Comments on: Please take care

By: Grandad

Grandad — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 23:15:39 +0000

@Brianf – That incident happened 9 years ago. I still get flashbacks when I see groups of cyclists.

@Flirty – I’m fairly sure I heard a report on the radio today saying that there was fog on the N7 and that drivers were speeding with no lights on. This is the same area as the carnage in the fog recently.

People will NEVER learn from the mistakes of others, because they all think it will never happen to them.

@Henry – I agree that we will never be carnage free. But all the time we are allowing people drive without adequate training there is going to be trouble. A high percentage are driving on provisional licences or no licence at all. And those who do pass the test have never been tested on motorways, ice, snow, fog etc etc. People think because they can do a flawless hill start or a three point turn that they are fully qualified drivers. Until we have a decent testing system and proper law enforcement, the carnage will continue.

By: Henry Barth

Henry Barth — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 23:10:22 +0000

All well and good and well said, but there really is no solution to ‘road carnage’ other than banning automobiles altogether. There will always be accidents. Ireland has some of the worst drivers in Europe. Perhaps Sharia law might help. The first ten drivers found at fault for causing an accident who then lose a hand as punishment might encourage the others.

By: irishflirtysomething

irishflirtysomething — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:33:01 +0000

I know it will be a weekend of bad news from the roads. As per my recent post from the “in the car” perspective, granted it was 20 years ago, but the reality is that no ever thinks it will be them. People seem to believe they are immortal until a crash proves them wrong.

Hopefully recent media coverage will mean this weekend maybe slightly better than previous.

By: brianf

brianf — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 16:40:35 +0000

Grandad,
I have been quite surprised by my long term reaction to that crash. I drive like an old man now and every once and awhile, as I am falling asleep, I see that telephone pole coming at me. I usually bolt awake and try to stop shakeing before going to sleep.

By: Grandad

Grandad — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:41:09 +0000

Wow! You are one lucky b*st*rd. And your comment – âWhat The Fuck Just Happened?â? was exactly how I felt, because what I was looking at couldn’t possibly be true. But it was.

And between that, and a few other [much lesser] incidents, I am a lot more careful on the roads now.

By: brianf

brianf — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:24:28 +0000

See my post copied below. It was last New Years Eve.

http://brian223.wordpress.com/2007/01/29/crash/#comments

By: Grandad

Grandad — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:35:55 +0000

I hope you didn’t know anyone involved in that incident Grannymar?

By: Grannymar

Grannymar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:35:39 +0000

Grandad your post gives us plenty of food for thought.

Alas, it brought back a nightmare time from the past.

As a friend of mine used to say âNone of us are promised tomorrow, or for that matter the remainder of this day.â?

By: Dario Sanchez

Dario Sanchez — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:24:08 +0000

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my foresight proved horribly accurate:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0406/rta.html

By: Grandad

Grandad — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:16:23 +0000

Yes. It is sad to think that there is at least one person who today is possibly planning a holiday, or a wedding or something else exciting, with the prospects of a happy future, who will be dead by Monday.

As you say – best not to think about it. Just be careful.