r/ireland • u/Dry-Can-9522 • Sep 07 '24
Abuse when you car breaks down Christ On A Bike
My car broke down, because the clutch just went in it. I broke down on a roundabout but managed to get it off at the first exit on to a busy road. I tried to get it as close to the kerb as possible. I put my hazards on, but the amount of cars beeping and gesticulating was unbelievable! When did people no longer give a shit? Two blokes stopped and asked what the problem was. I said my clutch had gone. One said, ‘ I don’t know how to fix clutches, good luck’. The other one wanted to know if I could push it to the car park behind me, which was against the flow of traffic and back around the roundabout!!!! As a woman with a child with me, all I wanted was someone to help me push it up onto the path and a little bit out of the way of traffic. After an hour waiting, one kind couple stopped to help, but the breakdown truck was seconds away. When the breakdown truck arrived, he said he could hardly hear the directions I was giving him due to the arseholes beeping at me. As he said, it will happen to them one day. Well I hope they meet nicer people than the ones I encountered.
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u/getupdayardourrada Sep 07 '24
Very annoying.
My car broke down one day recently and I pulled over, texting nearby family for help. A very helpful gentleman called the guards on me for ‘texting while driving’. I was pulled in and broken down
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Yes! But it seems people must think they are decorations and not that your car has broken down.
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u/sandybeachfeet Sep 07 '24
Had a similar experience a while back. Car stopped gong faster than 15km ph. I was shaking getting home. Sister thought I was in a crash I was shaking so bad, no one wanted to be civil. Arseholes! Like do you think I eas to drive up Slane hill at 12km oh at 5pm on a sunny Friday with my hazards on?! No, no I do not!
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u/AmazingUsername2001 Sep 07 '24
FYI: When your car goes into limp mode you’re generally not meant to drive it very far. Basically it enables you to drive it to a safe location as soon as possible, park it, and call emergency assistance. Essentially it allows you to not be broken down in the middle of the road.
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u/Better-Cancel8658 Sep 07 '24
I had a Honda jazz which would go into limp mode. Turning the engine off and on would clear it.
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u/sandybeachfeet Sep 07 '24
Ah I know but if you know the road from Slane to Drogheda it's very very windy and twisty with few spaces to pull in, but yeah I know, you're right.
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u/KoalaTeaControl Sep 07 '24
Did you try going up through the gears? When my car went into limp mode on the motorway I was able to get it up to around 70 by going up through the gears. Still had people being assholes though, even with my hazards on.
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u/sandybeachfeet Sep 07 '24
Yeah but there was stop, starts and hills and it's a 2.5l diesel so it's heavy af!
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u/KoalaTeaControl Sep 07 '24
Ah, fair enough, sounds like a disaster all around!
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u/sandybeachfeet Sep 07 '24
Wasn't my bedt day. And I'm a female with long blonde hair in a monster car, so you can imagine how angry all the angry men got at me 🫣
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u/felttheneedtosay Sep 07 '24
Heard of someone once who broke down in city traffic, a guard came along and suggested opening the bonnet, not to fix the car but to make it more obvious it was a car/driver with car trouble.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
That’s a good idea but I’d probably get some idiot asking me what the problem was and when I said, ‘clutch,’ they’d say, ‘why have you got your bonnet up?’
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u/Swir80PL Sep 07 '24
You should put out the triangle to make it clear, you broke down and are not there for leisure. Should be in every car.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
A valid point. However, hazards are used as a sign of emergency and anyone who has passed their test should know this.
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u/cobhgirl Sep 07 '24
I'm not disagreeing, but given the amount of eejits that use them as "park anywhere" lights... I think it's fair to say that hazard lights are experiencing a devaluation in meaning. Unfortunately.
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u/CoolMan-GCHQ- Sep 07 '24
Wow, I remember them, but haven't seen a triangle as part of the boot kit in many years, mind you, haven't seen many spare wheels either, just a can of tire foam if you are lucky. They should be made a legal requirement to have from the factory.
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u/Dingofthedong Sep 07 '24
Hazards are so abused/misused that people don't know what's going on when they're used legitimately
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u/Minor_Major_888 Sep 07 '24
People just become entitled assholes when they get into a car.
Today I got beeped at because I was waiting for somebody to cross before turning into a side road. I guess they were expecting for me to run them over 🤷🏻
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u/PremiumTempus Sep 07 '24
Yeah it’s baffling coming back to this crazy rush panicked driving here in Ireland where white vans seem to be able to do whatever they want with impunity, after living away. Respect for pedestrians and cyclists is close to 0% here unfortunately.
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u/ronano Sep 07 '24
Where did you live? How did they stop the bollixs
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u/Minor_Major_888 Sep 07 '24
At least personally I've experienced a much higher driving standard in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I think I've had less incidents in 1000km of cycling over there than I do in some 5km commutes here.
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u/incendiaryburp Tipperary Sep 07 '24
I was coming up to a lane merge, this was a single lane of traffic merging in to another single lane of traffic so I gently slowed down to create a gap of 2 or 3 cars so that a car or two could merge without either lane having to stop. The lad behind me started flashing me and then pulled up inches behind me. I could see in my mirror that the next 7 cars rolled by bumper to bumper while the merging lane backed up waiting to be let through.
