Irish drivers.

Perfidious Cretin · 29-05-2026 12:38PM

As someone who's driven in America, Australia, New Zealand and nearly every country in Europe I can say we're not that bad. Yeah we have stuff that would infuriate you like the middle lane on a 3 lane motorway or driving 20 to 30 below the limit.

But just drive around the baltics , Paris or Italy and you'll appreciate what we have here...

blackwhite · 29-05-2026 12:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124506128#Comment_124506128

There's a worrying number of drivers who feel the need to make a swing left before taking a right-hand turn, often crossing into the lane on their left when doing so.

Shouldn't be allowed in charge of a push-cart, never mind a powered vehicle.

XopherIE · 29-05-2026 12:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124508413#Comment_124508413

Only in Ireland… is just as bad as lads being lads. Look at the weekend just gone, especially in my area I live which is Wexford there was 3 motorbike crashes, one fatality of 19 year old male. The amount of people dying on the roads as of lately is shocking and we are now heading into a Bank Holiday weekend which normally or statically means there will probably be another 4 people killed on Irish roads.

GPoint · 29-05-2026 12:47PM

Every day during heatwave there was an accident on my commute. Yesterday I passed through two incidents sites, one on m4 where they did not bother clearing out debris and people still had to slow down to pass the mess on the road.

Today, van overtaking tractor on a blind bend heading straight into me making me do sharp left to avoid him.

I am sure I will have something to say after evening commute.

XopherIE · 29-05-2026 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124508479#Comment_124508479

Exactly, driving now in Ireland takes 110% of concentration due to the state of others driving and carelessness on their behalf.

magicbastarder · 29-05-2026 01:19PM

it's interesting to see the focus on motorways in the thread. i drive on motorways, but by god, they're a sideshow to the main feature that is what irish drivers can get up to if you're seeing it from the perspective of a cyclist or pedestrian (or, as i mentioned earlier in the thread, if you stick an L plate up in your car).

GPoint · 29-05-2026 01:24PM

I drive in Dublin City quite a bit less than motorways but since you mentioned cyclists I can say that what I see cyclists can be doing from the perspective of a driver is unreal. Jumping red lights, going on footpath on full speed where car turning left cannot see them, not using hand signals, scratching your car when passing, etc. I try and give them as much clearance as I can because I know they will do something and I do not want to be near them.

XopherIE · 29-05-2026 01:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124508553#Comment_124508553

Road rage is getting more and more common in Ireland and it is actually scary. Between brake checks and just verbal abuse now. Everyone is always in a rush to get where ever they are wanting to get to. I was stuck in diversions on Tuesday due to a crash and maybe sitting for 10 minutes until I get out. However, during that time a van decided to drive on the opposite of the road and mount the footpath and continue driving to skip 10 minutes of waiting in traffic.

magicbastarder · 29-05-2026 01:35PM

about two years ago, i was brake checked two or three times by what seemed to be a learner driver, which was bizarre. i had beeped at him - a single, simple 'i'm here' beep - because he wandered into my lane. because i had to brake, he ended up in front of me, then brake checked me, and deliberately swerved across the road twice to block me when i indicated to attempt to pass him.

by the time we did pass him, he gave us a sheepish wave and the woman in the passenger seat was clearly shouting at him!

XopherIE · 29-05-2026 01:41PM

Like in that scenario what even is the logical answer or why would that be your first thought to do?

magicbastarder · 29-05-2026 01:47PM

FWIW it happened at this junction - and the mistake he made often happens there. he was in the right hand lane of the two northbound normal lanes, the one the camera is in; so should have followed the path of the silver van; and i was in the lane that what seems to be a prison van with the L plate, is in. but drivers in his lane regularly drift into the left lane, and when you're at the lights in his lane it kinda makes sense, you do seem to be pointing towards the 'wrong' lane on the other side of the junction (as indicated by my crude addition to the screenshot)

there was an L plate on the car and it's quite possible she was the person who the L plate was for? it takes a lot of moxie for a learner to drive confidently enough in the way he did!

XopherIE · 29-05-2026 02:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124508637#Comment_124508637

That's what I was thinking about the L plate because there's no way a learner driver should react like that or know to do it. But I didn't cop that maybe it was her learner plate and he was just a dickhead.

Melodeon · 30-05-2026 12:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124508449#Comment_124508449

It's known as 'towing an invisible trailer'.

appledrop · 30-05-2026 12:32PM

Not that bad at driving?

Ha I would love to bring some of you on my daily commute😁

Every single day I see numerous near misses on M50. It's astonishing how many people don't know how to merge, to be in correct lane to exit( not 3 lanes over with 100m to go!)

However up there with top of the list for crashes/tips I give you the N4 at Liffey Valley when you have to merge onto M50 Northbound.

