Are Irish Drivers REALLY that bad?

Cookie_Monster

I mean compared to other countries.

Examples:

Italians are woeful, I've never been so scared crossing the road then when in Italy.

UAE are all mental and drive huge big tanks at crazy speeds (and have the record for the biggest crash ever). Beep you for everything, especially if you're not off from the lights the instant they go green.

One of my friends lived in Libya for a year and thinks they are the most insane drivers in the world, most of the cars over there are antiques too.

I think the best way to describe Irish driving is lacklustre, not quite incompetant but not overly crazy either.

fifth

I think so, yes.

Anyone who's spent a few years driving will have probably lost all faith and any semblence of confidence in Irish motorists.. The amount of times I'm cut up, or I see dangerous driving - literally everytime I go to or from work during the week.

We are all so impatient!

Mena

betafrog wrote: »

I don't think is a fair comparison as a lot don't even have a true driving test...

Pretty much like Ireland then!!

dudara

Let's put it another way - Irish drivers aren't that great.

Cookie_Monster

betafrog wrote: »

compared to countries like the ones you mention though I don't think is a fair comparison as a lot don't even have a true driving test...

Just ones I've had experiences with. Could have listed Uk, Germany, Switzerland or Holland too but they seem to be pretty good in general and would't really help my point:)

dmaxontour

Driving in Manilla is funny. People drive like they walk (if you imagine walking down Grafton Street during christmas or something. That's how they drive in Manilla).

NZ and UAE are also really bad.

But there are laods of spanners driving around here, cutting people off, not indicating etc. There's no reason for it. :mad:

doubtfir3

I was in China last year and it was a different experience.

Most Chinese are very polite and very courteous, and this came across in what we saw from taxi drivers.

You would have perhaps 6-8 cabs trying to get into a 2 lane road, but no crazy beeping, no irate drivers, no teeth gnashing.. just everyone flashing their lights at the car in front/to the side etc - pretty much anything that wouldn't get out of their way!

Of course, the seem to be just slightly nuts also in terms of the speed they do as they sail through pedestrian crossings while people are corssing... so not all good

Cookie_Monster

To further blow a whole in my own case...

Coming off the M50 at Cherrywood yesterday I noticed that the car in front of me that had also pulled off was a learner. Really big plates up blocking 1/4 of the rear window and when stopped at the lights beside her it became clear she was under tuition. The guy was cleary describing some aspect of braking up to the lights and how to move around the gears by the look of it. now maybe it was a friend/relative but I certainly got the impression he was an instructor.

If instructors are bringing people on the motorways what hope do we have...

Yakult

Irish drivers could be worse. Its the lack of education and mixed with ****e roads thats our downfall.

tossy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

If instructors are bringing people on the motorways what hope do we have...

Am i reading this right? If its a dual control car or instructor has confidence in the learner i don't see the problem,there are 100's if not 1000's of learner drivers out there on the motor way with no instructor or full license holder to guide them.

I know its illegal for them to be on the motorway but in this case the law is an ass,we ban learners from motorways,and we don't have a motorway (or night ) driving section in our test and then we expect them to go out and be competent on motorways after passing the "2 bit" test we have.

Irish drivers are the worse i've ever seen i have never driven in any third world countries or the far east but i've driven a good bit in Europe and the UK.It's not the fault of the Irish driver though it's the fault of generations of Irish governments who promoted incompetency!

You failed your test? not deemed eligible by the state to hold a driving license? sure why don't you drive home there and read the book again and we'll see you in a few weeks,a few weeks you will have spent driving around the roads of Ireland going to work etc.

Stay away from those big boy roads called Motorways the are for big people with full licenses,you can drive on them when you get your license,and sure your Mam or dad (who probably got there license without doing any test) will go with you on the Motorway to show you how it's done.... "this lane here son is called the fast lane,when you are going to Dublin and you are in a hurry you stay in this lane"

Rant over!

