Coming to Ireland

[Guest]

I' ve got to come to Ireland for a couple of days next week. Work is in Belfast / Ballymena but I' m going to base myself in or around Dublin.

Three basically simple questions

Am I likely to have any trouble with an English Registered Porsche in this area? (I came over a few years ago and remember an incident when kids threw stones at my Golf in a small southern Ireland village)

Are the roads the sort that I would enjoy?

Can I use / do I need my radar detector?

Any suggestions where to go - I' m booked into a hotel just outside Dublin Friday, Sunday, and Monday (Couldn' t get Saturday because of the Rugby) so I' m looking for an overnight trip saturday and a couple of day trips - got the girlfriend so I can' t get away with just visiting a good road if you know what I mean[]

Thanks

Roy

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Roy M

I' ve got to come to Ireland for a couple of days next week. Work is in Belfast / Ballymena but I' m going to base myself in or around Dublin.

Three basically simple questions

Am I likely to have any trouble with an English Registered Porsche in this area? (I came over a few years ago and remember an incident when kids threw stones at my Golf in a small southern Ireland village)

Are the roads the sort that I would enjoy?

Can I use / do I need my radar detector?

Any suggestions where to go - I' m booked into a hotel just outside Dublin Friday, Sunday, and Monday (Couldn' t get Saturday because of the Rugby) so I' m looking for an overnight trip saturday and a couple of day trips - got the girlfriend so I can' t get away with just visiting a good road if you know what I mean[]

Thanks

Roy

Hi Roy.
I can' t speak much for the South of Ireland, but I can add a few comments about driving in the North. The road system, signs etc are the same as on the mainland, but you should notice that the traffic is very much lighter. The road surfaces have deteriorated over the last few years but there should be excellent opportunities for spirited (ie sideways) driving. In the North there are very few Gatso or fixed cameras, but the police are quite active with mobile laser units and a radar/laser detector should be used for peace of mind. Be cautious when using the A1 between the border at Newry and Belfast (main Belfast to Dublin road) as there are cameras here. I am not certain as to the legal situation with detectors in the South, but I have previously used them without any problems. As a UK citizen, you can be arrested and detained until trial for traffic offences in the South so be sensible especially on motorways and main roads. Smaller roads are more fun anyway!
There have been a large number of fatal RTAs since the start of the year and the police are mounting high profile anti-speeding and anti-drink driving campaigns, especially so at the weekends. Random breath testing is occuring in urban areas in the North, and if DIC is confirmed there will be a UK wide driving ban. Points obtained in the North also count on the mainland.
I drive a Porsche with a mainland registration (since 1999) and have not had any problems. Several years ago there were very few cars with these registrations on the road (it would have been assumed that the car was owned by a member of the military forces and this obviously would have security implications) but now UK imports are often not re registered and thus these registrations are more commonly seen and should not attract unwarranted attention.
The civil and political situation here in the North is much more relaxed than you would remember, but it is still best to avoid parking your car in areas with the tell tale signs of multiple flags, painted kerb stones and wall murals of what ever hue.
Car crime is relatively uncommon in the North, but Dublin is notorious for car thefts, often professional jobs, and to order. Take the usual precautions.
Remember fill your car in the South, take advantage of lower fuel taxing and the preferential rate of Sterling against the Euro and raise a large middle finger to Chancellor Brown!
There are OPCs both in Belfast and Dublin and also some independents so car care shouldn' t be a problem.
Anyway welcome back to Ireland as a whole, enjoy the relaxed attitude to life that still exists here, and remember anywhere is a good night in Ireland!
Cheers, Tim.

 

[geoff Ives]

[8|] Hi. I can add something about Radar detectors. When I investigated this for the Clubs ' Ireland Tour 2002' I was informed, by government sourses that any radar detector is highly illeagal in the Republic and would be dealt with seriously. The other item that they do not seem to have a sense of humour about is the use of mobile phones. It is illeagal to have one switched on on your person whilst driving even in your pocket.

