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I wrote about idiots on the roads before (and got some nasty comments, most of which I had to delete). I believe I’m a pretty good driver – not perfect, granted – nobody is – but pretty good, and pretty safe. Some days, however, I feel lucky to get the car home in one piece, – albeit not through my own fault, but through that of the really especially idiotic people I’m still encountering on the roads – and while their idiocy continues to annoy me certainly, I’m afraid it no longer continues to surprise me;- even here in a relatively small town such as Dundalk.

I’m not a big fan of sounding the horn on my car (partially because I think the Punto has a fairly wussy sounding horn, partially because, well – y’know – I don’t like to complain…) – but today I had to do it. FOUR TIMES. A knowledge of Dundalk roads would help in understanding the following completely.

1. Driving into town, woman in front of me driving slowly and slightly erratically so I’m naturally keeping my distance. Her dog has it’s head out the window of the PASSENGER seat (in the front!) having a great old time. While she’s stopped, waiting to get onto the roundabout (where the bypass meets Avenue Road), the dog jumps out the window and runs over to the path (- this would be the path at the corner of Dundalk Retail Park – at the Atlantic Homecare end). I honked my horn and flashed my headlights (once) to get her attention, while pointing at the dog, hoping she’ll notice in her rear-view mirror – but no, she actually failed to notice that the dog which had been sitting next to her was gone and she proceeded to drive on where, a moment later, she then noticed and STOPPED her car suddenly – in the middle of the roundabout, almost causing a collision, got out – ran across the road to collect her stupid mangy mutt, which had stayed put on the path and ran back again. I couldn’t resist yelling at her – all I said was “you STUPID woman!” – which I was glad to see she heard quite clearly.
2. Coming home from town, heading back from the same roundabout (after leaving Avenue Road) I was indicating left to turn onto Red Barns Road with traffic waiting, coming from the Blackrock direction (I had right of way) to turn onto the same road after me. Only at the last second did the leading car decide to turn onto the Red Barns Road ahead of me. If I hadn’t braked as quickly, he’d have driven right into the right-hand-side of the front of my car. I honked my horn again and he blinked his hazard lights as if to say “sorry”.
3. Headed back into town later to return some videos to Xtravision (Long Walk). When leaving, after waiting ages for a clearing in the traffic, I pulled out and was in the lane marked “North” heading to the traffic lights at the Earl St/Clanbrassil Street crossing. Must have been doing 30-40km/h. Idiot No. 3 cycles across the road directly in front of me missing being knocked down by barely 2 feet. Honked my horn in disgust. Idiot lost his balance and fell off his bike when he hit the kerb at the other side. Good enough for him.
4. Returning from the radio station, coming along the lower Point road, guy in front of me driving at a decent pace decides to turn right onto another road. Of course, he doesn’t indicate this straight away,- he slows down suddenly (within less than 10 yards of the turn) comes to a stop without moving to the right hand side of the lane and THEN decides to indicate, forcing me to brake suddenly and leaving me with little or no space to maneuvre around him. Was I wrong to hit the horn then? Nope, don’t think so.

Months ago, the thought hit me, “why not bring my camera with me in the car, so that when I encounter such idiocy on the road, I can take a photo, upload it, and name and shame them online?” – I was even thinking of registering a witty domain name for it and everything… and seriously – all the practical and safety issues associated with taking photos while driving (yes, I know…) aside, sometimes I think that wasn’t a completely terrible idea after all!