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Are terrible driving habits on the rise?

Brussels Sprout

I've been driving for 15 years and it seems to be that in the past couple of years I've noticed a marked increase in drivers breaking laws in ever more extreme ways. Here are the things that I see far too often:

Driving through Red Lights - I've really noticed this one explode in recent times. I'm not talking about people speeding up on Orange lights. I'm on about where the light goes Red and fully 1 second later someone will drive through it. It's got to the stage where you need to be careful if you're at the front of the queue when the light goes green for fear that you'll crash into one of these morons when you take off.
The incident that inspired me to create this thread though was from the other day. I was driving in a 50km zone in the city when a light in front of me turned orange. I had ample time to stop safely so I began to slow down. At that point the driver behind me overtook me and drove through the red light on the opposite side of the road. Madness.
Driving through pedestrian crossings when pedestrians are already on them - You see this a lot in shopping centre car-parks. Pedestrian has began walking across and an approaching motorist steers the car to drive over the section of the crossing immediately in front of the pedestrian. On top of being dangerous it's so utterly selfish.
I saw a middle-age man do this during the week except that the pedestrian (middle aged woman) was too far across already and he didn't have the space to drive through. He realised this too later and jammed on the brakes. Incredibly he then began to abuse the shocked woman from his open window.
Overtaking just to drive into someone's braking distance zone. This one is a beauty because not only are they doing something annoying and dangerous but they're taking direct advantage of other drivers diving correctly. Quite often as well it's utterly pointless as there'll be a long line of cars directly ahead.
Driving up the inside lane rather than queuing and then cutting back in near the top - standard move of selfish assholes. There's a related motorway move where there's a long queue for an exit and cars will drive slowly in the overtaking lane looking to cut in - all the while creating a massive hazard for cars driving up from behind looking to stay on the motorway.
Not using indicators. This one is especially prevalent on round-a-bouts but is probably even more dangerous on motorways. Oddly enough you don't see people drive off main roads onto minor roads without using them as much which leads me to believe that there is a section of drivers who are using them in some circumstances but not in others
Driving in the overtaking lane on the motorway when the left-hand lane is clear - Exclusively done by people who refer to this lane as "the fast lane". Often seen with a long train of vehicles behind them as they doggedly drive at or below the speed-limit.
After entering a motorway, leaving the right-hand indicator light on while driving in the left-hand lane - Thankfully not too common. This is usually seen with elderly drivers and always makes overtaking them a somewhat perilous experience.
Driving too close behind the car in front. - often done by the same drivers guilty of #3. Multi-car pile-ups are a thing because of these clowns.

Honestly I could probably have written another 10 of these. I didn't even mention speeding or parking issues.

I don't believe that there is enough enforcement out there.

Would people be in favour of allowing dash-cam footage from other drivers be used in prosecutions for traffic offences?

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road_high

ratracer wrote: »

I’ve heard a lot of people tell me how the Italians are crazy drivers - they’re not
The Germans are crazy drivers - they’re not.
The French are crazy drivers - they’re not!

I genuinely think that Irish drivers are, for the vast majority, absolutely clueless! People think that once they pass their test they are above the law. I really, really wish that we had to re-assessed to be allowed to drive at least every 5 years!
The sense of entitlement on the roads, without any appreciation for what could happen really bugs the sh1t out of me, and I say this as someone who drives many classes of vehicle, and even a bicycle!

Irish drivers are very tunnel visioned and tend not to act or see much beyond their own box. Lot of them drive accordingly ie defensively rather than pragmatically.
I find the bunching together on near empty motorways insane. Spread out ffs that’s the whole point of motorway driving! Then as you come up towards them they’ll then decide to pull over into the overtaking lane and overtake the car it two akin to glacial advance. Forcing you to brake and slow down

Atlantic Dawn

I've seen a Transit van owned by a semi state 3 times in the last month on the same street the driver is driving on his mobile, what kind of a fooking idiot is he? Big feck off stickering on the side of the vehicle saying who he works for, is he a backward or does he know he is a member of a good union?