We need an ad campaign to show people how to approach lane merges correctly. Something impactful like the ad where your mans car flipped the fence after celebrating in the pub after a match, with that Peter Green song playing in the background.
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u/Darbastion Sep 08 '24
In New Zealand they have signs for this that say “merge like a zip” and shows a half-closed zip. Makes total sense
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u/oldmanrentman Sep 07 '24
I got beeped at because I didnt stop to let someone out in front of me on a roundabout. I had right of way. There was nothing coming behind me. They had to wait an extra 2 seconds for me to pass them.
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u/MambyPamby8 Meath Sep 07 '24
I've been beeped at RIGHT after the lights turned green. Like what the fuck. Not even 3 seconds, we're talking a millisecond after it's turned green. Calm yer fucking tits mate. The amount of impatience I've seen on the roads since Covid is noticeably bad.
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u/Stubber_NK Sep 07 '24
Happend to me once the very microsecond the light turned green. One of my coworkers was in the car beside me and was looking around trying to see if there was some other reason for the beep but couldn't find anything.
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u/MambyPamby8 Meath Sep 07 '24
This is the more annoying part, you genuinely get a jump and think fuck is something wrong? Did I miss something? Nope - just an impatient wanker who thinks I should burn out my clutch edging my car forward every traffic light. What's worse is the ones that don't even wait for green now. I've lost count of how many people I've seen go around myself and others and through a red light. Saw someone do it into oncoming traffic a few months back.
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u/great_whitehope Sep 07 '24 edited Sep 07 '24
It's like people on the Internet, anonymity makes people assholes
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
I now wish that I made a video of all the cars that beeped and gesticulated and put it up on Ireland’s shite drivers.
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u/FloggingTheHorses Sep 07 '24
I refuse to believe a real decent person "just" becomes an arsehole when they get into a car. It just manifests directly in a way they can hide in other situations.
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u/djaxial Sep 07 '24
Back for a week to see the folks and was walking around Bray today. The amount of times I was almost run over crossing the road was insane. Beeped at etc. Mental change in attitude the last few years.
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u/AwayAd7744 Sep 07 '24
It's like the last day with me. I was taking my little one to montessori and was at a zebra crossing. One way had stopped, no cars coming the other way when I started to cross, this gobshite came at a speed from nowhere and almost ran me and my little one over....I don't know about anyone else but I always stop at a zebra crossing if someone is waiting to cross.
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u/Stubber_NK Sep 07 '24
Had that in Rathmines. I just pointed up at the green man and pulled a stupid face as I walked across the road.
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u/DecentOpinions Sep 07 '24
I got beeped today because I was 34 nanoseconds late in nudging up a metre in traffic that was going nowhere.
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Sep 07 '24
Today I was going 70km/hr in a 60km zone and the still got overtaken on a solid white line, then another car tailgates me. Just pathetic insecure people behind wheels these days
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u/Irishwol Sep 07 '24
Oh that happens all the time. It's maddening. Not just pedestrians either but solid objects like buses. Like what do they expect you to do? Dematerialize?
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u/Alastor001 Sep 08 '24
Cars don't make them assholes. They were already assholes to begin with.
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u/BoredGombeen Crilly!! Sep 07 '24
I've pulled over multiple times to help push cars broken down. Never even considered beeping at them. That's crazy and so inconsiderate.
I would suggest getting out of the car though, then at least people know for definite there is an issue and you aren't just parked.
Not that long ago, I helped push a car off a roundabout, into a nearby estate. And gave the woman a lift home so she could get the number of her mechanic. I'd like to think somebody would help me if I was stuck.
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u/StrippersPoleaxe Sep 07 '24
Same happened me crossing a bridge in Dublin in 1999, back when i had a ford feshta. I was trying to get home and it pitch black about 6pm. Drivers were going mental, i had my hazards on and out of the crowd of people walking home a ten year old, i think was a traveller, offered to push it with me until i got over the bridge and across the road and into a space. He was gone again before i could give him a couple of bob.
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u/macker64 Sep 07 '24
My wife broke down on Batchelors walk just before 6pm on her way home from work many moons ago, resulting in complete carnage.
Called me to come rescue her, so I ran from our home in Marlborough St.
No one would help her, and the gobshite immediately behind her was blowing his horn when I arrived on the scene.
I went up his car and told him I would sit in his car and blow his horn if he would try and fix my wife's car.
He stopped pronto.
Alternator had failed on wife's car so I pushed it around the corner into O Connell St.
I've always stopped for folks who are broken down as it's not a nice thing to happen, particularly for women on their own or with small children.
Folks have become incredibly selfish and intolerant since Covid.
Always try and help others when and where you can, you never know when you or your loved ones will be in need of assistance.
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u/gerhudire Sep 07 '24
These are the same people who will stop over the white line at a set of traffic lights, therefore blocking a bus from being able to turn.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Absolutely!!!
