wait till someone is killed?! 830am this morning

100gSoma

extract - I near had the car written off today, (through no fault of my own)

At 830am this morning (24/12/09) on my commute to work I was almost involved in a very serious accident. This accident was preventable, and I describe it to you now in an effort to highlight a serious problem on our roads.

I was travelling from Glenamuck road Dublin 18 towards the M50 Junction 15 to travel northbound on the M50.
I approached the final roundabout intending to take the slip-road off the roundabout to the M50 northbound.
I looked right to ensure the roundabout was presently empty. It was, so I pulled out. As I drove around the roundabout a car came from behind the roundabout travelling in the wrong direction and headed directly towards me. I need to emphasise, this car was travelling in the wrong direction (counter clockwise) around a large roundabout and directly into oncoming traffic. I had to brake hard (in icy conditions) to avoid a collision. The offending car and driver completely unaware of any wrongdoing continued to drive right past the front of my car as if nothing had happened, and then proceeded to drive the wrong way down the Ballyogan ENTRY slipway onto the roundabout.
What is wrong with this situation? The lady driving was a foreign national and obviously has absolutely ZERO understanding of the rules of the roads in this country. How is it possible she can get insurance to drive a car when she does not understand the BASIC rules of the road (i.e. what direction you can take roundabouts). I don't want to spend my Christmas dead because the authorities and the system here in Ireland allow anyone to drive a 2 ton piece of metal and endanger the lives of every road user.
There is something wrong with a system that allows this to happen. It's Russian roulette behaviour.
I have reported this car 06D37XXX to Traffic Watch although I am not confident anything will be done to remedy this driver, or the situation of unqualified drivers. They will be allowed to continue driving 'by instinct' until they drive over someone on a cycle lane etc. Why do we need to wait until there is a fatality. This person is unfit to drive and I will contest that fact in a court of law if required. I feel seriously aggrieved that I could have been injured or killed today for absolutely no good reason at all. It is a preventable situation and by reporting I am trying to afford those who enforce safety on our roads the opportunity to prevent it. Please don't waste this opportunity. At least find out why and how this driver could possibly be out there driving 'by instinct' and endangering lives. Please contact me by email or phone if any other information is required. I do not want to see this driver cause a fatality on the road.

Berty

Likely not to have a license or insurance to drive that car at all. Your just lucky she didn't hit you.

Cookie_Monster

How do you know she was a foreign national?

langdang

How did you know ET was an alien?

Basically, how he knew isn't important, he's trying to help people avoid/apprehend a menace on our road.

Maybe she wasn't a foreign national, maybe she had a deprived childhood and has a chip on her shoulder against all the people who learned the rules of the road, but this ain't the place to be discussing that sort of wishywashy lefty stuff...

100gSoma

ok. Im not going to even touch the foreign national question. I'm not getting drawn into that. (but yes, the person may have been an Irish person of African ethnicity and wearing cultural dress and head wear. happy?) thanks for backing me up langdang, Im just frustrated and angry that I very nearly could have spent xmas nursing a crashed car or worse because a road user is unfamiliar with the rules of the road in this country.

peasant

100gSoma wrote: »

How is it possible she can get insurance to drive a car when she does not understand the BASIC rules of the road

It's called a "provisional licence" ...something you don't get in most foreign countries :pac:

100gSoma

peasant wrote: »

It's called a "provisional licence" ...something you don't get in most foreign countries :pac:

don't you need to do a theory exam to get a provisional license in this country? i.e. what does a STOP sign mean? What direction can you travel on a roundabout etc? basic knowledge?

peasant

100gSoma wrote: »

don't you need to do a theory exam to get a provisional license in this country? i.e. what does a STOP sign mean? What direction can you travel on a roundabout etc? basic knowledge?

Oh ..you mean the "basic knowledge" and "roadcraft" that thousands of Irish drivers display every day?

Calm down ...try to remember the reg of the offending car (instead of the colour of the skin of the driver) and report it to the gardai. *
They (contrary to us here on boards) may actually be able to do something about this situation.

