YFG's Better Deal for Young Drivers: Public Meeting in Dublin City

by anti-reformist Sat Sep 27, 2003 17:56

We offer you little new, nor suggest anything that would seem radical. What we do offer is a route by which we can divert your attention into pointless struggles for reform of a system beyond reform. It would also be nice to have your vote for our icons of impotency.

by Hmmm Sat Sep 27, 2003 18:03

Our Blueshirt friends sneaked this one in while everyone was at the march. This "article" is just a waste of indymedia space, and may also be a piece of trolling designed to get the cycling lobby worked up

by yfghijk Sat Sep 27, 2003 18:08

MOWN DOWN BY YOUR DRIVERS?

by on yer bike Sat Sep 27, 2003 18:16

Is this posted for the purpose of promoting fine gael's friends in the insurance industry?

If this is promotional literature on behalf of the biggest protection racketeers in the country then it does not belong here.

Hope a few FGer's get run over by the 'bikes not bombs/RTS' crowd.

by campaigns director - YFG Sat Sep 27, 2003 18:54

The issues of road safety and the high costs of insurance are treated as very serious issues by the majority of people in ireland.

Wednesday's meeting will look at these issues in a serious manner and more specifically will look at ways in which these issues can be resolved i.e what policies can be implemented to reduce road deaths in Ireland in the long-term and wwhat needs to be done by government to cut the costs of motor insurance.

YFG recognises the need for open debate on these issues which is why we have invited along an IIF spokesperson to outline the insurance industy's viewpoint.

All are welcome to attend this public meeting and to particiapte in the discussion (including also, those persons who seem to be opposing a free debate on these issues by suggesting the removal of this story from this newswire.

by Joe Fan Sat Sep 27, 2003 19:15

We will raise rubbish. FG will be confronted on their support for Local Charges.

by Gouger Sat Sep 27, 2003 19:28

Lets all bring bags of rubbish to the meeting.

by fuinseog Sat Sep 27, 2003 20:15

You are right, people being killed by cars and trucks is far more important than waste charges. It is also more important than the rates of insurance. Once you have your priorities right describe your strategy for saving lives. I would recommend as a start:

1. immediate loss of licence for one year for anyone driving with alcohol taken. Forget the points stuff - get to the point.
2. presumption of motorist’s liability in any accident involving a pedestrian, cyclist or equestrian. At the very least automatic liability in any accident involving a child pedestrian or cyclist.
3. urban speed limit of 20 miles per hour
4. rural speed limit of 50 miles per hour
5. enforcement of pedestrians’ existing right of way over turning traffic.
6. all vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters set at the speed limit. Why is it legal to sell cars that can travel at twice the maximum speed limit?
7. cyclist and pedestrian representation on the national safety council.

Numbers 1 to 4 above are all law in various countries, but I’m sure your policy research will have told you that. 5 is a matter of enforcement, which is very inadequate.

by lone Gunman Sat Sep 27, 2003 22:22

Further to the suggestions of reducing insurance may I also add the following suggestions.

1] That Jaywalking by pedestrians is a road traffic offence and is not properly enforced.The pedisterian has as much responsibility as the motorist on the road to obey the rules.A maximum of 50 Euro on the spot fines should be introduced without delay.

2] A competancy test for cycilists should be introduced as well.We have all seen the reckless bike courier,who cycles on footpaths,etc to make their delivery times.Or the child on a bike which is too big for him/her.It should be a minimum age of 14 before anyone is allowed out on the road on a bicycle.Parents should be fined for irresponsible children on bikes on the road.Cycilists are becoming more reckless these days and a mandatory third party insurance should be introduced and enforced on anyone who goes out on a pedle powered device.
This compulsory insurance should be also enforced for horse riders.It is becoming more and more of a traffic hazard to see young children in charge of semi wild horses in urban areas riding animals which can be just as dangerous as any vechicle.
An actual ban on owning horses in an urban area would be ideal.Unless the owner can satisfy an animal welfare officer that they have correct stabling,3rd party liability insurance,and a grazing area,as well as competancy cert in equine handling.

4]Proper investigation of insurance claims relating to road traffic accidents by investigators seperate from the insurance industry.Insurance fraud is one of the big money spinners in Ireland from the plantif and the insurance company .It should be made a felony with minimum of five years prison time for attempted insurance fraud.

