Seriously, I am not grievously offending you !

RobAMerc

Was on the M6 the other night and came upon a car in the outside lane with nothing to the left of it.

I patiently waited and waited and waited before putting my indicator on hoping to get noticed. After quite a while I finally decided to flash the offender.

They did pull over but this girl basically went berserk in the drivers seat.
I first got the internationally understood wanker sign and then had her flashing her lights and blowing the horn. She then attempted to come up behind me and start flashing at me ( I was overtaking a line at the time proving she had no idea why I had flashed her in the first place).

What is it with people, do they think you have grievously offended them by flashing them out of the way ?

Sorry, I have opened threads on this before, I just don't get it.

Lurching

Maybe she owned the Merc you robbed?

Kenny Logins

She prefers the fast lane.

keithsfleet

I had an ex years ago that was lovely, dedicated a lot of her time to charity and helped anyone and everyon.

Put her behind the wheel and she completely flipped. People not going as fast as she was got a fierce surprise and she would push her little 1 litre corsa as far as she could up their ass'.
Not a care in the world for other drivers, felt in risk of my life whenever I had no choice but to take a lift off her.

I genuinely dumped her over her driving.

CiniO

Irish drivers always seem to be offended if you flash them in such circumstances.

On the continent, being flashed on the motorway just means that someone is asking you to move over. Nothing offending in it.

This might be linked probably, that for some reason Irish drivers tend to use flash to offend someone (f.e. if an idiot overtakes you in dangerous manner, you flash on him).
I didn't see such thing anywhere on the continent, that's why no one associates flashing with offending.

keithclancy

She was an a$$hole.

/end thread

Anan1

A lot of adults are essentially overgrown children. I've seen grown men want to get out of the car and fight after some perceived slight on the road. Hell, i've seen people say it here.

_Kaiser_

I come across this a lot but 99% of the time the flash of lights to get their attention + flick of the right indicator seems to work.. about 10% will pull back into the overtaking lane after you pass though.

This will be unpopular, but when car comes tearing past me on the motorway these days (which is fairly rare admittedly ), it'll almost always be driven by a 20-40 year old woman in a hatchback pushing 150 km/h+ .. don't know what it is, but I've noticed this more and more in the last 2/3 years.

Anan1

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

This will be unpopular, but when car comes tearing past me on the motorway these days (which is fairly rare admittedly ), it'll almost always be driven by a 20-40 year old woman in a hatchback pushing 150 km/h+ .. don't know what it is, but I've noticed this more and more in the last 2/3 years.

Funny you should say that, and it's far from conclusive proof, but I have noticed that too.

galwaytt

Anan1 wrote: »

A lot of adults are essentially overgrown children. I've seen grown men want to get out of the car and fight after some perceived slight on the road. Hell, i've seen people say it here.

I had a guy get out of his 91 reg DL 5-series and attempt to headbutt me after I had the audacity - the cheek no less - of overtaking his precious 'ultimate drivers car' in Galway traffic.........

....probably 'cos I was on Vespa PX125.

But hey, it's not my fault a Vespa is the pinnacle of traffic avoidance.........

Anan1

galwaytt wrote: »

I had a guy get out of his 91 reg DL 5-series and attempt to headbutt me after I had the audacity - the cheek no less - of overtaking his precious 'ultimate drivers car' in Galway traffic.........

It takes a special kind of person to try to headbutt a man wearing a motorcycle helmet!

Ilik Urgee

Happened to me on the M8 Sunday evening. Flashed a Focus as there was no discernible reason it should've been in the right lane. On with the indicator, flash again before the Focus slow drifts into the driving lane.
Passed her out(yes, 20-30, blonde), only to see her straight back out into the fast lane behind me.
What is their reasoning? Beats me.

MugMugs

It's an aged problem at this stage.

Sit behind them and you're making them nervous. Flash them and you're bullying them. Undertake and you're breaking the law.

