Does Ireland have a higher level of lawlessness or disregard for the law than other c

We are a nation of chancers and fcuktards with a hefty sprinkle of a "do what I say and not as a I do" attitude.

Schure, be grand.

Also, we are generally alright until someone tells us not to do something... then we just fcuking do it, 'cos fcuk them lot!

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Ireland has a rebellious nature in general I think. People don't like to follow the rules. But it's fairly minor stuff. All in all I'd say we're about average in the developed world.

If we are average we must be a lot less rebellious than some countries.

Berties_Horse wrote: »

We're better than Burkina Faso, and the Healy-Raes.

It would be better if Burkina Faso had the Healy-Raes!!!

The whole driving thing for young people is a load of auld balls. If the establishment actually want young people to be competent drivers, well then teach the skill in secondary school for christsakes. Stick it as a course in transition year for those that want to do it. Be more beneficial than the civics/religious/social **** wollicks they festoon that entire year with.

The state likes easy targets

We are woolly on some laws that are impractical day-to-day, such as this unaccompanied drivers thing for example. Water charges failed because the public saw it for the farce it was.

However, if you look at the massive success of the plastic bag tax, the smoking ban and the drastic reduction in road deaths due to drink-driving and speeding law changes over the years, we are pretty compliant for things that are generally good for society.

By coincidence I was chatting to a recently retired Uncle of mine last night who worked his whole life in sales and commercial dealing in heavy industries around the world and the stories he recounts about blatant, shameless, overt and inconsequential corruption and fraud he encountered in so many countries that is just part and parcel of getting anything done would make your hair curl.

If you add that to levels of violent crime and abuse in many countries compared to ourselves, I'd say we're a pretty observant and civilised bunch when it comes to everyday laws.

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I can't see any reason to involve schools in that. Let them go to those instructors in their own time, not use up school hours.

But the hours are being used up on useless $hite anyways. Religious education, PE, Civics, Art History. Fair enough if you want to do them things but driving is a fundamental life skill that you must learn, especially if you are living in a rural area and wish to continue to keep living there. The state should give those the option to learn it if they want to, especially in something like 4th year where feic all is happening in terms of state exams

I don't think it is the case that the Irish are lawless. There is a bit of a streak of not responding well to authority and I find the Irish more rebellious than for example the Germans who love to follow rules. But by and large Irish people are pretty law abiding and conservative and a lot of the rebellion is confined to having a good moan over a pint and getting the odd little win over 'the man'.

As to the driving thing. Driving is serious enough business. You're propelling a thing that weighs over a ton and a little moment of not paying attention or panicking can kill very easily. Generally speaking people are way too blasé about this. You need to treat it as the serious thing that it is and it is not a divine right to drive either. You need to be qualified to do so and NCT and insurance are not a joke, there is a good reason for all this.

I hate this thing being trotted out 'but I need to drive for x, y, z reason'. Same with people who did something and are in danger of losing their license. Well if its so important to your life then maybe you should make an actual proper effort to qualify or not do the stupid things that may get you disqualified. Not just sit there and moan how you should be allowed to drive 'because' .

There are different rules and laws in different places, so this shifts things.

People point to Germany and say "they follow the rules", when in fact, there is a very strong counter-culture and there is a huge amount of money in tax evasion.

People point to Asia and say "those people do what the boss says"* when there can be lots of slacking off, sleeping on the job and trying to retire by age 30.


* Note that what the boss says might not follow the rules.

Drink driving culture in Continental Europe is where Ireland was 20 years ago in my experience. It’s rife

So much progress made in Ireland and the OP and others won’t credit that

NIMAN wrote: »

They ain't.

I'm talking about the folk who bought property in Ireland when it was cheaper than in NI, but who still wanted to live the NI life, keep the car, send the kids to their old schools.

So now they drive NI cars and register their kids at the granny's address so they don't have to go to ROI schools.

There's no doubt that this is a thing. A shocking, shocking thing.