Drivers not able to drive properly

saabsaab

With the freeze covering the country it seems to me that most drivers are travelling too fast for the conditions. Walking recently heard a few vehicles skidding around. Still too many without lights and using indicators!

That Councillor in Cork was right.

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275567/drivers-not-able-to-drive-properly

Indicators dont work in most of the BMW and Audis,hard to blame the drivers.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988719#Comment_119988719

I don't think these were BMWs abd Audis. Anyway why?

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988980#Comment_119988980

Saw a few not defrosted properly too. Have people forgotten how to drive in these conditions?

Jim_Hodge

Deleted as quoted poster deleted

asdfg22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275567/drivers-not-able-to-drive-properly

I think if we traded in a few councillors and bought a few more gritting trucks it might be a good investment. I read a statement over the weekend where a councillor on local media announced that a stretch of road about 5km long was gritted. Yes HEADLINE NEWS?

What was the Cork comment?

Jim_Hodge

........

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989038#Comment_119989038

That Cork driving was terrible.

asdfg22

xxxxxx

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989000#Comment_119989000

It's not a good look! Seen one at a filling station last night. Rear totally covered and snow on the roof. Reiver making a tiny hole in the rear snow while filling up. Then drove off. Clueless. Not the only vehicle with a snow roof.

boombang

Visibility very poor here today due to fog and clowns not driving with any lights on. I'd hand out 12 points before lunchtime if I were in Garda Traffic.

accensi0n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989457#Comment_119989457

What's the problem with snow on the roof?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989485#Comment_119989485

It comes off at the wrong time, skulling a cyclist or pedestrian, or blocking vision for you or another driver.

CiniO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989485#Comment_119989485

In most countries where snow is more common, you can get heavily fined for driving vehicle not cleared of snow. Penalty points too.

accensi0n

Gotcha, have never seen that happen.

Driving with frozen or snow covered windows is certainly stupid though.

AMKC

Tell me about it. The drivers around here do not have a clue. I seen one in the pitch black with just their DRLs on crazy. Others driving with no lights at all. Maybe they have a death wish I don't but do it some other way and don't put other road users in danger be it cyclists, pedestrians or other vehicle drivers.

CiniO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275567/drivers-not-able-to-drive-properly

Isn't it very different depending on circumstances?

One person might be very competent driver with advanced vehicle control skill being able to recover vehicle from nearly any kind of random skid that might occur, and driving a car on good winter tyres.

Other person might be clueless what to do in case of skid, and not even aware of dangers or how slippery it is. Driving on summer tyres.

First one, can probably do 80km/h on the same road perfectly safely, while other one will cause danger at 20km/h.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989553#Comment_119989553

In rare cases I guess. I'd be pretty sure that more are not highly skilled on winter tyres. I can't think of anyone I know who has a set.

joebloggs32

I was behind a car today on a country road that was attempting to overtake a tractor and trailer.

The driver persisted in keeping as close as possible to the trailer and every now and then moving out to the right to try and see if the road was clear to overtake. Due to the angle being so close they needed to move significantly out to get a view of the road, and twice had to pull back in quickly as a car approached from the other side. It was brain dead driving.

When they eventually got past i started my overtaking manouver way behind giving me a better view and loads of time to see if anything was coming and cuised past without any hassle.

Strumms

Mentioned elsewhere but the last second cut me up muppet merging into our lane on my journey From Swords to my home earlier this evening ….

heavy fog plus twilight hours and so many fûckers without lights of any description turned on.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989506#Comment_119989506

Indeed. AGS probably clueless to the danger of it too.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989000#Comment_119989000

In fairness its a disgrace that the driving test isn't done in snow / ice conditions. Just like such people can't drive properly on motorways, surely we can't expect them to drive properly on ice 🤪🤪

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989528#Comment_119989528

It has to happen. The snow has to come off somewhere, the only question is where and when, and will you lucky enough to avoid taking someone out with it. There should be no piled snow on the roof or bonnet before you take off.

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989564#Comment_119989564

I always get all season three peak mountain snowflake rated tyres, though I usually have to do a bit of ringing around to find a tyre centre that either has them in stock or order them in for me. Most places just seem to want to push whatever they have to hand. Even asking specifically for all season tyres I've been met with the response "sure you can drive on any of our tyres all year round".

I find the best way to control a skid is not to get into it in the first place. The TPMSF rated tyres do seem to give that bit extra grip in heavy frost, light snow or muddy back roads.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989665#Comment_119989665

You always get them. Drivers going to overtake at any cost.

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989517#Comment_119989517

Certainly in Germany you can.

I think most people think the snow will just blow off in flakes or something and not cause any danger, but the problem is that as the car and engine compartment warms up, the underneath of the layer of snow melts so the whole thing can slide off in one big sheet, a bit like a mini avalanche. So any or all of the following things can happen ...

1) When you brake, snow from the roof can slide down over the windscreen, totally obscuring your forward vision.

2) As you gain speed, snow from the bonnet can rise up and obscure your forward vision.

3) Snow from your roof can slide down over your rear window and obscure your rear vision.

4) Chunks of snow from the roof or boot can blow off and land on the windscreen of the car behind you, or hit a cyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989553#Comment_119989553

A competent driver is not one that can recover from a skid, it's one that knows how to avoid it happening in the first place. What happens when a skilled driver is doing 80kph and hits black ice when they brake to avoid a pedestrian on the road? Will their skills help them overcome the laws of physics?

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119990697#Comment_119990697

I'd say that it's both, actually. It's no good thinking you're invincible, and then not knowing what to do when you do end up in that situation.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119990697#Comment_119990697

That's very true. You may have all the skills and great tyres but you can still get into trouble.

