How long did you keep "P" plates on your car for?

[Loka123]

After passing the driving test on a manual car and getting your own, how long (either in approx. hours of driving or a generally timeframe e.g. X number of weeks/months/years or approx. no. of miles driven) did you keep your P plates on? If you used them that is.

I know everyone is different but just wanted a general idea :)

Thanks

I never used them. I find people are more intimidating when you use them e.g. trying to overtake, tailgating, everything you should t do to a new driver.

Their purpose is to make other people aware and give you a leeway. But some people are just dicks.

When j passed unjust classed myself as a constant Sunday driver, slow and steady wins the race.

Never used P plates. Once I passed I just took the L off and that was that.

I think for around a week of driving (approx 10 hours maybe?) I went to visit a friend on the M25 and took us to Cornwall. She had actually bought me some P plates as she didn't want me driving without them during peak hours on the M25. By the time I got to Cornwall they had already flew off and I survived without.

I did find that people gave me more space without them and less tutting if I went to stall. Its all personal preference

I had P plates but only for motorway driving as they tend to leave you more room and would give me more room when overtaking. They came straight off on normal roads though as it had the opposite affect on normal roads

Never used them. Virtually never noticed anyone use them either.

Thanks for all the replies so far. Yeah to be honest I rarely see them on cars either.

I kept them on for almost a year. I was quite nervous and liked the thought that if I did hesitate, stall or end up in the wrong lane others would understand that I was quite new to flying solo.

Appreciate that a year is much longer than most would keep them for, but I was only driving about 20 mins a day to nursery and back, so took me a long time to build up experience

I never used them either and think it could affect how people drive around you (negatively), but think they'd be a good idea for the motorway until you feel more comfortable?

I never used them, my little sister had hers on for a good few months, thought that was very sensible

250 yards or so. Mum wanted me to use them. I didn't.

So are they not a legal obligation. Didn't realise rules were different.

In NI you have to use R Plates for a year after you pass

About 12 hours until someone realised they were magnetic rather than sticky and nicked them! 😂

No, not a legal obligation.

I have noticed no difference whatsoever in the way other drivers treat me between a year of having them and a year without.