Lets talk L and P speed limits

[BradZ]

Nothing like that in VIC thank god. L and P can do the signed limit.

NSW however, as stated, 80 on your L's, 90 on red P's and 100 on greens.

That'll teach 'em for getting their license a year before us Victorians!

[XR6TOY]

Just another thing to note as well (Talking about NSW), the statistics have increased for P platers too, being that P platers have to be on P's for 3 years as opposed to one year from previous years. So, before where young people would have an accident or be involved in an incident they would have been on thier full licence & nothing said, now that we have a lot more P platers on our roads they all get painted with the same brush. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a lot more P platers on our roads than there used to be.

[Ben73]

I had to put up with this crap for 4 years. Glad I am away from it now.
80 on the freeway was pathetic. You spend more time looking in your mirror then in front because there is always and endless line of cars, TRUCKS and BUSES flying up behind you and changing lanes at the last second.

I don't see the need for these limits. If you are on your L's and don't feel confident at highway speeds, then let the other person drive and get up your confident at slower speeds.

If you are on your L, P or blacks and you must drive on the freeways but don't feel confident at 110, then do what speed you feel confident with. No point making everyone drive at that speed because some can't.

I have seen many full licenced drivers who can't even handle 100 or 110.

[EDManual]

I find the faster you go, the better you drive. Its much easier to be steady behind the wheel at higher speed. Cars track better, its to do with wheels turning fast creating gyroscopic force! So at lower speed you are inherently swervy! hehe!
Also thats why steering gets harder to turn at higher speeds.
(This is not a joke!^^)

[fou_bleu]

I be on my green P's too and after travelling to my grandparent's place the other week via the GWH (Great Western) and the Hume, I noticed something quite funny considering the comments about closing speeds and people cutting overtaking close.

Even with the 10km/h difference between me and other drivers (when I was doing my limit, anyways :P) there were some idiots thinking that they can stick in the right lane from about 300m behind and zoom past, but they'd get stuck with trucks and other closer vehicles behind me trying to merge out to pass me. I don't know if that makes sense, but me being slower and other people over compensating for the closing speed caused bottle-necks and potentially nasty accidents, especially with trucks!

[irish2]

I have recently spent quite a bit of time on northern NSW highways and found people generally drive slow. In the single lane sections the trucks were the fastest thing around, so I would be sitting behind them whilst they overtook a whole que of cars when we came to an overtaking lane. In perfectly fine conditions on another day, I was stuck at 60km/h for about 5k's in a 100km/h zone that was single lane. Both cars infront of me were less than 3 years old but they were just too afraid to use their right foot. I found P platers to be the least of my worries on the open road.

[Keepleft]

NSW - I'd like to see an end to the license category L, P1 and P2 limits. Posted limit or allowance is fine, should never have been introduced, once told Prof Job just that.

We'll see.

[SPArKy_Dave]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Be grateful that some Sargent Safety doesn't insist on 5 kph and a man walking in front of you with a red flag...

You know that 'dude walking in front, with a red flag' thing, was actually a real road rule, when cars were fairly new in Australia.

[tezxr8man]

doesn't it make sense to restrict where they can go if the speed is restricted??
other places have this idea like in germany you have to pass a further test to be able to drive on the motorways at high speeds

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Torment47

Agree that being in the right lane is WRONG on many levels! esp on hwy's and fwy's. but Damo the limit for red p is 90 my friend

Probably the reason why I have glasses

[Vincenzo]

In the NT you can obtain your L's at 16 but you have to be 16y and 6 months prior to taking your provisional test.The learners are restricted to 80 km/h with family and friends (except) when driving with a registered driving instructor. They may then practice at up to 100 km/h.

Once a provisional licence is obtained then you must display your P plates for the first year. After that they don't need to be displayed.

You are also on a zero BAC for the first three years which is recorded on your licence.

Hope this helps

Cheers and thanks Vincenzo

[davids_gxl]

When i was 16 many years ago,on Ls u could only do 80ks,and should b the same today.These young drivers need to learn to drive these cars in the rite manner,in the rite conditions.

