Donegal Roads

homer simpson

danjo wrote: »

Very interesting thread.
I believe the rally has a very negative impact on drivers. It seems to encourage a culture of reckless driving among young impressionable drivers. Many try to imitate the rally drivers.

That coment doesn't make any sense for me? so your saying that "the" rally is having a negative impact, and causes them to copy rally drivers, and makes them become reckless drivers?

I have NEVER known anyone to copy a rally driver on a public road, sure people drive fast mostly because you get a thrill, not becuase they are trying to copy a rally driver. 99% of people who follow ralling know the dangers involved and see all the safety procautions taken to avoid an injury when an accident orrours during a rally.

For me there are 2 problems here in donegal-

1- the Roads and lack of action being taken to avoid accidents on them. Take for example theN13 just before you come into newtowncunningham,there are 2 corners there that have a accident pretty much every weekend and there have been a good few fatalities there, so the council have just erected sharp corner signs! for what purpose? most of the accidents there are by people who know the road. earlier this year they built a banking between the 2 corners which now causes the car to bounce back onto the road usually on its roof instead of just going through a fence and usually harmlessy into a feild.

2- Driver complancey, too many drivers think they are invincable on the road sure all of us have sped in the past and will do again but some people think that they can drive at 75-80mph constantly and get away with it. Also the amount of people talking on phones while driving is crazy, but i do think that things will never change, all we can do is drive a bit more responsivly ourselves and hope that the next corner we go around won't have a car doing 75mph coming towards us half way across the white line trying to save himself some time by cutting the corner, we can control our own driving but not anyone elses!

babaloushka

homer_simpson wrote: »

we can control our own driving but not anyone elses!

That is absolutely true and because we can't control other people's bad driving we need to have the clear and obvious presence of law enforcement on our roads. We can institute all the laws we like - from mobile phones to speed - but if there is no enforcement by the Gardai there is absolutely no point. It's a sad fact that a significant number of people won't obey the law unless there's a strong likelihood of getting caught AND punished if they step out of line.
It's something I've thought of a lot lately, but why can we not outsource road safety issues such as mobile phone usage and speed to private organisations similar to parking/clamping? I'm aware of the controversy over same, but there's no need for fully trained Gardai (who could be freed up for other criminal activities) to implement speed cameras and detect mobile phone usage or drink driving.
Aggressive on the spot fines from eagle eyed employees eager to crank up their commission would soon put a stop to many road safety infringements. More jobs for the unemployed, more Gardai dealing with other crime and safer roads - win-win all round!

danjo

homer_simpson wrote: »

so your saying that "the" rally is having a negative impact, and causes them to copy rally drivers, and makes them become reckless drivers?

In a nutshell - yes

homer_simpson wrote: »

sure people drive fast mostly because you get a thrill

Precisely what rally drivers do

There are of course many other factors but this I believe is a major one.

homer simpson

danjo wrote: »

In a nutshell - yes
Precisely what rally drivers do

There are of course many other factors but this I believe is a major one.

I think you'd need to rethink your theory, if you'd look around any town you go into there is very little influence from rally driver's in the way people behave on the public roads, most boy racers take influence from diffing, and car show events as in show and shine where people go to compair body kits ect, not my thing but everyone to their own i suppose. and as for speeding, take 90% of people who are stopped and ask them are they rally fans and they will tell you????.......exactly no!!! so 10% is hardly a major factor now?if you really think that "the rally" (by which i think you mean the donegal international, which is one rally out of about 150-200 rallies held in ireland every year) is a major factor in how people behave on our roads you really need to rethink your reasons behind it cos i think you havn't thought through all the facts, but then again everyone is entitled to their own opinions,

muffler

Careful here. You may want to edit the beginning of your post homer.

homer simpson

No problem, it was ment as a joke though no mallice or anger directed at danjo its just the way i go on , but i can see how someone might get offended so i'll edit it.....

