Car crashes involving tourists

smokeyjoe123

A co-worker of mine recently had her car written off after being involved in an accident with a tourist. Thankfully she was ok and luckily for her, a garda car was travelling behind her and saw the incident.

It got me thinking of other incidents involving tourists in my local area. I remember a woman was killed a few months ago when a couple of French tourists were driving on the wrong side of the road. Another woman was killed not far from here a couple of years ago when a Dutch guy drove into her on the wrong side of the road again.

I wonder are there many accidents involving tourists in this country and can anything be done to help prevent them?

galwaytt

smokeyjoe123 wrote: »

A co-worker of mine recently had her car written off after being involved in an accident with a tourist. Thankfully she was ok and luckily for her, a garda car was travelling behind her and saw the incident.

It got me thinking of other incidents involving tourists in my local area. I remember a woman was killed a few months ago when a couple of French tourists were driving on the wrong side of the road. Another woman was killed not far from here a couple of years ago when a Dutch guy drove into her on the wrong side of the road again.

I wonder are there many accidents involving tourists in this country and can anything be done to help prevent them?

Half the bikers killed earlier this year were tourists. .....and look at the 2 garda motorcyclists nearly killed last week by tourists in a rental car...

CiniO

Both examples you showed are related to driving on the wrong side of the road.

Only what can be done to prevent those kind of accidents, is to switch everyone to drive on the same side of the road on the whole world, but this is rather impossible.

Me, as a person who fairly often switches from driving on the left to driving on the right and I do about 20% of my mileage on the continent, and 80% here in Ireland, even though I switched so many times, I still find it confusing sometimes, and I must admit I happened to me few times, that I drove on the wrong side of the road.

whizbang

Its not strictly tourists. A lot of the issue is driving on quite country roads, for longer periods, with no other traffic. A lot of folk are just not prepared for what might happen.

-More Orthopaedic hospitals per capita in the West!!

Nomis21

I was a driver of the Dublin Airport car park shuttle buses and spent my whole day driving round the airport. I shudder when I think of the number of times I drove past the car hire yards at the airport and was confronted by a hire car coming at me on the wrong side of the road, driven by a foreign tourist.

By sheer luck I never hit one of them, but many of my colleagues were not so fortunate.

djimi

Im not really sure what you can do tbh. You see road marking and signage around the port areas (ie driving away from Rosslare) informing people to ensure they are driving on the left, but short of marking every road in the country in such a manner, you have to just take it on good faith that someone driving in this country has the cop on to pay very close attention to the fact that they are driving in a different manner than they are used to. My only experience of driving in the US was an exhausing experience as I spent the whole time reminding myself to do everything backwards!

Paulw

smokeyjoe123 wrote: »

I wonder are there many accidents involving tourists in this country and can anything be done to help prevent them?

I wonder are there similar issues on the continent or in the US, with UK/Irish drivers driving on the wrong side of the road?

A really complex issue and the only real way to help prevent these tourist accidents would be for us all to drive on the same side of the road. This might also slightly reduce the cost of cars (production costs).

bear1

CiniO wrote: »

Both examples you showed are related to driving on the wrong side of the road.

Only what can be done to prevent those kind of accidents,is to switch everyone to drive on the same side of the road on the whole world, but this is rather impossible.

Me, as a person who fairly often switches from driving on the left to driving on the right and I do about 20% of my mileage on the continent, and 80% here in Ireland, even though I switched so many times, I still find it confusing sometimes, and I must admit I happened to me few times, that I drove on the wrong side of the road.

I read recently that as much as 1/3 of the planet drives on the left side of the road.
So if the planet has 7 billion people than approx 2.5 billion drive on the left.

jameshayes

Paulw wrote: »

I wonder are there similar issues on the continent or in the US, with UK/Irish drivers driving on the wrong side of the road?

A really complex issue and the only real way to help prevent these tourist accidents would be for us all to drive on the same side of the road. This might also slightly reduce the cost of cars (production costs).