Bonnet mounted bazooka's or just small EMP's would be quite handy.

Victor Meldrew

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

This will be unpopular, but when car comes tearing past me on the motorway these days (which is fairly rare admittedly ), it'll almost always be driven by a 20-40 year old woman in a hatchback pushing 150 km/h+ .. don't know what it is, but I've noticed this more and more in the last 2/3 years.

Ditto fare evaders on the Green luas line. Weird.

As for the OP, I don't get why anyone would be slighted at someone wanting to go faster.

Personally, I never want to be the fastest car on the road...

Let some other schmo become hairdryer bait...

Victor Meldrew

MugMugs wrote: »

It's an aged problem at this stage.

Sit behind them and you're making them nervous. Flash them and you're bullying them. Undertake and you're breaking the law.

Bonnet mounted bazooka's or just small EMP's would be quite handy.

Cow catchers....

NobodyImportant

I was in the overtaking lane on Saturday morning, doing almost 20kmh over the speed limit and went passed an A4 in the middle lane. Apparently this was just awful and i needed to be flashed at, have the middle finger waved by both the driver and his wife.

Frank Black

NobodyImportant wrote: »

I was in the overtaking lane on Saturday morning, doing almost 20kmh over the speed limit and went passed an A4 in the middle lane. Apparently this was just awful and i needed to be flashed at, have the middle finger waved by both the driver and his wife.

If the Audi could undertake you in the middle lane there was no need for you to be in the overtaking lane.

I think you got what you deserved tbh.

tin79

Frank Black wrote: »

If the Audi could undertake you in the middle lane there was no need for you to be in the overtaking lane.

I think you got what you deserved tbh.

I thought the OP meant he passed the Audi no? But his grammar is very unclear alright.

MugMugs

Frank Black wrote: »

If the Audi could undertake you in the middle lane there was no need for you to be in the overtaking lane.

I think you got what you deserved tbh.

But he had just overtaken the Audi that was in the middle lane.

Theoretically, everybody could undertake everybody that overtakes them.

Going by that, we should never overtake

ht9zni1gs28crp

The standard of Irish driving on the Motorway is just shocking. I will go out on a limb and say 90% of Irish drivers HAVENT a clue regarding Motorway driving.

Frank Black

tin79 wrote: »

I thought the OP meant he passed the Audi no? But his grammar is very unclear alright.

OK - I read it wrong so.

Frank Black

Leonel Odd Guerilla wrote: »

The standard of Irish driving on the Motorway is just shocking. I will go out on a limb and say 90% of Irish drivers HAVENT a clue regarding Motorway driving.

A lot of people don't have a clue about percentages either.

dgt

Frank Black wrote: »

A lot of people don't have a clue about percentages either.

Sure 79% of all statistics are made up, that's like a quarter...... *cough

Moving on, people that drive on the outside lane when no one is in the left lane is a c*nt. Simple as

cpoh1

Leonel Odd Guerilla wrote: »

The standard of Irish driving on the Motorway is just shocking. I will go out on a limb and say 90% of Irish drivers HAVENT a clue regarding Motorway driving.

I would disagree with this on quiet stretches of motorway, such as cork/limerick to dublin. The etiquette and knowledge is actually quite good.

Its when traffic gets busy that people start getting lazy, not returning to the driving lane, sitting in the middle lane etc. Basically when you get in and around Dubland :pac:

serious3

i've just done over 1000km's this weekend here and in the UK and i have to say if i flashed someone to move over in the UK 9 out of 10 times you got a wave of apology and moved over instantly, whereas here you are ignored berated if you flash them.

veetwin

I did about 3000 Kms in France in the last month. The lane discipline of the french was outstanding. They overtook other cars and promptly returned to the driving lane.

