Comments on: Why are Irish drivers so bad?

By: Joy

Joy — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:33:33 +0000

I could have really used all this advice before I moved to Dublin. I’ve lived in some notoriously bad traffic countries, but I’ve never seen the poor driving I’ve seen AS A RULE in Ireland. Over 6 years, I’ve learned that motorcyclist here own the road. They expect you to move out of their way, even if they are using the “center lane” (The ficticious lane they see in their delusionary minds that is the solid or broken yellow/white line between 2 lanes of opposing traffic.)If I had a euro for every motorcyclist who has caused me to slam on my brakes to let him in so he wouldn’t be hit by the traffic on the otherside of the line… The car drivers are totally beyond common sense. They will stop traffic to allow someone to pull out into their lane to take a right turn…something these idiots do without being able to see the trafficon the opposing side that hasn’t stopped and cannot see them until it is too late. The yellow boxes, to stop people blocking exits, are jokes. The people exiting cram into these boxes en masse — blocking the exits! Another joke are the Garda driving on the roads. I’ve seen them drive in the “fictitious center lane” in cars, motorcycles, etc. A Garda and a Fireman were killed here a while ago as they stood in the middle of the road, in a sharp curve, with no reflective clothing, no warning signs and the poor guy who drove over them at 4 a.m. on an unlit road (they were answering a distress call)is currently being raked over the coals for not being a mind-reader and slowing down to a dead crawl on a one-lane (being turned into a 2 lane by locals)road. No one looks both way as pedestrians when they cross a road. The older you are, the more you chance this stupidity. Kids leaving school for lunch take over busy roundabouts and play “chicken” with the cars trying to drive around it WHILE A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK WITH A STOPLIGHT IS 20 FEET FROM THE FEEDER ROADS INTO THIS ROUNDABOUT! I’ve told my son if I ever see him do this, I will run him over myself.

No wonder everyone drinks in Ireland. I’ll start if I stay here another year! Get me the Hell Outta Here!

By: John Smith

John Smith — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:07:48 +0000

right on sweetside
people in ireland seem to think that driving is their god-given right and no one can take it away from them.
no matter how shite you are on the road, rude, ignorant, aggressive, slow or just plain braindead, sure i pay my taxes, so why shouldn’t i be allowed to do what i want.
rules, regulations and authority in this country are seen as a pesky little inconvenience that applies to other people and must be circumnavigated somehow. or anyhow.
must be going back to english occupation, where it was everyone’s duty to f**k up the system any old how and make everything as awkward as possible.
hence entire rows of streets that have no numbers or names, roadsigns that lead you to the middle of nowhere and then abandon you and of course, the cut out L plate stuck on the wrong way round on an inconspicuous spot on the car where no one can see it. confuse the enemy!

By: Mario

Mario — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:38:56 +0000

WORST DRIVERS IN EUROPE ARE IRISH PEOPLE!!! WATCH ON THEM WHEN YOU WANT VISIT EUROPE.DRIVERS WITHOUT IMAGINATIONS WITHOUT SKILLS NOTHING… WHO GAVE THEM DRIVING LICENCES, ASKING WHOOOO! THEY SHOULD COME BACK TO RIDING ON THEIR HORSES, FARMERS, SCUMS. IRISH ROADS ARE VERY BAD CONDITION. WELCOME TO REALITY.DUBLIN IS THE BIGGEST VILLAGE IN EUROPE ALWAYS JAMS ON THE ROAD- DRIVERS FAULT, NO PROPER SKILLS.

ADVICE: IF EVER SEE IRISH PLATE ON THE ROADS KEEP DISTANCE BECOUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPEN FOR NEXT FEW SECONDS. BYE:(

By: sweetside

sweetside — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:59:28 +0000

hi,
I really believe the whole L plate system should be ablolished. no full licence no driving. Pass the test or stay off the road.

Driving is a serious business, and the problem is that Irish people just don’t take it seriously. I’m Irish I had a provisional licence in Ireland- and I was a terrible driver there, namely cos I had a such poor and unprofessional level of education. (sorry older brother and parents)

I moved to Holland where you can only learn to drive in an instructor car, with an instructor who really knows how to teach. It cost alot of money?- yes. It was inconvenient?-yes(try cycling around in the snow for a winter). But in the end, Am I good driver-Yes? Because I studied to pass a HARD theory test, and failed my first driving test, having to go back to lessons again, and then on the second time passed a HARD practical test. (no waiting list bull**** either for tests)

Having your full licence is about being a good driver and making life safer for everyone else who uses the roads. Also, I think people need to realise that driving is not a right, you have to earn the right to use a car on public roads.

Making life cheaper or more convenient is not a priority, improving driver competency is.