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u/gerhudire Sep 07 '24
I was in town one year on St Patrick's day, a f idiot in a Aston Martin parked his car just where you turn on a one way street blocking the entire road, perverting a bus from turning. The guards were useless, they were nowhere to be seen.
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u/sionnach Sep 07 '24
They’ve broken a red light. Such an easy revenue earner to put a camera on busy junctions where people do this all the time.
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u/anafollowsthesun Sep 07 '24
And beeping if the car in front is decent enough to stop in the right place and let the bus ahead 🤦♀️
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u/Scamp94 Sep 07 '24
Yeah happened to me at a toll booth on a motorway, clutch went when I geared down to go through the express lane barrier.
As soon as I felt it go I put on my hazards and had to just let the car coast along to not get stuck at the barrier. Range Rover behind me was flashing and beeping and driving really aggressive up my arse, despite the hazards being on. Guess he reckoned I’d broken down on purpose?
Someone called the guards because I was “stopped in the middle of the motorway” guards came and were like wtf you’re off the road completely i dont know why they called us. But they did stay till the tow came for safety.
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u/BEA-Chief Sep 08 '24
You’d imagine the Range Rover should have been more understanding as the Range Rover was probably already on its third engine 😂
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u/nicky94 Sep 07 '24
By any chance were you in a white jeep in Castlebar?
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u/ultratunaman Meath Sep 07 '24
Are you the man who didn't know how to work on clutches that drove off?
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Yes
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u/Mammoth_Captain_1378 Sep 07 '24
You are so unlucky. I was in Castlebar today and would have given you a hand.
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Sep 07 '24
Found one of the rogue beepers 😮
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
If they are, I hope they are feeling a little embarrassed 🙈
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u/nicky94 Sep 07 '24 edited Sep 07 '24
No,I just drove past (other side of the road) and was wondering what was up! not going to lie..we thought you had just parked there for a min lol. Sorry to hear about what happened tho.
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u/MinnieSkinny Sep 07 '24 edited Sep 07 '24
My car broke down on an M50 slip road once, the Stillorgan exit. Literally just died. Some kind people helped me push it into the hard shoulder and I called a tow truck. I had a few nice people stop to see if I needed assistance but I also had a few people beep and gesticulate. Almost 20 years ago now and I still remember it. What did they think I was doing, sitting there for the craic at 8:30am?
I'd have a very different response now but I was a young girl and got pretty upset at the time. Was waiting about an hour for a tow truck (thank god my insurance included breakdown assist) and I spent most of that hour with my head down not making eye contact with the drivers passing me, embarrassed for my life.
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u/BoredGombeen Crilly!! Sep 07 '24
Hopefully you may never need it again but there is a free tow service on the M50. You call the number and they come collect you ASAP. They are based between the Lucan and Blanchardstown exits northbound.
Completely free service.
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u/cotsy93 Dublin Sep 07 '24
Not surprised at all tbh. I'm a learner and have drivers constantly up my hole or beeping if I'm not up to 35k 0.1 seconds after the light turns green.
Drivers are just generally worse and more selfish since I observed from when I was younger.
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u/8_Pixels Sep 07 '24
Drivers are just generally worse and more selfish since I observed from when I was younger.
I wonder if there has been any sort of study done because I completely agree and especially post covid it has gotten so bad.
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u/FuckThisShizzle Sep 07 '24
My car went on fire on the main road through town during evening rush hour, I lost faith in humanity that day.
Like what am I meant to do, piss on it?
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Far worse than my situation, but you certainly lose your faith in humanity when you are in a tough spot and all you get is abuse.
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u/FuckThisShizzle Sep 07 '24
A positive story so.... destroyed the axle of my car on the way to a festival via the back roads, so middle of nowhere. Knocked on the closest door to get an address for the tow truck and the guy got a tow rope and brought the car to the nearest main road to make it easier for the tow truck to find. Then piled all of our stuff and us into the back of his van and because he was a local dropped up off right at the entrance.
And yes, yes I have terrible luck with cars, those two aren't the only cars that have been wrote off through various shenanigans.
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u/Margrave75 Sep 07 '24
Car stopped dead one day at a busy enough junction, alternator.
Couldn't put on the hazards, but luckily had a set of magnetic flashing light.
Stuck em on the back of the car, and put out the triangle.
Within about 5mins there was a lad behind me beeping like mad.
Went back and asked him was he fucking thick or what? "Jesus man calm down, no need for that reaction".
Fucking asshole.
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u/AdEmpty595 Sep 07 '24
Unfortunately, it’s the same the world over. Driving in the States on an interstate. Driver side front tyre gets shredded by a piece of metal on the road that I couldn’t swerve to avoid. Limped off the highway and managed to get into a car park. Changed the tyre out for the donut and had to go back on the interstate to get to the tyre store 15 miles away. Hazards on, in the slow lane and driving under 50mph because donut. I’ve never experienced the amount of harassment and dangerous driving than I did during that 25 minute drive. And sorry to say, but mostly from middle aged men. It’s like they thought I set out to ruin their day.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Believe you me, there were women with kids in their cars beeping and gesticulating!!!!
