The road to hell: a law-abiding driver survives to tell the tale
On the Cork-to-Mallow road I was nearly killed at least four times once, at dusk, when a van headed for me after overtaking into traffic while doing over 70mph.
I ended up in the ditch twice in eight months.
In one instance, I was nearly run over by drivers who refused to slow down, all beeping in unison with total disregard for an accident and near-collision.
In another instance, two road rage drivers overtook me and then braked heavily, apparently fighting each other on the road.
This resulted in two innocent drivers I was one going off the road and colliding. On another occasion an irate driver came right alongside within inches of me shaking his fist because I was not going fast enough.
In a further example, another van collided with my vehicle when the driver overtook at speed into oncoming traffic. No following vehicle slowed down when I put on my hazard lights indicating an accident.
What has happened to safe driving? The rules of the road are considered irrelevant by most of this bustling generation speeding along the road to damnation. Are these drivers potentially evil? I believe so. I fully support the long overdue penalty points system. Why does Mr Hassett view the Garda Siochána with disdain and mockery, when no fee from this system will ever accrue to any garda? Moreover, in the media I have witnessed only two people welcoming this system so far.
Over the last ten years, I estimate that road rage occurs in between 65%-72% of drivers per journey on the Cork-to-Mallow road, and I have reported this matter to the gardaí. Decent, law-abiding people have nothing to fear from the gardaí, but they have a lot to fear from drivers who have no regard for life or limb.
Dr Liam O'Sullivan,
Dromore South,
Mourneabbey,
Mallow,
Co Cork.
