It is great to have the NCT road testing monopoly in a country with poor roads.

18MonthsaSlave

colm_mcm wrote: »

Anyone see this bit?


Thread title doesn't really match the article, looks like yet another NCT bashing thread.

Please quote back to me from my posts where I have criticised the NCT test. I have merely pointed out that the NCT test is very lucrative for the monopoly operator in no small measure due to poor state of Irish roads.

Others have pointed out that Ireland has more roads per capita than other countries but my Irish motor tax is 5 times the amount it would be in Germany.
Of course the response to that will be that motor tax isn't road tax...which leads on to the question why isn't it?
Chronic under-investment in the secondary road network should be an issue about which the public should be in revolt.
Diesel in my part of Germany was 112.3 cent per litre last week.
VAT on cars is only 19% compared to 23%
There is no VRT.

It appears that the Irish motorist has become desensitised to the abuse that they endure.

Atlantic Dawn

There's too many roads in areas with not enough people living in these areas to sustain their upkeep through taxes.

http://www.thejournal.ie/national-road-network-pq-1784448-Nov2014/

18MonthsaSlave

and County Councils use this as reason to abdicate their responsibility for maintaining any B-roads instead investing in Council Offices and staff.
In the countryside outside of Motorway and A-roads practically no money is being spent on road refurbishment. Without the NRA nothing would be done at all.

jca

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

Is this directed at me? If so, on what grounds did you form the opinion that this comment should be directed toward me? I'm interested to understand your thought process.

In any case, in the black of night on an unfamiliar unlit road one needs ESP to know where the potholes lie.
ESP above would be extra sensory perception not electronic stability program.

I find headlights help a lot too. No hunches required.

ezra_pound

visual wrote: »

Probably all the speed bumps on nearly every road in every city and town have a large part to play with damaging suspension. That and every minor road full of pot holes.

The only roads of good condition are motorways, dual carriageways and main roads

Would you prefer if crappy back roads were heavily invested in, resulting in inferior motorways dual carriageways and main roads?

That or an increase in lpt or motoring taxes?

keithclancy

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

I understand that forums are more lively when people have opposing views but it aids discussion if you actually back up your position with a reasoned argument.

I know that the roads in Southern Germany where I live and work are infinitely better than the roads around the part of Ireland I come from.

The roads in north western Germany are pretty much on par with Irish roads and compared to Dutch roads are complete crap.

You know immediately when you have crossed the border .. The poor drainage, bumps and road noise are a dead give away.

Belgian roads would loosen your dentures.

colm_mcm

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

Please quote back to me from my posts where I have criticised the NCT test. I have merely pointed out that the NCT test is very lucrative for the monopoly operator in no small measure due to poor state of Irish roads.

Others have pointed out that Ireland has more roads per capita than other countries but my Irish motor tax is 5 times the amount it would be in Germany.
Of course the response to that will be that motor tax isn't road tax...which leads on to the question why isn't it?
Chronic under-investment in the secondary road network should be an issue about which the public should be in revolt.
Diesel in my part of Germany was 112.3 cent per litre last week.
VAT on cars is only 19% compared to 23%
There is no VRT.

It appears that the Irish motorist has become desensitised to the abuse that they endure.

Even the fact that you're using a term like monopoly would imply you don't agree with Applus or any one company being appointed to test Irish cars.
Is that the case?

If you take pass rates as an example.
In cahersiveen the first time pass rate is 33%, second time pass rate is 93% (2012 figures)
This clearly means drivers are putting cars through to see what they fail on, then retest them. If this is more economical than paying a garage labour rate (it is, by a mile) to do a full inspection, then I'd question just how 'lucrative' this is.
Remember, Applus won a Europe-wide tender to get the NCT contract. If they were disproportionately coining it its unlikely that they would have won it.

Bongalongherb

Speed-bumps in almost every estate, it wreaks the suspension and alignment every-time. This is what I have a problem with.

18MonthsaSlave

OSI wrote: »

Pretty sure new cars are cheaper to tax in Ireland than Germany.

http://www.kfz-steuer.de/kfz-steuer_pkw.php

18MonthsaSlave

colm_mcm wrote: »

Even the fact that you're using a term like monopoly would imply you don't agree with Applus or any one company being appointed to test Irish cars.
Is that the case?