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u/callu80 Sep 07 '24
My clutch went totally flat to the floor, figured out fairly quickly that you can lift the clutch pedal back up with ur foot and throw her in 2nd gear. Enough to pooter to a safe place until I got it lifted by breakdown services..
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u/Outrageous_Step_2694 Sep 07 '24
I'm so sorry this happened to you. I think people are less considerate and patient now due to the sheer amount of terrible drivers, but we should always consider that there may be a very good reason for someone to be 'driving badly' or causing a hold up. It could be a car problem like yours, or it could be a medical emergency, you never know!
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u/yamyambambi Sep 07 '24
Last time I broke down the ONLY person who stopped to help was a young man in his 20s who had tattoos and piercings. Most would call him a thug by appearance but he gave me a jump start and wouldn't take €50 or anything. He just asked me to pray for him and wish him luck in life. I'd say 30 people passed me before this lovely man stopped.
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u/Stubber_NK Sep 07 '24
It's always the guys who look like that who are the nicest. Rough and spiky on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside 🤣
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u/yamyambambi Sep 07 '24
I had so many slow down to gawk at me and then drive on. He was so kind, he was driving back to Dublin as he had an exam the following Monday so he would have had a reason not to waste 40 minutes with me. I really hope life is good to him.
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u/oldtamensian Sep 07 '24
Next time, break down in the middle of a four-way light controlled junction in Swansea. Clutch exploded. Local lads appeared from nowhere and pushed us safe onto the side road. Most stressful experience of my life, but people were great. I was still shaking, pulse 101, 10 mins later. It’s horrible when this happens, sorry your experience was made worse by arseholes
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
I think I might move to Swansea, sounds like people still help each other there.
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u/DesertRatboy Sep 07 '24
Just leave it in the middle of the road next time to really annoy the arseholes
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u/Dan_92159 Sep 07 '24
I came off my motorbike on a busy street in Dublin once. I was completely winded and had a fractured wrist. All I could hear was cars beeping at me to move. Luckily two men came to help me pick up the bike and get to the path.
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u/Revitup84 Sep 07 '24
Was in a 6 car pile up on the n11 at half 6 1 morn a couple of years ago. The abuse we got till emergency services pulled up was mad.
I seen a little cinquecento get milled by a truck another morn on the m50. Was spun out t boned and dragged along the wall. I was on a motorbike and was right behind it. The lad just popped out the driver window, the door was crushed in. Could of been killed, the cars that were stopped immediately started shouting abuse to get it moved they've places to be. Truck driver looked freaked as we approached the car, thought it was gonna be way worse for the chap in the car. No1 gives a fuck about u if it means ur disrupting their day
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u/LornaBobbitt Sep 07 '24
The one and only time I broke down was about 3 mins from home. Mum and brother in car, he doesn’t drive she does. I said hope in there mum we’ll push it. Oh Lord no, I won’t drive your car. She created such a scene over driving my “new” car it was too fancy. 1 year younger than her car. Eventually some builders come and push the car mid family fight. Then she starts freaking for my brother to go the local shop for parking discs for the car. I had residents parking pass for the area but that wasn’t good enough. She’s definitely hit good in a crisis.
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u/joesmadma Sep 07 '24
Ah feck that's an awful situation ~ especially with a child it makes you feel so vulnerable.
People are such geebags nowadays. Common decency is like common sense ~ not at all common.
Hopefully, they'll all get a good dose of Karma.
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u/Ecka6 Resting In my Account Sep 07 '24
Ah it's mental isn't it! I broke down in rush hour traffic trying to drop my kiddo to crèche years ago. I was about 5 or 6 car lengths away from a busy roundabout and people started beeping at me. As if I'm fucking parked here 😂 my poor kid was freaked out though.
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u/IrishDave- Sep 08 '24
Im in my 30s and still remember being about 6 and my mam's clutch went car wouldn't move and this bloke in a white van beeping and roaring at her jumped out of the car was screaming at my mam, kicking the car . I was really scared and my little sister was balling crying. Still remember his ugly red face .
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u/Minions-overlord Sep 07 '24
Yea i follow a simple rule.
Hazards on: you're broken down, and if possible, I'll ask if you need help
Hazards off: you have parked in a stupid way and are an asshat.
The fact you had your hazards on means people should have a little cop on and fuck off about their day quietly. It's probably the same sort trying to take pictures at accidents
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u/TheLooseNut Sep 07 '24
You'd be proven wrong 99% of the time down our end of the country. The joke is they are called the "park anywhere lights" as they are used by the entitled to abandon their cars wherever they like.
Bonnet up I would have said is the universal signal of a breakdown, even if the engine isn't the problem it seems to get the message across to people.
We saw two elderly women broken down on a roundabout in Douglas a few years ago and every dickhead just drove around them, we gave them a push off the round about and even managed to push start them for a finish.
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u/Neat_Expression_5380 Sep 07 '24
Today has been a day for beeping. I’ve never heard so much beeping in my life. I didn’t do anything wrong, nor did I see anyone else do anything wrong, and I must have heard about 20 feckin horns blaring in the 2 hours I was driving. I’m sorry about your breakdown OP, that is my worst nightmare.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
I’ve always had a fear of breaking down. Sadly, the people I encountered today have made that fear a sad reality.
