victoria's new P-plate laws

[Magnum]

Because it's supposedly a free country? Because driving a powerful car does not necessarily mean you're dangerous (or more dangerous than others on the road)?

It's a psuedo free country, there are plenty of things you can't do, but point taken - if you want a 300kW car to allow you to drive at the speed limits be my guest.

I agree that driving a powerful car doesn't mean you are a dangerous driver, but I never said that did I? I can understand the reason for luxury perhaps, but power? Seeing we're just driving around the city and all.

But then you might also question why a person chooses to buy a massive 4WD just to take their kids back and forth from a suburban school?

Free country there too I guess - or do we assume anything about the abovementioned driver also?

 

[Freo Big Fella]

I would bet any amount of money that there will be less fatal crashes involving P-Platers once this law comes in compared to years when it wasn't.

If we ban middle aged men from hanging around young children and handling money, there'd probably be a whole lot less paedophilia and embezzlement as well.

Doesn't change the fact that the inconvenience posed to thousands of people innocent of any wrongdoing makes them all moronic ideas.

 

[sear]

I have been against this idea for a long time and cant believe it is actually going to be introduced. it seems not to be very well thought out. so is the government going to increase late night taxis? it already takes a few hours to get a taxi on a friday or saturday night. Are they going to increase nightrdiers - make them go to more locataion and be more frequent? not likely - and they are already packed and go to only a few locations - ive seen lots of people be cut off as they bus is too packed and when i do get one i still have to get a taxi from the next suburb to mine - which is still impossible. are they going to increase trains, making them run later at night? also not likely.

All thats going to happen is an increase in drink driving, idiots cramming friends into the boot, the same idiots racing their friends since their not all in one car and more fights in taxi lines as the queues grow and the service deteriorates further...

Oh and dont say people will just have to stop drinking when they go out - Im 18 and i have the legal right to drink, and i should be allowed to have the opportunity to do it responsibly and safely by getting a lift with friends. Punish the idiots who think its a good idea to speed - 10ks over the limit on your Ps and you lose it - let those of us whoare respsonsible be treated like the adults we legally are.

so um.... exactly how are these laws going to help??

 

[Klyntonius]

Some interesting theories in this thread on how these laws will help and other initiatives to lower the road toll. My take on these new laws are that, as usual, they are the cheap, easy and short-sighted way to try and lower the road toll. Rather than improve the standard of drivers on the road, just slap restrictions on them. It is another case of repair rather than prevention.

For me, I want to see the L-plate age lowered to 15 and the P-plate age lowered to 17. I like the current 120 hour experience requirement, even if it's unenforceable. It at least encourages surpervised experience before going it alone. To get a licence, the driver must pass a course, not just a basic test. The course would involve defensive driver training and a first aid course which would include a trip to the road accident ward to see what stupidity can result in. In the first year of P-plates, the driver is restricted to 1 passenger so they can concentrate more fully on their driving and as they aren't as a legal drinking age then the designated driver is less of a concern. I have no problem with power-to-weight restrictions for P-platers but they must be sensible. The current 125kw/tonne I think is adequate.
Another thing I think that is overlooked is the standard of cars on the road. Cars over 3 years old should have to pass for a road worthy certificate annually and the current import restriction should be relaxed to allow for a more affordable safe fleet of cars on the road.

I don't pretend to know all the answers to reducing the road toll, but to me these are some fairly simple and sensible ways to start towards getting there.

 

[sp90]

Hi ive got my P's before July 1st 2008 and thats when the new laws come into effect I was wondering if anyone knows if im going to have to follow the new laws or do i go by the old system?

 

[Klyntonius]

I would assume your licence will remain under the old restriction, not the new ones.

 

[sp90]

Yeah i hope so would be abit stupid if they did make current P platers follow the new laws

 

[pazza]

Who knows really. If the P-Plater has it less than a year, then the laws could apply retrospectively.

 

[mr_cellotape]

I agree that driving a powerful car doesn't mean you are a dangerous driver, but I never said that did I? I can understand the reason for luxury perhaps, but power? Seeing we're just driving around the city and all.

I know. There's lots of things we don't need that are potentially dangerous, but that people should be allowed to exercise their freedom and have/do them.

But then you might also question why a person chooses to buy a massive 4WD just to take their kids back and forth from a suburban school?

Haha, yeah the Aussie equivalent of 'soccer moms', who somehow think they _need_ an enormous 4WD to transport a couple of crotch-droppings and a few bags of shopping. Those oblivious morons are more dangerous than most P-platers.

 

[sp90]

Who knows really. If the P-Plater has it less than a year, then the laws could apply retrospectively.

Yeah thats what im worried about, but ive already had a full car load of mates in the car driving for hours, it realy doesnt bother me im not easily distracted, because when they talk to me i dont realy listen because im always consetrating on the road. it would suck if they ristricted current P Platers to follow the new laws, its just like for the High powered car restriction laws, people who got there Ps before (i think it was) January 2007 were alloud to have turbo's and V8s

 

[Kahuna]

I heard this law is becoming nation wide, any truth to this?

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Kahuna,

It is only for victoria mate.


It is a great idea and I think that along with more driver education along with these rules many P-platers will get the message that they can't go around driving dangerously or do anything stupid. P-platers, imo, are like L-platers, still learning and need all the help they can get.

 

[carntheroos4eva]

Why not extend the L-plate process then? Besides, the problem is the people behind the wheel, not their skill level (although they may think they are better than they are). Anyone can pretend to be a safe driver for X hours until they're on their own. Hoons are passing driving tests after all.