If you take pass rates as an example.
In cahersiveen the first time pass rate is 33%, second time pass rate is 93% (2012 figures)
This clearly means drivers are putting cars through to see what they fail on, then retest them. If this is more economical than paying a garage labour rate (it is, by a mile) to do a full inspection, then I'd question just how 'lucrative' this is.
Remember, Applus won a Europe-wide tender to get the NCT contract. If they were disproportionately coining it its unlikely that they would have won it.

I'll repeat my request to you:
Please quote back to me from my posts where I have criticised the NCT test. I have merely pointed out that the NCT test is very lucrative for the monopoly operator in no small measure due to poor state of Irish roads.

colm_mcm

Do you not think that the same lax attitude that means drivers put the car through a test to see what it fails on means that many drivers don't do the test on time and go months/years without tax.
I'd imagine this results in loss of revenue for the monopoly.

Do you know how lucrative testing is for Applus, or are you guessing?

A lazy article based on (self appointed voice of the motorist) Conor Faughnans theories doesn't carry much weight with me,

ninty9er

He said there was also a culture of poor maintenance among Irish drivers in general: “As a nation we could do better at maintenance. There is a culture in Irish people not to keep the car in good nick.”

He said this was understandable given the financial strains most people were under. “Ideally, people would service the car as recommended by the manufacturers, at intervals. But it is a money issue: If you have a funny rattle noise but a mortgage payment coming up, you might skimp on it. But we know it’s not a good idea with cars.”

It should come as no surprise to people when their cars fail on expired consumable items.:rolleyes:

colm_mcm

ninty9er wrote: »

It should come as no surprise to people when their cars fail on expired consumable items.:rolleyes:

You obviously work for the nct, or the council.

18MonthsaSlave

colm_mcm wrote: »

Do you not think...blah, blah, blah

So you are not able to point out to me any post where I criticized the NCT test.

a failure to keep our cars in good condition — are the main reasons for failing the NCT

I cracked up laughing at that line. Haha.

Blazer

Alias G wrote: »

Ireland has one of the most extensive road networks in Europe due to the amount of boreen traversing the countryside. How exactly are we supposed to fund the maintenance of it. If people prefer to live in the back of beyond the reality is poor infrastructure is a disadvantage to that decision

I imagine through something like motor tax?????????
Or we would have if Noonan hasn't take 600 million of that fund for Irish Water.

colm_mcm

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

So you are not able to point out to me any post where I criticized the NCT test.

You haven't addressed any of the questions I've directly asked you.

1: Do you know how lucrative testing is for Applus, or are you guessing

2: The fact that you're using a term like monopoly would imply you don't agree with Applus or any one company being appointed to test Irish cars.
Is that the case?

You did not criticise the NCT in your posts, but your thread title was clearly sarcastic and paraphrased the article to get your own point across.
Because you never clarified your position, its unclear what the point of the thread is.

The fact that you quoted my post, then removed anything that didn't suit you would suggest that you don't want a discussion. Again I'm open to correction.

ninty9er

Blazer wrote: »

I imagine through something like motor tax?????????
Or we would have if Noonan hasn't take 600 million of that fund for Irish Water.

That's off topic, but I think there is plenty of merit in ringfencing motor tax for roads.

It would mean a few percentage points on income tax, but I wouldn't necessarily have an issue with that once I could see the direct benefit of motor tax.

pred racer

drumswan wrote: »

We don't have lousy roads

You obviously don't live anywhere near me!

The roads around where I live are shocking! They are in the worst state I have ever seen them in. (I'm living there over 30yrs)

What did I fail my NCT on? A broken spring......wonder how that happened?

When I went in to get new tyres last week, one of my wheels has a huge flat spot on it. Wonder how that happened?

I look after my car, so yes I do believe that the state of our roads has something to do with the rate of fails, they are a fcuking disgrace.

And for anyone saying that we have too many roads......we have always had them, at least they were sorta looked after before.

paulmclaughlin

pred racer wrote: »

What did I fail my NCT on? A broken spring......wonder how that happened?

