Irish drivers.

Diabhalta · 17-06-2026 10:23PM

Cyclist indicated left (which is unusual, they rarely do it), but the girl ahead of him totally didn't at all left or right, so guy is accelerating behind her and then she moves into the direction so he slows down a bit. Strange really. I've seen it all, I really did.

magicbastarder · 17-06-2026 10:54PM

there's a dedicated thread for dashcam footage; what you're posting essentially amounts to a series of anecdotes.

Diabhalta · 17-06-2026 11:07PM

Doesn't matter. This is a thread about crappy driving so it belongs here.

magicbastarder · 17-06-2026 11:45PM

The thread appears to be about whether Irish drivers are better or worse than international standards; and not just about bad driving. You should try digging out the dash cam thread.

Diabhalta · 17-06-2026 11:57PM

Nah.

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2026 07:56AM

One of my biggest daily frustrations is people who reduce a 2/3 lane motorway to a single carriageway that they then drive along in at maybe 20-30 km/h less than the 120 limit for no reason with a line of cars behind them.

Why? Because what inevitably happens is tailgating and weaving, frustrated drivers illegally undertaking the rolling road block, and so on.

There's no easy way to deal with it either if you don't want to undertake yourself - Sitting behind the queue/dawdler in the hope they'll eventually get the hint doesn't work, flicking the right indicator and giving them a flash or two of the lights to wake them up may work but may not.

Fundamentally if you're driving along with a clear road ahead of you and a line of cars behind you or undertaking you, you're doing it wrong! Just move left, drive at the same pace, but let everyone else get on with their day.

Related are those who jump between lanes to get a car length ahead, usually cutting off someone in the process and causing a wave of brake lights behind them. The only way to deal with it is to not leave them the gap to try and wedge into but not so much that you're sitting on the next car's bumper which is far from ideal either. Even if you're a few cars behind and just driving along, you'll still have to hit the brakes when the guy who got cut off drops anchor.

The other thing that really annoys me on motorways is when you do come across an accident or just regular rush hour congestion that brings things to a halt, and you'll get the chancer running up the hard shoulder. Then followed by more lemmings because "if he can do it so can I". Meanwhile everyone else sits in the traffic. It's the same mentality that has them skipping down the bus lane and then blocking you from joining legitimately at the end to make your turn thus forcing you to block your lane as well.

It can be a very frustrating time consuming experience just getting to and from work which doesn't help then with the rest of the day either.

Seth Brundle · 18-06-2026 08:02AM

Is it a recent phenomenon whereby on a congested road drivers will deliberately drive onto yellow box junctions (at non-major junctions) when travelling straight or left - sometimes seemingly to stop traffic coming from the right but on other occasions I've seen them just drive onto it for no apparent reason? And it isn't that they're faded or invisible - it's just weird.
Almost every time I cross box junctions now where traffic is queueing, there will be at least one driver sitting there on it.

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2026 08:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559570#Comment_124559570

Yep or when they're behind you as you sit at the edge of the box waiting for the far side to clear, they'll immediately follow and end up blocking it when you move.

People are unable to read the road ahead.

Seth Brundle · 18-06-2026 08:18AM

I've seen them drive on despite the far side being absolutely blocked with no room to squeeze in.

batman_oh · 18-06-2026 08:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124526650#Comment_124526650

Yet all the brain soup idiots and government go on like everybody is doing double the speed limit everywhere and they want to reduce limits even further. It shows a clear lack of having actually been anywhere else. Don't focus on pure incompetence, idiots watching phones, crap drivers, crap roads, drugs etc. We are the worlds worst SPEEDERZ and it must be stopped!

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2026 08:26AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559593#Comment_124559593

This is also very true. Can always tell when someone is messing with the phone. They're weaving in lane, slow to move off in congestion etc.

The reason that there's talk of reducing the limits futher isn't just a response to complaining about "speeds", it's pandering to those who just can't drive properly.

There's nothing wrong with driving at speed (and I don't mean stupid speeds - even just doing the limit on a clear motorway can be a challenge for some drivers) so long as you're aware of what's going on around you and can read the road ahead and leave time to react if needed. Unfortunately some other drivers seem to object to this and will try to block, race, or cause other issues.

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2026 08:29AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559591#Comment_124559591

That's where the bus lane comes in. Sure just drive up that and there'll be someone who inevitably lets them back in - essentially rewarding the behaviour and encouraging them to do it next time.

It's why I have absolutely no sympathy on the rare occasion that you see someone pulled in for doing it.

Sallythecat · 18-06-2026 08:46AM

The standard of driving in Ireland is genuinely high by international standards, and generally very courteous road behaviour.

Anyone who believes that it’s terrible might benefit from trying to drive abroad!