[KRL-94]

in QLD, if the speed limit say's 100, you do 100, not 95 or 90. or even 80 for that matter. you do 100

[Kynan]

Originally Posted by EgoFalcon

NSW P platers have speed restrictions?!?!

I get passed by them on the highway when I'm doing 110...

Same. They're usually the ones doing the overtaking lol. It's amazing at the amount of times I've been overtaken and there has been a highway patrol hiding in a bush or down a side street just further up. Instant loss of license for a red P plater now too...

[whynot]

During the darkest hours of the Battle of Britain, pilots where being put into Spitfires with as little as 50 hours in their log books (40 basic flying training + 10 conversion). These pilots (exclusively male) were the same age as P-platers today who are restricted to doing 80 kph on a wide, dual lane carriageway.

By the time a person typically has 50 – 70 hours in their log book, most of the mechanical skills should be reasonably developed. If they have average maturity for their age, most of the cognitive development is in place by 100 hours. The smart drivers never stop learning, even if they are in their 90’s.

Yes, I get the arguments about young people being overrepresented in crash statistics. Yes, I do support the 100 hours genuine supervision for leaners. If the statistics do support the hypothesis that crash risk increases significantly from 80 kph to 110kph, the surely the best way to “train” drivers is when under supervision. That is, when they are still on their learners licence and still open to suggestions and feedback. By the time they have four’s years under their belt on the road, most behaviours (good and bad) are fixed and very hard to modify. In my view, the NSW practice is a silly Nanny State idea that, in the long term, will do more harm than good.

[KRL-94]

i remember when my elder brother went for his L's, he only had to hold his licence 6 months, regardless of thow many hours he had done, he was able to get his full open licence. infact, both my edler brothers never had to go for this PROVISIONAL licencing. my 2nd eldest brother had to hold his licence for 12 months, and do 100 hours and he got his full open licence. where as me, i have to hold my L's for 12 months (done), do the minimum of 100 hours (currently at like 95 hours?), then do another test to get my P1 licence, hold that for 12 months, do a further test to get my P2 licence and hold it for 24 months, then do a 4th test so i can have my full open licence. why is the govenment always after money when all they do is use it in places its not needed. my father is 74 this year. numerous times i've had to take him to the hospital. and when he has to wait ATLEAST 4 hours to see a doctor, they just say to him, "Well you have to expect this at your age" and tap him on the sholder like he's a child.

[falconnut]

Glad i can get my fulls in 6 months, then i can go the 'speed limit'.

Going from 80 to 90 to 100 over the course of 4 years was/is completely retarded.

NSW has the most useless driver licensing system (the stupid contradicting rules between L and P plates for example) ever conceived.

Most of the other states (VIC, WA ect.) seem quite good but QLD, NSW and NT just seem retarded.

fyi, i dont bother doing these stupid conditional speed limits especially in a 110 zone as i feel sorry for the other drivers and besides, speed camera's, hwp and speed camera's are pretty much non existant most of the time on the coast anyway (unless your really unlucky or only drive when the traffic peaks 8am-10am 2pm-5pm

[medz84]

i told my mrs not to put her p plates on when shes was on her p plates, never got a fine for 2 and a half years she started putting them on 6 months before getting on her full license and got pulled over numerous times....

if i were on my p's again id never put them on, we live in nsw btw!!

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by medz84

i told my mrs not to put her p plates on when shes was on her p plates, never got a fine for 2 and a half years she started putting them on 6 months before getting on her full license and got pulled over numerous times....

if i were on my p's again id never put them on, we live in nsw btw!!

That's funny, I had my P plates displayed for 3 years. Never was pulled over once.

I don't think cops pick on P platers. I think they pick on P platers who stand out for whatever reason.

[medz84]

i guess everyone has different views or luck i guess, i guess it was just a co-incidence in my wifes scenario, i do agree however with standing out i see modified cars with p plates pulled over quite often!!

[graham7773]

Get the L plates then go straight on to an advanced driver training course. Pricy but they will hit the road with a lot more confidence and more importantly, better driving skills. Flame just keeps me warm.

[medz84]

i think there should be a road safety subject in all high shools
including learning both theory and pract im sure the government can use some of the money that the rta make to fund it all!!!

