The "student driver" program here in Grand Forks stopped putting the labels on the cars because people, mainly young people who had their 20s, would keep harassing and screwing with the driver by tailgating, driving slow in front of them down a residential street, braking suddenly, coming up beside them and laying on the horn, tailgating with their brights on, etc. Doesn't sound like much, but for a new driver that amps up the stress level significantly.

Putting "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens for *ssholes and jerks to screw with them and make a dangerous situation worse.

I'd support this more if we did the same for old drivers.

How about a "Caution - Self-righteous biatch" magnet for her car?

young people who had in their 20s,

Stupid typos.

It'd be easier if all teenagers were forced to drive Smart Cars wrapped in pillows and bubblewrap until they were 21.

No power, no weight, no backseat, takes up very little room in the driveway. Perfect teenager car (from a parent's point of view).

Crosshair: "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens

I think that was the same argument that came up when a similar idea was proposed for NJ for younger drivers (though, of course this being NJ, the opposition ramped it up to sexual predator magnet). I remember when I got my license and there was no way my dad was letting me on the highways right away. He made sure I was comfortable driving on local roads first (fortunately local roads headed to the beach).

If you let old people, crazy farkers, the morning makeup crew, cell phone abusers, singers, eaters, and the oblivious drive, then you should know we're all taking our chances when we get behind the wheel. If teens shouldn't be behind the wheel, we can fix that.

/otherwise, qui'cher biatchyn

That magnet's going to really help when a lot of teens hit someone headon, run into trees, or roll over in ditches.

Following one, or in Farkers' cases stalking one, to where you can read a magnet is probably the safest place to be.

DRTFA, but does she have a magnet business?

... all that jive...

Japan requires this already:



It's a "new leaf" mark, you have it for one year after getting a license.

/link hot like a car in the sun

...but I should mention that in Japan it's not limited to teens, it's any new drivers.

So that mark has become shorthand for "n00bs" in various other forums/art/snark etc.

Uhh, British Columbia has had this for years.

Crosshair:
Putting "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens for *ssholes and jerks to screw with them and make a dangerous situation worse.


I guess I just live in a place where people are more tolerant of others. I always give people with "L" on their car a lot of room and I always received that in return when I was learning to drive.

Uhh, British Columbia has had this for years.

Australia too.

I may act differently around a "student driver" car being driven by an unlicensed driver under instruction. I'm not going to care about a P/L/whatever plate. It is an invitation for police to target the driver, not a useful message.

The nanny state has moved to the USA.

In Manitoba, Manitoba Public Insurance distributed little cardboard placards that said "STUDENT DRIVER" to be put up in the rear window of a car.

With some careful folding of the placard, I saw many 16 year olds driving around with MPI endorsement of them as a "STUNT DRIVER".

As an Atlanta resident, I think this doesn't take it far enough. Raising the age to 18 would be a far better option. At a minimum, require the magnet to have a parent's phone number.

As CC mentioned, we've had graduated licensing in BC for years.

Learners have a red [L] magnet on their cars.
Novices have a green [N] magnet.
You keep the [N] until you take a second exam to remove that notation from your license. My wife still hasn't bothered to do so, eight years later.... sigh.

WTFdoesitmatter: At a minimum, require the magnet to have a parent's phone number.

I think would solve the problem quite well. I endorse.

Doesn't the bass-turned-up-way-too-much-that-it-sounds-like-the-car-is-farting shiatty music from a POS or tuner car basically have the same effect?

So, does driving around for hours with a giant STUDENT DRIVER on the car not pass anymore?

itazurakko: Japan requires this already:



It's a "new leaf" mark, you have it for one year after getting a license.

/link hot like a car in the sun

Actually I plan on getting one of those when I start driving a stick shift. May as well let everyone know.

Would any of these placards or magnets make the kid a better driver? How would this make the road any safer for anyone? Can we hurry up inventing the time machine so this broad doesn't reproduce? Or better yet, so her parents don't?

Cap Ten Oblivious: How about a "Caution - Self-righteous biatch" magnet for her car?

THIS.

While I understand that most other countries have you motor around with a letter 'P' on the front or something of that nature, this quote should prove that this old hag's idea is a terrible one:

A: I do because we have so much support from high school principals, police chiefs, people from SADD, people from MADD. We're going to do our best. All I'm trying to do is save these kids from crashing.