By: Not a Nutter

Not a Nutter — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 14:24:39 +0000

Here is an other one……..
MAJOR ROADS WORK AHEAD signs.
They seem to be left all over the place.
The first year driving in Ireland I always nicely slowed down just to discover that there was nothing going on at all. So at a surtain point you start ignoring them completely. Till the moment that there is actually something going on and your suddenly in trouble.
Can those contractor please take their signs with them when finished!

By: Rubbish Irish Drivers

Rubbish Irish Drivers — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:01:15 +0000

A lot of interesting replies so far. Seems to be a number of reasons why driving standards are so poor here but the I suppose the most important suggestion given is that without any real enforcement of the law then people will continue to drive in the manner they want. For example, on sections of the M50 where the roadworks are taking place the speed limit is 60kph but this is routinely ignored by the majority of drivers. Why??? The limits are in place for a purpose. Why don’t they enforce the law? It seems that the law enforcers are simply too lazy to do their job properly.
On Monday last while driving into work I saw a driver try to jump a red light but got caught in the middle of the junction when the other traffic started to cross in front of him. Directly opposite was a traffic cop in his car. He then drove across the road, rolled down the window and spoke to the driver. That’s all… he just spoke to him. And that is probably one of the commonest offences I’ve seen on the road. If the Gardai aren’t going to punish you then you in all probabilty can get away with it!

By: Benni

Benni — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 10:33:53 +0000

Forget Dublin, when did the Limerick drivers achieve higher consciousness so they believe the cars around them can read their f**king minds! In Limerick, the rules of the road are a rough guideline, roundabouts are roundy obstacles which should be driven around at full speed and from any lane, using an indicator must mean 7 years bad frigginâ€™ luck and cars arenâ€™t parked..just abandoned. And yetâ€¦believe it or notâ€¦Limerick scores highest for driving test passesâ€¦O THE HUMANITY!!!!!!

By: lynharry

lynharry — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:59:11 +0000

Well if thats the case with the inexperience thing then I’m in the same boat as you fumanchu!! I dunno why I bothered learning to drive at all!! Talking about extortionate excess, mine, because I happen to be under 30, is â‚¬350!! Once I turn that magical age it halves!! Mental!! Think I may consider changing insurance companies!!

By: fumanchu

fumanchu — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:09:25 +0000

Lads, it seems that conversation I had one time regarding the point about insurers not paying out for unaccompanied provisional drivers is probably more of an interpretation thing.

Here’s what my insurance says (verbatim quotes btw):

Extract 1:
Exclusions to Cover
This insurance does not cover:
3. you, if you, or the driver of your vehicle, do not hold a valid Driving Licence, or are disqualified from holding or obtaining a Licence to drive the car [and here's the bit] or act otherwise than in accordance with the terms and limitations of that driving licence.

Extract 2:
Exclusions to Cover
Additional Damage Excess
The following excesses apply in addition to any other excesses that apply under this section as shown in your Schedule or applied by endorsement(s)
The insurance does not cover the first part of each claim (excess) if the car is damaged whilst being driven by or for the purpose of being driven is in the charge of a young or inexperienced driver. For this purpose an inexperienced driver is:-
i) Any person who has not held a full Licence issued in the Republic of Ireland, The Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Great Britain, or Northern Ireland Driving Licence to drive a car of the same class for a period of 12 months.
ii) Any person holding a Provisional Driving Licence.

And that’s about all it says, folks!

So, in my view the interpretation being if I’m an ‘inexperienced driver’ and/or on a provisional, driving on my own, and I scrape a Micra going down a narrow double-parked road, then they might shell out for anything above the extortionate excess. But if I’m that same person and total my SUV and another $$$ car they might decide not to because I wasn’t driving ‘in accordance with the terms and limitations of that driving licence’. Never mind that I was breaking the law driving unaccompanied, given that it is a condition of a provisional to drive accompanied at all times.

Oh, I called the Quinn claims line on Friday out of curiosity and posed them the question. They said yes I would be covered, they would pay out. But I guess it’s probably down to details & interpretation, i.e. if they feel like it.

As it is I still have 9 months of ‘inexperience’ to get out the way on my full licence!!

It’s a money game first and foremost so it seems. Like my friend who was 17 years no claims with the same company, he’s licenced to drive cars, taxis, vans and buses (and had a chauffeur service one time, driving people with a bit of spare cash in big luxury cars). Had to make a claim after a hit & run in the night that damaged his van (parked perfectly safely in a residential area). They screwed him over. 17 years no claims and loyalty to the same company? Customer care? My arse.

By: lynharry

lynharry — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:22:25 +0000

Actually, sorry, that Celica was 2l, I’m thinking of a friend’s Civic which is 1.6l.