P-Plate Restrictions (2 Viewers)

[scarybunny]

Zero points is the best idea so far, because it doesn't affect deso's, car poolers, people who already obey the law, or teenagers working at night. That was my main problem with the restrictions. I don't know how effective it, or any other measure would be, though.

Restrictions and demerit points only work when the P plater is afraid of getting caught.


Actually, I don't really care, because I'm on my green Ps and they can't enact legislation retrospectively, so none of it will effect me. I prefer wanker P plate teenage boy drivers in their subarus to old asian men who decide at the last minute that they want to turn left, and end up parked in the middle of an intersection. Or old ladies who run a red light and stop on the OTHER side of the intersection.
From my experience, P platers aren't the most dangerous drivers. OLD PEOPLE are.

 

[Optophobia]

If you don't get to the point (ie. driving = dangerous) then as soon as their year is up then they are still going to be irresponsible drivers.

Education lasts for ever.
Restrictions do not.

in the short time i had my p's in nsw and had to wear plates, people tailgated me and honked and did all kinds of stupid shit just because i had red p's on my car.

I always know if i've forgotten to put the P-plates on the car, because everyone is nice. If i get to halfway to uni, and no one has driven aggressively towards me, i pretty much know that i've forgotten to put my p-plates on.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

If death isn't enough of a deterrent I don't see how no demerit points is going to be. Any type of restriction is completely useless.

 

[littlewing69]

Are there any P-platers on this committee thing?

 

[hannahxxx]

I always know if i've forgotten to put the P-plates on the car, because everyone is nice. If i get to halfway to uni, and no one has driven aggressively towards me, i pretty much know that i've forgotten to put my p-plates on.

Mmm yeah I'm on my (red) Ps at the moment and I get:
a) gangs of older teenage boys driving up next to me and telling me how much of a "loser" I am 4 being on my Ps
b) offers to drag race
c) unnecessary road rage from other drivers

The other night a car full of P-plater guys (who I didn't know) started following me-I was tired and sick as hell and just wanted to get home from work. P-platers go through enough shit without this new legislation. HOWEVER, I realise the necessity of it-its just a pity that a select number of P-plate drivers had to fuck it up for the rest of us. To me it seems exceptionally selfish-they are the one's to blame for this crap-not the government. Of course the gov. are going to make a knee jerk reaction- they wanna stay in office don't they?

Has there actually been an increase in road fatalities amongst P-platers or is the media just overpublicizing? (I've stopped reading the articles regarding this topic-they're far too numerous)

 

[iamsickofyear12]

I've never had any road rage directed at me because I am a P plater. Usually I am the one tailgating or flashing my brights when people are driving like morons.

I'd also question whether it's the minority of P platers who make it bad for the rest of us. The majority of P platers I know have had accidents. I know of at least 6 who have written off their cars and 4 who have been hospitalised and thats without even really thinking about it.

 

[bizadfar]

Has there actually been an increase in road fatalities amongst P-platers or is the media just overpublicizing? (I've stopped reading the articles regarding this topic-they're far too numerous)

Im pretty much with you on that. Alot of the stories are just of P platers dieing, not even mentioning whose fault it was.

Anyone see SCU crash investigation that guy was goin 113.6km/h around a bend and lost the rear end(+ front right lift hehe) which wacked a pole... he lost 3 family members and was DQ for 5 years. The media wasnt really on it. Now imagine if it was a P plater, They'd be all over it, exaggerating.

The government needs to get off there arses and really do something about it. A good place to start is roads. Bumps may be just an inconvenience at low speed but if you want to actually get to fine these hoons speeding instead of them losing control over a bump (and killing themselves) fix the roads.

Have a read: http://phors.locost7.info/phors15.htm

 

[Optophobia]

Anyone see SCU crash investigation that guy was goin 113.6km/h around a bend and lost the rear end(+ front right lift hehe) which wacked a pole... he lost 3 family members and was DQ for 5 years. The media wasnt really on it. Now imagine if it was a P plater, They'd be all over it, exaggerating.

Yes, it's just the media trying to get people to hate a certain *group*. Suddenly the media is concerned with p-platers. Yeh, they really care whether p-platers are getting injured in crashes. They have a real genuine concern about our safety.

 

[PaleReflection]

Night bans, tougher tests for P-platers

gay

 

[iamsickofyear12]

I really don't like the 1 passenger idea. They are completely screwing up the idea of a designated driver. It's going to create more problems than it solves.

 

[Sparcod]

As for that age-restriction thingamajiggy- between what ages does the passenger have to be to be considered our "age group"? I might have to look that up later on.

