Rural Ireland getting a "Drink-Link".... lucky feckers!

Pyridine

Hmmmm. Back in my day a "drink-link" was an ATM.

I must be getting old!

_Kaiser_

sideswipe wrote: »

There’s a smell of elections in the air....

That's exactly what it is... same reason why the FF/FG spats have intensified recently, and why the decision on locking out the College Green area to traffic has apparently been deferred for a while.

Leo must be fancying his chances at the polls this year and it wouldn't do to piss off the traditional FG rural and well-heeled urban voter beforehand.

On the actual topic... it's ridiculous! Providing a free shuttle bus for rural dwellers because they "need" to be able to get to/from the pub is a joke and shows how far we've to go regarding the obsession with drink in this country.

By all means go have a pint in your local, but plan ahead for how you'll get home, or (shock/horror) don't drink that night if you're relying on the car.

This backwards parochial gombeenism just pulls the entire country back.

qwerty ui op

Billy86 wrote: »

I'd agree. I can't stand the Healy Rae's and what essentially amounts to the "f*** you I got mine" mindset of many of their constituents,

Do you think a constituency with fewer "**** you i got mine" constituents exist? if so where?

seachto7

How do people in, say, rural Andalucía tackle these issues? Do they have a drink link or just not bother drinking? The Spanish like a drink as much as the next.

Blazer

Jaelyn Lively Spirits wrote: »

I'd never use it. Travelling all over the area with a busload of drunks before getting to my house is my vision of hell. I don't begrudge it. Urban areas benefit from heavily subsidised transport, so a few minibus routes in rural areas is not exorbitant. I remain unconvinced that many will actually use it though. Time will tell.

You might get the old shift in the back of the bus. Be just like my teen years.
I’m all for it.

Ipso

What company provides the bus service?

Blazer

Ipso wrote: »

What company provides the bus service?

Probably someone linked to the Healy Rae’s no doubt.
Hell they’re probably busy buying hiaces and slapping signs on them as we speak.

Samuel T. Cogley

grahambo wrote: »

I'd LOVE a drink link to the local boozer. It's a 20 min walk to the local cruiser for me (Raheny, Dublin)
I know there is a Nite Link service from Dublin City centre out to the suburbs, but it's not the same. I want to be picked up from the Pub at at 11pm and dropped to my front door without having to pay a Taxi man!!!! :mad:

This is the best bit:


Squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that! :rolleyes:

What you do in St Annes park is up to you.

NickNickleby

Mackerel and Avocado Sandwich wrote: »

There’s a taxi rank right outside the Raheny Inn you lazy get

I think the point being made is about the service being subsidised by public money.

I've used the Nitelink from town a few times, and found it to be great, and much cheaper than taxis. Given the distances some people in the country would have to travel for a bit of socialising, I'd say taxi fares would be absolutely prohibitive. So, while the taxi drivers have missed a great opportunity, affordable transport is definitely justified, and even more so for those living alone. Hopefully, the free travel passes will be accepted on these services.

Let's see if the Healy-Rae's claim credit for this development. Or more likely , will they enter the transport business. Just in case they aren't making enough from the plant hire to the council.

Billy86

qwerty ui op wrote: »

Do you think a constituency with fewer "**** you i got mine" constituents exist? if so where?

In about 25 other counties.

qwerty ui op

Billy86 wrote: »

In about 25 other counties.

Well, if a specific region stands out as particularly selfless let me know and we'll see what gems that region has given us down through the years

Hector Bellend

Talk about an irish solution to an irish problem

NickNickleby

Mint Sauce wrote: »

1st world problems!



Yes the major cities should have major transport, but rural areas at least deserve some kind of local bus service. Dont think there is a need for a through the night one, and as said, cant see any set up working as described, that a couple of local taxi drivers cant do them selves.

I'd suggest that is spectacularly NOT a first world problem. My son has lived in Tokyo for years and he says you can set your watch by the train's arrival and departure. Although, in honesty, apparently the buses can be held up in traffic, but the VAST majority of commuters use the train.

I've given up using the local bus for going into town on a Saturday night, after standing at the bus stop while the phone app told me that two buses had come and gone. They had alright, but they took a shortcut and avoided about 3km of the route - I saw this happen, they turned left rather than right at the roundabout beside the bus stop. On both occasions I had to wave down a taxi. So, now the taxi drivers get my business rather than DB. (Notwithstanding the fact that I use the Nitelink on the same nights!)

