To ask for tolerance towards learner drivers?

[Ohtobeskiing]

Dd is learning to drive and as well as her lessons she is now practising in my car. We were out this morning and experienced some awful behaviour from other drivers. For example - turning right out of a side road into a main road the driver behind her beeped their horn several times to get her to hurry up. This of course just made her anxious and she stalled. The car is clearly marked with 'L' plates. Is it so difficult to be considerate to an inexperienced driver?

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

I have teens learning to drive too, so understand to a certain extent. I think other road users should give learners consideration.

On the other hand I don't think very new learners should be out in rush hour traffic, it's a too busy and stressful time of the day for everybody else.

[wasonthelist]

YANBU - People seem to forget they were learners once (or maybe they didn't bother with a test!)

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

I agree consideration should be given but also agree that it's better for them not to be out in rush hour until very experienced.

Was she driving to school though OP? If so, obviously that is a route she will want to practice so understandable that it would be at peak time.

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

I used to use P plates for a while and was never sure if it was a help or hindrance - some drivers just used to deliberately take the piss I think and make dodgy manoeuvres :(

[goodnightdarthvader1]

People are unnecessarily rude, OP, but if you're in your regular car with L plates on - well, I've seen plenty of cars with the L plates left on and one person in it, so clearly not a learner. It's difficult to judge if people are actually learners when lazy families leave their L plates on all the time.

Also agree that it's best not to out at rush hour if it can be avoided.

[Sparklingbrook]

Re the rush hour thing, it's very likely that the learner could be taking their test in the rush hour so will need to practice in busy traffic surely?

Honking at a learner driver is disgusting.

[Katenka]

I gave tolerance for learner drivers and never beep at them etc.

But I do think it's really ridiculous that so many driving instructors and family members take their learner drivers out in rush hour when clearly a lot of them can't handle it.

Someone did it on our school run last week. The girl goes to the sixth form with her dad in the passenger seat. She clearly couldn't handle it being so busy and it became gridlocked.

I don't think learners should be near schools at drop off and pick up times. It's not fair on anyone

[CooPie10]

Well Yabu if you are taking her out during rush hour, what do you expect ?

[Sparklingbrook]

I think tolerance is less for learners in with their parents rather than a driving school, the honker was honking at the OP as much as her DD and judging them on their 'teaching people to drive' skills.

[Ohtobeskiing]

She was driving to her sixth form college but it was at about 9.30 so hardly rush hour. She has been having lessons since last summer so is at the stage where she pretty much knows what she is doing - just needs practice and experience.

[RebootYourEngine]

I am learning to drive and the amount of drivers who pull out in front of me is ridiculous. I am a learner which means that my reactions may not be 100% so why do they risk me hitting their car by pulling out in front of me.

However i think that there are just a lot of bad drivers out there. Who think that they own the road and everyone needs to get out of their way.

[LuciaInFurs]

YANBU. I passed my driving test in December and other drivers were forever pulling out in front of me. Once a driver decided to undertake me on a huge and very busy four lane roundabout. It doesn't get any better with P plates.

[Katenka]

it's very likely that the learner could be taking their test in the rush hour so will need to practice in busy traffic surely?

Tests here are between 9-4 so miss rush hour. But some learners are experienced enough to do it. Some especially those how have just started or struggling to learn shouldn't be out in it. The instructor should make that decision.

[Nottodaythankyouorever]

You should take L plates off your vehicle when it’s not being used by a learner.

This is from gov website. They should be removed when learner isn't in the car.

[boredofusername]

Isn't it actually a legal requirement to take the L plates off if you aren't a learner despite the fact it's a faff?

I think people are very rude to learners and I always hang back. However, sometimes I am surprised at how bad the learner is, and how the instructor clearly isn't intervening, eg to tell someone they can go now (and that it has been safe to do so for the last 5 minutes). Last week a learner's road positioning was all over the place and they even went over onto the other carriageway! I could see no evidence that the instructor was doing anything about it at all. For example, if I forgot to indicate my instructor would tell me to, or do it himself and then tell me to remember next time.

[Sparklingbrook]

DS1 will be 17 soon. I don't think I can face taking him out.

It's quite funny here though because a lot of on road twattery is immediately reported on FB Spotted complete with make and model of the car and the first half of the number plate and description of the driver. So honking at learners would be in there like a shot.

[hufflebottom]

I didn't go out in rush hour traffic with my parents until I had done it a fair few times with an instructor. My dad decided it was the best course of action as my instructor would know how to deal with it and know when I was confident enough to cope without Dual controls etc

Until then my dad would take me out early mornings at weekends to practise.

Now I'm driving I can see why people get frustrated as it is a pain sometimes, but people need to remember we've all been there and even experienced drivers make mistakes.

Good luck to your dd.

[SweetAdeline]

YANBU. People shouldn't be honking to hurry other drivers - learner or not.

[Nottodaythankyouorever]

Isn't it actually a legal requirement to take the L plates off if you aren't a learner despite the fact it's a faff?

The gov website does say they should be removed if the learner isn't in the car.

[boredofusername]

I am learning to drive and the amount of drivers who pull out in front of me is ridiculous

That doesn't change I'm afraid. I sometimes wonder if my car has a James Bond Die Another Day cloaking device as people just pull out in front of me. Even when nobody is behind me! And last week it happened when I had a green light at the traffic lights! I think I need a purple, lurid green and yellow car with lots of flashing lights, then they might see me. Maybe. And a personalised numberplate so they can't make value judgments about the age of the car and therefore their entitlement to be on the road more than me because their car is more expensive.

[Sparklingbrook]

At 9am rush hour is still very much ongoing, I just looked and our local centre does an 8.10am slot for a test.