Goverments, masters of procrastination... Dammit, where's the procrastination

[Aziraphale]

We all know how governments have a habit of dragging their feet on certain matters, and then taking even longer to get it done once it's been passed in parliament/congress/etc. Boy were we surprsied when this came out this morning. I must head out now to watch as over 100,000 get very angry very fast. I guess I better bring a helmet.

Edit: Modified topic title. In the rush this morning i never finished it.

[famine]

Where is this at, Az?  Sounds pretty cool, actually, considering the number of morons we have on the road here in Minnesota.

[Golden Dragon]

My biggest concern is that those on learner's permits have a lower speed limit. Driving the Interstate Toll Roads in Oklahoma, I've quickly learned that those driving 65 (mph) can actually disturb the flow of traffic on a road with a Speed Limit of 75.

[TheAuldGrump]

Back when double nickel was the speed limit a friend of mine got pulled over and talked to by a Texas cop for only going five over - the cop wanted him to speed up, and really did not care about the law in regards to the speed limit.

The Auld Grump

[Krensky]

Sadly enough, speed limits as used now are largely useless.  When accurate, they're based on a less then optimum (but not worst) case scenario, an average car (of two decades ago), clear, dry weather during the day, pedestrian safety, zoning laws, politics, curves, hills, the phases of the moon and guesswork.

They usually aren't right anyway.

Many times speed limits (in the US) are a way of boosting local government revenue.  Every see a speed limit drop by 20 miles an hour with out warning in the middle of nowhere and then go back up after a mile or two?  It's a trap.  Safe and prudent is the de facto limit for most of the country, assuming the police aren't around.

[Wolverine]

Zero alcohol limit for learner drivers while holding a learner permit licence and during the first two years of holding a driving licence.

That is probably the best of the measures they're trying to introduce, and almost identical to a law that they're trying to pass here in NZ. I think it should also apply to all those drivers under, say, 25 years of age (25 being the age where you can get car insurance on your own merits here).

[Bill Whitmore]

Every see a speed limit drop by 20 miles an hour with out warning in the middle of nowhere and then go back up after a mile or two?

There is one of these less than a mile from my house.  Speed limit is 35 until you get about a couple hundred feet from the highway, then it drops to 25 for a like amount distance on the other side of the highway before going back to 35.  On average I see abot 1 car per month pulled over there when I am driving home (and that only accounts for me seeing the place for a span of about 5 minutes in a given week).  However, I see it enough to know to go 25 in that area.



Zero alcohol limit for learner drivers while holding a learner permit licence and during the first two years of holding a driving licence.

I wish this was the case from ages 16-600.

[Aziraphale]

Yeah,  most of what they've introduced looks quite interesting. Nobody really has a problem with the content. The largest concern was the idea was introduced to Parliament on thursday, i.e. yesterday. Without prior warnings we now have a huge overhaul of our driving system coming into effect come tuesday morning. With the old system people on their second provisional were able to drive unaccompanied. Under the new system 100,000 people suddenly were put in a very awkward position of having 4 days warning that they are off the road. The public lashed back hard at the governemt today. So with a bit of sense, as of 5 o'clock they've stalled putting the legislation into effect for another 5 months. I think many people were shocked by the way it went through introduction, discussion(read furious shouting match) drafting of a bill and passing it all in one day.

Boy was i shocked reading that this morning. My driving test was this afternoon prior to the announcement of the 5 month delay. Almost failed it thanks to the added stress.

Where is this at, Az?  Sounds pretty cool, actually, considering the number of morons we have on the road here in Minnesota.

It's here in Ireland. Most was brought into counter the amount of accidents we've had from learner driver's. I can't remember the exact figures but I know they were high enough that they've essentially forced a complete rehaul of our driving system here in a day. The concept is great, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Most of the radio today revolved around people shouting very loudly about the lack of warning. The atmosphere in UCC today was quite ugly.

EDIT: Apparently, the info I was given regarding the stalling was false. It is in fact coming into full effect Monday at midnight. And how they got it through in one day was because they weren't introducing a bill. They were just forcing the minister for transport to excercise powers he was given in a bill in 2006.

[agent oni]

Isn't it already very difficult to get a driver's license in Europe in general?

I've known some people who take their driver's test here in America and use it in their native country.

[Mister Andersen]

All those things are what we have in Australia.

L's are for a minimum of 6 months and 50 hrs of tutured driving for under 25s, 50 hrs of tutured driving only for overs 25s; hrs must include minimum number of night driving hours. Must pass computerised knowledge test to gain. Mandatory requirement for fully qualified instructor at all times. Zero alcohol. Max speed 80 kph. Last for a year and a half before renewing. No demerit points acruable, but notable violations of road laws will result in cancellation of permit.

Provisional 1 (or red Ps) are for a year to a year and a half; if you don't progress to your Provisional 2 you start from the beginning with Ls. Must pass driving test to gain. Max speed 90 kph. Zero alchohol. Drivers under 21 forbidden from carrying more than one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am. 6 demerit points acruable.

Provisional 2 (or green Ps) are for a minimum of 2 years. Must pass computerised hazard perception test to gain. Zero alcohol. Max speed 100 kph. 9 demerit points acruable.

Full licence. 0.5 alcohol. No max speed (thoiugh in most cases ieffectively 110 kph). 12 demerit points acruble.