A bit of global perspective makes Ireland’s roads look impressively orderly

Jim_Hodge · 18-06-2026 09:07AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559261#Comment_124559261

No. It's a thread discussing Irish Drivers in general compared to other countries. Have you a raft of stills from abroad too?

Seth Brundle · 18-06-2026 09:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559641#Comment_124559641

That many countries internationally have abysmal standards somewhat discredits your point.

Nonetheless, while our collision rate resulting in serious injuries and fatalities is not as bad as most countries and has come a long way in the last few decades, it is still way too high and with sufficient willpower from all stakeholders - the legislators, policing, judiciary, road & public space designers and, most importantly, the public themselves, it can be reduced significantly.

magicbastarder · 18-06-2026 10:04AM

My own general hunch is that Irish drivers have become much better at honouring zebra crossings. Used to be a time where it was a total lottery as to whether a motorist would stop for a pedestrian but it seems more consistent now?

Comhrá · 18-06-2026 10:38AM

I think that if Irish drivers could begin to realise that they must turn on their indicators say, one hundred meters before they commence their turn, rather than waiting till they've actually started the turn, this one change in behaviour would greatly enhance the standard of driving nationwide.

MojoMaker · 18-06-2026 10:38AM

I admit to a bit of the fear sometimes as I slow and stop for pedestrian crossings, wondering and hoping will the driver behind also do the same (in time).

_Kaiser_ · 18-06-2026 12:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559941#Comment_124559941

Part of the issue absolutely too is design with many crossings being just at the point of a roundabout exit.

Moving them even 50-100m further down would be a help.

magicbastarder · 18-06-2026 01:52PM

That could result in some torturous layout of paths I suspect.

MojoMaker · 18-06-2026 02:26PM

Yeah, it's more phone placement than crossing placement I worry about @_Kaiser_

Hotblack Desiato · 18-06-2026 04:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559562#Comment_124559562

One of my biggest daily frustrations is people who reduce a 2/3 lane motorway to a single carriageway

That's not what a single carriageway is.

creedp · 18-06-2026 07:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124560920#Comment_124560920

It quite clear what he is saying. Easy to be pedantic

Hotblack Desiato · 19-06-2026 12:07AM

That's not being pedantic. Half (at least) of the problem on our roads is people not knowing basic things from the Rules of the Road

J_R · 19-06-2026 10:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124560920#Comment_124560920

Yes, this refusal to use the hard shoulder to allow faster traffic to overtake is now almost universal. Now its a very rare occurrence. Despite the Rules saying it is OK.

From Rules of the Road

A single broken yellow line along the side of the road

This road contains a hard shoulder, which is normally only for pedestrians and cyclists.If a driver wants to allow a vehicle behind them to overtake, they may pull in to the hard shoulder briefly (but do not continue driving in the hard shoulder) as long as no pedestrians or cyclists are already using it and no junctions or entrances are nearby. Different rules exist for hard shoulders on motorways. See Section 11 for details

I always move over - If safe. And see my over taker join the tail end of the long long queue of traffic ahead.

What is wrong with motorists that believe it is OK to block other traffic. ? Do they not have the confidence to do a simple task, check if safe, move left, then check if safe and return to their correct lane again.? Or is it just simple pigheadedness ?

Seth Brundle · 19-06-2026 10:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124562748#Comment_124562748

What is wrong with motorists that believe it is OK to block other traffic. ?

Driving along (under the speed limit but not as fast as the driver behind wants) is not blocking traffic no matter what you think.

J_R · 19-06-2026 11:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124562809#Comment_124562809

So what is it called ?. What definition would you use. ? A motorist wants and perhaps needs to drive at the legal limit to reach his destination on time but is unable to do so because another motorist is XXXXXXXX ? him ?

Seth Brundle · 19-06-2026 11:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124562835#Comment_124562835

It is called being an impatient driver!
If you need to get somewhere on time then plan accordingly.

J_R · 19-06-2026 11:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124562847#Comment_124562847

HI,

You can not plan for the unexpected. No matter how well you prepare.

So, if someone comes up behind me and obviously want to overtake I allow them.

I do not continue traveling at MY speed and smugly say to myself, "They should have planned accordingly"

Seth Brundle · 19-06-2026 11:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124562875#Comment_124562875

The idea that a driver should pull into the hard shoulder to enable a faster driver to overtake is a risky manouvre that over the years has resulted lots of in serious collisions (and presumably various fatalities).

No matter what your reason for travelling is, you are not more important than someone else and this notion that you have that the driver in front of you should get out of your way is an arrogant and entitled view. If you cannot pass someone safely then wait until a safe opportunity arises and stop feeling that they are delaying you simply because you feel that you are in a rush!

Irish drivers.

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