5] The resitting of the road saftey test every six years.This will winnow out the old and incompetant drivers and cyclists .
Cars dont kill people.Incompetance by drivers and pedisterians and cyclists does.

by random input Sat Sep 27, 2003 22:28

If the government was serious about cracking down on drink driving - then why not have a TOTAL ban, not a 'legal limit' on a driver's alcohol consumption. Anyway, the 'legal limit' is a bit mad, cos I know that sometimes if I have just one pint my head is all over the place. Then again at other times I can drink five pints with not a bother on me. Alcohol is weird like that.

Furthermore, apart from a total ban there should also be a minimum 3 month jail sentence for drunken drivers (with loss of license for say, two years)- and obvioulsy much higer sentences for those incidents which involve death and/or injury.

Now some people might say that's a bit excessive (and lord knows what Jackie Healy Ray would say) but I've had friends sent to prison for first offences re: drugs (cannibis, e) - but to my mind drink driving a far more serious crime than knocking out a few bars every month or whatever. Drink driving KILLS. Therefore the sentence should reflect the potential severity of the crime.

by Fun seeker Sun Sep 28, 2003 01:40

Along with all the helpful suggestions there is the odd lunatic, such as lone Gunman above. But don't be put off by him. Still, aren't you YFGer's glad you posted your advertisement here? See you all on Wednesday, and don't forget - BRING YOUR RUBBISH (YFG will be there and they are a rubbish party).

by Lone gunman Sun Sep 28, 2003 20:47

Like funseeker are worried about my posts.Because FG is so short of ideas they might take them seriously and the museli muncheing bikeing loons,might actually be brought to book under enforced new laws.

by Even funnier seeker Mon Sep 29, 2003 01:31

Oh, really, Lone Gunman? "museli muncheing bikeing loons". Thats two spelling mistakes in four words, not bad. Glad you think you can recognise us that easily, we could be sitting quietly beside you at the bar, while you rant away in your drunken stupor, and you would never notice. I could be that conservative looking middle-aged guy, or that assistant in the newsagents who sells you your newspaper, just listening to your rants, not responding, just taking it all in,

I don't think you genuinely care in the least about road safety, you are only interested in disrupting a resource used by "lefties". Maybe because you are filled with hate, or maybe because you are paid to do so. Doesn't really matter, whichever it is you are a bitter and twisted loser.

by Insomnical 1 Mon Sep 29, 2003 02:29

How a bit of a sense of humour and perspective for once. Who on earth do you think you pay Lone Gunman to "disrupt" indymedia. Have you completely lost the run of yourself and your conspiracy theories.

That said lone gunman is a reactionary, narrow minded, insomnical, dangerously obsessive oddball. But free speech is free speech.

And on this post his views obviously will be welcome by the rather desperate blueshirts.

Ps. whatever happened to that other one Seanin?

by Conor - ucdSA Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:05 conor at ziplip dot com

The blueshirts were only "psuedo facists, and did a lot of good actually" - yfg member in ucd last week.

"a better deal for young drivers" - yfg

by Lone gunman Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:29

Well,I must be hitting the museli munching peddle pushing loons again where it hurts .In their leftist [non] intellect.As per usual,they cant come up with a rational counter arguement but harp on again about my spelling mistakes.This arguement is so old it is boring.No one is perfect apart from the Leftist biking loons with FREE college education,and go to insulting in typical Leftist loon fashion their opponents.I doubt you lot would even have the personal disipline to take in anything apart from an arguement that is 100proof in favour of your biased and totaliarian views.
As the saying goes "on your bikes".

by .. Mon Sep 29, 2003 21:13

Is this not really dangerous?

people like to have a glass of wine with their dinner. with a low alcohol limit they might stop at one glass for fear of losing their license. if the limit is zero alcohol then they might just finish the bottle, it's better to burn out than fade away...

And what about people who have a few drinks the night before, go to work the next day. somebody else crashes into them but when they are breathalised there is a trace of alcohol in their bloodstream and they get banned from driving.

If the state enforced the current drinking limits lots of people would be saved. lowering them further is not gonna help

by Lone gunman Tue Sep 30, 2003 13:09

It has happened as well,that a few folks have been pointed as well for excessive mouthwash use as well.Alcohol is one component of mouthwash as well.So ,zero tolerance of drink driving will have an increase of bad breath as well.