Solitaire

We certainly suck hard compared to central and northern Europe, but compared to many areas in the Med or the UK/NI we're freaking saints. Has anyone here (other than me) ever seen the horrific state of drivers in England?! :eek:

And we're not all lunatics. As a nation we utterly suck on the motorway though (I feel like I'm the only person who ever indicates lane changes or pre-plans manuevers at all) Certain counties are worse than others - Kildare, Dublin and (top of the Darwin Awards list!) Meath certainly drag the national averages down a good bit

bazzachazza

Put it this way I have driven in the Bahamas and there better and more considerate than us.

Busta Hyman

we have to have traffic lights on roundabouts ........ nuff said

congo_90

The majority of irish drivers is a glass half full sorta thing: We all think we're good drivers when we're not actually all that good (the glass half empty part)

Having said that. Find me a nation who has never criticised it's drivers. We only comment on what we know (irish roads) as that is our experience. I'm sure a few years driving in Paris or any other city in Europe would show we're no so bad.

I am aware some posters here have spent time on international roads

AugustusMaximus

I've seen some awful driving in Spain, Italy and the South of France. Stuff you wouldn't even see here. Stuff like overtaking on blind corners and such.

tossy

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

I've seen some awful driving in Spain, Italy and the South of France. Stuff you wouldn't even see here. Stuff like overtaking on blind corners and such.

I've seen that here,i've seen over taking coming up to bridges . i came over a railway bridge in kildare one day many many years ago to be confronted by a woman in an audi coming towards me in my lane overtaking a sand truck!

Busta Hyman

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Stuff you wouldn't even see here. Stuff like overtaking on blind corners and such.

definitly seen THAT here also almost got taken out by the tw@ when a lorry came round the corner!


admit it lads we have some truly SHOCKING drivers on our roads.

murf313

yep irish drivers are terrible! A guy pulled out onto a roundabout today in tullamore on me today, he was actually looking to his left instead of his right, I had to jam on and beep at him. But of course he then give me the filthys and screamed out his window to feck off and learn to drive!
Things are bad when peole dont know you have to give way to the right on a round about!

Alun

Busta Hyman wrote: »

we have to have traffic lights on roundabouts ........ nuff said

We're not unique in that.

squod

murf313 wrote: »

yep irish drivers are terrible! A guy pulled out onto a roundabout today in tullamore on me today, he was actually looking to his left instead of his right, I had to jam on and beep at him. But of course he then give me the filthys and screamed out his window to feck off and learn to drive!
Things are bad when peole dont know you have to give way to the right on a round about!

Love these stories, that and waiting for a filter even though there's a full green.

Hillarious.

cashmni1

The rules of the road are the biggest enemy to Irish drivers. The merging lanes on roundabouts, entry and exit points on simple junctions are just not really considered by the bulk of us Irish. The most annoying being the obsession with driving in the "fast lane". It just beggars belief sometimes. Only this morning, after a 2 or 3 minute pursuit in the overtaking lane, he finally pulls over (and no I was not tailgating, and yes he had ample time and space to pull over), but when i look in my mirror, here he is again, back in the overtaking lane with nothing in the left lane. WTF?
However, if you want to see true lane ignorance, look no further than the good old U S of A.
There really is no proper lane to be in. The rules exist but rarely adhere to them.

samsemtex

Americans are awful drivers. They tailgate like crazy and changing lanes as quickly and as much as possible seems to be a contest. Not to mind the fact that they treat drunk driving like its no big deal.

Irish drivers are about average i would say.

ardmacha

It's not the fault of the Irish driver though it's the fault of generations of Irish governments who promoted incompetency!

