British bikers get taste of Irish driver madness

RECENTLY on the N21 from Newcastle West to Abbeyfeale in Co Limerick, I witnessed the most frightening case of driver madness in my entire life.

Two British-registered motorcycles left Newcastle West at a speed that seemed normal for that very wide stretch of road.

The bikers had some luggage on the rear suggesting they were on holiday. Then a reckless youth in an Irish-registered car came up behind them in a most aggressive manner. The front bumper of the car was about one metre from the rear wheel of the motorcyclist directly in front. This continued for approximately 1,000 metres until they disappeared from my view.

Imagine the motorcyclist’s terror when he looked in his mirror. As a biker, I knew exactly how he would have felt. After witnessing this incident, the extent of the carnage on our roads no longer surprises me. And of course those two British motorcyclists had some tale to tell about driver behaviour in Ireland (if they made it home).

Kevin Barrett

Killoughteen

Newcastle West

Co Limerick