Hoons are passing tests only just but I can tell you they aren't mature enough to own a car let alone drive one. That's why people who are on their P's need more driver education so that they can learn to drive in a safe manner.

 

[Jafa]

Kahuna,

It is only for victoria mate.


It is a great idea and I think that along with more driver education along with these rules many P-platers will get the message that they can't go around driving dangerously or do anything stupid. P-platers, imo, are like L-platers, still learning and need all the help they can get.

I agree. Personally I think that drivers should be required to sit another test to get them off their P-Plates. It`s quite fair to say that even after a year of driving - their are those that still cannot drive.

 

[Underdog]

I agree. Personally I think that drivers should be required to sit another test to get them off their P-Plates. It`s quite fair to say that even after a year of driving - their are those that still cannot drive.

As I'm on the road for my job, I can tell you I would sooner trust a p-plater then many of the regular road users out there.

 

[Kahuna]

As I'm on the road for my job, I can tell you I would sooner trust a p-plater then many of the regular road users out there.

A little bit off topic bit it relates to your point.

I think that all persons on their full license should have to go through a test or just a drive with an instructor to see how they are going. This would probably cost a shitload but if it saves a few lives then it will be worth it.

-----------

Phew I only thought the law was for Victoria but my mate seemed adiment that it was country wide.

 

[kolchak]

It's the law now, like it or lump it.

 

[Willow_2000]

Yeh just pick on ALL the P-Platers out there. Its unfair that most of you put us P's into the same basket even though some of us obey the road rules.
If your going to talk about P's being unsafe then why dont you bring up the elderly and how they drive under the speed limit, this is also a hazard on the road.

 

[Jafa]

As I'm on the road for my job, I can tell you I would sooner trust a p-plater then many of the regular road users out there.

I`m on the road for my job - and I don`t trust anyone. But this is about P-Platers and the simple fact is this - although they might think they can drive - they can`t. Not really.

I know I will probably get a few indignant P-Platers telling me otherwise - but driving is a learned skill that takes practice to get right.

 

[Mr Q]

Yeh just pick on ALL the P-Platers out there. Its unfair that most of you put us P's into the same basket even though some of us obey the road rules.
If your going to talk about P's being unsafe then why dont you bring up the elderly and how they drive under the speed limit, this is also a hazard on the road.

1. Driving under the limit is legal, and has a much lower impact in an accident. Driving over the limit is neither.

2. P-platers have a much higher rate of accidents (whether causing death or not) than any other class of driver on the road. That's why they have to wear P-plates, so other drivers can be wary of them.

It's not picking on P-platers, it's backed up by statistics that show P-platers (and the 18-24 age group in general) are involved in a greater rate of accidents than other drivers - including the elderly. In WA, any driver over the age of 70 who wishes to renew their licence is required to pass their test again.

 

[Hodgie15]

Will these laws be effecting p -plater, who got their licnese prior to july 1 2008?

From what i have been reading previously, i had understood that people who get their p's before july 1 2008, will be with the old law, but now reading that article, had no mention of that and seems as if it will be all p-platers.

i got my p's 4 months ago now, and now im not saying this because i am on my p's, but basically coz its true.. but i have seen far more full-licnesed drivers, driving worse than p platers, so its not only the p-platers who should be getting attacked over this.

 

[Jafa]

Will these laws be effecting p -plater, who got their licnese prior to july 1 2008?

From what i have been reading previously, i had understood that people who get their p's before july 1 2008, will be with the old law, but now reading that article, had no mention of that and seems as if it will be all p-platers.

i got my p's 4 months ago now, and now im not saying this because i am on my p's, but basically coz its true.. but i have seen far more full-licnesed drivers, driving worse than p platers, so its not only the p-platers who should be getting attacked over this.

You`re not being attacked. Don`t feel like a victim. And don`t worry about the other drivers - there are penalties in place to deal with them as well.

 

[sp90]

Will these laws be effecting p -plater, who got their licnese prior to july 1 2008?

From what i have been reading previously, i had understood that people who get their p's before july 1 2008, will be with the old law, but now reading that article, had no mention of that and seems as if it will be all p-platers.

i got my p's 4 months ago now, and now im not saying this because i am on my p's, but basically coz its true.. but i have seen far more full-licnesed drivers, driving worse than p platers, so its not only the p-platers who should be getting attacked over this.

im in the same situation i hope they make us go by the old system and not the new one

 

[Mr Q]

i got my p's 4 months ago now, and now im not saying this because i am on my p's, but basically coz its true.. but i have seen far more full-licnesed drivers, driving worse than p platers, so its not only the p-platers who should be getting attacked over this.

Yet the evidence shows that P-platers and young drivers have higher rates of accidents than any other group. Incontrovertible. It's not having a go at those drivers to say that - it's a fact. A fair bit of this can be attributed to basic driving inexperience, but a fair bit more to the known increased risk taking habits of this age group. Combining those two areas shows why you'd expect more poor driving in that age group.

Similar obvious differences in risk taking behaviour would seem to match the difference between male and female drivers. Sure, there are some poor women drivers, but the accident and death rates make it pretty clear that women are better performed drivers than men. Similarly with elderly drivers who take less chances and drive more conservatively than younger drivers.

 

[Klyntonius]

A fair bit of this can be attributed to basic driving inexperience, but a fair bit more to the known increased risk taking habits of this age group. Combining those two areas shows why you'd expect more poor driving in that age group.

I would say the vast majority of this would be attributed to driving inexperience. The 'excessive speed' of many incidents isn't necessarily over the speed limit but often just too fast for conditions (weather, road, car) that a inexperienced P plate driver hasn't read correctly. I don't believe there are any more knucklehead P platers out there than any other driving group .