She is still at it!!!

Saruman

Or the old biddy i saw head down the slip road the wrong way at the Julianstown exit heading to Drogheda. I crossed the bridge and saw her come aroud the roundabout slowly and head down the wrong way.. i started beeping at her as soon as i realised she was going to head down the slip the wrong way... She kept going. I stopped and kept beeping at her until finally she noticed and reversed back up the slip and i let her go on to the correct slip.... jaysus!

Stark

peasant wrote: »

For years these people have driven the few miles to the shop/church and done no harm ...pretty soon that's going to be illegal and these folks are effectively under housearrest.

There was an accident a few weeks back where some old fella was dithering along in the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway and killed some young woman who had parked there. I've also heard of similar cases where cyclists/pedestrians were killed by people driving very slowly but not reacting in time. A tonne of metal is still highly dangerous even when being driven at 50km/hr.

Tbh, I don't see what you could cut out of our already rudimentary driving test that wouldn't make someone potentially lethal. Mary White is talking about a "test on local roads", but most people take their driving tests near where they live as it stands. It's not like they blindfold you and take you to a random part of the country, then let you loose on strange roads that you've never seen before.

Omcd

There are I think some old folks driving around out there who have a full licence but have never sat a driving test - I heard a story that some decades ago the waiting list for the a driving test got too long and licences were just given out without having to do the test :eek:

Padraig Mor

javaboy wrote: »

If Josie or Biddie can reach the grand old age of 60 and not have bothered sorting out a driving license by then, it is their own fault and they should be off the road. If they live in a rural area and have absolutely no means of gettin food etc. then they up sticks and move to a town and suffer the resulting economic hardship they brought on themselves. That might sound harsh but you can hardly say they didn't have a chance to get a license.

Saruman wrote: »

Look, if they have been driving 30+ years but never bothered with a full license, they have been driving longer than i have been alive. So they should have WAY more experience than i did when i passed my test first time in at 18 (10 years now!). I took 10 lessons when i started and 2 refresher pre test lessons. However they have way more experience driving than me.. so if they are competent drivers then they should be able to pass the test with flying colours. If they can not, then they do not know the rules of the road, and are not competent and as such, should not be driving.

100% agree. Fúck the selfish bastards.

Padraig Mor

Omcd wrote: »

There are I think some old folks driving around out there who have a full licence but have never sat a driving test - I heard a story that some decades ago the waiting list for the a driving test got too long and licences were just given out without having to do the test :eek:

Until - I think - the late 60s there was no driving test. You simply handed over your few shillings at the loacal post office and walked away with your shiny new licence! Yet Biddie and Joe etc. referred to above couldn't even manage that!

Biro

Stark wrote: »

There was an accident a few weeks back where some old fella was dithering along in the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway and killed some young woman who had parked there.

The old geezer shouldn't have been driving in the hard shoulder, however what was a young woman doing parked there? 2 at fault there. (unless she was broken down)

Biro

Omcd wrote: »

There are I think some old folks driving around out there who have a full licence but have never sat a driving test - I heard a story that some decades ago the waiting list for the a driving test got too long and licences were just given out without having to do the test :eek:

Ya, but there's no need to bash the old folkes! Chances are your parents or aunts or uncles are driving on one of those licenses, as it happened in the 80's.

Stark

Biro wrote: »

The old geezer shouldn't have been driving in the hard shoulder, however what was a young woman doing parked there? 2 at fault there. (unless she was broken down)

It didn't say in the article what she was doing there. Afaik, it's legal to stop in the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway(but not a motorway), albeit dangerous.

Rovi

Omcd wrote: »

I heard a story that some decades ago the waiting list for the a driving test got too long and licences were just given out without having to do the test :eek:

The Glorious Day was 11th October, 1979, and the recipients of these licences are referred to as 'Sylvester Barrett's Babies", in honour of the Great Man who made it all possible.
Anyone on a second or higher provisional on that day was automatically upgraded to a full licence; I was on my first at the time, but I know a few people who 'qualified' for the full one.
They still get a hard time from their peers for their 'Yellow Pack' licences.