This is just an excuse. While we can all provide strange examples, in general the government has not promoted incompetency, it just hasn't enforced competency. There is no excuse for much of the driving you see in Ireland, it is not enough to say that the government doesn't actually stop you driving like that. You are obliged to drive responsibly, even if you can get away with it.

mad dave

i have to agrre with a lot of this as drive about 30/000 miles per year in ireland and as much as we say the europeans are great they can piss us off too.
driving in holland and germany for the last 2 weeks and on a motorway - when you are coming up to pass them (on the overtaking lane) some believe that the moment they hit that indicator they can move out, very scary on the autobahns as they are moving from behind a truck doing 90kmh and you are travelling close to 160 (because you can).
also cars in holland with caravans on the back.
maybe the euro spec of the car didnt come with mirrors.
back home, - lets incourage people to switch on lights again during the day.
very dark looking this morning with the bad weather and you cant see half of them.
p.s - i love this sort of post.

mad dave

some spelling issues there.

sorry

weepee

Due to more intense laws and regulations up North, does the guys think northern drivers are worse than the rest of Ireland ?

R.O.R

I had to avoid someone who had pulled in to the grass verge in the centre of the M1 Northbound to drop off his passenger, and was pulling back in to the overtaking lane of a major arterial route, off grass, in a Berlingo van.

I've driven a lot in a few different countries and that is by far and away the very, very worst piece of road idiocy I've ever seen.

unkel

Irish drivers are not crazy, lunatics, mental, insane or even aggressive. But they are more ignorant and incompetent than any other European drivers imho. That's only logical as there is virtually no driver training here. And I've driven in most EU(15) countries.

As someone said, looking to the left (only) when approaching roundabouts. Signalling left when turning right at roundabouts :rolleyes:

You see it here every day and you'd never really see it in any other EU country.

The most obvious is probably motorway driving though. It is quite safe anywhere in the EU to drive at 180km/h or even more on a typical 2 lane motorway while there is slow (80km/h) traffic in the driving lane and other conditions are favourable (road not too busy, good weather, etc.). I would never do that here though...

Heroditas

cashmni1 wrote: »

However, if you want to see true lane ignorance, look no further than the good old U S of A.
There really is no proper lane to be in. The rules exist but rarely adhere to them.

You're allowed undertake in the USA though in a lot of states.
I love driving over there. Dead easy on the west coast. Put the boot down and if you're under the speed limit and a cop pulls up behind you, put the boot down more because you're going too slow!

DublinWriter

Solitaire wrote: »

We certainly suck hard compared to central and northern Europe, but compared to many areas in the Med or the UK/NI we're freaking saints. Has anyone here (other than me) ever seen the horrific state of drivers in England?! :eek:

I've lived and driven over there, both north and south, and they're the best drivers IMHO. Sure, you'll get some loon in a ten-year old Burberry Audi(o) A4, but generally I found UK drivers to be the most cautious and defensive drivers around.

I'd place Irish drivers second behind UK drivers.

Continental Europe is like a death circus.

murf313

weepee wrote: »

Due to more intense laws and regulations up North, does the guys think northern drivers are worse than the rest of Ireland ?

no, i did my test up north when i was eighteen. most people up north are much better drivers as they are required to take lessons and pass a test before they hit the road!
I reckon that fact that you could just drive away with a provisional here is/was a complete joke!
My fiancee never drove in here life and her sister gives her a micra and away she goes! (before i met her) it took me a long time to teach her to drive properly!

unkel

murf313 wrote: »

most people up north are much better drivers as they are required to take lessons and pass a test before they hit the road!
I reckon that fact that you could just drive away with a provisional here is/was a complete joke!

QFT

I never understood why this system was ever like that in the first place. Maybe it's a cultural thing down here - the "it'll be grand" factor?

In most EU countries, until you are fully qualified to drive on your own, you can only drive in a dual control (clearly marked as a driving school) vehicle with a licensed instructor beside you.

weepee

Caught up here driving with no licence-your in serious trouble.

itarumaa

If I compare Irish driving style to Finland, the difference is like night and day.

Anything goes in this country, that is the way to sum it up. With normal Irish driving style I think you would be banned / in court in Finland under a week.

Since I want to be polite to you Irish people, lets just say that it really shows that you do not have a proper driver education system in this country.