Only twice did I come across drivers in the overtaking lane not returning to the driving lane. Both were Irish cars:rolleyes:

anthony4335

I used to be aggressive behind the wheel ,when anyone pulled out in front of me cutting me off I would flash my lights and practically stand on the horn calling them all the names in the world. It took years but I now figure that it is pointless, as the only one who was suffering was me. People make mistakes and should not be abused for it, and when they think that they are in the right no matter how many times you flash them you will not convince them otherwise.
As for driving standards ,they will not change until the Garda enforce the rules of the road. However I do not see this happening as they are been encouraged to only target the usual offenses such as speeding.
Things about poor driving standards I hate, no or incorrect indicator usage ,Lane discipline and having to be the car in front at all times ( how many times has someone over taken you and slowed right down only forcing you to pass them out ,and then the process is then repeated).

corktina

i was on the UK M6 today in heavy traffic.....almost everyone was using the correct lane, so refreshing.....irish drivers are incompetant and pig ignorant (except the ones on this forum of course...)

Frank Black

veetwin wrote: »

I did about 3000 Kms in France in the last month. The lane discipline of the french was outstanding. They overtook other cars and promptly returned to the driving lane.

I'd agree.
There also seems to be very few 'crazies'.
I'd always notice the amount of these crazies increase significantly when you crossed the border into Spain.
Too many drivers doing inappropriately fast speeds IMO on the motorway network.

Donnelly117

When I was on my way home from the match on Sunday I passed a golf reversing back down the hard shoulder of the motorway because they had missed their exit...this in my book is unforgivable...absolute insanity :mad:

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

Quote frankly I don't care what other idiots do on the roads

If they want to overtake me nearly killing themselves then let them. Im not beeping or flashing. ...

People cutting me off or overtaking me I simply couldn't give a sh.ite .. Go on and see ye later.

And if you're doing 80 in the overtaking Lane I'll find a way around you and leave that magic bubble your in alone because it's probably saferfor eeveryone to not make them angry and not think straight etc.

jackofalltrades

RobAMerc wrote: »

What is it with people, do they think you have grievously offended them by flashing them out of the way ?

Sorry, I have opened threads on this before, I just don't get it.

Irish drivers don't take well to being flashed or beeped at, especially when you compare us to UK or continental motorists.

One theory that if have is, that it's down to having low self-esteem. They feel so low that they can't take any criticism. You flashing that driver was basically interpreted as you calling her a terrible driver in public. Even though she probably thought she was doing nothing wrong and letting you by wouldn't inconvenience her that much, it's the act of being judged negatively by another person that sends her into a rage.

On top of this, ignorance of the rules of the road will see some drivers being flashed/beeped/getting into disagreements more often than others. And so these people will have shorter fuses.

Beeping people when the light turns red and they haven't noticed will get you a polite wave in most countries. You can get the same here, but it's a lot less likely.

visual

Ive notice there is a few that beep their horn as soon as the light goes green even if car in front is moving off.

Before all the motorways I use to drive to galway from dublin regularly.
There was a etiquette most drivers followed
If you approched from rear quickly with right indicator on they would flash their left indicator and move into the left as much as possible to allow you pass. Once pass you acknowledge with hazards and they give you a quick flash.
The only time they wouldn't move over was when it was too dangerous to over take.
But as soon as it was safe they flash the left indicator to let you know its ok to pass.

The big difference back then was speeding wasn't seen as the work of the devil and unlike today people didn't mind being overtaken.

wandatowell

My uncle flashed the w@nker sign at a fella in another car and the guy followed him for 20 mintues!


Lesson learned.

lau1247

can the RSA not erect few signs that says 'Keep left unless overtaking' instead of those stupid ads they put out? Would save a lot of hassle

whomitconcerns

it happens every day on M50 and M7. I had a woman in a jeep with 3 kids in teh back go ape at me after i flashed her to let me by one day...I mean she went bananas in the driver seat... Her face was saying "you could have killed me and my kids you maniac". Now to clarify i was flashing here from about 20-30mtrs back when she eventually moved..so I was not tailgating her closely.

