Yesterday, I encountered these examples of shite driving, and I thought I’d share them with the world! Click on any image to see the full version :
Here’s a man who was driving erratically (swaying a bit from side to side, having difficulty keeping inside his own lane), while talking on the phone. I was stopped at a red light when I took this picture and I made full sure that he could see me doing it - which he seemed properly embarrassed at.
Coming from Donabate to the motorway, nearly ran into the back of this car as it suddenly stopped in front of me to turn in to Newbridge Demesne. It seemed he couldn’t see me through his back window, because of all the “For Sale” signs. He had three in the back (yes, I’ve obscured the phone number on one) and one in the front.
Here’s no. 3 - an idiot who was driving dangerously, aggressively and far too fast. I was in the overtaking lane (overtaking - and going slightly over the 120km/h limit) on the M1 when this moron came up and tailgated me. He seemed to be inches away, as he flashed his lights impatiently and kept indicating to the right to show he wanted to pass me. I noticed then that he was on the phone too and was swaying about a bit. When I eventually got a chance, I pulled over and he thundered past me at (what I guessed was) roughly 150km/h. I actually had my phone on a flexible holder (with a sucker-cup connection holding it on to the windscreen) at the time and I pushed it around and hit the camera button just in time to grab this snap.
Finally… is this actually legal? … A resident in our housing estate regularly parks his truck trailers on the road here, blocking one while side of one access road in the estate. This week its a trailer with two large containers which are (as you can see from the inset) full of corrosive phosphoric acid liquid! Can’t be safe, surely!!!
31 Comments
well done niall
Just a couple of notes:
The photo of “no. 3″ (the guy on the motorway) was taken by pure chance. I didn’t aim the camera (phone), nor did I even look at the screen, I just turned the phone holder and clicked the button (all in the space of less than a second) and carried on driving. Only when I’d arrived where I was going and gotten out of the car (1/2 an hour later) did I see that I’d actually managed to get him in the shot.
And yes, by the way, the guy passing Newbridge House in Donabate (pictured above) DID have his brake and indicator lights on but it was literally at the very last second. If the picture looks like I was right up his arse, it’s a bit mis-leading - I cropped it before posting it so that the signs in his back window might be a bit clearer. When I came to a stop behind him, there was still at least 4-5 feet distance between the cars.
Still wondering though about the legality of parking big commercial trailers like that in a residential area. If there’s no law against it, there should be - it’s a bloody nuisance and potentially dangerous.
YOU WERE driving too close to the car in Donabate, YOU WERE not focusing (pun intended) on driving your car at 120Kmh when taking shots on the motorway Just for you, did you realise that when you did that you were travelling BLIND at over 33 meters a second
Just had a thought about that Donabate one, was just that you were so intent on getting a photo of his for sale signs that you didn’t notice him indicating!!!
So you think the other guys behaved great then Louth Maniac?
Which ones of the above shining examples of road behavior in Ireland is you then? Pissed off cause you got caught out?
No pissed off because theres an old saying of removing the plank from your own eye before removing the splinter from someone else’s and also people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones…
@ Louth Maniac:
YOU WERE driving too close to the car in Donabate
No, actually, I wasn’t. I was driving a good 15 to 20 feet behind him and was not going fast.
was just that you were so intent on getting a photo of his for sale signs that you didn’t notice him indicating!!!
No, it was that he stopped suddenly. End of story.
YOU WERE not focusing (pun intended) on driving your car at 120Kmh when taking shots on the motorway
Actually, I was.
As mentioned in an earlier comment, I didn’t know whether the photo came out properly until later as I just pointed and clicked the camera (phone) without paying much attention to it as I was paying attention to the road, and trying to drive properly - which is more than can be said for the guy overtaking me .
Just for you, did you realise that when you did that you were travelling BLIND at over 33 meters a second
Patronising me really won’t help ram your point any further home - and yes, if you continue to have a go at MY driving and continue to be ignorant towards me instead of commenting on the actual subject matter involved, you may be wasting your time as your comments may be deleted, depending on the content.
At the risk of you deleting this post, you do also realise that you are subject to a fine and penalty points for photograph 1 as even if you were stopped at a red light you would STILL be driving!