Here's the relevant legislation, if anyone's interested;

Sylvester Barrett, Minister for the Environment, the 11th day of October 1979 wrote:

5. Article 29 of the Principal Regulations (as substituted by the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) (Amendment) Regulations, 1969 ( S.I. No. 140 of 1969 )) is hereby amended by the substitution for sub-article (1) of the following sub-article:

"(1) ( a ) An application by a person for a driving licence shall be accompanied by a certificate of competency... <snip>, unless

(i) <snip>

(ii) the application relates to vehicles of Class A, Class C or Class G, and the applicant holds a valid provisional licence in respect of vehicles of such class or classes on the day on which these Regulations come into operation and has, prior to such day, held at least one other such licence.

deman

This has to be one of the daftest proposals the Green Party has ever made, and that says something. I thought a member of the Green Party would want fewer cars on the road anyway. This silly woman obviously hasn't thought this through. There are many other ways of getting these older and less abled people of the shops or mass instead of making them a nuisance on the road, yes, I said nuisance, because if they can't pass their tests, then they shouldn't be allowed on the road.

What has happened to commumity spirit and neighbourly help? I remember my parents having an elderly neighbour (who had no family) and my mother would take her into town to do the shopping once or twice a week. What about the government subsidizing minibusses or taxis to pick up these people at various times during the week?

And another thing, we can't have another Prez named Mary! People abroad will think it's the only woman's name we have! It's bad enough having two in a row, but three!!!:eek:

Biro

Rovi wrote: »

The Glorious Day was 11th October, 1979, and the recipients of these licences are referred to as 'Sylvester Barrett's Babies", in honour of the Great Man who made it all possible.
Anyone on a second or higher provisional on that day was automatically upgraded to a full licence; I was on my first at the time, but I know a few people who 'qualified' for the full one.
They still get a hard time from their peers for their 'Yellow Pack' licences.

Here's the relevant legislation, if anyone's interested;

That stupid legislation is the cause of many a death in this country.

kluivert

What a way to add more deaths to the roads. If things werent bad enough as it is at the moment.

Half the people driving now on a full license do not know the up to date rules of the road. This is very clear to see from day to day average driving.

I didnt vote Greens or Fianna Fail in the last election, looks like my vote didnt count.


Driving behind a lady (late 40's) coming up roundabout she indicates left and goes into the left land, I indicate right and go into the right lane for the three exit (3 o clock exit). When the way was clear is carried straight forward making me nearly crash to the rounabout and continued to take the same exit as me.

Greens make me sick. :mad:

Saruman

kluivert wrote: »

Driving behind a lady (late 40's) coming up roundabout she indicates left and goes into the left land, I indicate right and go into the right lane for the three exit (3 o clock exit). When the way was clear is carried straight forward making me nearly crash to the rounabout and continued to take the same exit as me.
:

Happens to me all the time. Idiots not knowing what a lane on a roundabout is. So many times im cut off because the person in the left goes straight through instead of sticking to their lane.

I once had to mount the kerb on a roundabout to avoid some stupid woman who drove straight instead of sticking to the left lane.

To be honest, i think everyone in this country, regardless of when they got their license should be forced to take a driving course, or lose their license. No test or anything.. just take a driving course so they are aware of everything thats wrong with their driving and they can correct it.

DublinDilbert

kluivert wrote: »

Half the people driving now on a full license do not know the up to date rules of the road. This is very clear to see from day to day average driving.

Its even worse than that, the Garda's don't even get any training on the rules of the road, not even a 1 hour lecture in templemore.... The go through the road traffic acts etc, but don't actually mention anything about the rules of the road, its so irish.....

D_murph

kluivert wrote: »

What a way to add more deaths to the roads. If things werent bad enough as it is at the moment.

i couldnt agree with you more. last thing we need is even more incompetent drivers on our roads holding everyone else up.

if anything the driving test is too easy and all of a sudden after passing it you are qualified to drive 120kmph on a motorway having never gone half that during the actual test :eek:.

if you think that the restrictions on these "special" licenses would be obeyed by the people holding them or enforced by the gardai then i worry for you :rolleyes:

ninty9er

The woman should be taken in to a fu<king mental institution!!!!