And yes of course she pulled right back into lane 3 after I had passed her and pulled back across to lane one..

frankly though half the time I end up giving up..especially on N7/M7 they just ignore you...so you end up just pulling back in and stuck...

Frank Black

visual wrote: »

Ive notice there is a few that beep their horn as soon as the light goes green even if car in front is moving off.

I've also noticed a strange phenomenon - the people who won't under any circumstances beep at someone else.
Most noticeable if there is traffic stopped at traffic signals. Light goes green and guy at from doesn't move as he's not paying attention. person behind person at the top of queue does nothing.
Sometime I can end up beeping from 3-4 cars back, as no one else seems to want to beep their horn to alert the guy at the front of the queue.

Presume these people have been scarred from a previous beeping experience and now are too scared to do so again.

whomitconcerns

i do beep..but about 6 months ago a guy in front of me didn't move off after 7-8 seconds so i gave a short beep. He pulled off with his foot to the floor...and i began driving..then he stopped suddenly..i had to stop..he drove on then stopped again at an angle on the road (lane and half wide to allow passing road) let down his window..stared at me for a few seconds...gave me a finger and then drove on with a skid...this near a less salubrious part of the city...

Zubeneschamali

lau1247 wrote: »

can the RSA not erect few signs that says 'Keep left unless overtaking' instead of those stupid ads they put out? Would save a lot of hassle

Learners are not allowed on the Motorway, so they get no lessons on the Motorway, and aren't tested on the Motorway. It's hardly surprising that some of them don't know how to drive on the Motorway after they get their full license.

The M50 doesn't help: many Dubs main experience of Motorway driving is a free-for-all where any lane is as good as any other.

lway

wandatowell wrote: »

My uncle flashed the w@nker sign at a fella in another car and the guy followed him for 20 mintues!


Lesson learned.

I had something similar happen to me too. A 4x4 was tailgating me so close on the motorway into Dublin that I couldn't see the driver in the rear view mirror only the bull bars on the front of the jeep. When he eventually overtook I flashed him the w@nker sign. He pulled in front of me and hit his brakes, I swerved into the overtaking lane and passed him out and pulled back into the driving lane, then he proceeded to accelerate up the hard shoulder until we were side by side and kept beeping his horn. I ignored him and kept looking straight ahead, fortunately he left at the next exit ramp.

I figured from then on it's not worth the hassle and I should just ignore those kind of drivers.

_Kaiser_

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Learners are not allowed on the Motorway, so they get no lessons on the Motorway, and aren't tested on the Motorway. It's hardly surprising that some of them don't know how to drive on the Motorway after they get their full license.

The M50 doesn't help: many Dubs main experience of Motorway driving is a free-for-all where any lane is as good as any other.

The M50 really should be declassified as the N50 between Sandyford and the airport (basically along the entire 3-lane stretch) as the volume of traffic and close proximity of exits/entrances to it, plus the lower speed limit means that it isn't really a "proper" motorway in the context of the rest of them anyway.

Of course then you'd have all the learners on it too, but you could argue that that happens anyway..

Frank Black

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

The M50 really should be declassified as the N50 between Sandyford and the airport (basically along the entire 3-lane stretch) as the volume of traffic and close proximity of exits/entrances to it, plus the lower speed limit means that it isn't really a "proper" motorway in the context of the rest of them anyway.

Of course then you'd have all the learners on it too, but you could argue that that happens anyway..

You'd also have pedestrians, cyclists and horse drawn carriages.

No thanks

_Kaiser_

Frank Black wrote: »

You'd also have pedestrians, cyclists and horse drawn carriages.

No thanks

Maybe we need an U50 then or something (urban "motorway") because it's obvious that we have 2 camps here..

- Those who don't know how to drive on a motorway in the first place
- Those who think the same "rules"/etiquette should apply when the practicalities of the M50 (as I mentioned above) make this impossible

Incidentally, the N40 in Cork is kind of the same setup and I've never seen cyclists or pedestrians on it yet.

