Northern Drivers V Southern Drivers

gsxr1

I travel quite allot to the north , Via the N2.

From Dublin all is well. People driving along at the speed limit.

But each and every time I pass the border and drive further into Ulster, the speed slows. Massive lines of traffic behind some pr1ck doing 45 mph for 20 miles . After you manage to pass. Yet another one. Lots of brand new small cars driving incredibly slow.

Has anyone else noticed this. I know we have a fare share of dinky drivers who fear the whole moving car thing here also. But bloody hell. There is little or no overtaking areas on the N2. And the NornIron brigade are just in no hurry at all . There is nothing as frustrating as knowing you have 150 miles to cover and yet another miss daisy is in front . Not noticing and mile of traffic in their mirrors.

The Scientician

Only a single instance but the last time I was in Tyrone we were caught a couple of times in situations like that. Coupled with other drivers being quite aggressive in overtaking, even on corners etc. it was a bit of a nightmare. Is it just a rural/urban thing? Slow drivers are less noticeable in Dublin city and environs because the speed limits don't really allow you to let rip?

flyingsnail

I don't think this is a north / south thing. It used to happen all the time on the old N7 after you left the motorway south of Portlaoise.

jenizzle

I much prefer driving up north (but then again, I usually stay on dual carriageways or motorways) and I find it a pleasure. People keep to the left, aren't horribly ignorant and in general, you don't have to pay as much attention to idiotic moves from other road users

Henry Ford III

I've travelled the M1 quite a few times from Belfast to Dublin, and for me at least driving standards get lower the further south you get.

Stuff like lane discipline, proper use of indicators, simple road manners etc. are all better observed up North. The M50 is a complete farce. Seemingly anything goes there.

I've no doubt there are plenty of poor drivers in the North too btw.

furtzy

I notice it all the time in the North especially on Sundays. Every time I'm on the stretch between Omagh and the Ballygawley roundabout I always meet waves of cars driven by old people going at around 30mph. Probably on the way to church or the lodge

celticbest

jenizzle wrote: »

I much prefer driving up north (but then again, I usually stay on dual carriageways or motorways) and I find it a pleasure. People keep to the left, aren't horribly ignorant and in general, you don't have to pay as much attention to idiotic moves from other road users

I have to say my experience of driving up north is that they hog lanes in the exact same way as down south & that there roads especially Dual Carriageways are far more dangerous to drive as they have far to many crossing points were slow moving traffic has cross lanes of fast moving traffic in order to gain access to a Dual Carriageway.

For Forks Sake

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I've travelled the M1 quite a few times from Belfast to Dublin, and for me at least driving standards get lower the further south you get.

Stuff like lane discipline, proper use of indicators, simple road manners etc. are all better observed up North. The M50 is a complete farce. Seemingly anything goes there.

I've no doubt there are plenty of poor drivers in the North too btw.

I've found the northeners to be ultra-law abiding at home, however the second they pass Dundalk heading south, they lose the run of themselves. Probably something to do with less fear of points etc.

R.O.R

For Forks Sake wrote: »

I've found the northeners to be ultra-law abiding at home, however the second they pass Dundalk heading south, they lose the run of themselves. Probably something to do with less fear of points etc.

+1

The second you hit the border, the roles reverse.

On the way up to the north you get the yellow reg's flying past and the white reg's sticking (roughly) to the limit, but pass those white circular signs with the black line through them on the M1 and the yellow's slow to the speed limit and the white's flash past them.

Same is true on the return journey south, just the opposite way around.

[/sweeping generalisation]

Tabnabs

Bizarre, I find the NI drivers to be very heavy on the accelerator especially on back roads and in the countryside. I was shocked to see their standard of driving in remote areas.

Raskolnikov

Northern Ireland drivers definitely go much slower. The reason is because there is a much greater police presence of the road and more speed cameras and traps.

cadaliac

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Northern Ireland drivers definitely go much slower. The reason is because there is a much greater police presence of the road and more speed cameras and traps.