Strangely - no, I didn’t realise that as I STOPPED driving when I came to the red light and STARTED driving again when the light went green.
If you want to discuss MY driving further, feel free to contact me. If you have something to say about the actual subject matter of the article above, then post a comment here.
Niall…Im not sure if you realise this,but you said you were 15-20 feet from the car that stoped suddenly…now given 15-20 feet is approx 5-6 yards…your well below the stopping distance.
according to the Highway code you should have been at least 30 feet from the car if you were travelling at 30MPH….if you were at 40MPH you should have been at least 40 feet from the car.
I think your required to be in full control of your car at ALL TIMES…even when your stopped at lights.And..in fact you are still driving in the eyes of the law.
I would agree with you though that leaving a container of dangerous substance in a residential estate is very reckless. Was the container actually full??…If it was full those containers would have about €20,000 worth of acid in them( thats based on the latest commodities prices)….cant really see anyone leaving a load like that just lying around would you??
Nial,
Any one who ACTUALLY drove directly in front of your car at the angle you describe in your photograph (Quote”taken from a sucker-cup connection holding it to the windscreen”) could be convicted of a driving offence should you wish to make a complaint to the Gardai.
I am sure that you had plenty of time time to note the registration number ……………..unless you were toooooooo busy looooooooooking at some thing else
!
@Screw the Unions:
Honestly, I’m not 100% sure exactly what distance I was from that car while driving - the “15 to 20″ was a pure guess, partly based on the fact that I was still at least half that distance (say, 7 to 10 feet) away, by my best reckoning, when stopped. I had plenty of space to stop - which is just as well considering the car in front came to a very sudden stop before indicating right.
As for the container - while I hadn’t stopped to check whether it was actually full of acid, the dangerous contents weren’t the only point I had in mind - although you make a good point as regards the value.
It’s not always this kind of container (in fact, more often, its the large rectangular type) - but there’s always something there - always dangerously blocking half a road in an area where it just doesn’t belong, and inconveniencing plenty of local residents - and I was just wondering if there was any law against it.
Probably not, I’m guessing.
@Miaowww:
The photo was taken from the side, as he overtook me. He was directly to the right, not in front of me, hence I said “I pushed [the camera phone] around” before clicking to take the snap. Luckily it actually came out.
Oh- and, unfortunately, with the speed the guy was going, the only thing I remembered about his registration plate was that it was yellow. He was out of sight very quickly.
Nial,
It is a pity that the camera was not pointed towards the front of your car, then you could have photographed his number plate as he drove in front of you
[various offensive comments removed]
What’s this, beat on Niall week? :-O Wow! This site must be just full of excellent drivers! Personally I can’t see too much wrong with what he did in taking the shots. He says he was in totally control of his vehicle at all times. I would have done the same myself, well ok, no I wouldn’t but that’s only because I have a great photographer for a daughter, even though she is only 10, & she takes the shots for me!
On the subject of the truck, it’s hazardous waste, it (if it does have what it says in it) is NOT illegal! I have contacted a friend of mine in the Gardai & he has confirmed this to me. He has told me that you need to contact the local station immediately! Especially if this is in a housing estate!
GalwayNutter, the above is nothing - you should have seen some of the comments that have been removed!
Your Garda friend is saying I should contact the local station - yet he confirmed that it “is NOT illegal”?… I don’t get it…
Nail,
The chemical contained in the container is not illegal or waste if the hazchem card displayed is correct.
It is a dangerous occurance witin the meaning of the Health, Welfare and Safety at Work Act 2006. It may also be an offence under various environmental protection legislation. The management company of the estate or the county council would also have an interest.
You should report it to the proper authority before a child is injured or accident that results in some ones death happens.
On the other hand you could leave it to some one else to report it. That seems to be the prevailing attitude in Ireland today.
Sorry Niall. Am not the best today. I meant he said that it’s not legal to be left like that in an estate. Even with the Haz Chem warnings it should not be in a populated area unsupervised like that. That’s what he said anyway.
Wow! This is some road rage forum here!
In fairness though, I’m not sure if you can photograph while driving - technically it’s as dangerous as texting someone while driving. Be careful with what you post - get a passenger to take the pics or you could potentially be liable for operating a phone while in control of a vehicle.
