Sensationalist story of bullying on the road

Pat Mustard

https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/eddie-cunningham-i-drove-90kmh-on-an-irish-motorway-the-rudeness-and-hostility-i-endured-was-chilling-36298645.html

Some journo called Eddie Cunningham has an Indo article on being bullied on the road for driving at 90km/hr:

The number of times I was beeped, flashed at and given the fingers by drivers closing in on my rear bumper or overtaking was chilling.

I have driven at 100km/hr on motorways all over the country and I've never experienced this type or level of abuse. I've never heard the like of it tbh. It all sounds a bit hard to believe.

Is it another case of "paper doesn't refuse ink" shocker?

Maybe I have my answer here:

I won't forget my few hours of persecution for a long time.

Dravokivich

It happens. Someone doesn't have the stones to take it up with the mad fella from GTA5.

xabi

I read that yesterday, my first thought was if he's getting that much abuse he's probably travelling well below 90. Even 90 is bordering on a dangerously low speed on a motorway.

Hammer89

"The number of times I was beeped, flashed at and given the fingers by drivers closing in on my rear bumper or overtaking was chilling."

He only needed a horn reference to complete the collection of motor-related innuendos here.

amcalester

Standard of driving in this country is piss poor so I wouldn't be surprised.

Sure, why not drive Galway - Dublin - Galway and back in a small car and report back your findings.

gramar

Pat Mustard wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/eddie-cunningham-i-drove-90kmh-on-an-irish-motorway-the-rudeness-and-hostility-i-endured-was-chilling-36298645.html

Some journo called Eddie Cunningham has an Indo article on being bullied on the road for driving at 90km/hr:


I have driven at 100km/hr on motorways all over the country and I've never experienced this type or level of abuse. I've never heard the like of it tbh. It all sounds a bit hard to believe.

Is it another case of "paper doesn't refuse ink" shocker?

Maybe I have my answer here:

Those 10km make all the difference.

SeanHarty

I drive a Toyota yaris, hardly going to light the motorway up with speed, I drive on motorways daily, I have never experienced anything like this.

maybe that's because I do the speed limit and only use overtake lanes for.... you guessed it OVERTAKING.

Chilling. :rolleyes:

I got stuck behind someone doing 70 on the motorway yesterday in decent traffic. Now that was frustrating. If you're going 90 you'll be at the same pace as the lorries, perfect. Unless you're sitting in the overtaking lane for 5 minutes to pass a lorry I doubt you'll get many flashes. Chilling as they would be.

Boom_Bap

So we've heard vague descriptions from Eddie, maybe a full description of at least one of the incidents from him would help flesh out the story, maybe even a description of one of the incidents from a witness or another driver.

He attributes it to his speed, whereas it could be something else.

Pat Mustard

gramar wrote: »

Those 10km make all the difference.

On motorways, can't you just overtake the guy in the ordinary course of events, though?

Now, while I have done 100km/hr on Irish motorways, more often than not, I'm doing about 120. So if there's some slowcoach ahead, I'll just overtake him and that's end of it.

This journo is saying that there were lads overtaking him and cutting across him needlessly. Obviously, there are aggressive drivers on the road. But is there that much needless aggression, that serves no purpose? I just don't see that very often.

dexter_morgan

From Article "Several rude 4x4 and lorry drivers nearly swept me off the road by cutting in sharply in front after overtaking."

Are lorry's fitted with speed limiters for a max of 90kmh? If he was really travelling at 90kmh, how were so many of them overtaking him in the first place?

QuietMan2010

Hard to believe that a motoring journalist wouldn't have a dash cam. So he should release the footage to support his claims. Or turn it over to gardai if he was actually subject to tailgating, dangerous driving and obscene gestures.

lawred2

Pat Mustard wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/life/motoring/car-news/eddie-cunningham-i-drove-90kmh-on-an-irish-motorway-the-rudeness-and-hostility-i-endured-was-chilling-36298645.html

Some journo called Eddie Cunningham has an Indo article on being bullied on the road for driving at 90km/hr:


I have driven at 100km/hr on motorways all over the country and I've never experienced this type or level of abuse. I've never heard the like of it tbh. It all sounds a bit hard to believe.

Is it another case of "paper doesn't refuse ink" shocker?

Maybe I have my answer here:

maybe he should drive at 120kph then

Pat Mustard

Boom_Bap wrote: »

He attributes it to his speed, whereas it could be something else.

everlast75

amcalester wrote: »

Standard of driving in this country is piss poor so I wouldn't be surprised.

Sure, why not drive Galway - Dublin - Galway and back in a small car and report back your findings.

Not to mention the standard of journalism

Paudee

QuietMan2010 wrote: »

Hard to believe that a motoring journalist wouldn't have a dash cam.

Having just browsed a few more of his articles, I think 'journalist' is a bit of a reach.

gramar

Pat Mustard wrote: »

On motorways, can't you just overtake the guy in the ordinary course of events, though?

Now, while I have done 100km/hr on Irish motorways, more often than not, I'm doing about 120. So if there's some slowcoach ahead, I'll just overtake him and that's end of it.

This journo is saying that there were lads overtaking him and cutting across him needlessly. Obviously, there are aggressive drivers on the road. But is there that much needless aggression, that serves no purpose? I just don't see that very often.

The writer sounds like someone who has led a sheltered enough existence on roads for someone who is a motoring journalist.
90 is slow but on a quietish motorway what issue would people have overtaking and just getting on with their journey.
The only annoyance is that when you approach the slower vehicle others are overtaking meaning you have to slow down before you can get past.
Hardly worthy of giving the fingers or flashing though.