Now in fairness to the drivers, it is the most badly designed exit/ junction in whole country.

You are over in merge lane but just for the craic there is a bus lane on the actually correct lane so everyone has to wait to get into lane so everyone jumps lanes, jumps into bus lane etc it's a disaster. Also further back people are merging from Liffey Valley but if you need to go southbound on M50 you need to cross over 3 lanes! Disgraceful whatever engineer designed that junction.

I'm on backroads aswell and speed an issue in those cases and lack of concentration, but in general people have more patience/ time for each other.

Italy is where I've seen worse driving. We were stuck once on Motorway for a while and Italians in droves, starting driving down the hard sholder in wrong direction to get off the motorway😱

reubenreuben · 30-05-2026 08:35PM

I don't think a lot of the roads are designed very well. The slip roads onto the M50 and others are often too short and some drivers think they have right of way. I've been beeped a few times cause I didn't slow down to let them in. I wasn't being difficult but they think they can force you over onto the other lane.

I've driven in Italy too which some have quoted as bad but it's worse in Ireland for this.

Due to the short slip roads,you need to get your speed up quickly to join . Often the cars aren't going quick enough but run out of slip road and then join Motorway causing drivers in the left lane to either brake or move to the middle.

Thats why most drivers stay in middle lane . It's not correct but it's safer.

magicbastarder · 30-05-2026 08:47PM

the slip roads on the M50? they are the auxiliary lanes for most of the M50 so don't end till he next junction.

reubenreuben · 30-05-2026 08:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124513001#Comment_124513001

Not all are , some auxiliary, some slip roads.

Hotblack Desiato · 31-05-2026 02:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124512945#Comment_124512945

The M50 upgrade was a botch job, the junctions weren't designed to be upgraded to fully freeflow and not enough land was left available at the junctions. Total lack of foresight.

The speed limit on almost all of the M50 is only 100km/h though, and usually the left lane is a good bit slower than that due to trucks even when traffic isn't heavy. These people can't blame the road for their inability to merge

BestWestern · 31-05-2026 10:46AM

If you think the M50 slip roads are short, try the M18 around Ennis.

road_high · 31-05-2026 03:16PM

biggest issue with most bad Irish drivers is lack of confidence and being overly cautious to the point of being a hazard to others. I never understand why some people can’t just move long at a proper pace- do they enjoy pottering along at 20 or 30 kmh below what’s possible or something?

road_high · 31-05-2026 03:23PM

Just last week between Longford and Mullingar on the N4 I was stuck behind a total doodler in a Golf doing circa 80 kmh rammed to the white line and wasn’t pulling over for love nor money to let anyone pass. Cue an endless stream of frustrated drivers stock behind this idiot unable to pass and do 100 kmh which is entirely appropriate for this road and the good weather conditions.

I honestly despise these people

BestWestern · 31-05-2026 07:58PM

This type of driving results in accidents as people decide to overtake when they really shouldn't.

Last spring we were stuck behind an 1987 Toyota on the N17 doing exactly 45kph. I wasn't happy overtaking as I didn't know the road, but it didn't stop the person two cars behind from over taking and nearly ending up in a hedge. The couple in the Toyota were blissfully unaware of the near accident resulting from their driving style. Oh, and we went through Ballendine, they actually sped up..

magicbastarder · 31-05-2026 08:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124514412#Comment_124514412

I honestly despise these people

Maybe you need to get out of the car and touch some grass? Not as if you were stuck at 30.

road_high · 01-06-2026 04:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124515029#Comment_124515029

why would I need to that? And why should I be dictated by other idiots just because they can’t drive appropriately? Too much tolerance for this kind of selfish poor driving in Ireland where going slow and holding up every one is seen as some kind of virtue by some

magicbastarder · 01-06-2026 05:48PM

you said you 'honestly despise' people doing 80 in a 100 zone? i'm suggesting that's a total overreaction.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand · 01-06-2026 06:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124514412#Comment_124514412

if that guy was doing 100(or more) l guarantee people would be still overtaking him or trying to

Archduke Franz Ferdinand · 01-06-2026 06:09PM

tailgating is a scourge on the roads as are mobile phones

magicbastarder · 01-06-2026 06:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124516746#Comment_124516746

also worth pointing out that if you're stuck behind someone for even 10km, doing 80 in a 100 zone, they'll have cost you a whole minute and a half of your life.

you could be stuck waiting that long at a single set of traffic lights.

Viscount Aggro · 01-06-2026 06:20PM

Tailgating does not bother me... I slow down to they can either overtake me, or reduce speed.

road_high · 01-06-2026 07:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124516746#Comment_124516746

well the point is he wasn’t and it was causing massive congestion and frustration- all thanks to his blind ignorance and selfishness.

Irish drivers.

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