Boy racers -dual carriageway-Letterkenny

Daniel O Donnel

I know this is going on in every town in Ireland but when o when is there anything going to be done about it?

Most nights on the dual carriage way there are races going on and there seems to be nothing done about it.

Last night it started about 8.30 and was still going on at 4am!!
They were setting off in 2's from Ray roundabout and heading into Letterkenny. I fear some innocent person is going to die if this is allowed to continue.

I know of two local pensioners who have to put up with these ejits and when they rang the gards they were told if they could get the number plates then they would come out.

In my mind they should cut the road safety budget and put the extra money into buying a few extra cop cars or at least make the cops actually use the resources they have.
Meanwhile as I write now the racing has started and the first time I will see a guard is at their weekly Sunday morning checkpoint at Ray roundabout when all the yobs are in bed.
I rang the Guards to ask about the Sunday morning checkpoint where there are 3 Guards out most weeks and they said it was to catch drunk drivers which is fair enough but what about the lunatics racing every night

cosanostra

Its interesting if the guards are turning a blind eye to racing on the dual carridge way if they clamp down on that road they will go to another road which would be a lot more dangerous im not saying leave them to it but it could be a view taken by the guards because in fairness to the guards there is a major clampdown by the traffic corp on the whole county!

muffler

I would suggest you write a letter in the first instance to the superintendent in Letterkenny outlining your concerns and perhaps even attach a little petition signed by the residents of that area.

If you didnt feel comfortable with writing directly to the super then you should write to all the TD's and ask them to look into the problem.

NIMAN

To be fair there has been a major increase in the number of Garda speed camera vans that I have seen out and about.

Over the last month or two they have been quite prominent, although perhaps I would agree slightly with some of the comments recently on local radio that they are sitting in places where they will catch people just above the speed limit, hence reinforcing the idea they are a money spinning device.

Perhaps they need to go to the places where it seems every Tom Dick and Harry knows that there will be dangerous driving and clamp down on that, instead of looking to catch people doing 55 in a 50 zone?

Carrickman

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

I rang the Guards to ask about the Sunday morning checkpoint where there are 3 Guards out most weeks and they said it was to catch drunk drivers which is fair enough but what about the lunatics racing every night

This is the point that bugs me, a person that works all week and might go out for a few on Saturday night is the target on Sunday morning perhaps on their way to mass? It's cheep shot and totally unfair but "shooting fish in a barrel" seems to be the system that is used to raise handy revenue IMO.

homer simpson

Carrickman wrote: »

This is the point that bugs me, a person that works all week and might go out for a few on Saturday night is the target on Sunday morning perhaps on their way to mass? It's cheep shot and totally unfair but "shooting fish in a barrel" seems to be the system that is used to raise handy revenue IMO.

A bit silly that, so ya reckon its ok to get drunk on a saturday night and the guards shouldn't be doing checkpoints on a sunday morning for people over the limit because they are going to mass? The way i see it, its still illegal and shouldn't be done! They have done a lot more checkpoints at all times of day and night recently, they aint trying to catch anyone in particular just catching people breaking the law which is a good thing!

Back to topic, i seen these people racing a few times myself on the duel carrigeway, what they seem to do is scout the road first then have somone stay at the end of the road on "lookout". Ive had the displeasure of being passed by "racers" on t#he duel carrigeway, one passed in fast lane the other on hard shoulder and i was doing just over 100kph at the time. I went into the petrol station behind the guy passed on the inside phoned the guards, with numberplate sat for 5 mins patrol car came in slowed down pointed at the car then drove on.... whats the point! If you keep nagging them phone every single time you hear them they will get the hint and something should be done about it eventually, they shouldn't be getting away with it though, and it should just be a matter of phoning them.

Or just say you've a bat in your hand and are going to do something about it they will come running out!

cosanostra

http://www.donegaldaily.com/2011/04/02/breaking-news-garda-speed-traps-in-operation-across-county-today/

.17hmr

cosanostra wrote: »

http://www.donegaldaily.com/2011/04/02/breaking-news-garda-speed-traps-in-operation-across-county-today/

Yes they are about seen one yesterday sitting down from McDaids garage i only seen it after i passed the lorry trailer it was hidding behind :mad:so got done for speeding while going to tax office not mad at getting done for speeding .But i thought they have to be visible at all times .on topic. the garda wont come out unless the person that reports it will testify to what was going on thats my thoughts on it might be wrong doe

NIMAN

As I mentioned, I have seen speed vans quite often around the R238.

