P Platers - what are you taught?

[MITCHAY]

Wish they would ping more people for that regardless of what licence they have.

[amisupposed2b]

I personally feel that the RTA is way too lienient on handing out licences, I have seen some abosolutly rediculous crap on the roads done by P platers. Its not even funny, if I was the RTA I would seriously consider reviewing/resitting all P platers on a year basis.

[Bob Yellow]

Regular testing won't help. people drive good on tests so they can pass. soon as they go on to the roads, there is nobody testing if they indicators and such 24/7. thats the biggest flaw about getting a license. it proves you were a good driver for 20mins while getting the license. after driving is a test of a persons character.

[WILDB]

What are we taught? It depends on the teacher, if they can't drive then what hope for the person being taught (I'm talking about when they are on L's)

I am a P-Plater but I don't have to display P's because of the laws coming in after I had my licence - I had a really good instructor when I was on my L's and think that definately helped me to get a proper knowledge of the road rules.

Last night coming home from work about 9:30 these idiots in an old Torana decided to go flying past me in a 60 zone (my guess is 100+) Red P-Plater driving and the car chockers with other teenagers but then I caught up to them when they were doing 55 in an 80 zone. When it comes to dual lanes I went to overtake and they kept yelling out the window and trying to race me. I told them to grow up and kept on going at the speed limit, after all there have been several fatalities on this particular road because of people racing.

[Fev]

The problem is

Some people are morons. Some people are not.

The Goverment is part of the first grouping. Many teenagers are also part of the first group. but the majority are NOT. i never had a lesson on how to drive other then the first few incredibly annoying ones with the mother telling me to indicate 400m before the corner etc because she was freakin out i was driving, being overly cautious etc. i already knew this, all i needed to learn was how to control the car and THIS IS the main problem with p-platers. They dont know how to control a car in extraordinary situations. Now im not saying i do but i can control it fairly well in the wet etc and i know where My limits are aswell as the car and all the roads i regularily drive on. I believe, along with 90% of every other person in aus with an IQ above 70 that new drivers need to learn their own limits and also the limits of whatever car they are driving in a controlled environment IE SKIDPAN. Driver training courses, advanced driver training courses all need to be mandatory atleast once..

my 50c

p.s. The 'training' new drivers recieve is from their parents, generation "X".. THINK ABOUT IT!! lol, and having driving instructors is not mandatory

[BlackLS]

Originally Posted by Pinch

What are P-Platers taught - not much it seems.
*snip*
ADDIT: Ossington got pinged southbound near Farnell Ave. The next available right turn into any street is about 3k's. To turn into Engadine itself - about 4k's.

For those that don't know the road, there is a merge into the right lane about 100 metres from the Loftus oval in the article. And frustrates the living hell out of me everyone that can't keep left or if possible keep the speed limit.

I was on my Ps not long ago and yes we targeted. I've had my full licence for over a year and have not been pulled over once for an "random" breath test.

But I'd rather have younger unconfident drivers being shown their errors than growing into bad driving habits.

[ingall9]

I think a large part of the problem is that many of them are being taught bad habits by those that teach them. I would imagine only a small percentage of new drivers on the road have actually had paid driving lessons from a professional driving instructor. Maybe it should be subsidised by the government and it should be compulsory to undertake x amount of pressional driving lessons, that way they can be shown the correct way to do things

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Exactly what you guys were taught when you were on your P's. Not much, you only learn from driving, no text book is going to help.

Perhaps the only difference is attitude.....

I had a very good driving instructor. I think that makes a big difference.

Polished up on many skills that my parents had lost (as they have been driving for 30-40 years at the time) and it was a huge help.

I was taught to stay the hell out of the right hand lane, unless overtaking or turning right.


Still, I hate Camry drivers. On Wednesday, lights at corner of Blackburn and Waverley Roads were down (as were almost all lights). The W-E and E-W traffic were moving off when this idiotic lady in a Camry decided to try to barge her way through to turn right(travelling N-S), almost hit about 3 cars, and blocked the entire intersection.
Now, she was off her Ps. I wonder how she got a license in the first place.

[troppo]

I guess it depends how you define 'taught'.
Personally, I don't consider someone taught until the student can repeatedly demonstrate an understanding of the priciple at hand, but it seems a sentence on page 173 of the "Learn to drive" handbook also counts for many instructors.

[Nikked]

I think Learning to drive is a joke. (NSW at least)

-Parent's are all thats required to teach you, there bad habits and interpritation's of the rules are passed on. (my mum had to look at the book her self too make sure she was going to be correct)

-The actual P's 'test' you go out, obey sign's park do you hill start and then your done.

-None of this teaches you what to happen when someone slamns their brake's on in frount of you, or having to serve for the little kid chasing the soccer ball.

It should be mandatory to have, 15-20% of your L hours done by a school (that would have to be gov supporte, caus its not cheap), and pass a test in 'Accident prevention' (brakeing, swerving whatnot)

[SubJimbo]

I got my P's a few weeks ago, And I agree when people say it is too easy to get them these days. I went out for 15 minutes ( If even that ), Around Streets I have been driving around for the last two years , and knew like the back of my hands.
They should be taking you out to unfamiliar places.. The current routes ( In my area ) are too simple. I just went through a few sets of lights, Did a 3 point turn, Drove back and I was done. I went for it in manual, They didnt make me handbrake start or anything.

I agree that instructors are a big help, The bloke I had was great, He taught be little tips and tricks that my parents couldn't.

In regards to the prerequisites to obtaining your P's, I think that there should be particular driving classes in school ( as Nikked said ). I know some schools do it, And its great. They should also be forced to pass an Advanced driving course . These courses teach you how to control you car in particular dangerous situations.

How many serious accidents caused or involved P Platers could have been either prevented or the damage reduced if they knew how to control the car?

I myself are looking for an Advanced driving course to do in the near future.

Cheers

James