Comments on: A letter to the Road Safety Authority

By: sham rogue

sham rogue — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 22:39:28 +0000

How do you know when a politician in lying?his lips are moving.
Its always the same,they have to be seen to do something so they go for a knee jerk reaction.Look at the points system.Speed is the easiest thing to measure so guess what is the most enforced.They say speed is the biggest cause of accidents,yet they have no figures to back it up.The percentage of accidents caused by speed according to the latest figures from the uk is 7%.Yes 7%.Driver error is up there at 90% but they cant measure that so they ignore it.How can you take the points system seriously when you can get more points for driving without insurance than for driving on the wrong side of a motorway?

By: John Smith

John Smith — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 21:03:45 +0000

The Law won't save anyone in the way it was originally intended.
Surely it's laudable that they paid some "consultant" (i.e. lazy waster and parasite) to download other countries road safety strategies and copy and paste them into a word document for which he no doubt was paid my yearly salary per hour, but grinning for the cameras and reading some prepared documents don't make it all good you know.
Also, with several hundred people applying for tests, claims that waiting times will come down would only be made by a moron or a liar. Strangely enough that's what the politicians (morons and liars) are saying.
All this can't be good for standards. Education is the most important and vital tool in road safety. With hundreds of thousands of people being rushed through the test over the next few months, surely there will be a few passes that don't necessarily should have gotten through (total free for all).
Next comes enforcement. Well, that's us buggered then. As long as you stick to the limit on Motorways everything else goes. Partytime!
Also, the absence of an air ambulance and closing down of many A&E departments will ensure that the state saves a few bucks on the backs of our dead friends and relatives. This is nothing short of murder for profit.
So, Sham Rogue, if you're actually blinded by all this political rasmataz, think about the above and honestly tell me that what we're hearing from those wasters, liars, conmen, thiefs and crooks is nothing more than the usual incompetent drivel of the terminally insane who call themselves our leaders.

By: sham rogue

sham rogue — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:25:57 +0000

The stopping distance in your book was set in 1970 in a ford anglia so you may as well forget it.And just because someone has been driving for 20 yrs dont make them a good driver.You live in Cork so you may have heard the woman on prendivelles show last year who failed her test 18 times(i think cant remember exactly)so he sent her off with a driving instructor to evaluate her driving.He reckoned she was one of the worst drivers he had ever seen.She thought she was great cos she never had an accident.
Anyway my son just turned 17 so im thinking of getting him a shotgun and a big bag of shells.All his friends have one so he wants one too.They can go off around town with them and have some fun,sure wheres the harm.
Of course Im not going to do that,that would be stupid.Almost as stupid as giving him a skyline,gti,type r,or even a fiesta.
Let me put this in language ye can understand.Every time 1 person gets killed on our roads it costs the state approx.1 millon euro.If this law saved just one life that would be an extra 1 mill in pay rises for the lads.

By: fumanchu

fumanchu — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:43:49 +0000

sham – I've been living here for 5 years and didn't drive until last year. I was used to using Shanks' Pony and public transport. And it is still as crap as ever. Cobh is some 15km outside of Cork and when I was living there, visiting friends in the city meant finishing up at 9.30 to get the last Cobh train at 10.30, or a 30eur cab ride. Or the first train from Cobh to the city on Sunday was after 12 noon and last from the city was 8.30pm ish. The train before the last was 6.15 if I recall. Forget about a day trip to West Cork.

I'd be doing the same if I couldn't afford a car or the insurance. Not sure what you're saying there, it's like saying you've a right to smoke but can't afford the cigarettes.

Some of the laws have been in place all along and not enforced. That's a big huge effing hole they let fester and now they want to turn on a sixpence. Get a grip!

And given these laws, I don't believe that 'one size fits all' – why would someone with 20 or 30 years of competent and claim-free driving experience need to be accompanied by someone who has at least two years driving experience, just because the law doesn't recognize foreign driving history.

I'd agree with them needing to sit a test to satisfy the authorities that the guy claiming he's experienced has what it's got, in the same way that I'd agree with being re-tested every 5 years, much as I don't like the idea of sitting another test (I don't think anyone does tbh).

But I also think that this 'mature' driving test should not be the same as the one that a learner sits. Perhaps something in the area of a defensive driving test might work, as a suggestion. I've not sat the Hibernian Ignition course, so don't know what it's like, but for example the ploy is that if you sit our test and can demonstrate to us that you're a safe driver, we'll lower your insurance premium. I doubt they sit a theory and a practical that scrutinises every muscle twitch.