*EDIT: oops sorry ..you did that already

Bluetonic

100gSoma wrote: »

This accident was preventable

All accidents are preventable.

pyramuid man

Well let me be the first to say it.

It's not just foreign nationals that make this mistake. I was driving from Tipp to Waterford this morning and the trip that normally takes 1hr15mins took 2 hrs45mins with people tailgaiting in areas where there was severe black ice. Also this is christmas and alot of people come from other countries than those that drive on the left.

If you are sure that she is a foreign national then fair enough but there will be a fair few people doing the same this week I am fairly confident in saying. Just a pity that you were nearly hit is all.

fryup

a case of Drink Driving maybe??

Cookie_Monster

It just made the post sound racist unnecessarily.

Anyway from reading that it sounds like understanding the rules of the road is the least of the problems. You can know nothing about the rules, it should still be blatantly obvious to anyone with half a brain which side to drive on, especially on a roundabout.

She clearly has other issues, such as being able to see. How can you fail to notice all the other cars coming at you or the fact that you only see the back of signs etc.

I hope that traffic watch do something but somehow I doubt it. It may also have been caught on the cameras on the M50 maybe a quick email to them may help the guards track them down with video help?

alastair

Stupidity has precious little to do with the driver's nationality or ethnicity. Stop signs are the same the world over.

cascade35

alastair wrote: »

Stupidity has precious little to do with the driver's nationality or ethnicity. Stop signs are the same the world over.

I agree on your first comment but on the second one she did not see a stop sign as she was driving on the wrong side and would of only saw the back of the sign.

Op hope you have a happy xmas,

KamiKazi

I think the point OP was making when saying the driver was a foreign national was that she was likely to be used to driving on the opposite side of the road, so how about the PC brigade just hush down for a bit?

_Kaiser_

The main thing here is the OP is ok.. the next person this woman meets may not be so lucky.

As for the "how do you know she was a foreign national", "racist" posts.. I just knew when reading the OP that the motors PC brigade would latch on to that one! :rolleyes:
It's this ridiculous PC attitude and fear of even appearing to be racist that's partly responsible for this country being the shambles it is.

For the record, in no way (that I can see) did the OP make any sort of negative comment about this woman's ethnicity, merely referenced it in context with her unfamiliarity of Irish rules of the road (such as they are!) to make his (perfectly valid point) that it's an issue that should be addressed.

That's entirely different to him coming on and saying "I was driving to work this morning when this bl*** bi*** nearly wrote my car off cause she doesnt know we drive on the left!" - now THAT would be a racist post.

There's nothing wrong with reporting the facts as they are. Do you feel aggrieved when asked to state your nationality (or sex) on forms for example?

Perspective people!

(thats my pre-Christmas rant over Have a good one folks!)

Matt Simis

KamiKazi wrote: »

I think the point OP was making when saying the driver was a foreign national was that she was likely to be used to driving on the opposite side of the road, so how about the PC brigade just hush down for a bit?

While at first I was confused with the OPs post, I think the above is a fair assessment, this is what happened, this is who was involved, thankfully no one was hurt etc. These are facts, no need for anyone to get all teary eyed.

Cookie_Monster

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

As for the "how do you know she was a foreign national", "racist" posts.. I just knew when reading the OP that the motors PC brigade would latch on to that one! :rolleyes:
It's this ridiculous PC attitude and fear of even appearing to be racist that's partly responsible for this country being the shambles it is.

Neigh neigh, sure its all part of the game now
I won't put down the words I would have used cos I'd be banned :P

Similar story on here a few weeks ago with some old fella driving wrong way down Athlone DC with no lights at night.

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with reporting the facts as they are. Do you feel aggrieved when asked to state your nationality (or sex) on forms for example?

Perspective people!

My point was simply that she very well could have been Irish. The driving level would also indicate this

BeardyGit

peasant wrote: »

It's called a "provisional licence" ...something you don't get in most foreign countries :pac:

And something you don't get here either - You receive a learners permit, which does not constitute a license as it would have previously....;)

Merry Christmas all.