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u/ShapeyFiend Sep 07 '24
My clutch conked on the dual carriageway a few years ago but managed to limp up the exit in first gear to the Dromoland Inn before it died completely. Three year old arrived into the lobby excitedly explaining to staff how our car had exploded and they were sufficiently amused give us free breakfast buffet. Got the mechanic to weld the clutch back together so it wasn't such a bad experience all in all.
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u/Cliff_Moher Sep 07 '24
COVID, when we went into lockdown. People seem to have forgotten how to be courteous and respectful after being in lockdown.
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u/munkijunk Sep 07 '24
Welcome to cunt centric Ireland. Used to be people would gang together to help you, long gone, now it's fuck you buddy and your family too. No wonder the country is failing so dramatically.
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u/TheresOnlyOneTitan Sep 07 '24
When I was 13, I was mugged by 3 lads about 5 years older than me. It was on a busy street and about 15 or 20 adults watched on while I struggled to fend them off. None helped and none checked I was ok, even when the 3 lads ran off. Though there is a fantastic minority out there, the majority are selfish and only concerned about themselves. I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience, I wish I had been around!
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u/Doitean-feargach555 Sep 08 '24
Irish people have gone very entitled recently, especially townies and cityfolk
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u/Neat_Expression_5380 Sep 07 '24
Today has been a day for beeping. I’ve never heard so much beeping in my life. I didn’t do anything wrong, nor did I see anyone else do anything wrong, and I must have heard about 20 feckin horns blaring in the 2 hours I was driving. I’m sorry about your breakdown OP, that is my worst nightmare.
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u/Gunty1 Sep 07 '24
Its honestly insane how courtesy and common sense has changed on the road. Amount of people pulling stupid maneuvers for absolutely no gain at all is baffling.
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u/Immortal_Tuttle Sep 07 '24
Where are those ejeets? When our car broke in Mayo recently we counted 19 people stopping by and offering help, including pushing the car and hot tea that one lady brought from the house... And it was freaking road to Bangor Erris where crows turn back... Like 60% of cars stopped while we were waiting for road assistance to arrive.
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u/motherofhouseplants_ Sep 07 '24
I’m so sorry OP, that’s horrible. I’m learning to drive at the moment and I fear the same. People can be so inpatient and cruel
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u/steplightly85 Sep 07 '24
I remember when my car broke down coming back from Kilkenny. Luckily we were on a smallish road and I was able to phone someone for help. I was waiting for over an hour with my son in the back. Will never forget the guy who pulled over to check we were okay - then came back to us with Icebergers a few minutes later. Really didn't have to - small kindnesses like that are what we need more of.
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u/IYOPersonality Sep 07 '24
My mum and I were in the car, when her car broke down at the absolute worst place. Right on top of the bridge at Harold's Cross. Put the hazards on and tried starting the car multiple times but it wouldn't give. Guy behind us was beeping the entire time. I got out of the car and tried pushing it (we were at the top of the hill part of the bridge) and your man still beeped and made a bunch of hand gestures. Like do you think I'm out here doing yoga with the car or what. He overtook and sped off when the light turned red, and some nice pedestrians helped push my mum's car and it started while moving thankfully.
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u/yamyambambi Sep 07 '24
Last time I broke down the ONLY person who stopped to help was a young man in his 20s who had tattoos and piercings. Most would call him a thug by appearance but he gave me a jump start and wouldn't take €50 or anything. He just asked me to pray for him and wish him luck in life. I'd say 30 people passed me before this lovely man stopped.
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u/TaterJack Irish Republic Sep 07 '24
I volunteer as a CFR in my community. I was helping someone on the side of the road we were getting abuse from people cause we wouldn't move the patient. Most people become assholes when driving.
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u/freethinker Sep 07 '24
Folk who act like that aren't showing any compassion nor can relate to you in your situation so I wouldn't spend much time thinking about them
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u/craic_den_ Sep 07 '24
Happened to me a few times as well. Broken down. Hazards on. And yet every 3rd person would beep and curse at me.
As if i was in their way on purpose.
As if im just fucking around with them.
Like mate dye think i want my car sitting here? If anyone should be losing their head its me.
People are morons man.
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u/terror_billie Sep 08 '24
Feel for you. The exact same thing happened to me last year. I was fully out of the way but folks still went out of their way to rubberneck and give me hardship. It was so wild and unnecessary.
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u/Salty_Food_7738 Sep 08 '24
I got my first car yesterday, thought it was time as I was doing great in my lessons and my instructor said there’s no reason I shouldn’t be out with a sponsor. I absolutely panicked on my hill start and kept cutting out- ensue the aggressive beeping!! I only ended up cutting out for the next 3 minutes due to sheer and utter stress
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
The upset and stress these absolute toe rags cause is completely unnecessary. Sorry you had such a bad experience. Don’t let them put you off.
