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This morning.

Brian Sweeney writes:

Even the idea of a bit of snow or rain in Ireland and this happens. 2 hours 40 minutes for a 50 minute journey yesterday, and today, the same happens! Maybe motorway driving should be on the driving test?

Anyone?

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56 thoughts on “Ask A Broadsheet Reader

  1. edalicious

    I’ve noticed that for some reason people actually drive WORSE when it rains. They’re always saying to take more care in bad weather but I’d happily settle for an equal amount of care as good weather.

    1. Joe cool

      Then you have the clowns driving up your hoop in the 60 zone betwwen naas and Newbridge. Couldnt care less about the restrictions

      1. Kolmo

        +150
        Tailgating is the cause of most accidents on motorways..N11 is frightening for it, N4 is pretty bad and, of course, the 20% of drivers pricking about with their phones I see everyday (I’m on a motorbike) – I’m nearly sideswiped by a driver every single day by people scrolling through their phones and drifting out of their lanes, at this stage, someone just talking on the phone doesn’t bother me, it’s all the hotshots and ditzy dopes scrolling while barrelling along. On a recent commute one woman was in the middle of the palmerstown bypass, drifting along in 2 lanes – I passed her on the bike, looked back to see if she was ok – she was filing her nails, the oblivious fkhead.

        1. Ram Trilogy

          And your there driving down the middle of the road, weaving in between cars, like a reckless scumbag.

          Motorcycle drivers are the lowest of the low. Each one more reckless and selfish than the last.

  2. Digs

    Irish people haven’t a clue how to use a motorway. It’s because we didn’t have them for so long, but Jesus, it’s not rocket science. The amount of halfwits that think it’s ok to just sit in the overtaking lane is mind numbing…. Completely clueless.

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      I’m a fan of undertaking in such cases, which is illegal. I still like doing it though.

        1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

          Ah, now. The column has become too narrow as we’re replying too much so I feel a detailed indented layout would suffer and there might be misunderstandings.

      1. BS

        its a grey area. From what ive read passing a slower moving car or line of cars on the inside is not illegal, however moving from behind someone to undertake them if the overtaking lane is free is different.

        Personally i drive in the driving lane on the M50, and set my cruise control at 98-100 km/h, and if someone is sitting in the middle lane i breeze past them, ive tried the whole sitting behind them and flashing them, but people genuinely dont know that they are doing anything wrong, or dont care.

        People seem to drive the same way no matter what the conditions, sun, rain, snow, they drive at the same speed limit, at the same distance behind the car in front, hence for 2 days in a row there have been 10km tailbacks on the M4/N4 and the M50 comes to a standstill…..

        Is there anything to be said for 1 year bans if you cause an accident on the M50, or any motorway at rush hour? Fairly easy to prove…..if you barrel into the back of someone, its your fault!

        1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

          In certain circumstances, it’s a grey area. The way I do it (ie there isn’t really any traffic, there’s just some bozo driving in the passing lane) is illegal.
          People generally do move in if you flash your lights a lot, but I prefer the subtler, more illegal, approach.

        2. scottser

          Inside lane for slower moving vehicles and hgv. Middle lane is for overtaiking as is the outside lane for when middle lane is full. Outer lane is not for overtaking the overtakes at 120kph, speed limit is 100kph on all 3 lanes.
          Mmmmkay?

          1. Digs

            Not OK. If I’m doing 100 in driving lane and I want to go faster then 100 and overtake, my business. In other words, I’ll decide if I want to exceed the speed limit, not the clown doing a steady 100 in the over taking lane. Got it?

      1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

        You’ve probably seen me flipping the bird at you while underpassing then. Sometimes I do the double bird if extremely enraged but that leads to wobbly driving so I don’t recommend it.

  3. Diddy

    The commuter belt.. sitting in traffic , the vagaries of the M50… my mental health couldn’t take that

  4. Increasing_Displacement

    Maybe the test should be harder?

    So many morons behind the wheel…wouldn’t give them control of a spoon never mind a car

      1. Col

        After 10 years, you could be entered into a lottery. 1% of drivers will be randomly selected for a retest, every year.

          1. Cian

            I’d prefer a simpler 100% of drivers after 10 years need a retest (this can be a different test to the original – it can include motor way driving for example).

            If you go down the 1% of drivers, then it means that there is a one-in-ten chance that I won’t get re-tested within 20 years of passing my test, and a one-in-two chance that I won’t get re-tested within 60 years of passing my test.

  5. ReproBertie

    Since we’re talking motorways, I’d like to see the tolls replaced with speed cameras under all bridges. Anyone who drives at 120kph can tell you that the revenue from speeders would be at least equal to the toll take.

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      They’ve new cameras now that time you. If you get between A and B more quickly than travelling at 120kph would allow, you’re done.
      I’ve been told they’re in place, but I’m not sure if that’s true.

