'P' Plates

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Fri 21 Mar 2014 18:05
'P' Plates - johnnyrev
My wife passed her driving test today (second attempt) and is pondering whether green 'P' plates are worth having.

Her experience of having 'L' plates is that nobody makes much allowance for learners! Even on her test someone cut her up and people were often overtaking during lessons when she was doing the speed limit. I try to give learners more room and be a little more cautious but I seem to be in the minority.

So if people generally ignore 'L' plates then is it worth having 'P' plates? And if so, then for how long? Any thoughts or experiences?
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Fri 21 Mar 2014 18:07
'P' Plates - jamie745

A 'P' Plate essentially means 'I've passed my test, but I still don't know if I'm any good at driving or not.'

In a totally unmarked car, nobody else knows anything about you. They cut up learners because they know a learner won't respond aggressively.

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Fri 21 Mar 2014 19:45
'P' Plates - Mike H

My son used them for a short while after he passed his test when he was 17 some 9 years ago, but only used them for a short while, IIRC, a week or so - he took the decision to remove them himself.. I would say that if it makes your wife feel better having them, then go for it. It would say it's more to do with confidence than competence, as it's only after passing the test you drive alone, despite Jamie's take on them.

And well done to her btw.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 16:06
'P' Plates - Snakey

Personally I thin they're a waste of time, on a par with 'Baby on board' signs etc. If some knuckle dragging (audi :-) ) driver is going to tailgate you then they won't make a bit of difference.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 21:42
'P' Plates - galileo

Personally I thin they're a waste of time, on a par with 'Baby on board' signs etc. If some knuckle dragging (audi :-) ) driver is going to tailgate you then they won't make a bit of difference.

Absolutely agree. I personally take "baby on board" or even worse, "little princess on board" as signs of a serious lack of intelligence on the part of the owner.

Are they bragging or complaining? What earthly purpose do they serve? And they don't take the sign out when there clearly is only the driver in the car.

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Sat 22 Mar 2014 22:43
'P' Plates - jamie745

I believe 'baby on board' signs were first invented so as the emergency services knew to look for a baby in the event of a crash. I don't know if that's true but it makes logical sense, especially as bulky child seats and such like are quite a new invention.

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Sun 23 Mar 2014 09:29
'P' Plates - Bromptonaut

Magnetic L plates usually stay in place at learner speeds. P plates, at least the front one, are prone to fly off above 50-60.

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Sun 23 Mar 2014 14:20
'P' Plates - galileo

I believe 'baby on board' signs were first invented so as the emergency services knew to look for a baby in the event of a crash. I don't know if that's true but it makes logical sense, especially as bulky child seats and such like are quite a new invention.

Exactly why they should remove the sign when there is no child in the car, but they never do!

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Sun 23 Mar 2014 16:50
'P' Plates - johnnyrev
Thank you all for your comments. The wife has been out a couple of times on her own this weekend to get used to a different car (she learnt in a Corsa auto and we have a Yaris Hybrid) and found that she only felt under pressure when reversing into a space in the car park.

She has bought a 'Caution New Driver' sign to put in the back window (which I must remember to take out!) but I suspect it won't get used for long as her confidence increases. She has more confidence than I had when I passed my test aged 18 and very carefully drove my Mum's Datsun Cherry around Bognor Regis. Although not cautiously enough as I crashed into a police car in a car park about a week after I passed!
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Mon 24 Mar 2014 09:02
'P' Plates - Snakey

I don't mean this to sound harsh, but the way things are on the roads these days she's probably just going to get acclimatised the 'hard' way.

Mayb some local trips out of rush hour periods during school holidays will help with some road experience. I practiced reversing into spaces in the local Fine Fare (remember them!) car park on Sunday afternoon - as they were closed on Sundays in those days!

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Mon 24 Mar 2014 13:38
'P' Plates - skidpan

I believe 'baby on board' signs were first invented so as the emergency services knew to look for a baby in the event of a crash

No idea if that is true or just another urban myth but surely the emergency services look for all occupants rather than first looking for a sticker bought at Skegness. The simple fact is this, do I drive any more carefully behind a car with such a sticker in the back window, no, I always drive exactly the same since I have no wish to crash into any car, baby on board or not.

Once followed a car, the driver was clearly infuriated by these stupid sticker and had made his own, cannot remember but something like "murderer on board". May have been a fact.

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Mon 24 Mar 2014 19:38
'P' Plates - alan1302

I believe 'baby on board' signs were first invented so as the emergency services knew to look for a baby in the event of a crash

No idea if that is true or just another urban myth but surely the emergency services look for all occupants rather than first looking for a sticker bought at Skegness.

Of course they would look but I believe the idea behind the sign is to alert the emergency services there is a child on board - and they can be a lot harder to spot, especially babies being so small.

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Mon 24 Mar 2014 23:13
'P' Plates - galileo

I believe 'baby on board' signs were first invented so as the emergency services knew to look for a baby in the event of a crash

No idea if that is true or just another urban myth but surely the emergency services look for all occupants rather than first looking for a sticker bought at Skegness.

Of course they would look but I believe the idea behind the sign is to alert the emergency services there is a child on board - and they can be a lot harder to spot, especially babies being so small.

And time wasted looking for when one is NOT on board but the sign is still there!

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