Driver courtesy towards L platers..

[4Vman]

Saw an act of stupidity last night that frustrated and annoyed me.
While i was driving home through warrandyte on a single lane dark wet road (some people will know the area) and 2 cars ahead was an L plater travelling cautiously along this road, some tool in a following car sat up the rear of the L plater for about 4 k's tailgating them, then tried to overtake them twice only to pull back due to oncoming traffic, they eventually got past but tooted, flashed their lights and cut the L plater off as they merged aggressively back over, the L plater swerved into the gravel in fright but maintained control and pulled back onto the road.
I was furious so i took the plates down and reported them.

FFS people, i see this too often, L platers (and allot of P Platers too) will travel cautiously when they're learning and in unfamiliar or uncomfortable surroundings, BE PATIENT, stay back and don't crowd them... if you see a learner or p plater displaying cautious driving behaviour just show some restraint and courtesy and give these people a chance to learn without being harassed.

[GCPursuitPower]

I totally agree, this happens way to much on the Coast with people being very impatient and only worrying about themselves and what they want to do, instead of giving the L and P platers a fair go at learning the roads.

The other thing is merging traffic people trying to cut in front of the L and P or even open licenced drivers so they don't have to sit behind one extra car on a single lane road.

[TZENU]

Agreed. These people forget that they too at one stage or another where in the same situation..

[Wally]

I remember my first outing on the road with L plates and the words my bother in law shouted at me from the passenger seat "PhF%K 'n hell use the brake to slow down before turning a corner"... "why?" I replied.

But you are right 4V, I find myself getting aggravated with drivers crowding and honking L platers.

[Pinkbits]

4Vman & GCPP, got it in one.
Our youngest daughter is currently learning and my wife & I have both noticed exactly what you both have mentioned.
Strange thing is that when you pull up at the next set of lights near them, most times they will not make eye contact and the ones that do get "the look" from me.

[Geez Louise]

Good on you for reporting this arrogant driver 4vman. It does happen all too often. My son is on his L's and it happens to him when he is driving. A little patience goes along way. After all, we were all on our L's at one stage and it does pay to remember that!

[whales]

I only hope the authorities do something about him and not just sweep it under the carpet

[Scott]

Agree. As with most things, there is a time & a place too.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by whales

I only hope the authorities do something about him and not just sweep it under the carpet

In all honesty i doubt there's anything they can do, i gave my details, but at the end of the day its my word V their's, and without the L plater involved as well i can't see what could be done, it just felt like the right thing to do.

[SE Ute]

I'm not condoning the idiots behaviour here, but part of the learning experience is dealing with idiots on the road, can't wrap them in cotton wool, they need to learn in real world situations, and it's better for it to happen while they're in the company of a hopefully competent instructor. I always try to treat Learners the same as every other road user, maybe i'm a little bit more patient and forgiving, but if we don't they'll get a rude shock when the L plates come down.

Hopefully the L plater is the better for the experience, and realises that you can do everything right on the roads, but there's still idiots on the road going to harrass you, and endanger you.

Sounds like the L Plater handled themselves well, didn't get flustered by their behaviour, avoided a collision, and didn't get agro themselves and elevate the situation. Good on their parents or whoever for letting them drive on a dark wet windy road too. It's all good experience, nobody was hurt, upset maybe, but when they get their licence and they're out on their own and the same thing happens, they should know how to handle themselves.

Good on you for following it up though. Hope the authorities catch up with the idiot, that behaviour is not on, whether they're targetting a learner, or a fully licenced person.

[xquizd]

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

the ones that do get "the look" from me.

The good old "LOOK" always works like a dream :

Yeah see it happen all the time, but excessive behaviour such as the one mentioned above deserves a good hiding :

Probably some doped up t055a!

[whiskieboy]

Having just finished the 2yrs teaching my daughter to drive, got her P's last week, I know the frustration and anger at what some people do. There were times I wanted to take a loaded shotgun when we went out driving, she kept reminding me it was illegal, but it does drive you mad considering it only takes a few seconds to just wait and show some courtesy.

[4Vman]

It really isn't that hard.. ive make a conscious effort to deliberately keep a bit of extra distance and display patience around Learners (and some P platers) because its just common courtesy.