Drummerboy08

Bollix to the high horses.

We all know that certain sections of the foreign national community couldnt drive a nail into a 2 by 4, let alone a car. Cop onto yourselves. Its rare that you see stupidity of this magnitude carried out by someone other than a non-national*.



*You know who I mean.

WestWicklow1

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It just made the post sound racist unnecessarily.

It didn't sound in the least bit racist to me.

@OP: Happy Christmas, glad you're ok. I can imagine it would have shook you.

pyramuid man

Hey. I aint no high horse but us Irish aint so perfect ourselves.

100gSoma

peasant wrote: »

Oh ..you mean the "basic knowledge" and "roadcraft" that thousands of Irish drivers display every day?

Calm down ...try to remember the reg of the offending car (instead of the colour of the skin of the driver)

yeah, Irish people may not be the best drivers in the EU, but I have not met someone on the wrong way of a busy roundabout in my ten years driving. not until today.
I knew I should not have mentioned the "foreign national" thing, but I wanted to emphasis that this was not just a "mistake" that a visitor makes, but more than likely just bad "seat of the pants" driving. I see it a lot. and Irish people are so leftist now that you cannot make the observation that africans are some of the worst drivers on our roads. Good god. how dare you say that. what gives you the right? etc etc. It's my right to make an observation. I have observed some very hairy driving by Africans, and today it almost ruined my xmas and that made me quite upset.

reg taken. traffic watch called and details left. traffic corp and RSA emailed about my discontent too.

100gSoma

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

For the record, in no way (that I can see) did the OP make any sort of negative comment about this woman's ethnicity, merely referenced it in context with her unfamiliarity of Irish rules of the road

thank you so much for that Kaiser. That was 110% my only intention by stating the driver was (appeared) to be foreign. Apologies if I offended anyone but I thought it was important to imply that many foreign nationals would not be used to driving on the left. And some, especially non Europeans, might not be familiar with driving on heavily trafficked roads. i.e. zero road sense or experience. thats a fair point I feel.

peasant

100gSoma wrote: »

africans are some of the worst drivers on our roads.

That may or may not be correct. However, it is the Irish system that allows them on the road in the first place ...them and thousands of others useless, clueless and dangerous drivers.

alastair

100gSoma wrote: »

Irish people are so leftist now that you cannot make the observation that africans are some of the worst drivers on our roads. Good god. how dare you say that. what gives you the right? etc etc.

But you're not making any sort of negative comment about this woman's ethnicity eh?

Gotcha.

bazzachazza

Stop signs are the same the world over.

What about France ?

spurious

It's a double dose of 'Arret' I'd need if I met someone driving the wrong way on a roundabout.

100gSoma

alastair wrote: »

But you're not making any sort of negative comment about this woman's ethnicity eh?

Gotcha.

No Im not... Some people see the word African in a sentence and obviously its racist. Thats a real shame. I am making an observation that the African drivers I have met on Irish roads don't seem to have any road experience compared to their European counterparts. It's an observation. It's MY observation. It's not an attack on the African continent. Seriously. I am sick to my gills with these leftist puppets. For those who understood my original point I appreciate your comments. For the rest of you who straight away saw the race card, whatever.

alastair

100gSoma wrote: »

some, especially non Europeans, might not be familiar with driving on heavily trafficked roads. i.e. zero road sense or experience. thats a fair point I feel.

Sure - because we know that there's no densly urbanised areas with congested traffic outside Europe.



For what it's worth, about 50% of Nigerians live in urbanised areas - and those who don't are probably as likely to know which side of the road they're supposed to drive on.

100gSoma

peasant wrote: »

That may or may not be correct. However, it is the Irish system that allows them on the road in the first place ...them and thousands of others useless, clueless and dangerous drivers.

100% agree. I wrote a strongly worded letter to the Garda Traffic Corp, and the RSA, and my local TDs. Why wait until someone is killed to mention that their is an issue here.

