Truck crash at Dublin Airport - 22nd December

Once upon a time, in the not so distant past, a road traffic accident in Ireland was exactly that, and the vast majority of them would not even get a mention in the papers or TV, unless it was a particularly horrific one, with death's etc. Then fast forward to the Jihadi age, and a growing number of Jihadi attacks in the west, using every means possible to cause death and destruction, bombs, bullet's knives, vehicles, in fact anything that came to hand. And then, what would have been an "ordinary" RTA, becomes suspect. And this is because, these kind of attacks have happened and are still happening, and I don't blame people for jumping to conclusion's. I've worked in Country's where the sound of an engine backfiring would be enough to send people running for cover, and an incident like the one under discussion would trigger a full scale alert. I hope that we never get to that stage in this Country, but as recent events proved at the maternity hospital in Liverpool, the driver of the cab was well aware of suicide bombers and reacted accordingly. And that came from similar incidents happening regularly throughout Europe, and further a field. I wonder if it had happened in Ireland, outside the Coombe Hospital would the taxi driver's reaction be the same?

No an Irish taxi driver wouldn't react because his passenger would not be a Jihadi terrorist because we are in Ireland.

I lived in between Westminster and London Bridge and was in the area for the attacks on both and neither I or my friends cower at a backfiring car (do cars even still do that) and we assume a car crash is a car crash

Northern Ireland for instance

Yes during the troubles. And when back firing engines were a common problem ,and would definitely trigger a response. It became 2nd nature to people who live in these kind of circumstances. And any vehicle approaching any kind of security barrier driving erratically, would be blasted long before it got near the barriers. So imagine Belfast taxi drivers in those circumstances, unless they actually knew their passenger's, they would be suspicious and ready to react at any time. Just like the Liverpool taxi driver did. Since the Good Friday agreement, that kind of behavior has practically died out here, and replaced with a sense of normality. Even people who were born in "the Troubles" are all middle aged, and there's a generation who never knew about the troubles, except what has been passed down to them. But this "edge" or awareness, is alive and well in the UK, France, Germany, etc who have suffered Jihadist attacks in the past and expect more in the future. I hope that its not something we will ever experience here, but that's the 100'000 question.

Lived in London for most of the last 10 years and down central London too. This "edge" you speak of is bull sht

Google "Jihadi Attacks in Europe" and you will see the most affected cities. And what effect would you think that these attacks had on the people living in these places? Same as before, no effect, or they were affected by it?

France and Germany ( not a lot in the UK, surprisingly enough) but many places further afield..most of the major trouble spots in the world. Balkan's, Russia, the Stan's, Middle East, Near East, Africa, etc. Anyway, Happy New Year to you and may 2022 see more peace and less war in the world.

Yes people "thinking for themselves" has worked out **** brilliantly the last 2 years.

Ok, so in your opinion, jihadi attacks in the west and world wide has had absolutely effect on the people of the Country's where the attacks took place?? Sure they are not all "Cowering" ( your words, not mine ) I asked you what effect do you the Ariana Grande concert bombing had on the people of Manchester, or more recently the Liverpool Taxi bombing had?

Or maybe jihadi islam is spreading around the world, without even a ripple to mark its passing? Dream on.

I wonder if some of the people jumping to the conclusion that it was terror-related did so just so they might have something to be outraged about. Just another thing to give out about on social media.

I think Ireland being a funding source for Islamic extremists is a key reason we haven't been successfully targeted.

Yet who's to say there hasn't been plots here before that were foiled before execution but was kept under wraps? You could go in circles worrying about it and drive yourself mad but I think with such harrowing thoughts, it's best to forget about them until it actually happens to you or someone you care for.

Yes, and I'd say that is what happened in this case. But he should have been carrying sugar on him ( in some form...there are specially formulated quick acting drinks and hi glucose sweets that will fit in your pocket ) There will be an investigation carried out of course. The the driver will have had medical treatment on the spot followed by hospitalization. In Hospital, he will have a full examination, and until that is done, its only speculation as to what was his condition before the accident. Anyway you look at it, it was unfortunate that it happened at all, it could have been much much worse, but thank God, it wasn't.