I didn't want FF to go into coalition with the Greens and to be honest 90% of th people on doorsteps who were going to vote FF were transferring to Labour. The Taoiseach's first preference was for a FF/Lab government, but now we have to listen to Mary "veg-head" White spouting on with this sh1te:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

The last thing we need is more unqualified drivers on these "local" roads where THE MAJORITY OF ACCIDENTS ALREADY HAPPEN:mad::mad::mad::mad:

<Rant very far from over!!>

Pass a test or GET OFF THE ROAD!!

--amadeus--

I am strongly in favour of a graded licence system.

Grade 1 is theory test only. Until you pass your theory test you're not allowed behind the wheel of a car.

Grade 2 is learner licence. Only allowed to drive while under the direct tutelage of an experienced driver (5+ years of driving experience)

Grade 3 is would be tested to a simaler standard as the current full licence. For this you are allowed to drive on duel carrigways but not motorways. For 2 years after the test restrictions on vehicle power apply and penalty points are doubled. A ban results in an automatic re-test.

Grades 4 / 5 would be additional / optionals. First would be an "Urban" test to allow drivers to drive in congested city traffic (Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway city centre, like the congestion zone in London). You cannot tell me that Jacko from Bogholia can do a local test having never seen more traffic than a tractor and 3 sheep and be safe in a city centre! Second would be a mororway test covering the specifics of safe motorway driving.

All drivers issued with a plastic clip that can attach to your rear view mirror displaying your licence grades. Being stopped by the Guards and not having it displayed is x penalty points. Driving in a designated zone without the right licence is another x points.

In an ideal world I'd also like to see a compulsory re-test for drivers, something like the NCT where every 5 - 10 years you do a short (15 - 30 mins) with a tester. If you're not up to scratch then they could issue advisories and ask for a re-test. GPS and webcam technology could be applied to all tests (these included) to allow for independant verification and remove the element of doubt

And I don't buy the social mobility argument. Kids flattened on a Sunday afternoon on a quiet street or road don't care that Mary had to get to Mass. If you cannot drive then don't drive.

Omcd

Biro wrote: »

Ya, but there's no need to bash the old folkes! Chances are your parents or aunts or uncles are driving on one of those licenses, as it happened in the 80's.

Er, yes, that's why I mentioned it - a close relation qualified under that and its scary what she still does not know.
'no need to bash the old folks' - excuse me ? - it was a good while ago so anyone who did avail of it isn't going to be all that young now ! (although I didn't realise it was as recent as the late 70's, so maybe I should have said 'not very young folks' instead:D).

Rovi

Omcd wrote: »

Er, yes, that's why I mentioned it - a close relation qualified under that and its scary what she still does not know.
'no need to bash the old folks' - excuse me ? - it was a good while ago so anyone who did avail of it isn't going to be all that young now ! (although I didn't realise it was as recent as the late 70's, so maybe I should have said 'not very young folks' instead:D).

Thanks! :rolleyes:

The people I know with these licences are in their mid to late forties.

The youngest of the people with the licence purchased in the Post Office (for REAL money: Pounds, Shillings, and Pence) would be in or around their sixties now.

Seth Brundle

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Its even worse than that, the Garda's don't even get any training on the rules of the road, not even a 1 hour lecture in templemore.... The go through the road traffic acts etc, but don't actually mention anything about the rules of the road, its so irish.....

A garda needs to know what legislation they are pulling someone for. Also the ROTR are not an interpretation of the law.

Anyhow, WTF are they serving in the Dáil bar?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0207/roadsafety.html

Cassidy wants speed limit for foreign drivers Thursday, 7 February 2008 13:05
The leader of the Seanad, Fianna Fáil's Donie Cassidy, has called for an 80km/ph speed limit to be imposed on all foreign drivers.
And he said that Ireland should maybe look at switching to driving on the opposite side of the road.