North_West_Art

I take it most of us have seen the footage on youtube of the 3 guys in the Subaru Impreza doing 160mph through the Gap one morning. They were even corny enough to ad the formula one theme song to it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fM5JaWQWTk

Senna

North_West_Art wrote: »

I take it most of us have seen the footage on youtube of the 3 guys in the Subaru Impreza doing 160mph through the Gap one morning. They were even corny enough to ad the formula one theme song to it

Morons, to drive at 160mph is stupid enough but to do it in the rain:rolleyes:

Also, what accent has that fella. Donegal or Northern Ireland?

ednwireland

not much gritting on the roads today !

irish1967

Well lack of care and caution on the roads certainly showed itself this morning. Counted a truck, a bus and at least 3 cars off the road at Mountcharles. And a Nissan pick up in the ditch in the Gap. Have to say though that sight of these crashes seemed to slow others down. Take care out there folks.

puffdragon

Well I think we may be over the worst, I have noticed how it takes a couple of weeks for everyone to get into "winter driving mode" as it were ,I think it has something to do with having to get the ice off your windscreen in the morning sort of reminds you to take it a little easier.

I know this morning I was glad I left a little earlier than usual, black ice everywhere.Does anyone know if the council has any money for grit this year it's just i haven't seen them in the places you would most expect to yet.

( I'm not a very patient driver ,my pet hate are people driving too slow on the road,I think there should be an on the spot fine to punish people for lack of progress, but for now I can forgive anyone driving slowly because you just don't know when you 're going to hit a pothole or standing water or ice, )

Drive carefully

Graces7

Just moved to a small house up in the Blue Stacks; single track lanes with grass down the middle in places.

And had to leap into the ditch with the two dogs because a rally driver was using the lane to practice for an event; every night.

Anything or anyone on the road stood no chance at his speeds.

Needless to say, reported it to the Gardai. Who were rather shocked.

So yes, rallies have a very bad impact.

danjo wrote: »

Very interesting thread.
I believe the rally has a very negative impact on drivers. It seems to encourage a culture of reckless driving among young impressionable drivers. Many try to imitate the rally drivers.

ednwireland

rallies have a bad impact because a rally driver practises down your road ?

right whatever

you did the right thing reporting hom to the garda, i ve seen tis thing up near muckish but at least he had marshalls around the roads (still cant see how it was legal though.

Graces7

Well, yes; if there were no rallies local lads would not need to practise on country lanes.....perfectly logical.

How anyone could drive that lane at that speed though; I was out early one morning and 20 mph was all that was safe.

ednwireland wrote: »

rallies have a bad impact because a rally driver practises down your road ?

right whatever

you did the right thing reporting hom to the garda, i ve seen tis thing up near muckish but at least he had marshalls around the roads (still cant see how it was legal though.

Senna

Was this person in a rally car or was it just some moron in a modified car that can sound like a rally car. It could have been night racing (proper name escapes me), they are not supposed to race and the course normally takes them along very remote roads but it can be very dangerous and the garda have been clamping down on them lately, i'm not too sure if it even happens any more.

Graces7

We wondered that too, but we got lucky, as early on the Saturday morning we were in the garden with the dogs when a rally car passed from higher up, sedately perched on a trailer.

Bright red it is.

There are only abiut six houses up that way.. when I told the Gardai that, they said re the rally in Sligo that weekend.

And it was always just the one.; it flashed past so fast in the dark we had no idea what it was until that morning.

Of course they transport them on trailers why?

Senna wrote: »

Was this person in a rally car or was it just some moron in a modified car that can sound like a rally car. It could have been night racing (proper name escapes me), they are not supposed to race and the course normally takes them along very remote roads but it can be very dangerous and the garda have been clamping down on them lately, i'm not too sure if it even happens any more.

homer simpson

this thread is getting sillier and sillier, so you seen a car driving past you when it was dark and seen a rallycar on a trailer the next day an assumed that it was the rallycar, you have admitted in your last post that you didn't have a clue what the car was untill you seen a rallycar on a trailer the folowing morning!!!

honestly though i think it could have been young lads messing, where abouts roughly is this road? bluestacks yes but where?