An experienced driver will (should!) have an awareness and knowledge that a novice wouldn't have, so scenarios or questions can be asked that a novice couldn't be expected to answer. So, off the top of your head then, what is the stopping distance in wet conditions for a car traveling at 85kph? I forgot the answer probably within a week of passing my test and never drive analyzing how many car lengths or meters I have in front of me in order to stop in time. Besides, the answer is different for a saloon with one passenger or an estate with 2 in the front and 3 kids in the back with fully laden boot. Reaction time might be the same, but overall stopping distance wouldn't be.

As for conspiracy theories, I also think they're covering up one sham with another. It's politics, which is about your ability to divert people's attention to the way you want them to think. It's despicable.

By: Mmm

Mmm — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:46:02 +0000

I have to agree, as a provisional driver on my 2nd licence, I don't mind the new law, although I am a bit bothered that the government were allowed to implement it over night..It has got myself in gear and applied for my test but does this now mean that there have been or will be over the next few weeks 400k+ applications for the driving test?? Is the waiting now going to increase because of this? I am only asking as I'm not sure..Hopefuly some one will have thought of this and the system will get a move on and not just clog up the system and set everyone who applies up for a year wait and failure…

By: sham rogue

sham rogue — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:52:11 +0000

Ok Fuman and John,but what if you couldnt afford a car or the insurance?what then?You would have to share the bus with the smelly pensioners then.And whats all this talk about "new laws",these laws have been in place all along,just havent been enforced.This is the only country in the world where unsupervised learners are allowed drive on the road.Its maddness.By the way John,like the conspiracy theory.

By: John Smith

John Smith — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:58:58 +0000

Well, the smoking ban was introduced to divert the focus away from the health crisis and Patrick James has a point here. It's the 911 principle of burying bad news with even worse news. Well, we're paying those bastards, so vote for me and I'll send them to Siberia so they can work for their money for a change. Though they'll never survive long enough to pay much of it off, but a few months of breaking rocks might do Mary Harney no harm.

By: Patrick James

Patrick James — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:29:56 +0000

Some changes really do need to be made to make Irish Roads safer and while I agree with bringing in some new regulations, I honestly think it wouldn’t hurt to think these through fully first, before making them law. And the government’s timing was strange too… Could this just be slight of hand to take the people’s focus off the huge payrise the Government members have given themselves…? Shame on them using the road safety forum like that!

By: fumanchu

fumanchu — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:12:27 +0000

There are only two things in life to worry about.

Either you are are a qualified driver or you are a learner.

If you are a qualified driver, then there is nothing to worry about.

But if you are a learner, there are only two things to worry about.

Either you will pass your test or you will fail it.

If you pass your test, there is nothing to worry about.

If you fail it, then there are only two things to worry about.

Either you will find a driver to accompany you or you will not.

If you find a driver to accompany you, then there is nothing to worry about.

But if you do not, there are only two things to worry about.

Either you will get someone to give you a life everywhere or you will be forced to use the public infrastructure.

If you get someone to give you a lift everywhere, then you have nothing to worry about.

But if you will be forced to use the public infrastructure then there are only two things to worry about.

Your well earned money funding no progress at all, whatsoever, nada; and your life on a dim, dark alley, when you're walking home alone on a cold winter's night cos you couldn't find anyone to give you a lift everywhere because no-one would accompany you because you failed your test and are still a learner.

taxi….

….actually, I'll just stick the meter on there, la, and drive myself away.

OK, seriously though, the whole thing is a shambles. They didn't even think through their u-turn properly! Or was that an 'about turn' manoeuvre?

By: Ciara

Ciara — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:54:43 +0000

I notice the fact that most if not all the people that agree with the implimation of the new laws are full licence holders……if it doesnt effect you why care?? forget about the near half a million people that overnight are being told they cant drive…

not all young or provisional licence holders drive wrecklessly, I myself am 19 and on my second licence, there is no direct bus route to my job so io need the car to travel to wrk. Not everyone is directly on a bus or train route to their place of employment.

In preventing people from driving their cars because they do not have a full licence will cause further problems…..i personally dont like the idea of having to walk around on my own in the dark for fear of being attacked, raped, murdered…..we are living in dangerous times and it is unsafe to walk alone anywhere at anytime.

I understand some changes are needed but they are going about it in the wrong way!