I think me going down the route of posting a picture of him on Twitter and linking it to his employer is warranted.

jk23

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I've seen a Transit van owned by a semi state 3 times in the last month on the same street the driver is driving on his mobile, what kind of a fooking idiot is he? Big feck off stickering on the side of the vehicle saying who he works for, is he a backward or does he know he is a member of a good union?

I think me going down the route of posting a picture of him on Twitter and linking it to his employer is warranted.

Did this happen n Dublin? If it I think I saw the same guy

Baron Kurtz

Ah yeah. All those indiscretions are just the norm now.

A new one is motorists actually hitting people with their cars

[Okay, I'm overstating the prevalence of it a little bit] but...

Note this, fat idiot in Kinsale with a small red vintage car way too small for you to fit in for a start, you thick old c&€t, stop driving around hitting pedestrians on narrow roads. My hand took a wallop and you drove right off. Thanks for that.

You also looked like a bell-end in a car like that, for the size and age you are.

[Deleted User]

Tailgating bugs me, and I've decided to be 'that guy' that's an asshole about it. Anytime I'm being tailgated I start to lower the cruise control bit by bit. A small handful of people have copped on and leave a gap, and I start driving normally again. Most just end up getting annoyed.

There's no excuse, nor benefit, for tailgating.

If i want to overtake a car, that's going slower than me, I hold back a bit, so I can 1) see around the car better, for when there's an opportunity to overtake and 2) to build up my speed prior to overtaking, whilst I'm still on the correct side of the road, so my actual overtake is a lot quicker.

I know I sound like a prick, but I just get so annoyed at tailgaters. Maddens me even more when it's not the steretypical bad time keepers that are always somehow in a hurry (bmw/audi drivers) but I get really irritated when it's a feckin' MPV with a load of kids in it. and the driver leaves no space to react whatsoever if I had to stop suddenly. Utter morons.

I also get annoyed by people that drive right up behind a bus or truck and sit on it's bumper, and then if there's a hard shoulder and the truck moves in, the tailgater, instead of taking the 'handed-on-a-plate' overtaking opportunity, instead opts to fcuking slow down and leave a gap between them and the bus/truck in front. You useless waste of space. :mad:

Baron Kurtz

TherapyBoy wrote: »

From what I can see there are two reasons for bad driving habits;

1. Lack of Gardai patrolling the roads means you would have to be very unlucky to be caught doing something stupid. It’s basically a license to drive in any way, shape or form you feel like. Break the speed limit, hog the motorway overtaking lane & run through red lights (or whatever else you wanna do), there’ll probably be no consequences for driving badly.

2. Idiots are always gonna idiot.

Solid point. You have to trust humans here. But you just can't really.

As Super Hans said in Peep Show, "People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis. You can't trust people".

The enforcement you mention should be essential. Check out the junction at the Elysian in Cork on a daily basis. Laughable. Donkeys driving wherever they like. You'd nearly have to wait for your green pedestrian man to flash/go yellow before you think it's safe to cross.

Anyway, it's more a societal thing in general I'd say. Everyone seems to be a bit short-fused, harried, impatient and a general c€&t these days.

Me me me society.

[Deleted User]

Oh, and while I'm here and complaining, what is with people, usually pensioners or Micra drivers, that on an N road or motorway, stop in the hard shoulder, and then when they want to take off again, they go straight into the driving lane, so they are effectively parked in a live lane of the road, as they fumble to get their under powered car up enough speed to shift into second gear.

Isambard

i've noticed a lot of young female drivers tailgating recently. Are the Ladies getting more like the fellers? Especially hate it when they've no chance of getting past me as I've about 10 cars in front of me.

CalamariFritti

I used to think thats its the Irish/Ango/US style of teaching how to drive. Its a bit haphazard compared to say the German approach and I still have very little doubt that by learning how to drive from your dad we're basically just passing on bad driving habits to the next generation.

