The Law The 120 hours learning to drive scheme needs to be extended

[VelvetSledge]

How the **** is 120 hours possible?

Literally every would fake that if you have to do that much.

I did it 100% legitimately, and only wanted to brutally murder three people by the end

 

[Feraligatr]

I turned 16 the year before they brought in the 120 hours in Vic. I was really grateful for that, but I missed out on the old P's system by 4 months, I turned 18 in October 2008 and they brought in the new P's system (The 4 years on P's) in July 2008. Was spewing about that. But in the end the extra year on my P's was no big deal.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

In a lot of European countries, you can only learn to drive with an accredited driving school and they decide when you're ready to sit the test. It costs a lot more but it makes for better drivers.

I've always thought that it should be privatized. Accredited driving schools ran through insurance and automotive groups would be ideal and people could pay for it appropriately. Imagine you're getting a license and you're bought a car. You're going to get your car insured by RAC and the attached road side assistance. You could potentially have different grades of licenses that affect you're premiums within any one or multiple insurance companies, thus you're putting a long term dollar incentive for people to take more interest in their driving. The licensing system would still be managed by the department but all driver education could be done through private institutions.

It's a brain fart i've had since i got my license.

 

[Todman]

120 hours = 10,000 km on the open road (given to slow down for towns) or at least 6,000 km around town.

 

[Slax]

120 hours is complete BS, sorry but just because you do the kms doesn't make you a good driver. I reckon that if a learner was to undertake a proper defensive driving course then they should have a minimum of 60 hours taken off their time required.

 

[vonn]

As someone who is 20 and still in the Ps system - surely you do not believe anyone actually does the full hours?
I don't disagree with the notion extensive practice under experienced supervisors will make you a better driver - just that you'd be out of touch with reality to think that the numbers in the handbook are not bull.
Additionally, being an idiot and believing you're invincible will be more conducive to an accident then say, someone who did 120 vs 130 hours. I'm very well aware of the fact I'm not a good driver, I'm too inexperienced to be - but I'm careful and I'm respectful, and that translates into my driving.

 

[DrKrieger]

As someone who is 20 and still in the Ps system - surely you do not believe anyone actually does the full hours?
I don't disagree with the notion extensive practice under experienced supervisors will make you a better driver - just that you'd be out of touch with reality to think that the numbers in the handbook are not bull.
Additionally, being an idiot and believing you're invincible will be more conducive to an accident then say, someone who did 120 vs 130 hours. I'm very well aware of the fact I'm not a good driver, I'm too inexperienced to be - but I'm careful and I'm respectful, and that translates into my driving.

Im not sure that the "experienced supervisors" are actually beneficial though, with the amount of drivers who sit in the right lane, don't look/indicate before changing lanes, tailgate, don't understand zipper merging etc, some of them have to be parents (and therefore "driving instructors") by sheer weight of numbers.
The only real solution is to have the whole course done by appropriately trained instructors, but people will always complain about this as being too expensive/difficult, so I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Shoey]

We should be taught how to drive properly, not how to pass a test.

Both of the exchange students (french/italian) at my school said it's only 10-12 hours with an instructor after your 16, and you can drive by yourself. Europe are on some next level shit, they know what they're doing when it comes to treating their people in the right way.
Oh and also, in Italy the drinking age is 16 (raised to 18 recently i think). So from this they are shown how to drink responsibly, with family, at a safe age. Instead of having the legal driving age and legal drinking age on the same day...

 

[Tulip]

Apparently they're again changing the P plater laws to stretch Red P mobile phone restrictions onto Green's. That referring to the fact that you can't use your phone as a navigator, or use the bluetooth in your car, until you're onto your actual license. I've only just got my license, so whilst it's annoying it's a relatively minor thing.

Concerningly, I've also heard that you can't use your phone as an iPod or mp3 anymore? Can anyone confirm this? I usually plug mine into the aux and keep it going until I get where I need to be. Would an iPod be a better bet to plug in, being not a mobile an all. I think the main concern they have is texting, especially with inexperienced drivers.