I wonder at his motive.

"have my Renault ZOE electric car badly damaged."

He was not worried his car would be damaged, but worried his " Renault ZOE electric car"

That's like saying I stagger out of the pub and nearly drop my Apple Iphone 7 SE.

If truck that are limited to 90 are overtaking him he is doing 80.

I see them all the time. People in glorified golf carts nursing them home on the motorway. If you have a low range town car, stay in town!

amcalester

everlast75 wrote: »

Not to mention the standard of journalism

Very true.

Piss poor driving coupled with piss poor journalism = Indo Article

He was probably doing mid 80kph max on a 120kph motorway in his dinky Renault Zoe, id probably throw a cheeky beep as i overtook him.

elperello

Deleted User wrote: »

I wonder at his motive.

"have my Renault ZOE electric car badly damaged."

He was not worried his car would be damaged, but worried his " Renault ZOE electric car"

That's like saying I stagger out of the pub and nearly drop my Apple Iphone 7 SE.

If truck that are limited to 90 are overtaking him he is doing 80.

I see them all the time. People in glorified golf carts nursing them home on the motorway. If you have a low range town car, stay in town!

As electric cars become more mainstream we may see more of this.
Realistically it's a non-runner (no pun intended) to stop them using motorways.

ohnonotgmail

presumably he has reported these incidents of dangerous driving to the gardai?

branie2

That's road rage for you

Wibbs

"Bullying", "most horrible sensation", "I suffered it", "I wouldn’t want to have to go through it again", "chilling", "I won't forget my few hours of persecution for a long time"... Jesus Christ. Since when did we start breeding such weak whinging narcissistic little neurotics who get an attack of the uncontrollable exaggerated emotionals at the drop of a hat and just have to tell the rest of us? These eejits need to spine up and get some bloody perspective.

"I’m not exaggerating". Yes. Yes you are. On motorways I regularly tootle along at 90 clicks and rarely go above 100 unless overtaking. Saves on go go juice and gets me where I need to go quickly enough and I quite honestly can't remember a single incident like he describes. The odd time while overtaking at say 120 I have had the occasional muppet fly up behind me, but even then it's very rare I'd get any static from them(because I get the hell out of their way when it's safe to do so).

The Pheasant2

Wibbs wrote: »

"Bullying", "most horrible sensation", "I suffered it", "I wouldn’t want to have to go through it again", "chilling", "I won't forget my few hours of persecution for a long time"... Jesus Christ. Since when did we start breeding such weak whinging narcissistic little neurotics who get an attack of the uncontrollable exaggerated emotionals at the drop of a hat and just have to tell the rest of us? These eejits need to spine up and get some bloody perspective.

"I’m not exaggerating". Yes. Yes you are. On motorways I regularly tootle along at 90 clicks and rarely go above 100 unless overtaking. Saves on go go juice and gets me where I need to go quickly enough and I quite honestly can't remember a single incident like he describes. The odd time while overtaking at say 120 I have had the occasional muppet fly up behind me, but even then it's very rare I'd get any static from them(because I get the hell out of their way when it's safe to do so).

A byproduct of our victimhood olympics media space no doubt.

Neyite

I came through a busy junction and a car in front was doing 35 in an 80 zone. Gave the muppet a bit of a chance thinking they had pulled out from the side and was going to build up speed.

Nope. That was her top speed. Everyone coming through the junction into the 80 zone picking up their speed only to slam on the brakes when they join the queue behind her. One of those who thinks anything above 40 is F1 and pontificates about speed killing folk on the roads.

You know what else kills? Slow oblivious assholes who drive 35 in an 80 zone causing frustration to other drivers who in turn make a poor decision to overtake the tailback caused by these idiots who never look in their mirrors unless it's to apply make-up or pick their nose.

topper75

Wibbs wrote: »

"Bullying", "most horrible sensation", "I suffered it", "I wouldn’t want to have to go through it again", "chilling", "I won't forget my few hours of persecution for a long time"...

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

A byproduct of our victimhood olympics media space no doubt.

They must have some secret thesaurus or book of must-use phrases for this stuff that they pass between them.

Anyway, we all clicked on it and that is what matters.

I know they can pick you up in the driving test for 'failing to make due progress' but I'd like to see a few penalty points thrown out for that in everyday driving too (not so much for 90 on Mway, but 35 in 80 zone is a two fingers to other drivers).

brevity

I stopped looking at drivers a long time ago. They could be giving me the finger or waving a shotgun and I would be completely oblivious.
Smile and wave boys. Smile and wave.

GreeBo

Do we know which lane he was driving in?

GreeBo

Neyite wrote: »

You know what else kills? Slow oblivious assholes who drive 35 in an 80 zone causing frustration to other drivers who in turn make a poor decision to overtake the tailback caused by these idiots who never look in their mirrors unless it's to apply make-up or pick their nose.

While it may be annoying, the highlighted bit of your post is still what causes the problem.

If you cant drive without doing something stupid when you are frustrated, then you shouldn't be driving. Driving with kids in the back is frustrating, being late is frustrating, rain is frustrating, if I crash while anyone of them are happening, its still me who crashed. I can blame the rain and the kids all I want, but I was the one in control who made the decision to do something stupid.

ohnonotgmail

GreeBo wrote: »

Do we know which lane he was driving in?

he said he was in the left lane