Yip - I was well used to driving on either side of the road at the time of renting on a particular trip in France, arguing with the other half about which route to take and I went the wrong way around a roundabout - lucky it was VERY early in the morning and I didn't meet anyone, but still; scary business..

Hogzy

I really dont get the whole tourist driving on the wrong side of the road thing. Iv been driving in Ireland all my life and I remember the first time I drove in Spain it was fine. I find the fact that youre sitting in a left hand drive car significantly helps things. I dont think I would be as good if I were in a RHD car driving on the right hand side of the road.

Are these tourists just incredibly bad and negligent drivers?

hoodie6029

I think a direction arrow painted on the road at every junction on main roads and on busy tourist areas would help. From my own experience of driving on the 'wrong' side that was when I was more likely to make a miatake

Ralphdejones

Why do we and Britian drive on the wrong side of the road anyway ?

Sheldons Brain

Don't worry, Donegal COunty Council is working to address the issue

Ralphdejones

The sign companies and county councils in Ireland always had 'close' links

pcardin

Ralphdejones wrote: »

Why do we and Britian drive on the wrong side of the road anyway ?

I might be wrong but I think a loads of countries had driving on left side of the roads but swithced to right side in early stage of motoring era. Only Briatain being ignorant conservative kept driving on left side. As a result all their former colonies and occupied territories have this "wrong side driving" too. :pac:
Sweden had it too up till '60ties when it was switched to LHD.

Kenny Logins

Ralphdejones wrote: »

Why do we and Britian drive on the wrong side of the road anyway ?

Right-handed majority, carrying swords (serously).

djimi

Ralphdejones wrote: »

Why do we and Britian drive on the wrong side of the road anyway ?

We dont. Everyone else drives on the wrong side of the road :pac:

bear1

Malta and Cyprus drive on the left as well

Ralphdejones

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Right-handed majority, carrying swords (serously).

For that to be correct, the rest of the world would have to be left handed, which means its not.

Alun

Hogzy wrote: »

I really dont get the whole tourist driving on the wrong side of the road thing. Iv been driving in Ireland all my life and I remember the first time I drove in Spain it was fine. I find the fact that youre sitting in a left hand drive car significantly helps things. I dont think I would be as good if I were in a RHD car driving on the right hand side of the road.

Are these tourists just incredibly bad and negligent drivers?

The thing is it's dead easy, or at least in my experience it is, if you always drive in situations where you get obvious visual clues that the traffic is on the other side, i.e. in towns or cities with lots of traffic and road signs or markings.

It's a different matter, for example, when you drive out of your B&B in the arse end of nowhere at 9am on a Sunday morning, and instinct takes over. Believe me I've done it, and it can be quite scary.

Alun

bear1 wrote: »

I read recently that as much as 1/3 of the planet drives on the left side of the road.
So if the planet has 7 billion people than approx 2.5 billion drive on the left.

There used to be a really good site that broke the split down in terms of a number of factors like number of countries, population, car ownership levels and land mass but i can't find it any more.

There are however a number of quite heavily populated countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan who drive on the left so maybe it could be true. On the flip side, car ownership in those countries (apart from Japan) would be quite low, so who knows?

Nody

Alun wrote: »

It's a different matter, for example, when you drive out of your B&B in the arse end of nowhere at 9am on a Sunday morning, and instinct takes over. Believe me I've done it, and it can be quite scary.

This and esp. small roundabouts in the middle of no where are a devil to get you on the wrong side of the road...

Sheldons Brain

Ralphdejones wrote: »

For that to be correct, the rest of the world would have to be left handed, which means its not.

Napoleon decided that people should drive on the right, along with using Metres and the so forth, and so it was.

old_aussie

pcardin wrote: »

I might be wrong but I think a loads of countries had driving on left side of the roads but swithced to right side in early stage of motoring era. Only Briatain being ignorant conservative kept driving on left side. As a result all their former colonies and occupied territories have this "wrong side driving" too. :pac:
Sweden had it too up till '60ties when it was switched to LHD.