100gSoma

My thread has been hijacked by leftists essentially. and for them I write this.


Today I was faced with a car that approached me in the wrong direction on a large M50 junction roundabout and then drove off the wrong direction down a one way roundabout entry slip road. I had to brake heavily to avoid a collision and was quite shook and later angry. I informed some people on a motoring forum about this and I received a barrage of abuse for mentioning the driver was a woman of apparent foreign nationality. People demanded to know how I knew this, what I was implying, and if I was a racist? Irish people are too politically left these days. I was simply observing that the African drivers I meet on our roads often seem to have little or no road sense or driving experience compared to their European counterparts. Apparently it's not politically correct to make such an observation. Rather I die in a head on collision safe in the knowledge I was politically correct and never tried to raise awareness about this particular problem on our roads?

alastair

100gSoma wrote: »

No Im not... Some people see the word African in a sentence and obviously its racist. Thats a real shame. I am making an observation that the African drivers I have met on Irish roads don't seem to have any road experience compared to their European counterparts. It's an observation. It's MY observation. It's not an attack on the African continent.

Nope - just an attack on the competancy of an entire continent's drivers. And one formed entirely on an ethnic basis - unless you reckon you can spot the dodgy white african drivers too?

100gSoma

alastair wrote: »

Sure - because we know that there's no densly urbanised areas with congested traffic outside Europe.



For what it's worth, about 50% of Nigerians live in urbanised areas - and those who don't are probably as likely to know which side of the road they're supposed to drive on.

Thanks you proved my point exactly. This is the sort of road these drivers are used to. not the bikes travelling against traffic too. Certainly rigid safety and road rules there eh? people walking among multiple lanes of traffic too. yep your right. I won't repond to any mor eof your thrash comments. If you think this thread was an attack on the people of a continent you need your head examined. Your blinded.

bazzachazza

I had this one morning after crossing the east link bridge just as I was about to enter the roundabout a dope on a moped coming down the keys thought a short cut was in order so ignored the roundabout and went straight infront of me I missed him just but the BRAKES got nice and warm.

How many people on here mention Northern reg'd cars causing hassle but never get shot down for being un PC towards them. Give it a rest lads.

Eoin

bazzachazza wrote: »

What about France ?

http://www.province-quebec.com/photos/diverses/arret.jpg

If you didn't know French, would it not be really obvious what that sign means? They are purposely a different shape to all other road signs.

Mc Love

Why cant Irish or any nationality stay on the correct side of the white??

Why do they feel the need to cross it? Its stupid and I have nearly been in loads of accidents because only because I have stopped and left them carry on

studiorat

I've had this happen to me on my motorbike a few times. The Roundabout on the Navan road near Blanchy-blanch, in it's old incarnation. The guy driving the car obviously figured out what was wrong as he was driving around and looked pretty scared when we could both see the whites in each others eyes.

But I've seen this on the same roundabout two other times. So I'm wondering, is or was there something fundamentally wrong with the way the approcaches to the roundabout are laid out or signposted.

rugbyman

so how about the PC brigade just hush down for a bit?

why for just a bit, a year ,perhaps, or just hush down.

Regards,Rugbyman

peasant

rugbyman wrote: »

so how about the PC brigade just hush down for a bit?

why for just a bit, a year ,perhaps, or just hush down.

Regards,Rugbyman

allright then ...ye paddies can't drive, full stop.

ShadowHearth

omg anather " foreign drivers cant drive" thread...

did you stoped her and asked what nationality she was? Why that even came up to your head, when you sow a car going your way?! i would think first how to get out of the situation... There is enought muppets any nationality on roads, and SPOILER ALERT: There is loads of irish people who cant drive a sh*t aswell!

Report the car, if that was one one the main raundabouts there has to be cctv, so gards will defenetly do something about it!

kirving

I can't how stating the nationality of the driver can be considered racist? It was a fact in this incident, he did not make a generalisation.