And lets hope that it will never,ever snow in this country:)

Edit: Just to add, the nice thing I like in Ireland is that people will always give you way to go, you know flashing their lights, in Finland, specially in the north it would never, ever happen.

number10a

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Italians are woeful, I've never been so scared crossing the road then when in Italy.

If you ever need to cross a busy road in Italy, just follow nuns. Amazingly, they actually respect the hoors over there and traffic just stops for them!!! Works great in Rome.

As a side, I'm assuming that nuns do not teach in schools in Italy judging by the respect shown to them.

I.S.T.

I have driven in UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Hollan, Italy & USA. I think the main problem with Irish drivers is lack of confidence, common sense and training. Irish are definitely the worst drivers out of all the countries I have driven in.

Marlow

IrishSpeedTraps wrote: »

I have driven in UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Hollan, Italy & USA. I think the main problem with Irish drivers is lack of confidence, common sense and training. Irish are definitely the worst drivers out of all the countries I have driven in.

I've driven in most of western europe and the states and Ireland is clearly the place, that's the most insane.

I agree that this is down to lack of training and lack of common sense, for sure.

It's also down to lack of common sense from the NRA's side. In mainland europe roadworks have to cover/remove signs, when the workers go home for the night. In Ireland most of'em just leave'em up.

Ireland has in general way too many signs for anything. Like every little turn is a "severe bend", but when one comes for real it might be signposted or not. Proper signage on roads is not enforced/maintained.

The whole story with no theory test up until 2001 and a whole generation of people that got a license of all classes entirely without test doesn't help either. A lot of those people that didn't take a license (but have all classes) are dreadful drivers.

Belgium on the other side is one of the places that amazes me. On the motorway, people will go out of your way half a mile before you reach them, if they see you coming faster from behind. -- Wouldn't work in Ireland, because nobody looks ever in their mirror. Also on Belgium motorways the sliproads are combined entry/exit roads and people just swap lanes at high pace. Would just cause accidents here

One thing that I've noticed over the years, is that you always can see on the cars that drive around in a country, if there is a learner license system in place or not, and I'm not referring to the L-signs. If a learner license system is in place at least half of the cars you meet have bumps and dents.

In Denmark, where I'm from, you have to go through 20 hours of theory lessions before allowed to the theory test, signature of teacher required. Then you've got to be 30+ hours on the road with a teacher, before you're allowed the practical test. But before you're let on the road ever, you are send on a race-track for 2 hours, for a driving course. And that includes handbrake breaking and aqua-planing. Something, that everybody should try in their life.

You are not allowed to get on the road before you have passed both theory and practical tests.

/M

Alun

unkel wrote: »

Irish drivers are not crazy, lunatics, mental, insane or even aggressive. But they are more ignorant and incompetent than any other European drivers imho. That's only logical as there is virtually no driver training here. And I've driven in most EU(15) countries.

I think that sums it up honestly.

In every country in the world, including the EU countries that have better driver training than us, you'll see stupid, dangerous and irresponsible behaviour on the roads ... excessive speed, tailgating, aggressive behaviour etc. Largely though in those cases, I'm convinced that the drivers in question actually know what they're supposed to be doing but make either a conscious decision to break the law, or do it in the heat of the moment.

Here though, going on some of the absolutely ridiculous things you see some drivers do, I'm convinced the majority of it is simply down to pure incompetence and ignorance.

Alun

murf313 wrote: »

no, i did my test up north when i was eighteen. most people up north are much better drivers as they are required to take lessons and pass a test before they hit the road!
I reckon that fact that you could just drive away with a provisional here is/was a complete joke!
My fiancee never drove in here life and her sister gives her a micra and away she goes! (before i met her) it took me a long time to teach her to drive properly!

Where do people get this from? The system in the UK and NI is essentially the same as here. The difference here is that it appears to be a) culturally acceptable to drive unaccompanied on a Learner's Permit and b) rarely enforced by the Gardai, but it's still just as illegal to just hop in a car with a Learner's Permit and drive away on your own here as it is up North.