MADD and high school principals are some of the biggest asswipes on the planet. Any idea they come up with is going to be horrible.

Wayyyy too many useless laws creating fines...
/F**k your law
//F**k your mom too

While teens are generally retarded about everything, there are plenty of people who shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car at all. Pointless and stupid idea.

Removable magnets are just asking for trouble - teens'll slap those babies on random cars, take 'em off until they get home, etc. We should seriously consider tattooing "New Driver" on their foreheads and making big neon pink "New Driver" signs pained on their car doors mandatory. It's for the children!

I will support this if only they also have one for "over 70 years old driver" tags as well since the over 70 group is the 2nd in traffic accidents and leaving right turn signal on.

I'd support "Caution-putting on makeup" or "Caution-talking on my cellphone" tags.

Canadian Canuck: I guess I just live in a place where people are more tolerant of others.

1941 Germany was more tolerant than most Americans are today.

If they have driver's ed, have hours of road practice under the big "Student Driver" billboard, and pass the road test then just let them drive for chrissakes!

/Susie Kessler - learn to cope. Or how 'bout you just quit driving?

Nemo's Brother: The nanny state has moved to the USA.

As loudmouth opponent of Nanny State tactics, I don't think this is particularly Nanny Statish.

I'd suggest a "Caution-Woman" magnet first.

Please stop coming up with new laws to restrict the rights of others

I'm going to start a campaign similar to this, but for women and asians. Especially asian women.

Crosshair: The "student driver" program here in Grand Forks stopped putting the labels on the cars because people, mainly young people who had their 20s, would keep harassing and screwing with the driver by tailgating, driving slow in front of them down a residential street, braking suddenly, coming up beside them and laying on the horn, tailgating with their brights on, etc. Doesn't sound like much, but for a new driver that amps up the stress level significantly.

Putting "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens for *ssholes and jerks to screw with them and make a dangerous situation worse.

I'd support this more if we did the same for old drivers.

Japan actually does this.
I just looked on Jlist.com and they have the Green Leaf emblems for new drivers and Brown Leaf for the older and experienced drivers.

Japan's driving schools has the phrase "Please forgive me. I am a beginner driver" written on the hood of their car so other drivers know to take caution.

ah, Fatslave beat me to it.

Crosshair: The "student driver" program here in Grand Forks stopped putting the labels on the cars because people, mainly young people who had their 20s, would keep harassing and screwing with the driver by tailgating, driving slow in front of them down a residential street, braking suddenly, coming up beside them and laying on the horn, tailgating with their brights on, etc. Doesn't sound like much, but for a new driver that amps up the stress level significantly.

Putting "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens for *ssholes and jerks to screw with them and make a dangerous situation worse.

I'd support this more if we did the same for old drivers.

They did away with the "student driver' signage in my home town for the same reason, and that was in the mid-80's. The way other drivers treated the students greatly increased the chances of an accident. There were even people who would throw rocks at the cars for some unknown reason.

I hate it when people say, "In Europe...." But, in Europe, it is normal to have a sign indicating a beginner driver. People do give them a little more leeway as well. I do not think it is a law though.

Its not that new of a concept. The SSCA (Sports Car Club of America) requires a marking on the rear of all rookie drivers at its racing events.

While this has benefits in a group of mature racing drivers it would, as pointed out above, most likely give a-holes an easy target.

What about "caution - woman" ?

Mr. Titanium: Would any of these placards or magnets make the kid a better driver? How would this make the road any safer for anyone? Can we hurry up inventing the time machine so this broad doesn't reproduce? Or better yet, so her parents don't?

The placards mark that the driver inside the car is still under a certain set of restrictions - in BC, if there's an 'L' placard, the driver has to be accompanied at all times by a licensed driver over the age of 25, must have a zero BAC at all times behind the wheel, can't drive between midnight and 5 am, and can only have two passengers. This is intended to cut down the distractions in the car as the driver gets used to the whole driving thing. That's the first 12 months of their license. Then there's a 24-month period where they've got an 'N' placard; no adult supervision required, but only one passenger is allowed if there's no adult supervisor in the car. Zero BAC still stands.