Various points I have seen it in the last few weeks:

Muff to Quigleys Point road (most common place)
Quigleys Point to Glentogher road
On couple bends on Glentogher itself.
On road from Carn to Clonmany
Between Carn and Ballyliffen

I am not a fast driver, but they have now made me really watch my speed, so I guess they are working

buckfasterer

I've seen 2 different speed camera vans on the road so far. The most common ones are totally unmarked what I think are LDV vans, one red and one blue. There is also a blue van which has a few stickers of cameras on it. On friday at Mc Daids in Letterkenny they actually swapped what van was there, went past first time it was the red one and a few hours later the blue one was there!

The 2 empty houses just on the bend outside Newton seem to be favourite places in the morning around 7.30 am time.

muffler

.17hmr wrote: »

so got done for speeding while going to tax office

I believe you

NIMAN

I have seen a white van and a blue van doing these checks.

Saw a very suss looking red one today at the side of the road with a weird looking back window, so this may have been another. But not sure.

buckfasterer

Have any figures been released regarding people being caught or money being brought in since they were rolled out last year? Id assume they are profitable and not just there to "help make the roads safer".......

kleefarr

How about a simple wireless HD webcam stuck to a tree in the trouble area to get Licence plate numbers?

Easy enough and easy enough to follow up on if need be.

Just a thought.

inode

kleefarr wrote: »

How about a simple wireless HD webcam stuck to a tree in the trouble area to get Licence plate numbers?

Easy enough and easy enough to follow up on if need be.

Just a thought.

Yeah record it all on camera and put it up on youtube and send the link to local press...that will get the guards off their asses!

retalivity

the guards are a joke. county and country wide.
they have no interest in picking up people breaking the law, only people who are breaking the law where its easier for the guards to catch them, and therefore hit their quotas.

cosanostra

homer_simpson wrote: »

and i was doing just over 100kph at the time. !

Ha I hope you gave your own plate no. too

cosanostra

There seems to be an idealology that if you break the law a wee bit you should get off scot free but if its by a lot (or by a young person) the person should get the death penelty im just trying to be the devils advocat here and there is a judgemental aproach to all young drivers. i know statistics say young people are more likely to die on the road but there is plenty of cases of death by older people look at the death of the 5 young people at quigleys point that was caused by an older drunk driver but is still taken as a statistic of a death by a young driver.

im not trying to say that young people are great drivers but i think all drivers should be treated equally and that not the case just now there is a lot of predudice when it comes to young drivers

buckfasterer

cosanostra wrote: »

There seems to be an idealology that if you break the law a wee bit you should get off scot free but if its by a lot (or by a young person) the person should get the death penelty im just trying to be the devils advocat here and there is a judgemental aproach to all young drivers. i know statistics say young people are more likely to die on the road but there is plenty of cases of death by older people look at the death of the 5 young people at quigleys point that was caused by an older drunk driver but is still taken as a statistic of a death by a young driver.

im not trying to say that young people are great drivers but i think all drivers should be treated equally and that not the case just now there is a lot of predudice when it comes to young drivers

Do you think that this is part of the reason for the recent change regards to insurance policies of men and women?

cosanostra

well i think its a good move and i dont think advertisment campaigns for road safety should be aimed at young drivers i think every driver should be targeted equally every driver is responsible for his/her own actions every driver should be responsible its that simple

I do think the Garda turn a blind eye to people speeding on the dual carridge ways tho if they target the roads "suitable" for speed, people will speed on roads less suitable its the lesser evil

Jagle

160kmph tonight coming home, on a motorway so 40km over the limit, at 5am, on a motorway with no other cars around, not the worst thing in the world,

doing 50-60 in a built up area with a school or something near by now thats madeness

muffler

Jagle wrote: »

160kmph tonight coming home, on a motorway so 40km over the limit, at 5am, on a motorway with no other cars around, not the worst thing in the world,

Because it was 5 in the morning and no traffic around shouldn't be an excuse to justify excessive speed. Admittedly the less traffic there is on the road the less likely you are to have an accident.

However, if one of your tryes blows out or a wild deer crosses the road or you meet Jimmy McDaid for example your speed will be a major factor and would determine the extent of injuries or even death should there be an accident.

Jagle wrote: »

doing 50-60 in a built up area with a school or something near by now thats madeness

Couldn't agree more

Jagle

muffler wrote: »

Because it was 5 in the morning and no traffic around shouldn't be an excuse to justify excessive speed. Admittedly the less traffic there is on the road the less likely you are to have an accident.

However, if one of your tryes blows out or a wild deer crosses the road or you meet Jimmy McDaid for example your speed will be a major factor and would determine the extent of injuries or even death should there be an accident.