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u/Salty_Food_7738 Sep 08 '24
I understood their frustration but jaysus the more they beeped the more I panicked! Didn’t help the fact my sponsor is my dad and he was getting irritated with me too.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
I know!!! Give a person a break, you didn’t do it on purpose! Your dad was getting stressed too, which caused him to be irritated. A lot of these drivers have forgotten what it’s like to be a learner. There is so much aggression on the roads these days.
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u/tabbitcha Sep 08 '24
I’m driving 4 years and I still get into a cold sweat on a hill start after the same happened to me on a lesson during commute hour. It’s like being in a dream where you can’t run fast enough no matter what you’re trying to do. Was actually on the same hill yesterday and a learner was in front of me so gave them room to roll back and they took their time trying to move off - I could see them looking back in the mirror constantly. Terrible learning to drive is nerve wracking enough for a lot of people never mind when you have some gombeen in a Range Rover holding on the horn over an issue that would be resolved in a few minutes.
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u/suzukiboi1992 Sep 08 '24
Was at a set of lights last year that was beside a football stadium. Old lad in front of me seemed to be struggling to move the car, I could see through his back window he was getting stressed. Got out and asked him if he needs a hand moving or what's up . His clutch was gone and he was trying everything to get it into gear, told him it's pointless , I'll push it for ya. Now this was uphill and there must have been 10s of blokes walking by us just staring at us. They couldn't give a fk. No one gives a fk about anyone else anymore. Wouldnt be surprised if some assh*le stood there recording .
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u/Ayymeee Meath Sep 08 '24
Oh my god I was reading the first sentence and was like "Did I write this!?" My clutch recently went too.. right as I was about to get on to the roundabout. Hazards went straight on, clutch was stuck to the floor. I eventually got it moving and pulled in somewhere down further to wait for my help to arrive.
The amount of people beeping at me like, yes trust me I know it's annoying. But you'd swear I turned my hazards on right before the roundabout and sat there for the craic. Now I was there less than 5 minutes before I got the car to move but then as I'm driving down the hard shoulder stuck in first gear, hazards on. Some fool driving right up my arse beeping at me like I'm sorry can you not hear the sound of my car right now or see my lovely orange flashy lights? 😂
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u/Ok_Syllabub_4846 Sep 08 '24
When it comes to driving, I've never seen anything like the selfish behaviour exhibited in this country anywhere else.
My car broke down close to the m50 slip there near Charlestown and this woman pulls in and starts calling me stupid for parking there.
My hazards were on, I pulled over as close to the side as possible.
She just kept going at me. I lost my cool and told her I had broken down and called her a slefish c*nt.
Not my finest hour, but it wasn't the time to start a row.
Irish people take a slight inconvenience so personal. No matter how shitty your day is going or how important you think you are, does no harm to put yourself in the other person's shoes in these instances.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
Unfortunately, they’re too far up their own holes to give a shit. You are right - totally selfish behaviour.
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u/phyneas Sep 07 '24 edited Sep 07 '24
Some people are just arseholes. A few might have thought you were just parking up there for the craic with your "park anywhere" lights going, but most probably had no coherent thought in their head other than "SOMETHING IS MILDLY INCONVENIENCING ME, I MUST ANNOUNCE MY UNCONTROLLABLE FRUSTRATION AND RAGE TO THE WORLD, GRAAAAAAAGH!"
Edit: To be fair, there are sound folks out there as well. I was on a little holiday a while back and was driving through Ventry and happened across some tourists who'd just had a flat tyre. I stopped to see if they needed some help, and within ten minutes or so I think about half the village was parked up there to lend a hand.
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Sep 07 '24
Ah ignore those types, nothing you can do without help to push it off the roundabout. Most men will help if they know what the issue is
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u/sureyouknowurself Sep 07 '24
That’s horrible, can happen to anyone. Hopefully your luck improves.
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u/lanciadub Sep 07 '24
I passed a car in a similar situation yesterday and my Mrs asked me why I didn't beep at them... But I noticed it was a range rover and it most probably had broken down.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
Why is most people reaction to beep at a car with hazards on?
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u/theanglegrinder07 Sep 07 '24
If it's any consolation it's not a new thing, broke down on the Roxboro roundabout 20 years ago, we were two kids left in the car while the mother went to get help and we got awful abuse. People are not that nice.
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u/Kongodbia Sep 07 '24
Sorry that happened op, they sound like cunts alright. Hope everything works out.
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u/daRaam Sep 07 '24
I had a similar thing happen today. Car lost all power and had a few fuckers behind acting like arseholes.
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u/PinkyDi11y Sep 07 '24
I broke down last year and was standing outside my car, hazards on, but all these cars drove by beeping me and gesticulating. Do they think you've chosen to break down?