Anan1

I don't see what difference the reclassification of the M50 would make? The rule on any dual carriageway is still drive left overtake right.

_Kaiser_

Anan1 wrote: »

I don't see what difference the reclassification of the M50 would make? The rule on any dual carriageway is still drive left overtake right.

Yes but as I've outlined here before, there are certain stretches of the M50 (thinking between exits 7 and 10 both sides) where the number of off/on-ramps in that few km stretch make that practically impossible.

- People joining at 60 km/h, or cutting across hatching/merging lanes to get out ahead of others
- People diving across multiple lanes at the last minute
- People weaving randomly to accommodate the above
- etc

Like it or not, if you're not leaving at any of those exits, the safest place to be is lane 2/3 until you pass this particular stretch.

Personally in heavy traffic along this stretch I'll stay out in lane 3 and move at the same speed as the rest of the traffic in that lane - and yes I know all the letter-of the-law high horse brigade will be along to tell me how wrong I am :rolleyes: - but personally given the appalling standard of driving generally and piss-poor enforcement of anything beyond revenue generating offences like "speeding", I'll take whatever measures I feel necessary to keep myself, my car, and other safest under those conditions.

Renegade Mechanic

Had to undertake a total t*t yesterday. Had to get somewhere kinda quickly. 120 would have been no problem. 100 would have made me late. Sat behind him for a minute. Flashed once, actually saw his head turn to the mirror then back to the road! Did nothing as we spent 30 seconds approaching a truck. Then after that truck there was another truck about a half mile ahead and he didnt move left.
So I did...

Why is there such a pathetic, pedantic "oh Ill soften your cough for ya" culture in this country....

whomitconcerns

HUGE signs on the motorway to keep left unless overtaking would save lives, time, hassle, and friction as described above...The amount of undertaking on the M50 is getting chronic.

Oh that and enforcement of same by the police..

I have driven in Romania and drivers there are pushy. But when they flash you you move and vice versa always, and no one is gesturing or blocking, but the law enforcement on the roads there helps.
Funny story though the regular cops cant penalise you there for road traffic violations and vice versa the road traffic police...and yes both are the actual police force, not wardens or "garda reserve".

Zubeneschamali

When a motorway/freeway is busy, anywhere in the world, all lanes get used. There is nowhere on Earth where a road like the M50 would be strictly driving lane/overtaking 1/overtaking2 with everyone diving back into the driving lane.

What you do see in better behaved countries is trucks/slow vehicles/people leaving soon/people not leaving soon, and less diving across all lanes at on/off ramps.

Of course, the M50 is a disaster even when it isn't busy.

whomitconcerns

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

When a motorway/freeway is busy, anywhere in the world, all lanes get used. There is nowhere on Earth where a road like the M50 would be strictly driving lane/overtaking 1/overtaking2 with everyone diving back into the driving lane.

What you do see in better behaved countries is trucks/slow vehicles/people leaving soon/people not leaving soon, and less diving across all lanes at on/off ramps.

Of course, the M50 is a disaster even when it isn't busy.

yes i am sure we all agree. But here people will drive in right and middle lanes constantly when left lane is empty...i see this weekly and its no exaggeration that i can see ahead on the left lane sometimes for 3/400 metres..while middle and right are busy

Anan1

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Yes but as I've outlined here before, there are certain stretches of the M50 (thinking between exits 7 and 10 both sides) where the number of off/on-ramps in that few km stretch make that practically impossible.

I don't see how reclassifying as U50/N50 would affect any of this? The road wouldn't change, and rules of the road wouldn't change.

_Kaiser_

Renegade Mechanic wrote: »

Why is there such a pathetic, pedantic "oh Ill soften your cough for ya" culture in this country....

Chips on shoulders/inferiority complexes/insecurity - take your pick