness Im not the only person who thinks that some road users can be intimidating. I am currently learning to drive and the amount of people who think that its ok to drive really close up the rear is amazing, however bus drivers are the most impatient!
People forget that they too once were learners!
Mark. Could not agree more. People forget they had to learn once and in most cases not under the same pressures learners face today.
It`s not learners who make me angry, quite the opposite. It`s the morons who think they are invincible, driving at excessive speeds, taking lunatic risks and for what, yes to join the queuing traffic 2 seconds faster.
Example. a couple of days ago on the A5 travelling north near to the Monford bridge turning. A small white van screamed past the line of traffic which was travelling at 55mph only to be held up by a lorry. Seconds later a blue golf driven in the manner and direction tried to overtake the white van. The van pulled out overtaking the lorry as the golf was overtaking. The vehicles were close to being three abreast and still racing off. Madness.
I passed my test in December, & it is rediculous how inconsiderate people are to learners and new drivers. Even now, I find that more experience drivers than myself are very dangerous, I stick to the speed limit, and find that the experienced drivers behind me are trying to bully me into speeding by driving close to the rear of my car, for those of you who are guilty of this remember this moto: ONLY A FOOL BREAKS THE 2 SECOND RULE. I also find that when I am sat on a hill at traffic lights or a roundabout someone will stop inches from the rear of my car, if I was to stall or even roll back just a little bit I would make contact with their car and they would soon be shouting at me then, so another thing to remember for those of you who are guilty of this is when you are stationery behind another car you should be able to see the rear tyres on the ground! I think a lot of experienced drivers should think about brushing up on the legal rules and the unwritten rules of the road, a lot has changed since they past their tests, there are a lot more cars on the road these days so some of what they were taught is now outdated. I’m not getting at all experienced drivers, but the ones who try to intimidate everyone else on the roads.
So you are all saying that because a car has an “L” plate attached to it, it gives the driver and the instructor for that matter the ok to do 28 mph in a national speed limit zone.
When i was having my lessons a mere 5 years ago, my instructor insisted that until i was 100% confident with the car and basic driving i never left an industrial estate.
Don’t get me wrong i never intimidate learners themselves as i believe it’s the instructors problem.
Good, simple advice Mark.
Couldn’t agree more.
Good letter. I deliberately hang back a bit from Learner drivers so that they can feel comfortable
and it’s amazing how often I then get “tailgated” by idiots.
‘Andy said: Mar 6th, 2008 at 7:02 pm So you are all saying that because a car has an “L” plate attached to it, it gives the driver and the instructor for that matter the ok to do 28 mph in a national speed limit zone.’
I can only speak for myself, but no thats not what ‘I’ am saying - its all about consideration and patience, something some people of this country lack, in abundance. Surely its better to hang back a little, then get irate when a Learner rolls back slightly potentially damaging your car…..?
Some of these irate drivers may not know what it’s like to be a learner driver as they have never passed a test!!
Well said Mark !!
A Learner Driver doing 28 in NSL would be failed for not keeping up with the flow of traffic.
It is incredible, however, the number of qualified drivers that see it fit to drive at 40 in NSL, and 50 on M-Ways (where conditions clearly allow 60 & 70)
I think that ‘refresher’ driving tests should be compulsory every 10 years and even every 5 years for over 50’s.
It’s not only learners who driver 28 in a NSL you know.. infact I don’t even have a problem with them for doing it.. its the older generation who do it I get annoyed at, seriously your not a learner anymore, if you can’t keep up get off the road!
Good letter, and good advice!! I stay well away from learner drivers, not only to be less intimidating, but also because i value my car!!
However, it is annoying when you are on a NSL road, and a learner is doing 20MPH at rush hour, when your trying to arrive at work ontime!
I think the instructor is to blame if a learner driver is causing an obstruction to the flow of traffic. If the pupil is not confident enough to travel at the speed of the road they are on they should not have to drive on busy roads until they are. It is frustrating for other road users and causes stress to the learner driver. The pupil can learn about busy traffic when they are competent at negotiating island and junctions. Until then keep the learners away from busy roads.
I would like to personally thank the arrogant, impatient woman who pushed her way in front of me at Tesco - thank you for risking my life along with my passenger, also thank you for risking the lives of yout two young children who would no doubt have been injured had my car ended up on the back seat of yours. All because you wanted to get out of the carpark on a busy Sunday along with the other half of Telford!
Your attitude to learner drivers was appalling and your lack of patience was shocking and the glares through your rear view mirror, with the two fingers going up at me, was just immature. You were in the wrong, not me and I hope that if you read this, you are ashamed of yourself for your stupid actions! Sadly, even if you do read this, its unlikely that you will even care!