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u/Bluegoleen Sep 07 '24
My car broke down a few months ago on the main street in rural town, at the main junction, luckily my brother was with me. He got out to push, and within 4 seconds flat, there were 3 additional men pushing the car! I have now thought it would be a great way to meet a guy 😅 pretend the car is broken down and pull out a set of jump leads 🤣
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u/wh0else Sep 07 '24
This happened to me on the South link in Cork in 2010, 50 minutes being beeped and overtaken, clutch and gear linkage failed. On my own I couldn't get the car across the left lane to get off the road because cars flowed both sides of me. It was only when a colleague saw me and used his car to block the left that we were able to clear the road. Anyone else who had queued to get past me could have done the same, but drove on and left me there to block others. Very frustrating
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u/freename188 Sep 07 '24
I was driving up a steep hill and got to the very apex and was met with a red light. When the light turned green, i accelerated, popped the handbrake off and "BANG" the car just leaked oil all over the road... dead.
Before i could even get out two builder lads on foot walking up the hill were behind my car telling me to let the brakes out and started pushing it to the side of the road.
There are many sound people.
I'm so sorry you had a shit experience, i know roundabouts can be chaotic at the best of times i can only imagine how difficult it must be to breakdown on the middle of one, especially with a kid in the back.
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u/RandomNPC59 Sep 07 '24
Mine broke down had people point and laugh, luckily a Garda car saw me and helped push it to a safe spot.
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u/Agitated-Parsley-810 Sep 07 '24
I pulled off a slip road onto a main road last week in dublin, loads of room to pull into the road, traffic was crawling anyway and there was a nice opening for me - anyway after i did it this taxi driver fecking blared me out of it with his horn and was gesturing behind me. Its not as if i was anywhere near him and the traffic was chocca anyway so no one was going more than 5mph. Bizarre behaviour.
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u/Bar50cal Sep 07 '24
I was once towing a single axle trailer on the M50 in the slow lane and had a blow out on one of the tyres (they were new tyres and it was a moderate load, probably half the weight limit.
Anyway the tyre blew and I immediately knew something had happened so put on the hazards. I was passing the merging lane so had to go ~150m to reach the hard shoulder. An areshole in a Ford Ranger STOPPED in the lane of traffic to shout at me out his window when i was stopped on the hard shoulder to call me an arsehole for putting on my hazards and slowing from ~80kph to around ~50kph as I reached the shoulder to pull off.
He came to a complete stop on the M50 in traffic to give out that I had broken down. Traffic was very light at the time so he could have moved to the middle lane to pass me but for some reason decided to do this. I don't understand some people.
Also unrelated to the Ford ranger driver. When I was changing the wheel for the spare I had with me I sheered a nut which meant I could not removed the wheel. Proceed 4 hours of grief and I was on my way again.
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u/Alternative_Choice58 Sep 08 '24
Every second person these days is a walking arsehole.
People are so god damn aggressive it's just unbelievable!
Covid taught us NOTHING!!!
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u/AdaptiveChildEgo Sep 08 '24
I was in an accident a couple of months ago. Similar thing happened we were all beeped and mocked as cars drove by. An ambulance turned up to make sure we were all ok. They were beeped and mocked too but they mentioned they have been working on (cpr) people on the side of the road in the past and people have beeped and mocked them.
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u/Responsible-Bit-3461 Sep 08 '24
My only reaction to people broken down is oh no, poor f*ers. And if they have the misfortune of breaking down on a really busy spot I feel even worse for them. I genuinely can't fathom how anyone can feel anything but sympathy in these situations.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
I think people’s attitudes have changed and they really don’t care anymore.
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u/Available_Dish_1880 Sep 08 '24
My clutch went in Germany on a busy national road and 4 different cars stopped to enquire and help me. Some men helped me push it into a layby.
One even took my red triangle (mandatory to have) and set it up down the road
Different culture I guess.
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u/Veraxx101 Sep 08 '24
Omg. This literallly happened to me but I was on a two lane road that merged into one so people could go around me, but the amount of people beeping and cursing was unreal. I wasn’t stopped there for the crack. I’m a small woman so I could push the car. A man stopped to help me n we moved it off the road. People are assholes. North east dog trainer, if you see this, thank you so much again. Nice to know there are still some people who are decent.
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u/SnooGoats9071 Sep 08 '24
Try being a learner who cuts out at a junction, people will beep you out of it, despite the very visible L signs. Had one lady pull up alongside me as I was trying to get going again and scream the word dickhead at me. I mean if you're in such a hurry to get going, why stop to yell abuse
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u/TheTeemGuy Sep 08 '24
Id my car break down one time in a town I was holding up traffic trying to push and steer my car into a gap was moving but very tough to do both all of a sudden I felt this extra momentum some guy just ran up and helped with that last bit to get the car in off the road and let the traffic flow, once it got of the road he ran back to his car I just yelled cheers man thanks for the help, the guy running back replies not a bother lad! A sound man he was to never know or see him again,
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u/Taken_Abroad_Book Sep 08 '24
I was in Sofia once and a tram had broken down in the middle of a busy crossroads at rush hour. People beeping, shouting, wanting to fight the tram driver.
Maybe 10 lads could have pushed it off the junction but na. Shout and fight will help.
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u/MrPatch Sep 08 '24
It was chaos when my dad's Porsche broke down, people fucking loved to give some shit to a couple of guys in a broken down sports car.
One person literally drove back and forth to yell horrible shit at us. Wouldn't stop and say it to us in person though.