I do agree on the ban on mobile phones but not the speeding- it's a bit too harsh because even those who were 3km/h over the limit get suspended. Mind you, 3 km/h seems really little if you're on a freeway and you're doing 93 and YOUR limit is only 90.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

As for that age-restriction thingamajiggy- between what ages does the passenger have to be to be considered our "age group"? I might have to look that up later on.

Red P platers will be limited to 1 passenger under the age of 21 between something like 11pm and 5am.

 

[Stott Despoja]

I really don't like the 1 passenger idea. They are completely screwing up the idea of a designated driver. It's going to create more problems than it solves.

It will only create problems for those who choose to move on from their Ls later in life. After all, 17 year olds (by law) can't be designated drivers in the conventional sense, can they?

 

[mcs]

1 Passenger Idea has some merit but will affect the Designated driver idea which is the biggest drawback. Only way to improve the situation really is to make P Platers safer by training them properly.
Having 50 hours in the car with your parents or going to a driving instructor who teaches you to pass the test isnt going to do this. Proper defensive driver training and a system like the licencing system in Germany will go along way to helping improve the situation. For their is always going to be those that drive like idiots and die because of it but its the accidents that occur because the driver does not have the sufficient skills to understand how to drive in the conditions etc that can be avoided.
Saying this a lot of non p plate drivers should have to get some training as well gee there are some shockers out there that are worse then most P Platers you see.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

The only solution is to make the P's test realistic. No more of this driving around at under the speed limit, doing useless reverse parks and using a checklist to see if people pass or fail.

Surely the testers can just make a judgment call after driving around for a while. If I get in the car with someone I can tell if they should be driving or not. If people who can't drive don't get a license in the first place there doesn't need to be passenger restrictions or any other bullshit.

 

[townie]

well, i hope that the government will be providing extra busses between 11pm and 5am, or where public transport is not availibly, scrapping the 20% tariff on taxis, because, the passenger limit is absolutley a crock of shit. it will just lead to either

1) More P-platers driving over the limit
or
2) more pedestrian deaths as drunken teens make their way home
or
3) more assaults/vandalism as drunken teens walk home

or i can see the headlines now "TEEN GIRL RAPED: UNABLE TO GET LIFT HOME DUE TO NEW LAWS"

 

[Serius]

Some of these laws are a good idea, some are absolute bollocks.

Restricting passengers at any time is foolish, restricting them from 11-5 [when most people are driving home after drinking] is absolutely insane. Oh yeah, lets give a nice kick in the guts to the only age group who have embraced the designated driver inititive....

heres what i said earlier

If we are going to have changes make the test[test everyone who currently holds a license ala red P style, you fail you lose the right to drive] much harder, introduce a weekend hazards training course you must complete[everyone, not just young drivers] and reduce everyones points to 1. Commit any offences and you lose your license straight up for 3 months .

so looks like they are reading our forums lol cause they are planning on:

1) making the test harder
2) Zero tolerance for p plate offences.

Any sort of passenger restriction or driving curfew [or combined] is an ignorant notion. Any sort of further speed limit[my dad seems to think P platers shouldnt be able to drive past 60] would be a major blow towards commuters[plus it would take me like 4hours to get to sydney]

The changes they have made so far havent been too bad...who cares about restricting what we can drive, they managed to pull that off so that people who actually need to drive a certain type of car actually can.... the other stuff isnt even worth a mention.

 

[kitkatkittyau]

apologies for my lack of wit, but these resrictions in my opinon are bullshit! They are unrealistic. I agree very much with what one_wit said. I'm also sick of all the negative attention p platers are given in the news, yeah sure some idiots are just asking to be shamed of national tv for speeding etc.

It is my belief that most of the news you hear is sensationalised (thank you Frontline). There is just as many full licenced drivers doing stupid shit and crashing, most likely more.

And sorry if someone already brought up the point of this but I got lazy and couldnt be bothered reading through pages of posts

 

[Optophobia]

The people demanding zero tolerance are opting for the stick instead of the carrot. This does not typically work with young people at the best of times. Rather than just having these laws as a means of oppressing p-platers, they should explain to young drivers via a school program or something similar why we have driving rules in the first place.

In year 12 we had this doctor from Westmead hospital visit our school. She worked in the neurology section of the hospital dealing with people who had been in car accidents. She brought 4 people with her, who were her patients, basically to show us what we could end up like if we drive like idiots. Some of them couldn't speak properly, couldn't remember things, couldn't move around properly, couldn't string a sentence together properly (they were disabled).

We were also visited by the police twice.

(There were still dickheads who drove like idiots, and tough laws should be aimed at morons like them, not all p-platers)

 

[Uncle Jonny]

So it's no 17 - 21 passengers between 11pm and 5am?

okay, scenario:
Group of 16yo's. One turns 17 and get's his P's.
The 16yo's don't come under that law. So they are all allowed to get in the car and cruise around at night?

The instant loss for speeding is a good idea however.