Its getting that way down here now also. I saw an unmarked (as in no livery) camera van on the way to work this am. Normally traffic would be moving at about 80 to 100 kph but this morning we were all well under 80kph. The limit is 100 kph on this stretch.
People are more aware of speed cameras and now over compensate.

Chuck Stone

The more prejudiced you are the worse the drivers will seem the further you get from home.

*Simples*

careca11

For Forks Sake wrote: »

I've found the northeners to be ultra-law abiding at home, however the second they pass Dundalk heading south, they lose the run of themselves. Probably something to do with less fear of points etc.

absolutely spot on , the northern drivers once in the south seem to think they have more rights on the road to you ...................reckless driving , no use of indicators , haven't a clue of the rules on a roundabout , love to tallgate you , love breaking red lights and most of all speed limit's just dont count to them ,
they are one of my pet-hates of living around the border area

biko

I don't think you can compare Dublin city to anywhere but Belfast city.
It's a country versus city thing imo.

dharn

noticed norther drivers when they cross the border in to the south speed up greatly as they cant be fined or given points in the south

getz

i have to say that when ever i drive my UK reg car in the republic,i have had nothing courtesy from other drivers,i dont know if its a [;we will show the tourist just how well we drive thing] or is it that am so used to the crazy drivers over here,for me it a pleasure to drive over there.

2011abc

Actually I find th situation to be the complete opposite of what OP suggests .Northern drivers far better lane discipline .....simply no comparison ...And Im a 'Southern' motorist.

Leonard Hofstadter

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I've travelled the M1 quite a few times from Belfast to Dublin, and for me at least driving standards get lower the further south you get.

Stuff like lane discipline, proper use of indicators, simple road manners etc. are all better observed up North. The M50 is a complete farce. Seemingly anything goes there.

I've no doubt there are plenty of poor drivers in the North too btw.

+1 on that, NI drivers are far better than we are in the Republic - at least when they are back 'at home'.

I've seen some dreadful driving by NI drivers down here though.

Driving in the North is an absolute pleasure compared to here, apart from the fact that L and R drivers are not allowed to go faster than 45 mph, and unlike here, where such a law would instantly be ignored, in NI the L and R drivers actually do stick to 45 mph, and it's a bit fustrating when you're stuck behind one on a single carriageway rural road!

Two of the most fustrating things about Irish drivers are the complete lack of lane discipline, especially on three lane carriageways, and of course the apparent lack of indicators in most cars. In NI, people DO understand the concept of sticking in the left most lane except when overtaking, and not only do they know what indicators are, but they actually use them correctly too - even on roundabouts!

Seasoft

Rarely drive up North, but I agree with the OP - traffic on single lane roads is slower, usually well below the speed limits.

Which brings me to a thought that struck me lately. As a long time driver I am used to both MPH and KPH and the rough equivalents. New drivers in the RoI will only have experience of KPH. Many newer cars only have KPH on the speedometers.

So if planning to cross the border, get to know the conversions. And as they use the black diagonal bar to indicate the end of limit sign, know what the upper limits are before you go up North or to Britain.

The new system here of posting the max speed limit in all cases is very sensible.

jimmycrackcorm

The N2 has many more opportunities for overtaking than the northern A5 that it links to. It only takes a single truck or tractor to have you held back at 50mph for most of the journey.

itarumaa

I just drove twice from Kildare to Belfast and back and driving in the North is way better than in here.

Better driving skill and people seems even to follow the rules in the road.

Damien360

Another general sweeping generalisation for you :


When the price of fuel rose sharply the speed on roads in NI dropped considerably, but south of the border we horsed along as normal and complained more.

I still believe the average Nordie is much more cost savvy than there southern cousins hense the drop in speed to save fuel.

flickarius

dharn wrote: »

noticed norther drivers when they cross the border in to the south speed up greatly as they cant be fined or given points in the south

Isn't there supposed to be something coming in to effect to counter this?
I read about it somewhere a few years ago but heard nothing more.

Our man in Havana

flickarius wrote: »

Isn't there supposed to be something coming in to effect to counter this?
I read about it somewhere a few years ago but heard nothing more.

Much talk but no action. Same as always, carry on regardless.