Absolutely unbelievable, literally never experienced anything like it before or since.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
Bang out of order! There’s something really wrong with a person who gets joy out of another’s misery.
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u/Little_Duck90 Sep 08 '24
When my husband and I visited Ireland during our honeymoon, our rental car got a flat tire when we were going to trek across the country to see the Cliffs of Moher. My husband managed to get us into a Lidl parking lot.The car came with a dummy tire, jack, and a tire iron, but the tire iron was completely stripped and basically useless. As my husband attempted to work on the tire, I guess people thought I had assistance and was OK.
The moment I put my hand on the tire iron to try my luck, (my husband had hurt his hand) a man pops up out of nowhere to offer assistance. Once we had a tire iron worth its salt, we were able to get our tire changed, and back on the road. We went back to the rental place, switched cars, and were able to get on the road to see the Cliffs!
I'm sorry to hear that you were continually honked at, though. I know where you were forced to park probably made it difficult for people to react and pull over safely to assist but it's still no reason to honk and be rude?! Like, it accomplishes nothing! It certainly doesn't help when you have your child with you, because every choice you make must be to ensure their safety. Like, "no, I can't push my car to the car park over there with my child in the car. If the car gets hit, I could lose my child. I will stay right here in this highly visible area, rather than put my child right in the path of heavy traffic to push."
I'm glad you were able to get some help (eventually) and are safe!!
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u/babihrse Sep 08 '24
As a man that would be an embarrassment to say I don't know how to fix clutches and fuck off without offering to push the car out of traffic for you.
Where was this? Ballsbridge?
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u/MrManBuz Sep 08 '24
As someone who owns a classic car, breakdowns are sort of inevitable. Every time they've happened, I've had to push the car into somewhere by myself while a crowd of people looked on without even one of them coming over and asking if I wanted a hand, while clearly struggling to push it uphill. People fucking suck. I broke down on a main street in town once, literally 10s or 100s of people were walking past and not one offered to help me push it into a parking space.
They don't want the hassle. They're happy to rubber neck and enjoy the spectacle alright.
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u/Altruistic-West-8646 Sep 08 '24
Sorry you encountered such nasty people OP my hubby would have helped you ❤️ we broke down near the airport last Xmas and a lovely pilot stopped and tried to help us
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u/peskypickleprude Sep 08 '24
People are such assholes. If you are a cyclist who is trying to slow to a stop because you can feel something is going drastically wrong with your machine .... Well you won't be allowed to do that. Driver's will take personal offense to you like you have decided to slow the flow of traffic because you have decided to throw shit at them. The default is to rev you as close in proximity and as aggressively as possible. Beautiful stuff.
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u/Motor-Category5066 Sep 08 '24
So many of these gobshite drivers and they all seem to be perennially 35-55 men with massive chips on their shoulders who deserve a good slap. Little King Tuts who completely ignore cop on because they're in their little chariots, "out of my way" is their mantra. Complete pricks who again richly deserve a smack on the side of the head.
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u/Byrnzillionaire Sep 08 '24
It feels like since Covid people really lost all sense of empathy and self-awareness, so in a way, nothing surprised me about that story
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u/theheartofbingcrosby Sep 08 '24
I went through a one way street by mistake and the flashing lights this clown was doing was like a 90s rave waving his hands and all in the car as "IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME ID FIND A WAY" edit -typo
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u/The_cats_pjammas Sep 08 '24
Same thing happened with me in the Phoenix Park. My car completely shut off, couldn't do anything as the steering wheel locked. (If you know that area you know they blocked the entire road off with very little space to park or pull up if your driving through the Park) ended up having to pull up on a grass area that someone kindly helped me push the car to. The green was after the cycle lane and had cyclists shouting, calling me a cunt and all sorts, all while I'm the verge of tears trying to get home from office day at 8pm on a Monday! It was brutal... still won't drive into City Centre since, I'd rather do the 2 hour bus journey than put up with the abuse.
I get their are assholes out there who take the mick on the roads, but also some people are trying their hardest after a bad day! Sorry to hear about your bad day! Deep breaths, a good night sleep and reset for tomorrow!
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 08 '24
I’m over it now, but it was stressful at the time, especially with my child getting upset.
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u/jimmobxea Sep 07 '24
Dublin I assume?. I've seen it a few times and I just don't understand what would bring someone to start ripping on the horn in that scenario.
Seen people getting out to push their car out of the way and still the horns come. And even when there's no major hold-up. Completely irrational behaviour.
Tbh it's not just taxis but taximen would be the first to do it too. Genuinely mystifying.
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u/Dry-Can-9522 Sep 07 '24
I was with a child so there was no way I was gonna push my car up into a kerb by myself.
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u/DesertRatboy Sep 07 '24
Just leave it in the middle of the road next time to really annoy the arseholes
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u/Gowl247 Cork bai Sep 07 '24
I had a flat tyre recently on my way and a Garda sergeant on his way to work very kindly actually turned back around and pulled in to help me he changed it which made him late for work, I made sure to email his inspector to let him Know how kind the sergeant was in helping me! I was very lucky! Not everybody is as kind!