 

[Guest]

Seems I have been breaking the law using a radar detector while driving in the Irish Republic, but if I didn' t know it was against the law, chances are the Garda don' t either. I would not condone deliberately breaking any countrys' laws, but ingnorance seems to be a pretty good excuse and I' m sticking to it!
You are correct that a law was passed making the use of a mobile phone (and indeed having one switched on in the car) illegal and this is more likely to be pursued. In my experience (and this is only a personal view) the authorities in the Republic are less likely to stick to the very last letter of the law, than those in the UK. Reference the recent change in the law (January 2003) which has made it a regulation that learner drivers now have to be accompanied by a fully licenced driver. There are many disappointed and frustrated drivers who have never passed a driving test and have been quite happily driving alone on L-plates for years!
I did forget to mention that the motorways in the North are populated by unmarked police Vascars which do not emitt a radar source, and are proficient revenue raisers for the government. Sticking to the 70 speedlimit (+ 10%) is strongly advised on these roads. Speeds over 80 will attract blue flashing lights.
Regards, Tim.

 

[Irish944Turbo]

Roy, i' d like to point out that the Gardai here take sppeding very seriously, as in the past few years and more recently there have been high profile deaths resulting from car accidents. The annual no. of deaths on irish roads is in the 350 - 400 region and rising despite all attempts to calm this matter. I may be slightly out on thiese numbers, but not in the general tone. While I believe these deaths are more related to drink driving than spped, it is the speed element of vehicle accidents that usually come to the fore. It is financially more rewarding to our Government to make a case for more speed patrols with higher fines than it is to put out more guards with the hope of fining a few more drunks. But this is another discussion in it' s own right.

To the point, the Gardai and a Judge would be more likely to let you off doing 44 in a 30 zone if you were in a Micra, but if we were in one of any of our glorious Porsches' the Guard and Judge would want to see us made an example of. This is offence would then, it seems, be purely judged on the vehicle in which we were speeding in and not particularly on the offence with which were were stopped for.

I put this out there not to encourage speeding in a Micra!!, but to show how the system works here. Regardless, i must say that speedlimit + 10% is usually a safe margin, but be warned the Gardai over here have been known to use unmarked cars for speeders.

Enjoy your visit to Ireland

Cheers
Gareth

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies -I' ve got a reasonably easy itinerary booked so won' t be in a great hurry (and I prefer the twisties to the main roads anyway). Also intend taking in the scenery and walking a bit so we will be a bit more relaxed than I usually am in the UK. My main weakness is the odd burst of acceleration which goes too far so I' ll just watch that!

Glad to hear that I should have no problems (I' ve been to Dublin a few times recently and had no issues at all - it was the car I was worried about!)

If you see me give me a wave! (although I' ve got my polished wheels on now)

Roy

 

[geoff Ives]

[]Roy. Last year we took 150 cars over to Ireland and received nothing but great hospitality and a warm welcome. We traveled from Dublin to Killarny and back. The only problem was that one car was broken into and goods taken from the rear seats. That could happen anywhere. The hospitality was so good that we are returning next year.
Jusat one point, the Guiness IS better in Ireland.

 

[Sean]

Roy....have a great time. I live in Dublin and my only advice is treat Dublin like any city. Only park your 911 in a decent supervised car park. The best one in the centre of Dublin is the car park from Brown Thomas' s Department Store. Otherwise, jsut use common sense.

Yeh, speeding is a big no no on the main roads, best place for enjoying the spin is the b roads (we have LOADS....some are even main roads ;-)) Radar Detectors are legal to buy but illegal to use. THing is if your are caught speeding and have one the Garda will gernally go to town on you.....even more because you have a nice shiney red 911.

Take the car up into the wicklow mountains and go for a spin all aound. the scenery is spectacular and some of the roads are impeccable as they were resurfaces for a stage of the tour de france a couple of years ago.

Enjoy....Sean

 

[Guest]

Well I came and went - and it rained! No problems with the car but couldn' t see any scenery so my ' scenic drive' didn' t work out very well!

General thoughts - no animosity problems (apart from a Dublin bus driver but that didn' t involve the car) so that was a positive. Found out how good the suspension was - surfaces poor but well absorbed by the (standard) suspension. Used the detector but had the girlfriend on detector watch - as soon as I said she disconnected and put it away! Found that the majority of cameras were in fact on - different from my part of the UK where most are off. Couldn' t get my Shell Optimax anywhere so had to use ordinary unleaded.

Overriding impression though was of the appalling level of driving - some of it really had to be seen to be believed.

Apart from the weather a good trip - some nice meals and a good few pints of nice Guiness.

Thanks for the input

Roy