Couldn't agree more

i knew full well that if i was to hit anything at that speed im a goner, risk i took myself but my point was that some speeding isnt as bad as the other

NIMAN

cosanostra wrote: »

There seems to be an idealology that if you break the law a wee bit you should get off scot free but if its by a lot (or by a young person) the person should get the death penelty im just trying to be the devils advocat here and there is a judgemental aproach to all young drivers. i know statistics say young people are more likely to die on the road but there is plenty of cases of death by older people look at the death of the 5 young people at quigleys point that was caused by an older drunk driver but is still taken as a statistic of a death by a young driver.

im not trying to say that young people are great drivers but i think all drivers should be treated equally and that not the case just now there is a lot of predudice when it comes to young drivers

Agree to some degree.

There was a SF councillor on Highland (I think) a few weeks back complaining about these speed camera's and the fact that they appeared to be sitting on spots designed to catch people speeding. In fact he had got 2pts on his license himself!

Now, is this double standards and hypocrisy of the highest order. Afaik it was exactly the same guy who was on TV after those 8 poor youngsters died in that horrific accident, saying about how these accidents and driving can wreck lives. But yet he complains cos he was caught speeding?

:rolleyes:

muffler

NIMAN this thread is not for debating an individual so please stay on topic.

NIMAN

ok sorry:(

me85

Hi, had to reply to this mainly cause I get scared every time I drive, by some moron flying past me and cutting me off. Something I think needs to be pointed out is that the attitude of these 'racers' is what causes death on our roads. Ignorance, arrogance, over-confidence and sheer selfishness towards other road users is what causes people to speed, pass out in dangerous places etc. This racing is ABSURD and must be STOPPED. Their licences need to be taken away immediately. How dare they think they can treat a public road like that. They do not own it. They have no respect for others and some of them will more than likely end up killing themselves or some poor innocent who dares to drive sensibly. STRICT rules need to be enforced. Caught driving dangerously= bye bye licence. I am fed up of being bullied (when Im going the max speed limit) because rude and reckless people think they own the road. This racing is a prime example of the poisonous attitude in this county. Until its stopped we will continue to see death after death. And it is not just young people. Quite a few middle aged gentlemen in BMWs and Audis think they are also above the law. Sorry this turned into a rant, but it makes me furious.

me85

Jagle wrote: »

i knew full well that if i was to hit anything at that speed im a goner, risk i took myself but my point was that some speeding isnt as bad as the other

Just wondering Jagle, what if you swerved to avoid something at that speed, ended up crossing the middle barrier and ploughed into a family, say on the way home from the airport, perhaps killing innocent sleeping children. This could happen in SECONDS. One second- no cars around. Next second-swerve, lose control, cross barrier, where did that car come from?, then CARNAGE. Would your speed still be ok then? Also curious and u dont have to answer. Have you ever arrived at the scene of a serious accident, because I have and will NEVER forget it. Have never broken speed limit since, nor will I ever again, will drive at what feels to be a safe controllable (in so far as a car is controllable) speed. Dont mean to have a go at you but just wondering how u justify excessive speeds.

caprirs3100

inode wrote: »

Yeah record it all on camera and put it up on youtube and send the link to local press...that will get the guards off their asses!

In relation tothe racing on the dual carrigway, should you ring the Shaun Doherty show on Highland radio and highlight the problem.If you get twoor three of your neighbours on with you you will find the station will contact the Garda station to get a response. I live not far away from Lurgybrack Hill and at the same time of night you can hear any supped up civic or twin cam roaring up that hill even when my three children are in bed. Dont get me wrong I love cars buit there is a time and a place for this kind of driving.I would reccomend they get involved with the local motor club and channel their energy in that way.
You may also remember an incident on the Barnesmore Gap road of a Motor Boker doing outragous speeeds.This was brought to light by you tube. Maybe this is the way to go. Record someof the racing and publish it on youtube.It will definately get attention.

caprirs3100

Jagle wrote: »

160kmph tonight coming home, on a motorway so 40km over the limit, at 5am, on a motorway with no other cars around, not the worst thing in the world,

doing 50-60 in a built up area with a school or something near by now thats madeness

Jagle this is dangerous, you can be quite sure that if you keep this up your luick is going to run out. An annimal such as acow, sheep or deer could wanter accross the road. Debri fromatipper truck could have fallen on to the road oramechanical fault or blowout on your car would cause you to swerve and put you and the life of your passengers at risk. Do you ever think of your family or indeed other road users families when you attemp this.You may drive a powerful car but it is not infallable. For god sake think of yourself and other road users whenyou get behind the wheel...:(

me85

cosanostra wrote: »

well i think its a good move and i dont think advertisment campaigns for road safety should be aimed at young drivers i think every driver should be targeted equally every driver is responsible for his/her own actions every driver should be responsible its that simple