Lemming

Solitaire wrote: »

but compared to many areas in the Med or the UK/NI we're freaking saints. Has anyone here (other than me) ever seen the horrific state of drivers in England?! :eek:

Errrr, I think it's the other way around. The driving I've observed (both as passenger and driver) in the UK has been in order of magnitudes better than anywhere in the Republic of Ireland. Especially on motorways, where people by and large actually understand how they'r emeant to be used *shock horror*

Granted, any "bad" driving I've witnessed in the UK has been utterly appalling and usually by people in the least capable of cars at the craziest of speeds on a motorway. But I've seen far worse on a more consistent basis in this luniatic asylum of a country.

cashmni1 wrote: »

The most annoying being the obsession with driving in the "fast lane". It just beggars belief sometimes.

This truly grates with me. The obsession with the "fhhhest lane". It's absolute driver ignorance. Oh, that and having no clue about stopping distances at 80kph+ ...

unkel wrote: »

Irish drivers are not crazy, lunatics, mental, insane or even aggressive. But they are more ignorant and incompetent than any other European drivers imho.

I think that's summed it all up rather well unkel.

--Kaiser--

I'd have to agree with the ingnorant and incompetent comment.....but REALLY ignorant and HOPELESSLY incompetent.

I spent 10 days driving on the continent last year and the ONLY bad driving I encountered was a guy tailgating me in Belgium.
No-one pulls into the fast lane of an Autobahn/Highway unless it's empty, you can't say that about Irish motorways.

Then again I've been in taxis in Barcelona and I've never had such a frightening driving experience, they think traffic lights are just decorations....

Davidth88

I drove for 20 years in London , and I have been driving here for 8. I have also driven in most of Europe and the US.

The worst driving I have ever seen ( and I was in a taxi ) was in China , they are totally insane.

I find driving here ( ireland ) by and large ok. It's slower than the UK, and to a great extent people are less aggressive here. However they are really really unpredictable . Certainly Irish drivers have serious problems with roundabouts and with lane disipline .

The lack of driver education, and enforcement of licences here is a really bad joke. The fuss when L drivers thought they were not going to able drive alone was unreal , then suddenly all the L plates just ' dissappear ' overnight , what a joke.

So to the OP , compared to the rest of the world , no Irish drivers are not that bad , compared to western europe ( not including Italy/Spain ) yes I am afraid driving standards are very poor.

netwhizkid

I rate Irish Motorists far better than alot of Europeans, driving in Poland or many of the baltic states is akin to Russian Roulette imo. Italy and Spain too. I would rate the Germans and British as some of the best drivers in the Europe. This has come about from better driver education but most importantly better roads infrastructure.

I would say that anything upto 30 to 50% of Irish drivers have never driven on a Motorway or have an concept of how to do so. Another reason we have bad drivers is about 95% of us start driving absolute crap buckets of cars in the begining which may go 0-60 in like 40 seconds and most cannot afford decent HP cars until into their thirties because of illogical high taxation on anything over a 1.4 matchbox. By this time Irish are set in their habits of slow and bad driving add this to the tractor mentality of everyone has to drive manual cars and it is no wonder we are in the crapper.

I think the drivers of New York State are the best in the world as for to drive through NYC itself deserves a medal never mind doing it everyday.

Zube

I think boardsies are very hung up about poor driving which is not actually all that dangerous, like poor motorway lane discipline. Yes, it's infuriating to drive any distance on our Motorway network and see all the idiots crowding the "fast" lane, but it doesn't actually kill people.

Typical road deaths are at 2 am, single vehicle into a wall on the way home from the pub/club (drink driving), or head on into traffic while overtaking (dangerous driving) or a truck trashing a passenger car (dangerous driving again).

As drunk driving becomes less and less acceptable and Motorways take traffic off dangerous roads, these are becoming less frequent. Our death rate is now at its lowest level on record, and pretty respectable by European standards, and still dropping.

The UKs, by contrast, hasn't budged recently, and there is a lot of debate over there about why it isn't improving.