But living here and driving regularly on the continent I dont think the Irish driver is particularly bad. I think ignorance and selfishness are on the rise everywhere. No indicators, red lights, total ignorance of pedestrians or cyclists rights, reckless and selfish manoeuvres in general, bullying, get out of me way, you're holding me up. Its increasing everywhere I feel. Any action that drivers dont connect directly to their own safety but is for the benefit of others - prime example indicators - seems optional.

In a way knowing you should expect the worst from anyone is almost making the roads safer here.

A really dangerous one - and people think they're doing a nice thing - is stopping out of nowhere for kids or mums to let them over the road. Slamming the brakes cos they're is a pram or a group of schoolkids by the side of the road. Its so dangerous. You're giving them a pass to cross and you mean well but are you sure everyone around got the memo too and won't just go right through them on the outer lane??

um7y1h83ge06nx

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Oh, and while I'm here and complaining, what is with people, usually pensioners or Micra drivers, that on an N road or motorway, stop in the hard shoulder, and then when they want to take off again, they go straight into the driving lane, so they are effectively parked in a live lane of the road, as they fumble to get their under powered car up enough speed to shift into second gear.

That very thing caused a major accident and at least one death I think on the M7 relatively recently.

Payton

1. Cars approaching roundabouts and exiting roundabouts.

2. Yellow boxes, people just stop on them.

3. Driving on motorways. Hogging the overtaking lane at 80kph. Vehicles who don't use indicators and just drift into lanes.

4. Driving in bus lanes...deserve everything you get. Thankfully the Garda are clamping down on this. N4 approaching the M50, N81 just at Shamrock Rovers.

5. Tools on their phones. I've seen a people carrier that has the name of the creche all over it, full of kids and the driver on the phone. I rang the creche and informed them that the driver was on the phone with a car full of kids and heard nothing back.

6. People crossing the road in full flow of traffic, some with small kids and buggies and a pedestrian crossing 10mtrs away!!

Dashcam. If I capture an issue on the Dashcam can I go to the garda with it?

Atlantic Dawn

jk23 wrote: »

Did this happen n Dublin? If it I think I saw the same guy

Yes Dublin.

splinter65

Duckjob wrote: »

The one that really grinds my gears is people not bothering to slow down sufficiently around bends and instead coming around the bend with their wheels well over the line on the opposite side of the road :mad:

What’s strange about this is that it’s your natural human instinct to put your foot on the brake when you can’t see what’s around the corner.
Drivers who don’t slow down on a bend are disobeying their own instinct.

moby2101

I agree with all the OP’s post.

Motorway driving is appalling bad, and it’s gotten worse. Lines of cars in the overtaking lane doing 110-120while the left hand lane is completely empty.
Drivers policing the speed in the overtaking lane @ 120 and will not under any circumstances pull in after overtaking. I see this behavior regularly.

s8n

One of the solutions to this is mandatory 5 or 10 year “retests”.

Hopefully it would also have the added benefit if taking drivers whom are too old out of the system

fullstop

65535 wrote: »

Yes, I know it's not being discussed, however.

If you arrive at the first traffic lights at a junction EXACTLY when they change to amber.
By the time you reach the far side of the junction the Red light will already be on
Even though you are proceeding at exactly the speed limit.

If/When that is fixed, then you can prosecute but not before because as it is now it is possible to break the law because of the timing of the amber light.

Timing of how long the Amber takes has nothing to do with it. In countries and cities that have red light cameras you only get done if you proceed into the junction after the light has already turned red, and not if you exit the junction on red.

The amount of difkheads around the place now who think it’s on to carry on through 4 or 5 seconds after the light has turned red is unbelievable. I was driving up towards phibsboro’ from town yesterday and at one light (red) three of us had stopped in the main lane and a few seconds later some prick comes flying up the bus lane (during bus lane hours) and goes through the red light doung 70-80kph. A c*nt like that deserves to be done for it.

bigtimecharlie

My 2 to add to the growing list:

1. There's a country road junction not far from my house and the amount of idiots that turn left without stopping or looking onto the main road is shocking. How long do those idiots think they would have to wait before pulling out, seconds at the most?