      1. BS

        They were put into the port tunnel. They are the only effective speed limit enforcement because they actually cut down on the number of people speeding, because its so difficult to work out how much over the limit for how long you can go….this obviously cuts down on the amount of revenue that the cops would take in….so dont expect them on the M50 soon….or ever

        1. Cian

          Speeding fines aren’t a particularly effective ways of raising revenue. The costs associated with the collection is huge.

          1. BS

            if the guards didnt have speed checks to do, they might have to spend their time doing actual work, instead of sitting in a car with the hand out the window….

            Imagine seeing a Guard walk down the street….and you know…do things like stop people selling drugs on o’connell street….it’d be madness!

          2. Cian

            The cost to outsource the speed cameras to GoSafe in 2015 was €16m;
            the fines generated were €7m[1]
            The cameras aren’t there to raise money directly – they are to save lives.

            http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=18300

            [1] They also say that the cameras prevents 24 deaths annually (+ loads of other injuries collisions) and the total non-cash benefit was €80m.

          3. BS

            So having gosafe vans on the N4, where there is a straight stretch of 3 lane dual carriage way that is only 80 km/hr isnt revenue generating?

            There’s absolutely no evidence that says that the presence of a gosafe van has directly brought road deaths down. In fact when people come across one they tend to slam the breaks on because they arent concentrating on what the speed limit is anyway

          4. Cian

            Road deaths in 2010: 212 (the year speed cameras introduced)
            Every year since there have been under 200 deaths.
            2017 had the lowest number of road deaths for over 70 years.

            Granted the number of deaths has been falling for years (better roads, safer cars, improved driving, less drink) but that is against a huge increase in number of car-kilometres driven.

            Oh, and the link above to the garda.ie is evidence saying that cameras are reducing road deaths.

  6. The Bad Ambassador

    Buy a motorbike – when traffic is at a crawl and lanes are closed a 20 minute commute becomes a 25 minute commute,

    Also, you’ll cut years off your commuting life when you die young because some idiot decided that rather than sit behind 3 cars he’d prefer to cut you off at 100kmp by diving across the hash markings into the slip lane at the last possible second.

    Fun times.

  7. Elly

    Two days in a row, an accident in the fast lane at the same location on the N4 inbound. And yesterday’s one was made worse when a second accident happened further back, when a lorry failed to stop and hit the 3 cars stopped in front of it. The guards just seem to close off the road though, I never see them trying to divert traffic around, there is no signage to re-route people in case of accidents – lack of planning always leads to a ball of poopy poo….

        1. BS

          its my pet hate, people in ireland see it as the “fast lane” i.e, i want to go faster than you, so ill sit in it and if you get in my way while over taking someone ill sit on your bumper and flash you….

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Ooooooo, I get very annoyed when that happens. If someone sits on my bumper when I’m passing another car, I slow RIGHT down and complete the manoeuvre in a very sedate fashion.

          2. Cian

            Hmmm.. so if someone else is driving dangerously your reaction is to drive dangerously back?

            Personally, I get out of their way as soon as I can safely do so; if they are going to cause an accident due to their dangerous driving I don’t want to be near them.

            I also rationalise why they may be speeding (e.g. rushing into hospital to see a loved one) so that I don’t get stressed out by them. YMMV
            [*] Ninja edit – this comment was originally directed to Andy, but also (luckily) applies to BS.

          3. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Slowing down when someone is driving up yer bum isn’t driving dangerously. I’m minding my own business, passing out a car in my own time.

          4. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Nope. Feel free to speed if you like. I don’t give a fupp how fast you’re driving in the passing lane. Just have some respect for people passing out cars who temporarily inhabit the lane you’re speeding in.

        2. Nigel

          We used to call it ‘Cromwell’s Lane’ because it was HASTENING US TO HELL. OR CONNAUGHT. OR AN ILL-ADVISED MARRIAGE WITH HENRY VIII DEPENDING ON WHICH CROMWELL.

  8. Formerly known as @ireland.com

    The same happens in Melbourne, Australia. A bit of rain and there are a load of crashes. Everyone here is used to driving on these roads. It is too easy to get a license in Australia.

  9. Pluto

    Or how about we all just lobby the government to build more public transport infrastructure – wow jaysus no sure you couldn’t do that – you have to let people sit stationary in their mercs not going anywhere

  10. JuniperBerry

    Road deaths in 2010: 212 (the year speed cameras introduced)
    Every year since there have been under 200 deaths.
    2017 had the lowest number of road deaths for over 70 years.

  11. Shayna

    I got my licence when I was 17, a long time ago in The North. It was called, “The Blue Licence” – mostly, if not entirely because of its colour. On the back cover of the licence book was a slogan, “Care, Courtesy, Consideration” – The 3 Cs to bear in mind whilst driving. Perusing the comments, it appears there may well be grounds to be aware of a lot more Cs whilst driving.

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