Driving in Ireland, what do we need to know ?

In 19 years of driving in Ireland, I have never had anyone try to wash my windscreen, I’ve never seem a ‘Gypsy’ (I believe the politically correct term is ‘Member of the Travelling Comunity’ by the way) try to sell me anything at lights either.

I have seen them selling televisions at the side of the road - all powered up using generators. Quite possibly removed from people’s houses…

There are a few old roadsigns in miles kicking about (mostly in the wilds), but, almost everything in the south is now in KMs. Roads are no worse than GB - and the motorways and dual carriageways are a lot emptier than in the UK in general - the same being true in the North. Also, whereas 85MPH seems to be the norm on most GB motorways, you will be pulled over in the North - and the points now carry over to GB licenses. I don’t think Southern ones do, it’s a bit of a grey area - they carry over to NI licenses, but, not necessarily to GB ones.

Make sure if you’re heading north from Dublin on the M1 that you have Euros for the toll - it’s currently €1.90. The M50 toll is paid via a website. They can now prosecute GB drivers if you don’t pay, but, I don’t think they’d really bother - but better to pay just in case!

 

If you go up the M1 it is…

Nice little slip road for Garda cars to pull off (quite clearly marked too), a mile and a bit of motorway with road markings changing halfway along it, and a slip road for the PSNI to pull on. Of course, you’d never take advantage of that… Shock