Why is BC the only place in North America that makes new drivers display L/N?

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

What are you talking about, seniors do have a special sign, their "veteran" license plates

that was the arguement most of the callers calling in said - they have the special plates but proponents of the yellow S said what about veterans from the gulf war they are not seniors yet

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

What are you talking about, seniors do have a special sign, their "veteran" license plates

I'm a veteran and I'm 21 years old... Saying I should look like this:

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Whatever just deal with it, I had my N for over six years before I got my full license. What made me finally get my full license was that I did not want to be 25 years old with an N and I wanted to be able to drive after one beer after playing hockey. If you don't want your N, well that's just incentive for you to go for your full license sooner. The L and N is just there to make other drivers aware that they should be careful around you.

Would that then not make sense to have a N after a beer or two.

Maybe make people display a D or something when they have a few drinks, raise the allowable blood alcohol limit when you do this for the driver to say 0.08 or 0.10, otherwise 0.05.
Actually doesnt sound like a bad concept to me. Could be effective based on my understanding of how people behave.

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Would that then not make sense to have a N after a beer or two.

Maybe make people display a D or something when they have a few drinks, raise the allowable blood alcohol limit when you do this for the driver to say 0.08 or 0.10, otherwise 0.05.
Actually doesnt sound like a bad concept to me.

Still doesn't help oncoming drivers...

[worldwide]

not every senior is a veteran... not even close.

anyways, I rarely display my N, and I got caught at a roadblock once but no ticket. I never display it if I'm going to carry more than one passenger, and then I usually leave it off for a few weeks before putting it back on. I plan on getting my full license in about 372 days anyways.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Canadian Mind

Still doesn't help oncoming drivers...

True.
But the point isnt to really show who is "drunk" as there would still be low legal limit but to give people who drink a little even more incentive to consciously be aware of how much they drink. The whole act of putting the sign on would give a opportunity that would otherwise not exist for a person to re-examine their level of intoxication. Its a classic mind trick.

You give a reward for the action, the reward then changes the scope of the cause of the action. Im not sure how else to better explain it but its a classic way of tricking the mind.

One way to understand decision making theories is that people make decisions based on risk, and give a higher value to immediate risk. When a person is drinking he places a high value on the act of drinking as it is present and places a low value on the risk associated of driving later because its not present and it doesnt jeopardize their current situation. Now when the person is faced with the prospect of being able to drink more if he puts the sign on later then he now is looking at a action to be taken in the future that will effect the present situation. There is a simple goal created to work towards.

Mehhh not sure how else to describe.

[Canadian Mind]

Frankly I think the idea is way out to lunch. Some people couldn't even drive straight at 0.08%, nevermind higher. And people have very poor risk assessment when they drink. The ability to put 1 more down will normally turn to 10, and because they have a drunk idiot sign, they'll drive anyways.

On the plus side, the folks with the drunk idiot sign will probs get the cops attention.

[DKaz]

At my weight, my blood alcohol is .025 after one beer, but we usually stick around at the rink for an hour before leaving.

[cc85]

stop complaining about having to demonstrate your limited skills and experience

[UrbanGreen]

Originally Posted by cc85

stop complaining about having to demonstrate your limited skills and experience

I'm just wondering what makes BC special, thats all. What sets us apart from the rest of the continent? Why are we the only place that forces drivers by law to display their L or N symbol?

[cc85]

because we sometimes try novel and progressive ideas

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by jlousa

What is humilating is the kids that turn the sign sideways to become a Z. Can't imagine how cool they must be.

Yeah!!! Or the ones that put the N upside-down...
oh... wait...

As for the restrictions, I don't think they're too harsh at all.

In respects to the elderly getting a badge (of honour), Japan asks their elderly over 75 to apply the autumn leaf badge.


They also have a handicapped symbol:



A hard of hearing symbol (forbids other drivers from passing aggressively):


And of course a New Driver symbol (must be shown for 1 year after getting your license on front and back of car):


Of course, getting your license costs most people about $2000 as most people go for driving lessons. I've heard stories that it's almost an automatic fail if you don't... but in any case, getting a license (passing your test) is much more difficult than it is here.

I kind of like that they have a symbol that you only need to show for the first year after getting your license... I'm assuming that you don't have to get re-tested like they do here.

[Yume-sama]

Heh, it is indeed almost impossible to get a drivers license in Japan without paying nearly $3000 for month long courses, and studying a book that would make an encyclopedia feel bad about its own size. There's almost no such thing as a "teen driver" in Japan, for pretty much that reason. Their freeway systems and traffic, etc. would scare the average person to death, so... perhaps its a good thing.

I believe there is also a "vision impaired" sticker lol...

[Fairbanks]

I dont understand the need for this thread at all.

[Fairbanks]

Originally Posted by UrbanGreen

Manitoba uses the Graduated Licensing Program. Its levels are Learner, Intermediate, and Full. There is no law stating they have to display their level on the back of their car like BC. BC is the only place that makes drivers display signs on the back of their car stating they are a Learner or New driver

Manitoba roads are flat and straight....woooo big challenges there.

[UrbanGreen]

Originally Posted by Fairbanks

Manitoba roads are flat and straight....woooo big challenges there.

So we have to display Ls and Ns on our car because of our geographical terrain? That can't be right.

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by Fairbanks

Manitoba roads are flat and straight....woooo big challenges there.

Falling asleep at the wheel?

[Conrad Yablonski]

When the graduate program was first established there was press about how the guidelines came from some southern US state-not Tennessee like I thought though I checked.

Similar signs to the ones in use here are used in Trinidad & Tobago-a serious place to drive.

Failing to use a seatbelt results in a $T&T 5,000 fine (about $C 1200)-to the driver!!!

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by UrbanGreen

So we have to display Ls and Ns on our car because of our geographical terrain? That can't be right.

No, we do it because it's a good idea. Is there a need to say more than that?

Perhaps, just perhaps, it is a good thing that we are outdoing other jurisdictions in this.

[rbostyle]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

Failing to use a seatbelt results in a $T&T 5,000 fine (about $C 1200)-to the driver!!!

It's the driver's responsibility to ensure all passengers are wearing a seatbelt here too. If you're driving, you enforce it, or you pay.