In my earlier post I mentioned that the taxi drivers had missed a trick there, perhaps they'll be prompted to try something now. If so, it might turn out to be a real win-win for everyone.

Buford T. Justice XIX

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

That's exactly what it is... same reason why the FF/FG spats have intensified recently, and why the decision on locking out the College Green area to traffic has apparently been deferred for a while.

Leo must be fancying his chances at the polls this year and it wouldn't do to piss off the traditional FG rural and well-heeled urban voter beforehand.

On the actual topic... it's ridiculous! Providing a free shuttle bus for rural dwellers because they "need" to be able to get to/from the pub is a joke and shows how far we've to go regarding the obsession with drink in this country.

By all means go have a pint in your local, but plan ahead for how you'll get home, or (shock/horror) don't drink that night if you're relying on the car.

This backwards parochial gombeenism just pulls the entire country back.

I agree with you but when you see subsidised bus services in cities every night providing the same service with no discussion about gombeenism, you start to question the narrative being championed.

But a small trial for one night of the week in a limited number of rural areas and there's uproar.

Do as I say and not as I do seems to spring to mind.

Mrsmum

I live in Dublin but think it's a great idea and hopes it works out. Not just for going to pubs but for older people to have independence to go to events etc. Even lovely for a couple to catch the bus when going for a meal in their local town so they both can have a few drinks. Or teenagers could meet their friends in town for a few hours at the weekend saving their parents from being on the road nonstop dropping them off maybe ten miles away and collecting again which can be awkward if younger children are in bed. If it works I think the Healy Raes will have pushed Ross into providing a good service for all the chosen counties and maybe all round the country later. Good on them.

highdef

Is there anywhere on the net that gives details of the area's that will be covered, in detail?

GoneHome

highdef wrote: »

Is there anywhere on the net that gives details of the area's that will be covered, in detail?

www.locallink.ie

highdef

GoneHome wrote: »

www.locallink.ie

That link doesn't work. This one does... https://locallink.ie

Also, can you provide a more specific link as I don't see any details as to whether my area will be included?

GoneHome

highdef wrote: »

That link doesn't work. This one does... https://locallink.ie

Also, can you provide a more specific link as I don't see any details as to whether my area will be included?

There's a drop down menu on the "local links" tab at the top just select your county/area from there and it gives the specific routes, n.b. it might not have the updated late night options on their timetable yet as they're not coming into operation until June

highdef

GoneHome wrote: »

There's a drop down menu on the "local links" tab at the top just select your county/area from there and it gives the specific routes, n.b. it might not have the updated late night options on their timetable yet as they're not coming into operation until June

That's my point. No point in putting up a generic link if the information I'm looking for is not contained therein. Appreciate the attempt to help but better to answer the query in a better way.

SeanW

Shenshen wrote: »

If it finally stops the Healy-Raes from blocking life-saving road safety regulations for the entire country, it's a small enough price to pay.

Life saving? I don't think the statistics bear that out.

RSA statistics suggest that very few fatal accidents are caused by drivers in the 50-80mg range, whereas most of them occur to those who have either zero alcohol (logical since most people drive most of their driving distance totally sober) or because they were driving totally plastered (e.g. 160mg and higher).

The people who actually are a danger on the road, i.e. those who kill because they're driving drunk, are not in the 50-80 range they're way over it. They don't care whether 50mg vs. 80mg means they have one glass or three, they're going to drink 10 pints and a bottle of vodka and to Hell with the consequences. These are the people the law needs to target.

I have no doubt that an 80mg limit plus widespread breath testing would do more to save lives than a 50mg limit with limited breath testing. To call the Healy-Rae's "terrorists" for suggesting that common sense be applied to this debate in a little over the top quite frankly.

Shenshen

SeanW wrote: »

Life saving? I don't think the statistics bear that out.

RSA statistics suggest that very few fatal accidents are caused by drivers in the 50-80mg range, whereas most of them occur to those who have either zero alcohol (logical since most people drive most of their driving distance totally sober) or because they were driving totally plastered (e.g. 160mg and higher).

The people who actually are a danger on the road, i.e. those who kill because they're driving drunk, are not in the 50-80 range they're way over it. They don't care whether 50mg vs. 80mg means they have one glass or three, they're going to drink 10 pints and a bottle of vodka and tob Hell with the consequences. These are the people the law needs to target.