Lockheed

The problem with that is the vast majority of drivers believe they are 'better' at driving than most of the general population of drivers. This is incorrect, firstly as it would be statistically impossible, and secondly because most drivers these days are extremely deluded as to how in control of their vehicle they actually are.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119990795#Comment_119990795

I think this will only get worse as more technology is added to cars. As cars are getting more powerful and more driver aids are added to compensate, drivers themselves are increasingly isolated from the complexities of driving and are therefore losing the basic skills required to keep a car on the road, particularly in difficult driving conditions. The way things are going, fully automated cars may be a necessity rather than a luxury sooner than we think.

The joys of actually driving a decent manual sporty car on a public road will soon be consigned to folklore or the track

pcardin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989517#Comment_119989517

And not only that. In other countries traffic police are actually doing their job and bad drivers get fines for many other offences, like improper lane management, driving with no lights, cutting red light, being parked in yellow boxes, and so on. In Ireland, none of that. Traffic corps here works only as a unit for revenue services by checking if your tax is paid up. You can only dream about them doing anything on top of that. And how can they if they are no better? Last week I was grunting about middle lane gobshytes when noticed there was a traffic corps car driving in the far right line even slower than middle laners. And on top of that, it was quite dark and Garda car did not had any lights on. There are traffic rules written in this country as elsewhere, just most drivers have never heard about them , so understandably they haven't clue what the rules are.

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119990993#Comment_119990993

True, but pretty much every recent car, even manual shift sports cars will have lots of safety features such as ESP, stability control, ABS etc. so even then you can do daft things like braking mid corner and nothing particularly bad will happen most times. Try that in a 1964 Ford Anglia, which is what I learnt to drive in, and you'd end up in the ditch. Talk to a lot of people now about slowing before you get into a corner and accelerating out of it when you get to the apex, and they look at you as if you have two heads.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119990993#Comment_119990993

You probably won't be able to insure a non driverless car in the future. Ultimately the human factor will be taken out of the equation.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991257#Comment_119991257

I agree and that's the point. All these new driver aids allow you to drive faster and more carelessly as you become accustomed to the aids kicking in to save your rear end when you over do it. So everything is hunky dory until something unexpected happens and the driver aids can't help you. Then unfortunately it's close the eyes time and call upon the no claims bonus protected comprehensive insurance.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991347#Comment_119991347

Was talking to a lad today who said his young lad (48) asked him to drive his son to school as he was worried about driving his brand new 4x4 jeep because it was skidding in the ice the previous evening. Thats where we're heading 😂

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989457#Comment_119989457

Clueless is too kind, these people are bone lazy and do give a damn about your safety or even themselves and their passengers.

Buffman

It's always worth remembering that we are still sharing the roads with drivers who legally never had to do a test and were given a licence during the amnesty. Just assume you're surrounded by these drivers at all times and nothing should surprise you! 😂

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991747#Comment_119991747

That was over 50 years ago IIRC (1979?), probably not too many of them left now.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991794#Comment_119991794

Yep…..all killed in car accidents…….just like the cretins who drive with the bonnet of the slab stuck in your boot. …or the tossers driving around yesterday with no lights on.

saabsaab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991794#Comment_119991794

No they are about my age many of them! (40 years) Others never passed the test just drive abound on provisional or nothing at all.

tom_murphy112

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058275567/drivers-not-able-to-drive-properly

Forgetting average Joe being a terrible driver for a second. Over half the taxi drivers don't know how and when to use the indicator, or how to change lanes properly.

Buffman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991794#Comment_119991794

Ye, it was 1979 so 43 years ago which would put their ages roughly from 60s up. I know a few in the amnesty boat and would rather walk than be driven by them.

Alun

Yes, sorry, a typo there, should have read over 40 years ago.

We need to go back to basics!

Dipped lights should be mandatory all year round & fines should be in place for those that don't comply.

hoodie6029

A lot of drivers of a certain age, even if they did a test, they learned to drive in an era of crap tyres, crap brakes, terrible road surfaces, British cars likely to protest if pushed too hard. This is all reflected in their driving now. Ultra cautious in some scenarios, pulling out in front of you in others ‘can’t risk stopping in case it cuts out and won’t restart’. Leaving the car running while they go into the shop.

saabsaab

Anyone that pulls out without looking is a poor driver. Not stopping in case the car won't start again, is hardly an issue with any car nowadays. At least if you learned to drive in crap conditions you learned to be careful and read the road ahead in contrast to some that trust their machines to do it for them!

It is better to be too cautious than reckless.

saabsaab

Can't understand people leaving the car running at all. If in the car it's waste of fuel. If in the shop it risks theft and used to be an offence.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119992095#Comment_119992095

I don't disagree that there are some drivers from this cohort who are a danger to themselves and others on the road. However I think its a sweeping generalisation to say that all such drivers are crap. In fact Id go as far as to say that its no more than the proportion or drivers who actually passed the pretty useless driving test in this country. As mentioned earlier, some of our professional drivers don't cover themselves in glory despite the regular refresher driving courses undertaken. As always, having the knowledge does not always translate to good practice on the road.

saabsaab

I think every driver should have to do a mini test every 10 years or so. Could be online or at a centre using a training simulator and a written test.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119992871#Comment_119992871

There is a concept in this thread that "people do not know how to drive", but by and large this is not true, they do know they just choose not to. This cohort who were given licences might be a bit less than others, but in the overall scheme of things they are not material. There are more people who did their test in Bulgaria or wherever.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119992926#Comment_119992926

They lost a huge opportunity to do this when the new licences were introduced 8 years ago. Everyone should have been required to do a basic rules of the road MCQ, although you would still be back to people passing this and the going out and not doing the things they identified as the right answer.

In the near future it should be possible to design a decent simulator to provide a basic refresher test, with a road test for people who insist.

These things have a role to play.