If it was a rallycar though and your sure , and not assuming the next morning, simply go up to the 6 houses and find out who it is and complain directly top them as you'll find if it was them they will appolige, but approach it nicely don't be going in angrely ect. because as you say you just moved in. if talking to them fails phone the donegal motor club and give them the info not the guards, they will be better suited to deal with it.

and they travel on trailers because of the expensive running costs, fuel consumption, tyre wear they travel from one end of the country to the other to compete.

P.S. Senna they are called night navigation rallies, the guards stopped the last one to be held in donegal because of guards not communicating properly, the info was given to the guards but was never passed on as the guards who stopped it said they were unaware of it happening.

Graces7

No need for that tone; we know whereof we speak., thank you. It was every night for some while and the noise like an explosion.

The Gardai were quite happy with it, thank you. It is an offence to drive dangerously. And to force pedestrians into the ditch. Period.

Was it you!!! Ah I see!!!

Over and out!

homer_simpson wrote: »

this thread is getting sillier and sillier, so you seen a car driving past you when it was dark and seen a rallycar on a trailer the next day an assumed that it was the rallycar, you have admitted in your last post that you didn't have a clue what the car was untill you seen a rallycar on a trailer the folowing morning!!!

honestly though i think it could have been young lads messing, where abouts roughly is this road? bluestacks yes but where?

If it was a rallycar though and your sure , and not assuming the next morning, simply go up to the 6 houses and find out who it is and complain directly top them as you'll find if it was them they will appolige, but approach it nicely don't be going in angrely ect. because as you say you just moved in. if talking to them fails phone the donegal motor club and give them the info not the guards, they will be better suited to deal with it.

and they travel on trailers because of the expensive running costs, fuel consumption, tyre wear they travel from one end of the country to the other to compete.

P.S. Senna they are called night navigation rallies, the guards stopped the last one to be held in donegal because of guards not communicating properly, the info was given to the guards but was never passed on as the guards who stopped it said they were unaware of it happening.

North_West_Art

I have done a count in my head of people I personally knew, in this county, who have died a s a result of a car crash in the last 20 years while on the road in the county... and I can think of eleven, plus two guys off motorbikes which makes thirteen in total. Every second day Im on the road I see a potential near miss. Im sure everyone here knew someone.

Was in a line of traffic last night in the gap, and just before Biddys, an overloaded Vauxhall hatchback started to over take the car in front of it, no indicators whatsoever. Recently, a fatal car crash (wont say where), two occupants of one car were not wearing seatbelts and aparently drink had been taken, no NCT on the car.
A motorbike almost went clean over the roof of my car 3 months ago coming from the Ballyshannon direction just beyond the junction for Rossnowlagh, I was overtaking and realised I was meeting it head on.
etc

deman

homer_simpson wrote: »

I have NEVER known anyone to copy a rally driver on a public road, sure people drive fast mostly because you get a thrill, not becuase they are trying to copy a rally driver.

My sister was involved in a serious car accident on rally weekend because her boyfriend at that time was a big rally fan who seemed to think that he was able to do what the real rally drivers could do. So I don't agree with your statement at all. BTW she dumped him immediately.

homer_simpson wrote: »

99% of people who follow ralling know the dangers involved and see all the safety procautions taken to avoid an injury when an accident orrours during a rally.

homer_simpson wrote: »

2- Driver complancey, too many drivers think they are invincable

You've just contradicted yourself.

eman66

I'm wondering when/if the council are going to start gritting the roads. I suppose there isn't much money, but several nights/mornings recently the mountain top and either side of it have been seriously dangerous with ice.

Recently moved from Letterkenny to 10-15 minutes drive away. Used to wonder if the bad rep of Donegal drivers was justified. My eyes have been opened. Was close to being forced into the ditch twice. In two months there have been 4 crashes that I've come across.

One thing that does annoy me is the narrowness of some roads, usually with a 100kph speed limit. I like the way they manage speed limits in France. The limit changes frequently along a route. Coming to a bend the limit drops and when the road straightens up the limit goes up again. The limits cover the full range from 10kmph to 120kmph in increments of 10kmph. It looks to me like they have fully surveyed every km of road in the country. Also, coming to villages they have high ramps (much higher than ours) that force you to almost come to a stop.