I have no doubt that an 80mg limit plus widespread breath testing would do more to save lives than a 50mg limit with limited breath testing. To call the Healy-Rae's "terrorists" for suggesting that common sense be applied to this debate in a little over the top quite frankly.

I'm not sure I'd call 17% "very few", but that may be a matter of opinion.

Also, I wasn't talking about introducing new laws, but simply introducing enforcement of existing laws - something the Healy-Reas have ranted against and blocked wherever possible for years now.

Can you point me to where I called them "terrorists", or was that just something you made up on the spot, to emphasise the common sense part?

Graces7

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm not sure I'd call 17% "very few", but that may be a matter of opinion.

Also, I wasn't talking about introducing new laws, but simply introducing enforcement of existing laws - something the Healy-Reas have ranted against and blocked wherever possible for years now.

Can you point me to where I called them "terrorists", or was that just something you made up on the spot, to emphasise the common sense part?

As a matter of interest; will Healy Rae ville ie that area of Kerry near Kenmare, be getting this transport? They own the pub.... self interest is interesting..

Beta Ray Bill

highdef wrote: »

So you're only 20 minutes walk from the pub. Are you able bodied? If so, what's the issue with walking for 20 minutes, if you're not willing to pay for a taxi? Bear in mind, you have the luxury of such fancy things like footpaths & streetlights.

Not when I've 10 pints on me, no I'm not.

highdef wrote: »

If I were to walk the 6km to the nearest pub in Enfield, it would take an hour or possibly a bit more if don't walk briskly. Half of the walk is along very narrow country roads and the other half is along the hard shoulder of the old Dublin to Galway Road.....not a nice experience at night time. Oh, and did I say that I need to bring a torch and high viz for the return journey as it'll be pitch dark.

Even getting a taxi is usually not an option as there are literally only one or two drivers in the vicinity and they usually head to Dublin at the weekends.

I live in one of the counties that is getting this service (Kildare) but I'm not sure if my tiny village will be on the list.

So consider yourself lucky that you can walk safely to and from the pub in a very short 20 minutes. Get walking, you lazy git - again, assuming that you've no underling issues stopping you from doing so; laziness is not an underlining issue, BTW

You probably live in a house sitting 50 acres of land with eleventy thousand bedrooms.
Probably has a Bar a built in too.... You don't even need to leave your house!

Galwayguy35

We kind of have something like this in our area for the past few years now, a local bus owner drops people to the pub and brings them home again at the weekends, during the week they might go to various tourist attractions for a day out or a trip to either Galway or Limerick city.

It's mostly for older people who have no transport of their own and would otherwise be stuck in the house all week.
They get to meet other people for a chat and don't feel as isolated, the cost is covered by everyone in the area making a small donation every year.

I don't know if this scheme is similar to that but if it is I think it's a good thing.

highdef

grahambo wrote: »

Not when I've 10 pints on me, no I'm not.



You probably live in a house sitting 50 acres of land with eleventy thousand bedrooms.
Probably has a Bar a built in too.... You don't even need to leave your house!

Off-topic but the house (although a decent size) has 3 bedrooms and the plot size is less then a 1/4 acre so extremely modest, by non-urban standards

Galwayguy35

The Healy Rae's are against the scheme.

ednwireland

well where i am its an extension of a 53km bus service currently last bus at the moment at 17:43 (donegal town to glencolumbcille)

you cant get to work for 9am between most towns here on a bus

just as an aside first train in to sligo lands in at 11am (big problem for the colleg trying to recruit students as they can get in the dublin direction on a monday morning.

no joined up thinking (no thinking really) of when services might actualy be required. throw them in there then complain when people dont use them

not really a drink link just a bus service

erica74

It's not something I'll be using but I don't see why there's a problem with it. People complain about drink driving but then complain about a potential solution.

If I was to walk to my local pub, it's a 9km walk away, about 3km of that is on the main N25 with a speed limit of 100kmph, a hard shoulder, which vehicles always drive in, and the only lighting is at the 2 roundabouts I would be walking past, there is no other lighting along the way and there is one bad bend on that road and another part which has quite a dip in it so visibility isn't great. Then there's about another 3km on a road with a speed limit of 80kmph with a hard shoulder, which vehicles always drive in and no lighting at all. Once you survive those 6kms, you're on the edge of the town and you reach street lighting and footpaths.
And before anyone says "well that's your own fault for building a house in the middle of nowhere", we didn't build the house, it was inherited along with our farm.

Graces7

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

The Healy Rae's are against the scheme.

???? Source?