He said: 'I think that there should be a [80km/ph] speed limit put on anyone coming from another country that are going to use our roads, particularly from destinations where they are driving on the opposite side of the road.

'And maybe in time we should have a look here in Ireland at the possibility of changing and driving on the other side of the road.'
Mr Cassidy made the comments during the order of business in the Seanad this morning when a number of senators raised the issue of road safety.

Jesus H Christ!
Is he for real?

peasant

May I be allowed to point out to the right honorable moderator that there already exists a thread on this other lunacy ?

Rather aptly titled, that one, as well ...

unkel

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I am strongly in favour of a graded licence system

I am strongly opposed to a graded license system. I'm not even going to make the argument about enforcement. I feel there should only ever be two types of drivers (both types would have passed the theory test first):

1. Have not passed the driving test. Can only drive in a dual control vehicle with a qualified and licensed instructor. There's a big L-plate on the roof of the car so it is clear for all to see these are learners, to be treated with caution and respect

2. Have passed the driving test.

This system has been tried and tested for many decades in many continental countries where road safety and driver competence are so much better than here. So don't even need statistics to back this up. Take part in traffic in any of those countries for a few minutes and it is obvious

Enforcement is not even an issue. Drive without a license and the driver is uninsured (unlike here). Drive without a license and when caught, it means you will have to wait another several years before you can get a test. Plus a fine and on repeat offence, a jail sentence. Enough of a deterrent to scare the sh!t out of most people

And don't get me wrong here, I've nothing against learner drivers. We all have to learn at some point. If I had been a learner driver in this country, I too would probably have chanced my arm and driven everywhere unaccompanied on my first provisional

--amadeus--

No arguments here, a black and white system properly enforced would be a million miles better than the dogs dinner we have now.

But I think that driving conditions now are vastly different to driving conditions when the test was originally designed and that current testing fails to take into account certain challenging situations. Specifically motorway driving and (unless you live and have learned there) driving in congested city traffic. Being able to reverse round a corner and do an emergency stop in a quiet housing estate in Carlow (or wherever) does not give you the skills to drive from the M50 onto the N7 (through the Red Cow "Roundabout") between 5 and 7 on a Friday.

In an ideal world either the "normal" test is upgraded to take these changed conditions into account or there are "suplimentaries" that certify you as safe in these environments.

I alos think that newly qualified drivers should face restrictions for a period of time. How often have you heard (especially on here) the justification "well I have a full licence" as if it's a holy amulet that indemnifies the holder from ever making a mistake and empowers all kinds of lunacy...

Stark

--amadeus-- wrote:

Being able to reverse round a corner and do an emergency stop in a quiet housing estate in Carlow (or wherever) does not give you the skills to drive from the M50 onto the N7 (through the Red Cow "Roundabout") between 5 and 7 on a Friday.

How much skills do you need? It's basically stop, go, stop, go. Having a full license shows that you won't be stop, cut out, stop, cut out and you know to keep a safety distance. Things like figuring out lane discipline, correct merge procedure etc. just require people to read that RotR booklet that they received in the post.

unkel

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I think that driving conditions now are vastly different to driving conditions when the test was originally designed and that current testing fails to take into account certain challenging situations. Specifically motorway driving

I feel you're hitting the nail right on the head there, amadeus!

And to put a few things into perspective. When I learned to drive the biggest emphasis for me and my peers was on motorway driving and merging onto a motorway. This was of course far more challenging than base functions like changing gear, reversing around a corner or such basic simple tasks that hardly require judgement. I believe this is still not tested today?

The Real B-man

One rule for them another for us :rolleyes: our taxes are going into these muppets "proposing things"

Seth Brundle

peasant wrote: »

May I be allowed to point out to the right honorable moderator that there already exists a thread on this other lunacy ?

Rather aptly titled, that one, as well ...

Yeah - I see that now.
Work keeps breaking my boards concentration level!!!