Just my 2 cent
Ah no…I cant imagine it being chemical waste. Theres plenty of industries that use acids in production. If it was full,it probably breaches the new European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use (EC 1907/2006).
Niall well done to taking the time and courage to report these stupid and inconsiderate people. People who could not give a dam about your safety or other road users. As for the man who leaves a container like that in a residential area more than likely with small kids to climb up on it. Don’t mind the T H I C K and very ingnorant people on this island. GOOD FOR YOU
Rosemary,
I agree with most of what you have said.
I have just one question - has this matter regarding the dangerous chemical container been reported to ANYONE who can do some thing about it? Or has this matter been treated like a pub conversation on a Saturday night ? E.g. “SOME BODY should do something about it”.
ANYBODY could have done something about it.
EVERYBODY knew about it.
NOBODY did anything about it.
SOMEBODY died or was seriously injured.
Miaowww, I agree totally with you. It’s like most things in Irish life, the “Shoulda, woulda, coulda” scenario.
The container was removed and nothing is now there in its place. I’m not really sure what course of action I could or should take, to be honest.
nial,
Think of this for a moment.
If you or some one belonging to you was hurt as a result of this container, what course of action could you take, should you take or would you take then ?
If you still are not sure try the Health and Safety Authority, The County Council, The Fire Brigade, The H.S.E. or The Guards. All of them would be involved in any accident, injury or death that involved this container.
Do not leave it to others Nial because Shite Drivers can kill.
The owner/driver of this trailer is according to your initial post, “a resident in your/our estate”. It should not be too hard to figure out what you could , would or should do. At least try sticking one of the new flyers on his truck or the front door of his house.
I am sure you will make the right decision and let us know what you did and the result.
Miaowww - there’s no need to be such a smartass.
I DON’T KNOW who parked the trailer there, just that it was a resident somewhere in our estate (- an estate of over 100 houses). It ISN’T THERE any more. Therefore I have no truck or house to stick anything onto.
If another trailer is put there and left there, I’ll most likely consult the gardaÃ. Whether I act on it by reporting it or not though, I really don’t have to answer to you.
And it’s “Niall” by the way - not “Nail” or “Nial”.
Niall,
Sorry about that Niall, I was just trying to be helpful. I WAS NOT trying to be a smart ass. The situation that you described is much too serious and dangerous for anyone to engage in idle or “smartass” comments.
I fail to see why you got upset. You are absolutely right when you say that you dont have to answer to any body and least of all me. I dont expect you to. But then again this matter will not concern me unlesss the container contains nuclear waste. I live far enough from Dundalk so that I do not have to worry about the odd container of phosphoric acid parked in your estate. Whether you act on it or not by reporting it is, as you correctly said, entirely up to you.
I thought that you were inviting comments when you posted it in the first place.
At this stage, I am more confused than ever.
Sorry for any offence unintentionally caused.
The spelling of your name was a typo sometimes and based on the spelling of the name that I am used to
Aye, fair enough Miaowww… No offence taken, and none meant… the fact remains I don’t know who put the trailer there and it was gone the next day. If it happens again, I may act.
Niall
I might have missed some of the advice given already. If it reappears you need to report it to the HSA (hsa.ie) immediately who should deal with it anonymously. Yes the container is properly labelled but I believe that under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations this location is not ’secured’. I also believe it is ‘illegal’ to park a commercial vehicle overnight in a residental area, dont know why. You also need to notify your local authority - hazardous material being abandoned. You have a picture already, why not contact your local paper? Even if the container is empty there is no placard to designate it as have been cleaned out.
What I meant to say was that the HSA ’should deal with it’ because they are responsible for enforcing the transport of dangerous goods by road regulations. ‘If’ they do deal with it, then the name of the complainant will never be divulged and never mentioned in the unlikely event of a prosecution.
Niall well done for the photos i also suffer from the same problem as the last photo you took and if it is full of corrosives/acid i wouldn’t like that around me house with all the kids throwing fireworks, i would say health and safety exec would have something to say about that. if i could download pictures from my phone i would be taking pics to. keep up the good work.
One Trackback
[...] could cripple French transit …Blogged about at One day… Various shite drivers! - shitedrivers.com, One-day strikes beginning Wednesday could leave France without a viable transportation system and [...]