It sounds an awful lot more dangerous than somebody who is just over the BAC limit. They would lose their licence. The fact that she was unfamiliar with the roads is no excuse. She passed a theory test, she must have basic knowledge. Otherwise, she should be arrested and have the car siezed until she gets a licence and insurance. (As it should be for everyone)

Sure Nigeria drives on the same side of the road as us!:D

alastair

studiorat wrote: »

But I've seen this on the same roundabout two other times. So I'm wondering, is or was there something fundamentally wrong with the way the approcaches to the roundabout are laid out or signposted.

Not at all - it's bound to be those Africans, not used to traffic and employing raw instinct to get from A to B. Or maybe some of those leftist puppets - they're a hazard once they're let loose of their strings. It's political correctness gone mad I tell you.

alastair

Kevin Irving wrote: »

I can't how stating the nationality of the driver can be considered racist? It was a fact in this incident, he did not make a generalisation.

Eh - "africans are some of the worst drivers on our roads". Now I know one man's broad brushstrokes might not be anothers, but...

Turner

Whats all the fuss about. If the OP was watching where he was going (which he was) all he had to do was brake and let the woman past.

She obviously got confused.

In the end its a minor penalty point offence.

From the NSC website
Failure to turn left when entering a roundabout 1 Penalty point, 3 in court if you get conivcted. €60fine or €90 if convicted in court.

Roundabouts should be taken very slowly and anything is to be expected on them.

Irish people are the biggest offenders when it comes to bad driving around roundabouts.

Storm in a teacup,

time for this thread to be locked.

kirving

Thats taken slightly ouf of context alastair. The OP was saying that he can't say that without appearing racist. If there were figures to back up the claim, it would be in no way racist. (He does not have figures, but I think that most people would tent to agree with him)


Woo! 500 Posts!

Anan1

The nationality/race/sex of the driver is irrelevant to this discussion - the point is that the OP encountered a dangerously incompetent driver. We don't accept racism/sexism etc here, the next person to say or imply that dangerous driving is in some way a function of race will get a week off. FWIW, we have enough people who learnt to drive here and are still incapable of driving on the correct side of the road - stupidity and incompetence are global phenomena.

RGS

The race of the driver is irrevelant to the stupidity of the driving.

As a claims handler i can attest to the ongoing stupidity of irish drivers on any given day. Our death rates on the road thankfully are on the way down, not so long ago over 400 people were killed on irish roads and this was pre celtic tiger and immigration.

OP did the right thing in reporting the matter to the Gardai, hopefully they will approach the driver and deal with the offences committed.

I also cycle to work and observe the following dangerous and illegal activities on the roadway: Use of mobile phones, illegal right hand turns, illegal left hand turns, cars using the bus lane as their private lane way, driving on cycle lanes, parking on cycle lanes.

Dangerous driving is dangerous driving whoever commits the offence--boy racer, old man, females, gardai, bus and lorry drivers, irish or foreign drivers.

The-Game

alastair wrote: »

Stupidity has precious little to do with the driver's nationality or ethnicity. Stop signs are the same the world over.

Well... Almost....

ART6

I had a similar experience to the OP a year ago in Waterford. Going round a roundabout I met an elderly man coming the other way and obviously totally bemused. I avoided him with a lot of brake application and he then, evidently realising his mistake, tried to turn round in the roundabout. To my shame I didn't get out and stop the traffic to help him. Point is, am I being ageist by saying he was an elderly driver? Any advice from the PC brigade?

Oh, and by the way, I am past retirement age myself!

Run_to_da_hills

About six months ago I was nearly knocked off a motorbike on the Pearse st side of Collage Green by some idiot that was driving contrary to the direction of traffic on a one way st.

Two Taxi drivers managed to wedge him in and grab the keys from the ignition. As they called the cops the guy pleaded ignorance and stated that he didn't know. Of course he didn't know, that is the rules of the road.

The individual in question was not Irish. I don't know how the state can issue any kind of permits for such reckless behavior.