I learnt to drive two years ago and quickly found this to be the case. I find it interesting that learner drivers annoy people the most. My problem wasn’t the actual driving part.. it was learning to deal with unwarranted aggression from other drivers when they saw a driving school car. My instructor explained this to me. You just can’t account for idiots on the road.

They could actually use the F’ing big LED sign boards along the motorways and give drivers advice. I rarely see them being used except to say TESTING. Such a waste and yet could have such a benefit to driving habbits

Then they would know what you’re thinking. We Irish are uncomfortable with that.

Yep, if you break the “rules” on the Continent you’ll get short shrift but drivers in Ireland are generally more tolerant. That said, it’s partly because there aren’t really any rules in Ireland – are there? :D

LOL. I hope there is a good dose of sarcasm in that post. Middle land driver, no idea of what indicators are for, Driving with fog lights on when its raining or sometimes even just cloudy. All these bad habits add to making drivers exert aggression on the roads. not to sure about generous and calm

Hi Simon,

I don’t see how the bad training you described attributes to aggression.
Anyhow, by international standards, the Irish drivers are benevolent comparing to their counterparts elsewhere. It’s one of the reason why Ireland has one of the lowest traffic related mortality:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

Elaad . You cant see the link between how bad habits on the road attributes towards aggression. So when someone cuts you off, or changes lane in front of you without indicating . Or moves out into the middle land when there was no traffic in their lane, and drives below the speed limit in front of you in an over taking lane , You telling me that you cant see how this would lead to the other party getting annoyed. ????

I would generally be considered a bad driver. Why? because when there are 3 lanes on a road (and sometimes 2) I generally find the inside lane to have less traffic ( and some times none at all) and end up undertaking. I would not be breaking the speed limit by doing this, yet it would be considered as bad driving. But dam’d if I’m swerving across 3 lanes just to overtake someone who thinks that the middle lane is designed just for them to drive in

my arse they are half them haven a clue of the rules go drive in the UK always a constant flow on traffic moves faster and they always let you out..,middle aged drivers posing the biggest signs of ignorance rearly let you out and only do if necessary and this thing of sitting in the fast lane doing under the speed limit..white van men,trucks,women and young drivers seem to be the most polite..

Simon, undertaking in Ireland is perfectly legitimate as long as it’s done non agressively without putting other road users in danger.

And Damocles just goes to prove how Irish road users have these bad habits when they think they are in the right.
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You may overtake on the left when:_
You want to go straight ahead when the driver in front of you has moved out and signalled that they intend to turn right.
You have signalled that you intend to turn left.
Traffic in both lanes is moving slowly and traffic in the left-hand lane is moving more quickly than the traffic in the right-hand lane.

not sure where it says in the road rule book about as long as you don’t undertake aggressively !!!!!

Simon, I’m not Irish.

I’m reasonably sure I’ve seen that it is legitimate in Ireland, but I now cannot find a link to that. So I’ll let it go.

I know that you can’t at all in the UK.

Didn’t say you were Irish.. I said Irish Road users. The part a quoted was from .

http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/good-driving.html#4
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It also goes on to day when overtaking is not permitted
.
You are in the left-hand lane of a dual carriageway or motorway when traffic is moving at normal speed.

I think it will be interesting to see how many people give Damocles the thumbs up for his “its legal to undertake if not done aggressively ” comment. This will just go to further prove the bad habit acceptance, and its OK to do it when its not.

Here you go Simon:

“Undertaking in an aggressive or reckless manner could be considered Careless Driving or more seriously Dangerous Driving, both of which are legally enforceable offences.”

That’s in the UK though.

I’m reasonably sure that if I undertake in the “slow” lane while the “middle” lane is empty and some moron is tooling along below the limit in the “fast” lane then I’m free from prosecution (and he isn’t).

Damocles .. well done you posted a comment that says you shouldn’t undertake because it could be dangerous. You also stated that that only applies to the UK. Now where does it say that can undertake as long as your not aggressive. I quoted directly from the rules of the road book used in Ireland ( The official book that the guards use, the one that they will take you to court with if nessesarry ).
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I am reasonably sure, no in fact I am 100% sure, that if you undertake outside of what the rule book says, which I have quoted above then you can be prosecuted for it. That person who drives in the outside lane under the speed limit will not get prosecuted, and you would not be able to use that as an excuse. That is just the way it is .. sorry,
.

So Simon, in a real world example, I am driving along the M50, there are three lanes, someone in the right lane is doing 80 and the rest of the motorway is largely empty. What is my best course of action to facilitate safety on the road?

a. Undertake in the left lane.
b. Undertake in the middle lane.
c. Tailgate him beeping my horn until he moves.

Because that’s what the rules of the road are about, safety.

You missed option d
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Drive behind them at a safe distance and flash your headlight or use your indicators to show intent that you want to overtake. If they don’t move out of your way then you either choose to obey the rules and stay behind them or disregard the rules and undertake them. It really is that simple, it might suck but it is what it is.
It doesn’t matter what excuse you come up with the rules are there and that’s what they state, just because they are in the fast lane holding it up does not give you right of way to undertake them. Is an offence that can be prosecuted.

“Is an offence that can be prosecuted.”

But wouldn’t be.

If I took the course of action you suggest then I’d more than likely cause a road rage incident on his part.

Simon, you’re posting a link to a driving school’s idea of good manners on the road. The actual rules of the road in Ireland do permit “undertaking”. Now climb off that horse.

@censored. Have you even sat your driving test? Good driving practices is part of rules of the road. Here is the link to RSA and rulesoftheroad.ie
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http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice/overtaking.html

you’ll find it says exactly the same thing. Undertaking is only permitted in certain circumstances. What you and damcoles is saying is incorrect, and is exactly what is wrong with irish drivers. Funnily enough 2 wrongs don’t make a right.

Are you trying to tell other people what they can say?

Of all the liberties to take!

Some can, some can’t.

I used to think that….until I moved to Perth!!!!

Do you not think it would be easier for a learner driver doing their test to cone to a junction with lights than one without them.. Lights are put in for traffic management and to prevent accidents..
Ps.. I think Leitrim have traffic lights.. They put them in for people who can’t drive.