Misread your post"

Ralphdejones

Ralphdejones wrote: »

For that to be correct, the rest of the world would have to be left handed, which means its not.

i believe its because if you're right handed your sword would be on your belt on your left.
If its poking out the left,and you're riding on the left, it would hit people.
so they changed sides to stop pedestrians getting beheaded.
this of course could be total scutter

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Why can't we just switch and drive on the right?

Phase it in gently, across a period of 6-12 months. First the HGV's and buses, then taxis, then cars.
Be grand.

bear1

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Why can't we just switch and drive on the right?

Phase it in gently, across a period of 6-12 months. First the HGV's and buses, then taxis, then cars.
Be grand.

You mean that HGV's and buses would start driving on the other side and then taxis and cars? Sure we'd all be fecking dead from the crashes
IMO I think it's too late now for that.
If people are still able to drive down the wrong way of a motorway then there is no way in hell would I trust the population to start driving on the other side of the road.

Kenny Logins

Ralphdejones wrote: »

For that to be correct, the rest of the world would have to be left handed, which means its not.

...or not bothered about carrying swords? :pac:

It is true BTW, but some countries changed when their priorities did.

EDIT: Don't take my word for it, do some reading up on it.

bear1

Sweden would be one that comes to mind.

Kenny Logins

Interesting article here suggests Henry Ford played a big part in right-side driving, in designing the Model T LHD. This was never mentioned in my geography class...

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/05/31/the-right-and-left-stuff-why-countries-drive-on-different-sides-of-the-road/

Andrew_Doran

...

bear1

Andrew_Doran wrote: »

...

Jaysus and then what happened?!

Ralphdejones

Andrew_Doran wrote: »

...

But the road sign makers would make a killing again, and they have always had a very 'close' relationship with Irish politicians.

Kenny Logins

Andrew_Doran wrote: »

...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSISidBUang

syboit

Hogzy wrote: »

I really dont get the whole tourist driving on the wrong side of the road thing. Iv been driving in Ireland all my life and I remember the first time I drove in Spain it was fine. I find the fact that youre sitting in a left hand drive car significantly helps things. I dont think I would be as good if I were in a RHD car driving on the right hand side of the road.

Are these tourists just incredibly bad and negligent drivers?

yeah, couldn't imagine have to drive on the left with our own cars where steering is on the right.

Our work place used to be in the Cork airport business park, its amazing after a while you'd spot the rental cars and remember to give them room. I found more often case of bad drivers rather than confused by the change in driving seat, or having to use a clutch.

Had a close call one lunch time going down airport hill when the car in front just stopped, reckon he pulled the handbrake. I was able to avoid them, but the clown who was stuck to my bumper couldn't and went straight into the back of them.

bear1

It's quite easy IMO to drive in Europe with a RHD car.
It's the constant staring I can't stand.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

bear1 wrote: »

You mean that HGV's and buses would start driving on the other side and then taxis and cars? Sure we'd all be fecking dead from the crashes
IMO I think it's too late now for that.
If people are still able to drive down the wrong way of a motorway then there is no way in hell would I trust the population to start driving on the other side of the road.

Only joking about the last part but i do think we should join the rest of the world on the RHS

bear1

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Only joking about the last part but i do think we should join the rest of the world on the RHS

I think our biggest problem would be the border.
They would have to create a huge number of "connectors" that would move you to the other side of the road.
It might have been slightly easier if we were a "whole" island.
The other reason I think we will never be RHD people is because we aren't attached to the mainland so we don't experience the same amount of traffic volume and say Germany/Italy.
I would agree with you though that I'd prefer it if we were on the other side of the road.

Ralphdejones

bear1 wrote: »

It's quite easy IMO to drive in Europe with a RHD car.
It's the constant staring I can't stand.