2. And the latest craze is fools using DRL's as lights for driving at night. No rear lights on cars as they fly around and I have no clue what they can see out the windscreen.

Sheepdish1

Phones are the biggest distraction in my opinion and are the most lethal thing on roads at the moment.

I drove on a Lerner permit for years and decided to take my test when I heard the gentleman speaking about Clancy’s Law. I was shocked by the amount of people texting and using their phones while driving, sitting in traffic, approaching lights. I felt because I wasn’t legally on the road I was in no position to judge them as I wasn’t legal.

It really is a huge issue and I don’t understand why the RSA isn’t clamping down on it. I’ve seen people driving articulated trucks, buses, cars approaching pedestrian crossing and all buried in their phones. I called in a car who I felt was drink driving recently, the car was swerving all over the road and I felt driver was going to kill someone.....when I overtook her she was looking at a screen!

Another time I drove for 20kms and a man was openly using Facebook on his phone while it was mounted on windscreen. During rush hour traffic just scrolling none stop....he had a baby seat in the back of car:(

My child and I were crossing at lights, a girl texting just sailed through when we were crossing, she didn’t even see the red light or us. People fly through pedestrian crossings and lights completely distracted by phones.

I’ve started to teach my kids not to automatically cross on green, that they need to look both ways for cars to stop, same at pedestrian crossings. People just can’t put their phones away. Even in traffic people should be observing what is going on around them particularly for young kids.

A zero tolerance approach is needed to phones and driving

BarryD2

Re OP, I don't think Irish drivers are much better or worse overall over many years. Habits do change though for various reasons e.g. drivers yapping away on the mobile in one hand whilst steering sometimes a truck with the other. The other big change I note is the seeming inability or unwillingness to reverse park. Sometimes this is dictated by those that design parking bays but regardless inevitably you have people edging back out into the traffic flow without having much of a clue if it's safe to do so.

Jimbob1977

Drivers with earphones in.

How do they expect to hear a car horn or the emergency services?

Wanderer2010

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

I
[*]Overtaking just to drive into someone's braking distance zone. This one is a beauty because not only are they doing something annoying and dangerous but they're taking direct advantage of other drivers diving correctly. Quite often as well it's utterly pointless as there'll be a long line of cars directly ahead.

This. I absolutely detest people who drive right up to within a few inches of your bonnet, all the while impatiently looking for a chance to overtake you, then they roar past and squeeze right in front of you, forcing you to brake hard. And they gain nothing because a minute down the road they have to stop at a traffic light. That's the thing I never ever understood in all my years driving- these tailgaters. Why?? Why do you do it and then risk life and limb to get 0.5 seconds ahead of me. Fcuking morons.

I sincerely hope anyone who does this makes mincemeat of themselves when they lose control of the car and fly off the road. The word is better off without them.

K.Flyer

What I am seeing a huge increase in is when, for example, a bus pulls in, the cars driving behind it automatically swerve out and around the stopped vehicle and barge straight into the lane with oncoming traffic and expect the oncoming traffic to get out of their way.
Instead of stopping, indicating, and passing the stopped bus, or whatever it is, when there is No oncoming traffic in the opposite lane.

sameoldname

One thing I've found alarming in the past 6 months is the amount of drivers on narrow rural roads who are now driving around blind bends while part of their vehicle is crossed over the white line into the opposite lane. Someone is going to get killed on the road I drive home everyday if it gets much worse.

