Spare me the woman driver
Tuesday May 22 2007
I was driving on the N11, and sticking to the 60 kph speed limit where the roadworks are. A dumb blond driving a black golf, wearing the darkest possible shades, was coming from the Enniskerry road, and so I moved to the outside lane to let her join.
I then realised that she was driving beside me, not obeying the limit, but rather blocking me. I sped up as I needed to take the next exit - and she sped up also, on seeing me indicate.
I was left with two choices. Either jam on the brakes on the outside lane, or speed up even more and 'cut in' in front of her. As I was being tailgated as it was, I had to do the latter. This seems to happen a lot . . . pull to the outside lane to let someone filter on, and they start a "race".
The question here is not so much who is wrong, but rather who is more likely to be seen as wrong, and who is creating the danger.
The great feminist from the Road Safety Authority, Noel Brett, is making our roads more dangerous.
I recall that, coming up to the bank holiday weekend, he was suggesting that women should keep an eye on the menfolk.
The very same day I tried to overtake a woman who would not drive near the limit on main roads, yet was happy to do 80 kph through 60 ( town ) zones.
A "safe" driver, this woman had a child in the front seat, and she put the boot down as I was overtaking.
Absolving one gender from responsibility seems odd to say the least, given our dire standard of driving among women as well as men. I suppose according to this "logic" I should have driven to Loughlinstown and back to take my turn for Bray.
ANTHONY HALPIN,
HERBERT ROAD,
BRAY, CO WICKLOW
