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 We’re not all the same: p-plater 

We’re not all the same: p-plater

8/10/2008 9:27:00 AM
A LOCAL p-plater has lashed out at public ridicule of his fellow drivers.

Great Lakes College student Jacob Leung wrote to the Advocate saying he was 'officially over' the way p-platers are treated in the community.

The letter came after the Advocate reported on two incidents involving older drivers.

"(The article was) actually showing experienced drivers make mistakes as well," Jacob said.

The 17-year-old said he had lost count of the number of times he had been cut off and over taken for doing his 90km/h speed limit by drivers not on their p-plates.

"I get worried overtaking older drivers because I just think they are shaking their heads," Jacob said.

"You only hear about the negatives on p-platers. Did it ever occur to the community there are a large majority that are responsible?"

Jacob believes no one is a perfect driver but the majority of p-plate drivers are cautious, we are just not hearing about them.

"We cop enough from high cost insurance and passenger laws, we don't need to cop anymore off the community," Jacob said.

The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) has placed a number of restrictions on red p-plate drivers including not driving certain high performance cars, not accumulating more than three demerit points, having a blood alcohol level of zero and only carrying one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am.

Jacob acknowledges not all p-plate drivers are good drivers and some take more risks than older drivers because they are new to driving. But he still believes the community should cut them some slack and shine some light on the good p-platers.

Have your say: email

editor.gladvocate@ruralpress.com

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Comments


Date: Newest first | Oldest first
The points made by Jacob are valid one. Indeed many "P" plate drivers are cautious and mindful of their limitations. The same can be said for many older drivers who now find themselves being subjected to regular driving tests in order to continue unrestricted driving privileges. The RTA has, in my view, overstepped the mark in discriminatory requirements on older drivers whilst at the same time overseeing a system which allows new drivers to be licenced based on their knowledge of the myriad of road rules and with little regard to their driving skills. New drivers have to "learn" how to drive on the roads. Most older drivers have learnt long ago.
Posted by Old Fella on 10/10/2008 10:44:02 AM
Gee, If only the P platers would drive to the relevant speed limits, indicate where they are going to turn, not after, and not drive like there in a race with the devil. Nearly ALL young drivers and SOME older drivers make mistakes. The idea is to get where your going in ONE piece, NOT how quickly you think you can do the trip!!!!!. Yes , nice hotted up cars are fun to be seen in and to drive, FOR GOODNESS SAKES, think about how your actions might affect other road users!!!!!!
Posted by Kac on 10/10/2008 10:21:36 PM
I drive defensivley, I never break the speed limit, I /always/ look, I'm also 25 years old and have P plates, I only just recently got my $3000 car and its not comprehensivley insured, Today it got smashed into by a fully licenced road user who broke the road rules when I was coming off a highway and turning into a residential street, simply because he thought he could get away with blaming a P plater they decided to take my gap, tough nuts to him, he lost his licence, on his last few demerit points, I've still got mine, but I lost my car out of it and can't afford another one for a while, which means I've also lost my job, so how do you expect P platers to act when they've got fully licenced road users acting like morons on our roads?, it is OUR roads afterall? not just yours right?
Posted by fedup on 31/10/2008 3:50:01 PM

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16/12/2008 | So we now have desperate parents attempting to bribe teachers to get their children into a selective high school. What a sad indictment of our education policies, the holy grail of which is parental choice.
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