[TheInterceptor]

I saw something in the paper today, talks of changing L hours from 120 to 100 provided you do a course. (something like that?)

Right direction but not good enough...

[Hayden1]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

I saw something in the paper today, talks of changing L hours from 120 to 100 provided you do a course. (something like that?)

Right direction but not good enough...

Heard someone on the radio calling it a massive reduction of time or something like that, but it's really not. Its an option to spend less actual time driving than the time you hold the license. I don't see how it benefits anyone other than stopping people 'fudging' their hours. It actually lowers the amount of experience needed which is wrong ! I think they should focus on something along the lines of the learner being able to SHOW and DEMONSTRATE that they've learnt everything and got all the necessary experience...

What they do at the moment caters for EVERYONE, so everyone has to do the same thing no matter they're skills or experience, instead I think should continue what they are doing but give people the option to upgrade(?) their licenses earlier if they can prove (the hard part) that they have had the experience and learnt the skills.

I guess then everyone will try to upgrade earlier by fudging everything and so then it sounds like a stupid idea...

[Djrystofer]

First day of my L's I merged to the freeway at 130 & didn't even realise I was doing 20k's over the limit
If I didn't feel safe, I would've known to slow down. 80kp/h is an absolute joke for L platers, & 100 is even worse for someone that's been driving for over 4 years. (Greens)

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by KRL-94

in QLD, if the speed limit say's 100, you do 100, not 95 or 90. or even 80 for that matter. you do 100

Sorry, KRL-94 ... you are wrong. 100 is the speed limit ... that means you can not go faster. There is no law to state you must travel at this speed. You are required to travel at a speed that is safe for conditions, which may mean you need to drop to 80. I've attended too many accidents which clearly involved inappropiate speed for the conditions.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

Sorry, KRL-94 ... you are wrong. 100 is the speed limit ... that means you can not go faster. There is no law to state you must travel at this speed. You are required to travel at a speed that is safe for conditions, which may mean you need to drop to 80. I've attended too many accidents which clearly involved inappropiate speed for the conditions.

This is correct ... and a lot of people don't get this.

the speed limit is the UPPER limit of what you are allowed to do in the BEST possible conditions.

It is not illegal to go slower (well to a point at least)

Yes I like to stick to the limit ... and do breach it on occasion.

But if someone goes slower ... well that's there decision to do so ... no need to persecute them. If you don't like it .... I guess pass them and continue on your way.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

But if someone goes slower ... well that's there decision to do so ... no need to persecute them. If you don't like it .... I guess pass them and continue on your way.

But what they're not teaching drivers at the L/P stage is that if they do go slower they need to be considerate. This may not mean much to city folk but one of the defining images of Australian rural roads (where it is mostly quite unsafe to overtake) is the kilometre-long tailback behind someone doing 80 in a 100 zone.

I do note that RMS is now creating wide sealed verges on roads. One of the subliminal hints here is towards European practice where drivers constantly observe their rear vision mirrors and if they see they are holding up traffic behind they move onto the verge to allow following traffic to overtake. If Australian drivers continue to be inconsiderate then they really do need to be doing 100 or whatever the limit is (in good conditions).

[davefromperth]

Originally Posted by kempy311

It must be because WA is the best state to live in.

This

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

This is correct ... and a lot of people don't get this.

the speed limit is the UPPER limit of what you are allowed to do in the BEST possible conditions.

It is not illegal to go slower (well to a point at least)

Yes I like to stick to the limit ... and do breach it on occasion.

But if someone goes slower ... well that's there decision to do so ... no need to persecute them. If you don't like it .... I guess pass them and continue on your way.

Yea it's not illegal to go slower but there should be a lower limit.
Once came up behind a car doing 15-20 in a 50 zone. No chance to overtake. They could of pulled over to let us past but they were to busy looking everyway except in the mirror at the line of cars behind They then speed up to a more reasonable speed of 30 after a quick beep of the horn to let them know they are not the only car on the road.
Another day I had some other idiot doing 10 in a 50 zone. No traffic around except the 10 cars behind who all caught up. Again chances to pull over but they decided not to. Can't overtake on double lines.

Some people néed to be more considerate.