I do think the Garda turn a blind eye to people speeding on the dual carridge ways tho if they target the roads "suitable" for speed, people will speed on roads less suitable its the lesser evil

I kinda see where you're comin from, but a part of me is screaming: Lesser evil, wtf. I think that we shouldnt accept a lesser evil situation. Everyone should be able to feel safe driving their car and not feel that some lunatic could be comin at them round next bend. There has been too much leniency for too long, no more please. I have a scary experience inflicted on me by a moron every time I drive any distance in this county and that is UNACCEPTABLE. I dont pay road tax because i want to play chicken or automobile russian roulette. It's time sensible careful drivers were prioritised and protected. Plus people who speed excessively and drive dangerously on big roads, WILL do it on smaller roads aswell. Their attitude doesnt change from road to road. Just sometimes it catches up with them and God forbid some other poor soul, on the small road. Guards should be in plain cars and then they'd really see some abhorrent disregard for human life on our roads. Sorry, this is something I feel really strongly about. You seem to have right attitude just dont give in to the band wagon of leniency. We need people to stand up against this crap.

cosanostra

Its not long since you could go months without seeing a guard now your lucky if you go a week without being stopped so i think they are going in the right direction all they need to do is be visable and people will know that they will get caught i dont think unmarket cars are the right think thats only to catch people they are better making sure people know that they will be on the roads and people wont risk speeding/drink driving

RachaelVO

FFS have this idiotic boy racers learnt nothing from those awful accidents last year!!!! There has to be something done at the driving test stage, they should see bodies of people who have been mangled in car accidents, and meet bereaved families.

This is a topic that just makes my blood boil, how bloody cool will they look wrapped around a fecking lamp post or a tree.

I don't know what the answer is, but something radical needs to be done... pity they all couldn't get a good solid kick in the arse!!!!

kiddums

I've seen these guys and I don't buy the 'they watch out for cars on the road' line one little bit.
I drove past them just off the manor roundabout and I was only just round the corner when I heard them and pulled into the hard shoulder and let them past.
I dont think they even cared where I was on the road.

cosanostra wrote: »

Its not long since you could go months without seeing a guard now your lucky if you go a week without being stopped so i think they are going in the right direction all they need to do is be visable and people will know that they will get caught i dont think unmarket cars are the right think thats only to catch people they are better making sure people know that they will be on the roads and people wont risk speeding/drink driving

I've been driving about 50/60 miles a day for the past 4 months and I've never been stopped. I've only seen 1 checkpoint and that was on Paddys day.
I haven't seen the gosafe van that much either. And its always been in the same area when I do.

Firblog

So the guards don't do anything about racers on the duel carriage way; no one here seems to dis-believe the the OP - no cracking down on speeding there...
I drove from Letterkenny to Mountcharles last Sunday and passed 3 speed vans on the road, to combat excessive speeding; yeah right, no one tell me it's not a tax collecting exercise

kleefarr

Are those vans there 24 hrs a day?
Bet they aren't there at night when the real racing goes on. But I would like to be corrected if I'm wrong.

kiddums

kleefarr wrote: »

Are those vans there 24 hrs a day?
Bet they aren't there at night when the real racing goes on. But I would like to be corrected if I'm wrong.

They're ment to be but it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't.

It could just be...

kleefarr wrote: »

Bet they aren't there at night when the real arson goes on.

fullstop

NIMAN wrote: »

To be fair there has been a major increase in the number of Garda speed camera vans that I have seen out and about.

Over the last month or two they have been quite prominent

If by prominent you mean hidden in behind a lorry trailer at the top of Lurgy Brack. They're absolute sneaks and the whole speed camera thing is just a money making racket. They were parked outside Ballyraine school one Saturday recently too :rolleyes:

irish1967

Don't be fooled into thinking that the racers don't know exactly where the guards are. They all have mobile phones and they know the make model colour and reg of every unmarked car the gardai in an area use. Roads are scouted in advance. However clever the guards get these guys will be one step ahead.
Think of them like a bank robber. The road = the bank and the car = a gun. Everyone needs a bank so you can't close them down. You can't have a squad car at every bank. Logically the only option is to take away the gun or make sure it's only a harmless water pistol. First offence... Take the dam car. If the car loss risk is there it will think twice. Again that is if they can catch them in the act. Let's face it they don't care about themselves or others just the cars.

cosanostra

irish1967 wrote: »

They all have mobile phones and they know the make model colour and reg of every unmarked car the gardai in an area use.