North_West_Art

eman66 wrote: »

Also, coming to villages they have high ramps (much higher than ours) that force you to almost come to a stop.

+1.... I was suggesting this earlier in the thread with places like Fahan and Killygordon in mind

irish1967

North_West_Art wrote: »

+1.... I was suggesting this earlier in the thread with places like Fahan and Killygordon in mind

On the subject of Killygordon... The road as you come from Lifford in Killygordon itself is in the worst condition I have ever seen a national primary route. Often wondered was it a cheap way of slowing the traffic down.(Who needs ramps when you have a few dozen potholes?) Is there a reason it is left untouched? I have traveled on better farm tracks.

ednwireland

eman66 wrote: »

One thing that does annoy me is the narrowness of some roads, usually with a 100kph speed limit. I like the way they manage speed limits in France. The limit changes frequently along a route. Coming to a bend the limit drops and when the road straightens up the limit goes up again. The limits cover the full range from 10kmph to 120kmph in increments of 10kmph. It looks to me like they have fully surveyed every km of road in the country. Also, coming to villages they have high ramps (much higher than ours) that force you to almost come to a stop.

they probably have an 80 kmh speed limit, the council only grit the main roads (i regularly slip slide the 2 miles to the grit zone from my house - i generally leave the bycyle at home on those days)

as far as variable speed limits a few visible blind bend / blind crest signs wouldnt go amiss (signs here are terrible)

North_West_Art

irish1967 wrote: »

On the subject of Killygordon... The road as you come from Lifford in Killygordon itself is in the worst condition I have ever seen a national primary route. Often wondered was it a cheap way of slowing the traffic down.(Who needs ramps when you have a few dozen potholes?) Is there a reason it is left untouched? I have traveled on better farm tracks.

I'll tell you, I nearly met my Waterloo a couple of times approaching Killygordon from The Cross and attempting a right turn to go to Castlefin, at least if there was a ramp there it would give motorists some chance to turn onto the main road safely... likewise, pulling onto the main road from anywhere in Fahan, especially the Railyway Tavern junction is literally Russian roulette. So is the road from Dunkineely to Killybegs, Bruckless and St. Johns Point turn off. Convoy is also turning into a race track,
and as for signs, a few either side of the filling station in Laghey and Newtoncunningham would be a start... the large portable ones that flash maybe. Warning signs are far and few between and cars fly past both those places at 70mph+

homer simpson

deman wrote: »

You've just contradicted yourself.

Contradicted myself .....not in the slightest, how is me saying that 99% of people who follow rallying know the dangers and then saying too many drivers think they are invincable a contradiction? if i had of said people who follow rallying think they are invincable the yes but i didn't, your misenterpreting my two quotes.

graces7 wrote:

Was it you!!! Ah I see!!!

It wan't me , lol, if you'd care to look at my location you'd have seen that, i was giving you a suggestion as to what to do, you came on here posting about it so im sure you were looking for some sort of a response, you got one from me if you don't like what i said just ignore it! period, lol.

North_West_Art

serious crash this late last night at Lisfanon, just as you come into Fahan

smashey

irish1967 wrote: »

On the subject of Killygordon... The road as you come from Lifford in Killygordon itself is in the worst condition I have ever seen a national primary route. Often wondered was it a cheap way of slowing the traffic down.(Who needs ramps when you have a few dozen potholes?) Is there a reason it is left untouched? I have traveled on better farm tracks.

The road has been "repaired" since. You know, the usual bucket of hot tar patted down with a couple of shovels. It'll be grand until the next shower arrives. :rolleyes:

Anyway, plans are in place for the installation of "smart" traffic lights for the junction in Killygordon and I'm sure I read recently that they would be installed soon.

On another note, I came to the bridge in Castlefinn this afternoon and there was a car in front of me as we came to a red light. The guy stopped for a few seconds and then just drove on. The light was still red. Stupidity of the highest order considering the thick fog and freezing temperatures at the time.