I look after my car

You look after your car but it was the NCT who found you had a broken spring?

coylemj

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

You look after your car but it was the NCT who found you had a broken spring?

Get off your high horse, my car is serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule and I failed my last NCT on a broken spring.

If you do average mileage you can have up to 12 months between services when a spring can go - do the NCT a day later and you'll fail through no fault of yours.

And I do not drive on crap roads so am not supporting the supposed point of this thread.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

speed bumps maybe ? -

i'm looking at you Ben Dunne Gym Kimmage ....

Bongalongherb

Our cars were made for driving on a stable road surface. They weren't made to be bouncing over bumps like a bouncy castle every day.

Can someone please remove the fecking speed-bumps from the larger Dublin area ?. They are worse than potholes.

Every-time I bounce over one I grunt and say Bastard fcuking my suspension up again, my steering wheel is off-angle again. I'd dig them all up if I had the energy.

Never mind the water meters, I'd dig these little sh!ts up from the ground if I could :mad:

paulmclaughlin

coylemj wrote: »

Get off your high horse, my car is serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule and I failed my last NCT on a broken spring.

If you do average mileage you can have up to 12 months between services when a spring can go - do the NCT a day later and you'll fail through no fault of yours.

No high-horse, we just have a different definition of looking after a car.

I get things fixed/replaced when they go, if not before. Not by the manufacturer's schedule/during services/before or after the NCT.

George Dalton

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

No high-horse, we just have a different definition of looking after a car.

I get things fixed/replaced when they go, if not before. Not by the manufacturer's schedule/during services/before or after the NCT.

You obviously live in a perfect world. What about in the real world where things go wrong that you don't know about? On many cars when a rear coil spring breaks there will be no obvious symptoms so the owner will be unaware there is any issue until the car is on a ramp come service/NCT time.

ThisRegard

Bongalongherb wrote: »

Our cars were made for driving on a stable road surface. They weren't made to be bouncing over bumps like a bouncy castle every day.

Can someone please remove the fecking speed-bumps from the larger Dublin area ?. They are worse than potholes.

Every-time I bounce over one I grunt and say Bastard fcuking my suspension up again, my steering wheel is off-angle again. I'd dig them all up if I had the energy.

Never mind the water meters, I'd dig these little sh!ts up from the ground if I could :mad:

Driving in Dublin City and the greater Dublin area for years, Blackhorse Avenue was on my daily commute twice daily for anyone that knows it. Never had issues with my steering or suspension in any of my cars. I even managed to find a simple way to not bounce over any ramps I encounter.

visual

ThisRegard wrote: »

Driving in Dublin City and the greater Dublin area for years, Blackhorse Avenue was on my daily commute twice daily for anyone that knows it. Never had issues with my steering or suspension in any of my cars. I even managed to find a simple way to not bounce over any ramps I encounter.

Unless you drive a jeep that is built for a bit of off-road ramps are pushing most cars suspension to the limits and then some.
Crawling over ramps of various sizes because your not a local isn't the answer. Should be able to make reasonable progress with 4 adults and luggage in standard car without suspension bottom out or car scraping off the ground. But that isn't the case. Someone cried cars go to fast by here and before you know it bob the builder has road up and ramp in.

SpaceTime

One of the issues for rising rates is probably the recession. People are putting off costs like getting the car serviced as regularly as they once might have.

I'd like to see some statistics on the age of cars too. I suspect there are more somewhat older cars now.

The banks are much more Scrooge-like now. So it's likely some people can't access car loans as easily as a few years ago. So cars get older...

Boskowski

One can hardly blame the NCT if a car fails on tyres or lights. They are the two most easily checked things on any car. All you need to do is look at them. Anyone who fails NCT on them should be charged an extra €50 moron tax.

Especially the lights. I had one single head light blown in the 10 years I own my current car. Its not like it happens every other week and one would get fed up with it.
The incredible number of blown lights on our roads suggest people just couldn't be arsed. Which is incredible. I mean a blown light is not merely a blown light, what harm I'll do it some other time. A blown light means you're only one unlucky, second blown light away from driving in the absolute black darkness.

SpaceTime

On a cloudy night on a dark country road that could mean driving into a wall too.