You mean ford mondeo d reg with 2 Ariels on the roof.

Am i not right in thinking that its the gardas role to prevent crime not catch people once a crimes been commited thats why i think use of sneaky tactics is wrong way to stop speeding if they really wanted nobody speeding on the duel carridgeway they could put up fixed speed cameras taking average speed but then nobody would speed and there would be no fines issued!

People will justify getting caught speeding if the gaurds were hiding in a bush at the time if the get caught by a big white van thats clearly visable they will say jeez i was a stupid idiot i wont be doing that again!

muffler

cosanostra wrote: »

they will say jeez i was a stupid idiot i wont be doing that again!

Speeding or getting caught?

.17hmr

People will justify getting caught speeding if the gaurds were hiding in a bush at the time if the get caught by a big white van thats clearly visable


.I have yet to see one of the camera vans that was not hidden yet, and i could be all over the county in any given day.

If by prominent you mean hidden in behind a lorry trailer at the top of Lurgy Brack .:( yes i seen this one too late my self he got a nice pic off me id say .

NIMAN

Its simple folk.

Drive at the speed limit and you won't have to worry whether the vans are hidden or not.

Its not rocket science.

Firblog

NIMAN wrote: »

Its simple folk.

Drive at the speed limit and you won't have to worry whether the vans are hidden or not.

Its not rocket science.

Never would have figured that out...

It must be great to live in your world....

Solair

I reckon the best solution to this kind of behaviour is to hit them where it hurts - their car.

We need to increase the type of penalties being dealt out to 'boy racers'. They should simply be charged with dangerous driving and be banned until they're about 30. That would give them something to think about.

The other option would be rather than fines / jail, simply crush their car and ban them from driving for X years and give them a community service order that requires them to do some kind of road-safety project e.g. perhaps cleaning up after car crashes or perhaps a few days looking after someone with severe spinal injuries.

That would have far more of a psychological impact than jail/fines would ever have.

To gather evidence, all the Gardai would need to do is install a few cameras up high on lamposts where people are known to turn doughnuts or do other crazy stunts. It's not that difficult!

Rodin

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

I know this is going on in every town in Ireland but when o when is there anything going to be done about it?

Most nights on the dual carriage way there are races going on and there seems to be nothing done about it.

Last night it started about 8.30 and was still going on at 4am!!
They were setting off in 2's from Ray roundabout and heading into Letterkenny. I fear some innocent person is going to die if this is allowed to continue.

I know of two local pensioners who have to put up with these ejits and when they rang the gards they were told if they could get the number plates then they would come out.

In my mind they should cut the road safety budget and put the extra money into buying a few extra cop cars or at least make the cops actually use the resources they have.
Meanwhile as I write now the racing has started and the first time I will see a guard is at their weekly Sunday morning checkpoint at Ray roundabout when all the yobs are in bed.
I rang the Guards to ask about the Sunday morning checkpoint where there are 3 Guards out most weeks and they said it was to catch drunk drivers which is fair enough but what about the lunatics racing every night

That road would be perfect for Specs cameras. A set between each of the three roundabouts there

muffler

Firblog wrote: »

Never would have figured that out...

It must be great to live in your world....

Infraction given.

Just be careful with your comments please.

NIMAN

Firblog wrote: »

Never would have figured that out...

It must be great to live in your world....

Yeah I'm pretty happy in it.;)

killerbeg

Solair wrote: »

I reckon the best solution to this kind of behaviour is to hit them where it hurts - their car

Don't know.......I think if you hit them in the face that might hurt too.........or possible the g**lies.:D

Firblog

NIMAN wrote: »

Yeah I'm pretty happy in it.;)

Well again just like to thank you for coming on here an pointing out where the rest of us were going wrong with this whole speeding thing, sorry that we seem so thick that we couldn't figure out the whole staying under the limit ploy...

kinda ranks up there with 'don't eat the yellow snow'

Note: not attacking the poster, or anyone who thanked him for stating the bleeding obvious

muffler

Firblog wrote: »

Well again just like to thank you for coming on here an pointing out where the rest of us were going wrong with this whole speeding thing, sorry that we seem so thick that we couldn't figure out the whole staying under the limit ploy...

kinda ranks up there with 'don't eat the yellow snow'

Note: not attacking the poster, or anyone who thanked him for stating the bleeding obvious

Im taking a very dim view of this constant off topic posting and not addressing the matter at hand.

Firblog you were advised privately as to what was acceptable but you didnt take the advice. 5 day ban applied.

On a general note to everyone posting here please stay on topic and dont post silly things and we will all get along just fine.