I think it comes down to people just doing what they see everyone else doing and copying it even if they know it's wrong. Case in point is the new roundabout just beyond Pfizer in Newbridge. Coming from Naas direction to get to Newbridge you need to exit the roundabout at the 3 o'clock position. Nearly everyone is entering onto the roundabout in the left lane to take that exit. In the past month I've only seen 2 drivers use the right hand lane. Now, I know someone's gonna say that the exit at 12 o'clock isn't actually open yet and they would be right, but you're still supposed to be using the right hand lane. Still though, creates a great opportunity to pass a lot of cars!

vandriver

**Not an excuse,just a possible explanation**
About running red lights,the amount of time given to cars getting through a junction,compared to pedestrian green (and sometimes a separate cycle green) seems to be a lot shorter than it used to be.
If the taxi driver (for example) is getting to a customer or has a customer running late ,the temptation when getting to lights just turning red can be quite strong compared to waiting 2 or 3 minutes .
I'm especially thinking of the lights all the way down the canal from Percy Place to Grand Canal St.

gammygils

I drive home from work every night and I have noticed an increase in people not dimming their headlights especially those driving behind me. Most annoying

Also I walk my dog at night and the amount of people that drive through a street lit area with full lights on. Unbelievable. It's not like they can't see me with my hi-vis vest

Mundo7976

road_high wrote: »

Why refuse to do that? Can’t understand this. If safe to do so just pull in a few feet and late them off. They’re very vulnerable road users but generally excellent at driving and maneuvers

A: because youre supposed to drive on the road not the hard shoulder.
B: they pull out from behind the line of traffic in a swerving motion and expect you to move out of the way.

Mundo7976

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Drivers with earphones in.

How do they expect to hear a car horn or the emergency services?

Majority of them dont use their eyes either!

Cantona's Collars

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Drivers with earphones in.

How do they expect to hear a car horn or the emergency services?

Ah sure how else will they hear all the funny videos on Facebook otherwise.
I've seen people with massive over ear headphones on while driving,are they dj'ing while driving or something?

Another horrible habit is people cutting corners at junctions,they take a racing line and pretty much on the wrong side of the road then glare at you for having the temerity to be there and forcing them to stay on their own side of the road.

SirChenjin

K.Flyer wrote: »

What I am seeing a huge increase in is when, for example, a bus pulls in, the cars driving behind it automatically swerve out and around the stopped vehicle and barge straight into the lane with oncoming traffic and expect the oncoming traffic to get out of their way.
Instead of stopping, indicating, and passing the stopped bus, or whatever it is, when there is No oncoming traffic in the opposite lane.

Similar to this and I have ranted on here before about it...when cars are parked on one side of the road, while kids are being collected from school*, the idiots who think they can proceed at speed on the wrong side of the road, into oncoming traffic, instead of slowing down, bearing in mind that the obstruction is on THEIR side of the road. We can all get by with a bit of courtesy on all sides.

(*I won't start on school pick up and drop offs traffic behaviour because that deserves a thread in itself).

Breaking red lights, yes, seems to be getting more and more common.
Failing to stop at pedestrian crossings, even when there are pedestrians on the crossing.
And another, failing to take off when a light goes green...I would guess because the phone screen is where their focus is. I'm not talking seconds, I mean those who blatantly have not even noticed the light is green.

I blame quite a lot of the very careless, dangerous habits that are becoming more prevalent, sometimes with tragic outcomes, on phone usage while driving.

alentejo

vandriver wrote:

**Not an excuse,just a possible explanation** About running red lights,the amount of time given to cars getting through a junction,compared to pedestrian green (and sometimes a separate cycle green) seems to be a lot shorter than it used to be. If the taxi driver (for example) is getting to a customer or has a customer running late ,the temptation when getting to lights just turning red can be quite strong compared to waiting 2 or 3 minutes . I'm especially thinking if the light all the way down the canal from Percy Place to Grand Canal St.

I think you might be right on this. As a cyclist and driver, I notice more and more to pass a junction, you need to wait two phases of traffic light sequences. It is worth 2 to 3 minutes to break a light. Not saying this is right btw, simply an observation I have noticed over the past few months.