Driving on the right

Hagar

alias no9 wrote:

As for discussion, I've written at length on this thread and you've yet to respond to any of my points.

There is a difference between avoiding a question and not having an answer for the question.

Do you know what? Alias No9 is right.I don't have any answers.

But now I've heard other people's opinions and I know more about the topic than when I started.
Isn't that that purpose of a discussion forum?
Thanks for all the informed information. The vitriol I can get at home.

alias no.9

Hagar wrote:

Most land border of this type are handled simply. You enter a customs control area ( it may be very informal - no checks etc ) driving on your normal side of the road and you exit on the appropriate side. This is handled in some countries by having a traffic light contra flow system which facilitates the crossover. On crossings where there is heavy volume a fly-over or underpass is used.

How many have unrestricted borders where the same road can criss cross the border several times over a short distance?

Hagar wrote:

If the fact that we have a land border with N.Ireland is a reason not to harmonise with Europe why did we go metric? Leaving aside the bad rep N.I. drivers have in the South, is there not a possibility that there could be confusion between mph and kph?

MPH and KPH are different measurements of the same parameter, they are not mutually exclusive. It is not possible to drive on the right and drive on the left at the same time.

Hagar wrote:

Do not delude yourself that we get the same cars as the UK. They do not just keep most of them and send us a few. Ireland gets totally different models, generally of a lower spec. They are specially assembled for the Irish market.

Small volume models usually come in in the same spec as UK models, large volume models sometimes come in specifically tailored to Ireland but often the same spec levels are available but higher volumes of lower spec models sell here compared to the UK. Do not delude yourself that the shipping routes will change if we were to get LHD cars.

Hagar wrote:

Yes the high price of cars in Ireland is due to high taxation but that cannot be allowed continue forever. Eventually Ireland will have to come in line with the other EU States tax-wise whether the Govt likes it or not.

There is no provision for tax harmonisation across europe, in fact it is being widely resisted. A challenge may be made to the legality of VRT with respect to the free movement of goods within the EU, but that's a different story.

Hagar wrote:

Anyone who took the trouble to do any research on the topic would have known the Sweden started using LHD cars years in advance of the changeover. In this way drivers did actually change over to driving on the right by degrees. It's called "forward planning" a term alien to the psyche of the Irish Govt.

If you took the trouble to research the Sweedish changeover yourself, you'd find it was driven by the fact that the majority of cars there were LHD in the first palce.

Hagar wrote:

There is no reason to suppose that there would be widespread mayhem and a massive increase in accidents on the roads. If anyone has statistics to show that this happened in Sweden I would be very interested to see them.

There is no reason to switch without a single positive benefit. Without any accidents, the costs and the logistical difficulties make this a non runner. There is however every reason to suppose therewould be widespread mayhem and a massive increase in accidents on the roads when you consider over a million drivers with restricted visibility due to being on the wrong side of the car.

Hagar

Hang on, I have a drum and a soapbox here somewhere.

Climb up and beat it.:mad:

Bogger77

Hagar wrote:

Hang on, I have a drum and a soapbox here somewhere.

Climb up and beat it.:mad:

Dont ask questions inviting debate and then get all sulky cos no one agree's with your opinion.

alias no.9

Hagar wrote:

Hang on, I have a drum and a soapbox here somewhere.

Climb up and beat it.:mad:

Have I drifted off topic? Have I failed to explain my reasoning? Have I personally attacked you?

I don't think I've done any of these things, just engaged in the discussion. I cant see what I've done to anger you except disagree with pretty much everything you've said but boards would be a boring place if all it involved was a bunch of people telling each other how great their ideas were.

Hagar

I am definitely not sulking over this. Have a look back a couple of posts where I said I had found other people's opinions well informed and I acknowledged the contribution they had made.

Nobody agreed with the proposition, that's fine, I learned something.

What is the purpose of the continued browbeating after the post I've mentioned?

That's all I'm objecting to, not the kicking I got, but the needless continued kicking.:mad:

mike65

So then, we're all more enlightened now. Lovely.

Mike.

Gatster

Yes! We are no longer a British colony

Japan never was, but they just can't stop themselves. For such an Westernised/Amercanised society, why do they drive on the same side as us (or am I being thick).

alias no.9

Hagar wrote:

That's all I'm objecting to, not the kicking I got, but the needless continued kicking.:mad:

Appologies if it seemed like that, it was never intended to. I just replied to the posts as I read them.

mike65

Gatster wrote:

Japan never was, but they just can't stop themselves. For such an Westernised/Amercanised society, why do they drive on the same side as us (or am I being thick).

The Japanese drive on the left for the same reason the British do, in ye olde days when on horseback (bearing in mind most ppl are right handed) it was important to have control of the horse with the left hand and freedom to draw your sword with the right hand which one would "swish" against ones enemy thus requiring one to be on the left hand side of the track.

Less fancifully, another reason is due to the Japanese railway system having been set up by British engineeers in the 19th century. They designed the system to be "LHD" (ie stand on the platform and the train arrives from the right) the trams followed that and the automotive era continued that.

LH train
http://www.sarahbiddle.com/img/bullet.gif
RH train
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/speedrail/images/speedrail7.jpg

Mike.

Bogger77

Hagar wrote:

I am definitely not sulking over this. Have a look back a couple of posts where I said I had found other people's opinions well informed and I acknowledged the contribution they had made.

Nobody agreed with the proposition, that's fine, I learned something.

What is the purpose of the continued browbeating after the post I've mentioned?

That's all I'm objecting to, not the kicking I got, but the needless continued kicking.:mad:

I'll stop kicking too, sorry

Hagar

Thanks guys. No harm done. A good kicking never hurt anybody.

Gatster

The Japanese drive on the left for the same reason the British do, in ye olde days when on horseback (bearing in mind most ppl are right handed) it was important to have control of the horse with the left hand and freedom to draw your sword with the right hand

Swashbucklingy quality.

69 mustang

Saruman wrote:

If for instance i was drving from Tallaght to Liffey valley using the M50 there would be NO WAY for me to get there driving the opposite way. It would need changes on almost every junction we have.
You cant come off, gor around the roundabout heading towards lucan as there is no where to get into it. The slip road down is almost at a 180 degree angle so major changes would be needed.

I don't see a problem if you if you don't use the new traffic light by pass bit. like the way it was then 4 years ago slip of at the Dead Mans Inn and your there.:)
Mind you using the M50 at peek times wont get you to many places.:D

69 mustang

Bogger77 wrote:

They are placed at locations where people have been killed by tourists driving on the wrong side.
There are notices, well at least there were, in Rosslare, Shannon area, West Clare and Mayo

Nothing like telling a person not to do some thing after they do it.:rolleyes: