Starts with a rant? Question at end.

Mint Sauce

Bit of background first. Was driving home last night, never took me as long before, even during all the snow of the last fortnight.

One 10-15 mile section didn't over 50 to 60kpm. Most of the road is 100kpm (bar 2 50-60kph town sections), Single carriage way, mostly straight, the odd crest, hardshoulder for about 50%. The first car that I could see had no obstuctions in front, the 2nd car for what ever reason would not pass, I was the 3rd car. Now I would have been prepared to pass numerious times if only one car in front, but passing to cars, no.

On coming to an over taking lane on a steeper section, thought will over take here, at this point the line of cars in my mirrors were as far as I could see. The lead car though, remained in the over taking lane for about quarter of the hill, eventully started to move over, to only start stradling the two lanes for a while, when they eventully took the left lane, we all started to make their way past them. Now I looked over, as you do when passing, to see a little old lady, almost sitting on the dashboard.

Now in their defence, if they have a liecence, they're entittled to us the road, but surely theres a danger there as well. If you drove that much below the limit, in the overtaking lane, straddling the lanes, on top of the steering wheel, all during your test, you would have marks against you or even fail. As well as causing a danger to your self and others. Now its not an attack on older drivers, I have sat on with a few, and would have no problem sitting on with them. And the arguement of moving over to the hard shoulder to let people pass, would have not been appropiate last night, mainly due to it being night. Also in their defence, they would have had a better view of the road in front compare to the 2nd car and me.

But the question is, how slow is to slow, and should there be regular re testing at a certain age, considering the changes in traffic environment, road layouts, and designs, compared since some drivers passed. or were even just given a liecence.

bbam

This is one of the most frustrating situations on the road... many many times I've been eating the steering wheel to get past, I tell myself that they were probably given a lisence and never tested so do they have the right to be on the road at all?? In the event of a fatal accident should there be liability on the state for handing our lisences like they were something off the back of a kellogs ceral box..

Then when I do get past I feel a little remorse... We'll all get older at some stage and maybe be some level of a nusience to others, a little patience goes along way (it can be hard though).

I think re-testing for all ages at a decent interval is good in theory, implementing it could be tough..

Last thing, I was on the road last night and didn't cross 60kph on long streches due to bad black ice and untreated roads, I would of course consider myself an experienced driver but a number or "morons" (in my opinion) passed me seemingly unaware of the road conditions..

-Corkie-

Get a set of balls and you will be able to overtake both cars at the one time..:P

Mint Sauce

-Corkie- wrote: »

Get a set of balls and you will be able to overtake both cars at the one time..:P

Road wasn't clear enough

Wicklowrider

bbam wrote: »

Then when I do get past I feel a little remorse... We'll all get older at some stage and maybe be some level of a nusience to others, a little patience goes along way (it can be hard though).

Now you have it. I am no saint and hate being held up as much as the next.

But I would rather be held up a few minutes behind some old person than think of them stuck at home, possibly freezing, probably lonely and maybe even hungry. Does insurance claims data support the view older people are dangerous? I have had one or two "incidents" with older drivers but for some reason I can recall an awful lot more with people my age or younger. Either way I'd feel worse if I upset or frightened someone old.

Tom Slick

I've seen more than one old person's car covered in dents that are always "someone else's" fault (the ones they even remember happening).

Plus, how annoying is it to be first in the queue stuck behind something (not necessarily an old person), then when the chance comes to get past, everything else overtakes you & the obstruction and they all glare at you for not taking some mad risk further back?

-Corkie-

Its actually more annoying when your stuck behind a vehicle going slow and the first and second car wont pass out even theres a good oppurtunity.

The first car is too nervous and the second guy dont want to be cheeky because he is waiting for the first car to go. What happens then is nobody goes until you get to a bend or a hill. What happens then is first car passes out in a dangerous position and leaves everyone else there.

It drives me bananas..

vibe666

i had to drive about 30km on the m3 last friday at under 80km/h because someone drove the entire way in the overtaking lane alongside another car, holding everyone up.

i think if i'd been the car directly behind him i dread to think what i would have done to get him out of the way, but i was about 7 cars back and there were 2-3 cars on the inside lane too.

there are certain situations where the use of a roof mounted rocket launcher should be considered a reasonable response on the road.

hoodie6029

I had a similiar experience where an older driver would was holding up the road and there was a horsebox and trailer in front of him.
This was on the road from Longford to Dublin. I managed to pass the two of them at Rathowen (in a Yaris I might add!). I had the quietest time on the way back to Dublin and didn't meet any traffic until I was almost at Heuston Station! This guy held up the road that badly. This was a Sunday evening when traffic volumes would have been quite high as well.

I wouldn't like to imagine the carnage on he caused on the motorway.

I wanted to report the slow older driver but his car was so filthy back and front I could read his plate.

I think it is time that the Law is changed and the mandatory retesting is brought in. Not only will it benefit all road users, it will create more jobs for driving instructors and revenue for the State. It is a win win situation.

johnos1984

I found a great way around this problem on the motorway and especially along any 3 lane sections of road.

I just drive at the limit in the driving lane and go past all the lane hoggers at what appears to be considerable speed.

More on topic however I did get help up by a pair of old dears who regularly drive in my road at 20mph.

Unfortunately the said incident happened while my father was literally passing away. After 5 miles stuck behind them, swearing, frustrated, tailgating and trying to pass them on bends I just decided I didn't want to be 'there' waiting for the father. I just dropped back and let it be.

It would appear he died at the time I calmed down and backed down

sean1141

everyone should be retested when they go to renew their licences. imo this would save more lives and be a better use of 65 million than the new speed cameras..

FREDNISMO

Agree with you Irish-Stew, some drivers are completely unaware that there might be other people using the road has anybody experienced the 40kph driver holding every one up and when they come to a straight stretch of road just put the hammer down until they come to the next bendy section arrrrgh.

vibe666

i've recently started driving on the M3 to get in and out of work and it is totally baffling me the amount of people who are happy to drive on the thing doing between 80-100km/h and that there is practically nobody (maybe only 1 in 30 or less) is actually driving at the 120km/h speed limit.

what's the point in going through the trouble of paying the toll fees if you're just going to drive at the same speed you would drive on the N3?

between that and passing over the old N3 on the M3 and seeing queues of traffic still on it because they're too tight to pay the toll fee and not comprehending that by driving more slowly and stopping & starting on the old N3 whilst going through towns & villages they're using more fuel than they would have spent on the toll fees in the first place on the motorway and are adding 20-30 minutes onto their journey time (and again using more fuel). i just don't get it, what is the major malfunction with Irish drivers and motorways?

if you drive on the motorways in the UK, for the most part you'd have a job finding many people at all driving slowly enough to be below the speed limit, despite having more speed cameras than anywhere else on the planet. its not unusual (in my experience) to see people doing 120mph+ on decent stretches of camera free motorway.

roosterman71

irish-stew wrote: »

The first car that I could see had no obstuctions in front, the 2nd car for what ever reason would not pass, I was the 3rd car.

The little old lady is not the problem here, its the person in car 2 that wouldn't overtake, which in turn makes it more difficult for those in cars 3 and greater. If car 2 went passed, then you become responsible for the line of traffic and you pass when safe to do so.

Accidents happen cos someone runs out of patience in car 5 or something and then floors it to pass the full line, usually in a spot thats not safe to pass so many

Fittle

Ever thought the little old lady was taking it handy, and was in fact, the only person driving correctly on that road as there was black ice all over the roads last night....

Mint Sauce

roosterman71 wrote: »

The little old lady is not the problem here, its the person in car 2 that wouldn't overtake, which in turn makes it more difficult for those in cars 3 and greater. If car 2 went passed, then you become responsible for the line of traffic and you pass when safe to do so.

Accidents happen cos someone runs out of patience in car 5 or something and then floors it to pass the full line, usually in a spot thats not safe to pass so many

That did also enter my mind hence my comment on them not over taking, dispite possibly having the chance to. Overtaking one car on this stretch would be save, more than one would be chancy.

Fittle wrote: »

Ever thought the little old lady was taking it handy, and was in fact, the only person driving correctly on that road as there was black ice all over the roads last night....

Yes, I did think that as well, but on the assent they remained in the overtaking lane for a period of time and then straddled both lanes before eventully taking the left lane. That was not driving correctly.

UpTheSlashers

Anyone who has been the fault of a crash or has been caught Drink-Driving should have to resit the test imo.

In the case of two motorway lanes being blocked by fuckwits going 80/90 kph, is it acceptable to beep or flash?

Fishtits

This issue crops up every day I drive to work (rural commute). Invariably I come across a slowcoach/nervous type. I think of my mother, a 70 odd yr old rural dweller who depends on her car for transport, she would be a very cautious/unconfident driver, amplified during bad weather.

... Any bugger that would give her grief for driving like that would have to be heartless.