It's nothing to do with the car.
We used to stare at you when you were here as well.

bear1

Was that you hiding in the fecking bushes?!?!?
The amount of times I tried sending you flirty invitations and got nothing. Feckin tease ya!

eire-kp

I had no problem anytime driving in the US or Europe in a lhd car/truck. I'll admit though I did turn out of a field in South Dakota driving the item in the picture below. Three miles down the road I met a car coming..myself thinking look at these idiots on the wrong side of the road...oh crap it's me that's in the wrong:pac:

I'm fairly sure there was brown pants all around in the on coming vehicle So it's easy it can happen when you are sitting in the middle.

Irish Halo

bear1 wrote: »

They would have to create a huge number of "connectors" that would move you to the other side of the road..

That's the plan if/when Scotland vote yes:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/01/scotland-driving-on-right-independence-road-scheme


Note: article may not 100% serious ...

bear1

Irish Halo wrote: »

That's the plan if/when Scotland vote yes:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/01/scotland-driving-on-right-independence-road-scheme


Note: article may not 100% serious ...

Look at the date of the article

Hogzy

Irish Halo wrote: »

That's the plan if/when Scotland vote yes:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/01/scotland-driving-on-right-independence-road-scheme


Note: article may not 100% serious ...

Yeah more like 99% serious is it?:pac:

Dayor Knight

Friend of the family is currently in hospital in Cork with broken ankle and major bruising. Near Cork airport, driver coming from airport, was seen to fall asleep at wheel, and drove straight into her.

bear1

Dayor Knight wrote: »

Friend of the family is currently in hospital in Cork with broken ankle and major bruising. Near Cork airport, driver coming from airport, was seen to fall asleep at wheel, and drove straight into her.

Glad your family friend is ok but I have to ask, was it a tourist who fell asleep while driving on the wrong side of the road?
Or, a normal driver coming from the airport fell asleep and hit the car?

Padraig Mor

syboit wrote: »

Our work place used to be in the Cork airport business park, its amazing after a while you'd spot the rental cars and remember to give them room. I found more often case of bad drivers rather than confused by the change in driving seat, or having to use a clutch.

Had a close call one lunch time going down airport hill when the car in front just stopped, reckon he pulled the handbrake. I was able to avoid them, but the clown who was stuck to my bumper couldn't and went straight into the back of them.

For years (and I'm not making this up), the 'Drive on Left' sign at the exit of Cork airport had a French translation saying "Drive on the right". Seriously.

Gazzmonkey

@ OP

This can happen very easily, I was driving home from Arklow recently and noticed in the distance that a foreign reg 7 seater was pulling out onto the road from a lane on the left and they were turning right.

Instead of pulling across the road to the correct lane they pulled into my lane and proceeded to drive straight at me, I had to swerve into the wrong lane to avoid a head on collision.

Needless to say, he got every finger & swear word I had to give.

ardmacha

The most hazardous circumstances for this is parking on the wrong side to see a view or whatever and then moving off on that side. I had to admonish the other half for doing this in France, I might not have thought of it either except I had noticed another car pulling out just before.

Padraig Mor wrote: »

For years (and I'm not making this up), the 'Drive on Left' sign at the exit of Cork airport had a French translation saying "Drive on the right". Seriously.

Dayor Knight

bear1 wrote: »

Glad your family friend is ok but I have to ask, was it a tourist who fell asleep while driving on the wrong side of the road?
Or, a normal driver coming from the airport fell asleep and hit the car?

Good question. It's second hand info, afaik it was someone ( not Irish) driving from airport after landing, and fell asleep. That could happen to anyone I guess, nationality or tourist not the issue but another aspect of travellers getting straight into cars on arrival and not capable of safe driving. Something we all need to be aware if when we travel ourselves.

Sheldons Brain

Dayor Knight wrote: »

Good question. It's second hand info, afaik it was someone ( not Irish) driving from airport after landing, and fell asleep. That could happen to anyone I guess, nationality or tourist not the issue but another aspect of travellers getting straight into cars on arrival and not capable of safe driving. Something we all need to be aware if when we travel ourselves.

If you read the Tripadvisor forum it is full of people, who have never been in Ireland or any part of Europe, proposing to fly in from Boston and then drive to Dingle via Clonmacnoise.