[GreenMachine]

Yeah, I always make a conscious effort to go easy on them... However, some driving instructors need to be taken out the back and shot - particularly the one who was making his learner reverse paralell park on Stafford Rd (busy, 2 lane each way road) at 5:30pm last week...I stopped and waited, but anyone else would've either blown the horn or just ran in to them as I nearly did...

[Fev]

Unrelated in a way but:

Last night i was travelling from horsby to st ives on sydneys north shore going the back way and had to follow some moron in a subaru outback doing 20 under the limit, slowing down to an almost stop at intersections (which were clear and green lights). and after tooting for about 5 mins and flashing lights the idiot pulled off the road onto the curb to let me pass and sped up on the gravel shoulder of the road!!!!! WTF!!!

note: i wasnt tailgating or driving dangerously, i was just mighty ****ed off at doing 40km's in a 60 zone and slowing down to an almost stop every 2 mins...



Can we petition RTA to make testing of people every 5 years for driving skills and rules mandatory? wouldnt have a problem doing it aslong as it kept dangerous and or just plain stupid people off the roads

[LTDHO]

It's the new way of the road.

Everyone thinks it's their's and no one can stop them.

So rage happends to everyone, including learners.
This is a very bad example to give a learner.

[dandandandan]

Funny story, One of my mates when he was on his L's was having a lesson with his dad.
They were driving around Eltham a really hilly area in northern Melbourne and this soccer mum in a huge 4WD decides she would be a jerk and tail gate him, flash and beep him because he was driving cautiously and slowly since he was on his L's.

Anyways this proceeds for a few km's and so my mates dad is getting ****ed off so when they pull up at a set of lights. The dad gets out of the car, walks over to the soccer mum's 4WD and she has her window open. he reaches into the car, turns the car off pulls the keys out of the ignition and throws the keys into some bush area.

He gets back into the car and drives off.

Best story haha.

[partzkid]

when i was on my l's it used to happen to me all the time, some people would do anything to get in front of me, even though i never drove under the speed limit.
i know you shouldn't do it but try driving without the l plates on and you will notice the difference. thats what i used to do. you are treated differently on the road.

partzkid

[xquizd]

Originally Posted by dandandandan

Funny story, One of my mates when he was on his L's was having a lesson with his dad.
They were driving around Eltham a really hilly area in northern Melbourne and this soccer mum in a huge 4WD decides she would be a jerk and tail gate him, flash and beep him because he was driving cautiously and slowly since he was on his L's.

Anyways this proceeds for a few km's and so my mates dad is getting ****ed off so when they pull up at a set of lights. The dad gets out of the car, walks over to the soccer mum's 4WD and she has her window open. he reaches into the car, turns the car off pulls the keys out of the ignition and throws the keys into some bush area.

He gets back into the car and drives off.

Best story haha.

Nicely Handled : Absolutely gold, teach the troll some manners :evil3:

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Fev

Unrelated in a way but:

Last night i was travelling from horsby to st ives on sydneys north shore going the back way and had to follow some moron in a subaru outback doing 20 under the limit, slowing down to an almost stop at intersections (which were clear and green lights). and after tooting for about 5 mins and flashing lights the idiot pulled off the road onto the curb to let me pass and sped up on the gravel shoulder of the road!!!!! WTF!!!

note: i wasnt tailgating or driving dangerously, i was just mighty ****ed off at doing 40km's in a 60 zone and slowing down to an almost stop every 2 mins...



Can we petition RTA to make testing of people every 5 years for driving skills and rules mandatory? wouldnt have a problem doing it aslong as it kept dangerous and or just plain stupid people off the roads

This story reminds me of the one and only time in my life I've ever gotten angry with a learner driver. ~7pm, white Hyundai Excel, L Plates, 60km/h, straight road with very wide lanes, we're doing almost zero. I'm clutch rolling. For no reason. For about a kilometre. Then the double white line became a broken line so I did a wrong lane overtake and went on with business. Weirdest thing I've ever seen. Got me thinking though... perhaps somebody that unconfident should either not get their licence or see a shrink...

Normally learner's are ok. They go the speed limit in the left lane - totally fine by me. People who get annoyed by this have issues.

