Driving on the hard shoulder is illegal
This is illegal and dangerous.
The hard shoulder is reserved for emergencies and garda use only. If your car breaks down this is where you stop, safe from the road.
If the gardaí need to check speed or tax, this is where they stop; if an ambulance needs to rush to the hospital on a motorway, this is where it should drive.
The hard shoulder should always be clear of cars.
If you are driving within the speed limit you not are not only doing the right thing but you also have the moral and civic responsibility not to create space for the new natural-born killers who want to drive faster.
You should not drive on the hard shoulder and let the traffic pass you at speed.
Many drivers do not seem to realise that cars swinging in and out of lanes can cause accidents. Moreover, this is a bad habit, confined to Ireland.
When you cross into the North you see the difference straight away. In Italy, Spain and France you would be fined for misusing the hard shoulder.
Sabrina Straventa,
36, Ardcarrig,
Carrigaline,
Co Cork.