So no, the placards might not teach them anything. It's the regulations behind the placard that are intended to make them better drivers. The placards are more to alert other drivers that this person might feel more comfortable without some giant SUV riding on their ass, etc. I know I tend to give them a little more room if I see the placard. (And swear more loudly at the little bastards if they cut me off.)

Crosshair: The "student driver" program here in Grand Forks stopped putting the labels on the cars because people, mainly young people who had their 20s, would keep harassing and screwing with the driver by tailgating, driving slow in front of them down a residential street, braking suddenly, coming up beside them and laying on the horn, tailgating with their brights on, etc. Doesn't sound like much, but for a new driver that amps up the stress level significantly.

Simple solution: revoke the harassing drivers' licenses.

Nemo's Brother: The nanny state has moved to the USA.

Bullshiat. More people die in driving accidents every year than anything CNN wharrgarbles about. For all the plane crashes and terrorist attacks that hit the goddamn news there are tens of thousands of people dead or injured in cars.

Yeah, this is a wonderful idea. Take a female teenager, give her a car, have her drive home one Friday night from work after closing up the store/restaurant she works at, slap this on her car and see how quickly she gets targeted by a sexual offender.

Now, my question is, if a teen gets kidnapped, raped and killed because your magnet was a beacon for sexual offenders who target teens, are you going to feel somewhat responsible for that teen's death? And if it's a serial rapist who has you to thank for your magnets leading him to 20 teens, how are you going to feel?

FTFA:

Q: What kind of driver are you?

A: I was a nervous driver with the traffic, and I thought, how am I going to let this kid get on the highway? I've got to do something about this. ... I've got to put something on the car that lets everybody know that he's just learning how to drive. So [with a friend] we worked on a design. I wanted to have something positive, so instead of saying "New Driver," or something that the child would be embarrassed about, we said "Newly Licensed."

So, mom is scared of driving in the heavy traffic so she doesn't think her son will have the stones to handle what she can't. I guess the kid should really thank her for even allowing him to have a drivers license.

Q: Your son Donne is 16 now. What does he think of all this?

A: He's like, "Oh man, all my life all I wanted to do is drive. Why does she have to take on this? Couldn't she be feeding the homeless?"


Your mother is an over protective helicopter parent. That biatch is never going to take on anything that doesn't effect you, and she's going to be deep in your business until the day she dies. College won't be your escape. When I was in college (I didnt' start until I was 22), I saw 18 y.o. in the dorm with mothers just like yours. Every weekend they were on campus, making sure the room was clean, pissed that their kid was 18 y.o. and that was the reason the school wouldn't give out any grading information to them, and even pulling them out of school during their first semester when they discovered the opened condom wrapper or cigarette package. Your embarrassment from your mother won't stop when she lets you remove that magnet. It's going to continue for many many more years you poor son of a self righteous bitach.

Japan has a mark for older drivers too

New drivers should be restricted to small light 4-cylinder compacts. As of most accidents come from young kids trying to race or just curious about driving at 100mph.

Dealing with teen drivers is simple. Like my dad told me when I was 16, "You can borrow my car but if you get a ticket or get into a wreck you will not drive again until you get the fark out of my house and buy your own car." I honestly was a better driver back then because I was so fearful on how much life would have sucked without a vehicle.

Putting "Caution - Newly Licensed" would essentially paint a giant bulls eye on these teens for *ssholes and jerks to screw with them and make a dangerous situation worse.

Assholes and jerks who probably wouldn't have a license if the driving test had any teeth to it at all.

Ringshadow: Actually I plan on getting one of those when I start driving a stick shift. May as well let everyone know.

You cant drive a standard...

madblader: New drivers should be restricted to small light 4-cylinder compacts. As of most accidents come from young kids trying to race or just curious about driving at 100mph.

yeah, make all kids drive honda civics and other small compacts.. kids will never want to race them

retarded idea from a retarded woman.

Does she realize the fact that she's a woman.... talking about driving automatically discredits her? Every close call i've had on the road was from some dumb coont that was just floating down the road. I hope the woman doing this has the word "WHORE" painted on her car for bringing up stupid issues like this.

Back to the point -- why not at the same time have a big sticker that goes next to this that says "VIRGIN" in big letters.

When I see a student driver on the road, I make it a point to try to scare the shiat out of them, usually by dropping into 1st or 2nd and wildly accelerating up to them then tearing off next to them. Open piped LS7 at full wail will scare anyone :)