[JAYBA]

I see everyones point here and people do need to be patient,

BUT

It is the teachers responsabilty to have the learner driving within its capabilities.

if they are scared to drive on a busy fast paced signal/sign filled road then they shouldnt be there creating a hazard for other drivers.
(start teaching them the basics some where more secluded)

Driving well under the speed limit is just as dangerous as driving over in my eyes.

[GS608]

Originally Posted by GCPursuitPower

I totally agree, this happens way to much on the Coast with people being very impatient and only worrying about themselves and what they want to do, instead of giving the L and P platers a fair go at learning the roads.

The other thing is merging traffic people trying to cut in front of the L and P or even open licenced drivers so they don't have to sit behind one extra car on a single lane road.

im a fairly competent L driver, not phased by much at all, and am always doing the speed limit or slightly over (with the flow of traffic) and i still get tailgated, abused, cut off, etc, kind of annoying but just let it go, then hope that when they do their wannabe stunt manoeuvre in the wrong lane that a semi is coming the other way.

I've driven a few times without displaying my l plates, and its a completely different ball game, your treated exactly the same as everyone else, no one tailgating you at the speed limit.

the way L platers are treated is enough to put me off driving during my L's, and i wouldn't even bother if you could still just turn up and take your P plate test without the mandatory hours..

[Rev28K]

Nice to know that people are still taking their learner driver kids around Eltham and Warrandyte.

Dad did it with me years ago, it was a real male bonding thing (my sisters only got main roads, side streets and shopping centre carparks). Discovered bumpsteer, understeer, burnt the clutch out (sorry Dad) and taught me to hold my nerve in 4th gear sweepers.

Years later I still love driving around these same roads when I have the time and money for petrol, brings back a lot of good memories.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by satria

perfect mate, you nailed it!

4vman can keep being a panzy to them for all i care, im gonna give L platers hell lol'

Thankyou for highlighting yourself as an inconsiderate road pest and danger to road users....

[Daymoe]

Originally Posted by satria

perfect mate, you nailed it!

4vman can keep being a panzy to them for all i care, im gonna give L platers hell lol'

One day you'll pick the wrong person and he'll get out of the car and put a few bullets into your head.

I'm an L plater and i've seen people give me poo on purpose, then i've seen incredibly nice people like 4VMan who gives me plenty of space and not stay up my crapper on purpose.

[Clint Eastwood]

Originally Posted by satria

perfect mate, you nailed it!

4vman can keep being a panzy to them for all i care, im gonna give L platers hell lol'

Is it about time you changed your nappy....????

Grow up,or atleast try to act your age.

This sort of pig iggnorant attitude is the reason we have so many bad drivers out there.

[RATT]

Where did this happen 4Vman?

Off topic but related:
I overtook a slowish driver this morning who was hogging an overtaking lane, he then proceeded to overtake me and kept gesturing and cursing while looking at me in his rear vision mirror! I couldn't believe it.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by RATT

Where did this happen 4Vman?

Off topic but related:
I overtook a slowish driver this morning who was hogging an overtaking lane, he then proceeded to overtake me and kept gesturing and cursing while looking at me in his rear vision mirror! I couldn't believe it.

I battle morons like that on the F6 daily. I had this moron in an early 90's Corolla drive the whole length of the F6 with his brake lights on. Every time I overtook him (with the cruise set to 115), I'd have enough time to get back into the Left lane before the said Corolla overtook me, and then slowed down, before the cycle repeated again. Then there is Uni Students in Camrys creating rolling road blocks.

For the New South Welshmen, My second ever drive in a Manual was in the Royal National Park. My Dad thinks that is the reason he went grey at early. It was during the School Holidays, and the road was (thankfully) deserted.

We all had to learn some time, and the idiots that spark road rage in these circumstances often forget this.

[mongoloid]

I do think however that until L and P plate drivers get more experience they shouldn't be allowed on the roads

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by RATT

Where did this happen 4Vman?

Off topic but related:
I overtook a slowish driver this morning who was hogging an overtaking lane, he then proceeded to overtake me and kept gesturing and cursing while looking at me in his rear vision mirror! I couldn't believe it.

Lol theres plenty of them around...

I think we have to be patient with learner drivers, sadly the only way you learn is by getting in and doing it, if that means we have to share the roads then maybe we should give them some space...

The only gripe i have with learner drivers are the ones that get in the middle lane, and stay there...