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?

It is ludicrous that people don't have to do motorway driving or driving in the dark before they pass their test. I dislike both and avoid both as much as possible.

I am too old to have done Pass Plus but I did have a parking lesson with my instructor after passing my test, as I also passed my test in the days before you had to be able to parallel park.

I actually think driving at rush hour is safer, as the people on the roads then tend to be confident drivers who know what they are doing, even if they are impatient. At other times of day you have more occasional drivers who do not always drive very safely. Probably the worst time is afternoon school run time though. Why do some parents leave their brains behind when they go out to collect their kids from school in their Chelsea Tractors?

katenka maybe tests are between 9 and 4 where you are, mine was 8:37am

When I was learning to drive about 10 yrs ago, there was a road out of my village to the next town with varying speed limits think 40 then 50 then 40 then 30. When I was a learner I was always tailgated. It was horrible.

One day the magnetic L fell of the back of my car and we didn't notice. I got the whole way and no one had beeped or tailgated me once, even though it was quite busy.

It wasn't until we got to town that we noticed and my dad drove back and went to take off the L's.

People do act horribly around learners, I think it's mostly impatience but also bloody rudeness and arrogance!

I am considerate to learners but you are driving in the morning when people are rushing to work so what do you expect.
Drive afternoon around 2pm

LifeofI - really? Seriously? You think all learner drivers should only be on the road between 10.30-11.30am and 2-3pm. Have you actually thought that through?

Folks - some of us (not me sadly) are lucky enough to live far from any motorways - making driving on one part of their training/test would be impractical.

Where are you Mary?

Best part of €2000 here!
(Germany)

Our kids did their Pass Plus after they passed their tests. They drive in the dark and on the motorway in that. It brings down the cost of the insurance too.

For the BMW/Audi survey DS1 drives a BMW he's a very considerate driver, doesn't get up your arse or speed. He only parks in disabled bays when I'm with him and we use my blue badge.

Learners in Edinburgh are allowed on the City by-pass - this has slip roads, a hard shoulder for most of it and a 70 limit on most of it. It's really no different from being on the Motorway so in one way it's good as people can practice, in another if Motorways are deemed unsafe then why is the by-pass ok? After I had a large gap of driving I took some lessons in particular doing the by pass slip roads etc as I'd be doing motorway driving. A young colleague of mine got taken on to the by-pass for her test and had never been on it before so was horrified (and failed).

Dd will definitely be doing Pass Plus - such a good idea to gain more driving skills.

YADNBU So many people are assholes to learners. However my mum always said that dealing with other people is the hardest part of driving. She also told me to assume everyone else is an idiot eg if you leave a decent stopping distance it is usually just enough of a gap for someone to dart into so drive as if someone is going to cut into it (eg be ready to respond if someone does.)

I had to drive in rush hour when learning. I didn't do it until I was totally competent but I needed to do it before my test as once I passed I would have to do it. I drove to uni and my mum drove back home. Everyone has to learn.

The only thing that irritates me is if someone takes out a totally incompetent learner. To me it's a safety issue. Instructors cars have dual controls for a reason. You shouldn't be driving without a proper instructor/in a dual control car until you are close to test ready. At that point go nuts as you just need practice to get your confidence up.

OP - Good luck to your DD on her test.

Just for info some insurers offer a discount on insurance if you do pass plus. My brother also saved a fortune by having a box in his car. The box just logged number of miles done and times driven. His insurance was far cheaper if he didn't drive between 11pm and 7am (he had no need to so it was a no brainer. If he went out for a late one he would always taxi it home anyway) and did less than 12000 miles a year (or thereabouts, can't remember the exact number I just know he wasn't even close.)

I still remember the drive I did from northern Surrey right into North London through the centre of town (pre-congestion charge by about a decade) taking in such joys as Tolworth, the Shepherd's Bush roundabout, the Westway and Marylebone Road. I'd held a full licence for some years by that point but hadn't up till then gone much further than the next suburban town. That was definitely an education in driving. [mops brow at memories]

Those learners who live near the right kinds of A roads (A3 anyone?) will have a head start when going on motorways as they follow exactly the same principles as motorways without the same restrictions on traffic.

I did Pass Plus, and thought it was really helpful - motorway experience, country roads, night driving, wet conditions - all stuff that ought to be on a test (well, the night/wet part would be hard to guarantee, but they should ask questions at least).

Totally OT, but since others have talked about it...
Did a short A road journey today. One arsehole, beeped at someone doing 50+ in overtaking lane (I was doing bang on 50 beside him, and he was creeping past me. He eventually forced the poor chap out of his Very Important Way, revved his engine and zoomed off. Straight through a speed camera, which flashed him. 'Twas beautiful.

Care to guess the make of car?

Re the L plates

It has always been the case that L plates should be removed when the learner driver is not in the car.
Back in the day,when I used to work at a branch office of BSM, the driving instructors were supposed to remove the "pyramids" from the top of their Mini Metros when there was no learner in them. This did not always happen in practice!