To keep my L plates on a bit longer?

[2fast2upset]

I passed by driving test recently (1 minor fault) and have been learning over 2 years with lots of private practice. I am not perfect. I am a new driver. But I am not overly hesitant or nervous.

I have been amazed by the hideous driving behaviour I have experienced since taking off my L plates. People pulling out straight in front of me into very unsafe gaps and making me slam my breaks and cutting me up on lanes. I hadn’t experienced behaviours like this before.

Would I BU to keep my L plates on for another week just whilst I get a bit more used to driving solo? From what I understand the worst that can happen is the police will pull me over, ask for my license and ask me to remove them. There are no points or fines attached to doing this.

I am displaying P plates at the moment but it’s not making a blind bit of difference.

You shouldn't use L plates unless an L driver is driving. If you're using L plates after you've passed your test you may find yourself pulled over by the police, who will be wondering why there's a learner unsupervised, and will then be annoyed that you've wasted their time.

P plates are best, but honestly a lot of drivers are just arseholes no matter what you display on your car.

@easylikeasundaymorn I think the OP was extremely rude and condescending!

And your further posts @2fast2upset were also sarcastic.

Happy driving..

And how ridiculous to consider leaving L plates on!

I didn't think about it when I responded early on OP, but it is quite probably the P plates that are causing the issue as others have mentioned. I hope you find it less stressful without them.

This. I passed a month ago. My instructor told me to be anonymous new driver. And even my DH said the same. Experienced drivers try to scare the ones with P or L

I kept mine on a bit longer. It allowed me to get use to driving alone with the extra bit of caution other drivers give an L before doing so without

The most important thing is that you do not cause harm or come to harm. It's not, not inconveniencing other drivers by having one more L on the road, let alone bad ones

You certainly risk being pulled over if driving alone in an a not driving school car, though plenty people do drive around with them on between lessons, the police can tell you to remove them, as others have said it’s best to drive as if others on the road are idiots as many of them are

This

The OP wasn't rude. It was clear in her OP she was using zip plates, but instead of taking the time to read it properly you belted in the have your say. That's rude.

she didn't call you names or anything, she merely pointed out it was in her OP.

you're not 'helping' when you tell someone to do something they're already doing so & have said so!

Honestly if you weren't ready to take off your L plates then you shouldn't have taken your test. Well done for passing though, just be careful. A lot of driving confidence is down to experience. You'll get used to it and you'll develop almost a sixth sense for idiot drivers.

And because you didn't bother to read the thread properly every single other person on this thread had to read your inane drivel, wasting all of our time.

And then, when the OP politely pointed it out to you, you doubled down wasting everyone's time even further.

Spectacular.

This!

I drive one of those over polluting SUV's you mention but it was in for a service yesterday & the courtesy car was a Hyundai i10 - the amount of dickheads driving up my arse trying to get me to go faster was ridiculous given I was driving at the same speeds I normally do but I don't get that in my own car!

OP there are crap drivers everywhere (and they drive all sorts & sizes of cars) you just have to get used to them I'm afraid.

P plates make the shit drivers treat you like crap (I speak from experience). Take them off and things will settle down pretty much immediately.

The reality is that as a new driver, you are a bit more nervous and you will probably also be slightly more irritating, with or without the P plates. Doesn't mean that other drivers should treat you badly or purposefully target you, but you do need to be aware of this fact.

As others have said though, remove the P plates. I treat P plate drivers like learners BUT... I have to say that they irritate me. Either you're competent enough to drive solo, or you're not.

It's not illegal to drive with L plates on but unless you are a registered driving instructor the police may pull you over as there is only one person in the car and tell you to remove them.

Try without the p plates, if it's no better stick the Ls back on until you feel more confident.

The more nervously and hesitantly you drive the worse other drivers will be. You just need to get more experience driving and toughen up.

DS was told not to use the P plates when he passed his test. He was a very nervous driver at first but gained confidence very quickly once he got out on the roads by himself. He’ll even drive into London which is something I wouldn’t do and I’ve been driving donkeys years.

Unfortunately there are a huge number of utter wankers on the roads and they are everywhere so you can’t avoid them. I drive a tiny car so am utterly doomed.

Also are you driving artificially slow? Unless conditions prohibit it, make sure you're doing 30 in a 30 etc, 40 in a 40 etc. if there's one thing that enrages other drivers, it's doing slower than the speed limit when there's no need. Someone will chirp up it's a limit not a target but realistically people drive to the limit.

Agree with removing P plates. My dd passed in October. One day she forgot to put her p plates on and was amazed at how much nicer other drivers were to her.

I agrée with @Schum. My dc told me that people were awful when she had P plates on. Much better when she took them off.

It's noticeable that a certain kind of dickhead likes to try and intimidate lone female drivers, and a lone female driver on P plates is probably dickhead catnip!

Take the,P plates off and see if things improve.

L plates anger some drivers even more than P plates. An examiner obviously knew you were a good enough driver to pass your test and this is what other drivers on the road will think, and they won't make allowances for you. You need to throw yourself in and you'll be fine. I was nervous when I first passed my test 2 years ago but my instructor said plates make drivers more aggressive (I'm in London though). I'm not sure about the legalities of using L plates if you're not with a learner either. It may be fine but I don't know.

Nobody is going to see you driving alone with an L plate and think you are a learner. They will think you have not taken it off after supervising a learner. Stick with the Ps

You can put green p plates on, I kept mine on for about two years lol. Just to let others know I may still make mistakes. X

This. Mine did too.