Driving in ireland is different. If you drive at 80 k’s on the motorways you’ll be the only one doin it. Just dont drive like a nutball and youll have no problem.
Things are alot more relaxed over here, it’s a cultural thing. The brits are a bit rule obsessed ,we’re not it’s that simple really.
When you get off the motorways and out into the countryside, watch out for those hedges. They aren’t hedges, they are big earth banks with bushes growing through them.
There is a small chain of truckstops called Mother Hubbards, they are about the only place where you can get a shower. Other than those, when you’re looking for somewhere to park up, look for a pub with a big car park. You can park there usually (might be worth asking first) and get a beer and food in the pub. Parking on industrial estates isn’t a problem either
Ask other truck drivers about the best routes, when you get away from major roads. What looks like a sensible route on a map may not be the best route for an artic. For example, the a sensible looking route from Killarney to Kenmare would be the N71. Although it’s a wonderfully scenic route, if you are pushed for time in the slightest, the route to take is the N72 and turn off at Clonkeen onto the R569 for Kenmare.
You’ll have heard all those Irish jokes. In my limited experience, the Irish told them first, or did it (whatever ‘it’ happens to be).
Another example, There is a truckstop near Naas called Tommy Toughers (the gh of Toughers is pronounced like the ch in loch). As you probably know, Ireland has had a smoking ban for several years, most pubs have a nicely sorted outside smoking area. The smoking area at Toughers is, or was, next to the petrol station pumps 
starlocation:
Hi lived in Ireland for 15 years,
Just beware soft verges on narrow country roads,
and lack of warnings for low bridges etc…All in all a nice friendly country,
TYPICAL IRISH MOTORWAY
are you sure you dont need glasses.
this looks more like a river to me not a motorway
greg50:
starlocation:
Hi lived in Ireland for 15 years,
Just beware soft verges on narrow country roads,
and lack of warnings for low bridges etc…All in all a nice friendly country,
TYPICAL IRISH MOTORWAY
are you sure you dont need glasses.
this looks more like a river to me not a motorway
Yes mate that is definately the A1 out of Belfast during the rush hour, I got caught in traffic at exactly the same spot heading for Newry and it took me ooooooooooooooohhhhhh about 3 seconds to clear ,
If you look closely in the mirror of the first Landrover you can just about see another car and some houses!!!
good.
i knew it couldnt be my part of the world.
the south.
theres no traffic jam in your picture.
simon.
i was over in ireland 3 weeks ago.
i went into mother hubbards,its near enfiled co meath.
i found the food is gone down in quality and up in price.
theres not too many options though.
if there were,
i would be advising to avoid mother hubbards.
too expensive for what you get.
theres nowhere really now with all the towns as far as longford bypassed.
it was a great little cafe 30. years ago when they were just starting as a caravan in a large layby.
i think it was an english guy started it.
he was as bent as a ninebob note,but his grub was excelent.
hes probably dead now more the pity/
whoever took over must have learned the trade in hilton park or some such establishment.
macplaxton:
Nil points. They could haul you up to court for something serious and fine / imprison you, but they don’t have the power to endorse the licence That’s why I’m still on my UK licenceI suppose they could keep a separate tally though if they really wanted to.
I really wouldn’t sweat about it, it’s a lot more relaxed here. Not some camera full police state.
im still on my irish one for the same reason here in the uk.
but this is coming to an end.
i dont know when but the points will be put on any license within the eec soon.
party over.
at the moment,the irish or british police will record the points against you on their computers.
so if you gat a uk license and live in ireland.its ok until you reach 12 points.
you are banned anyway as it would show up on a computer check.
its the same in the uk.
Yes, but it’s still a long way off. First they have to bother with the paperwork. Second, they’d need to harmonise something, which given the results of 3DLD takes ages to agree something.
What would they do about offences like seatbelts? (Points IRL / non-endorsable UK)
I never picked up any points since I got my licence 17 years ago and nearly all that time was in the UK. I don’t intend to annoy the natives here either. My photocard runs out in 2012, so if I’m still here I’ll have to exchange then anyway (or I might be back by then)
yuor right.
its best to drive to speed limits and generally have manners on the roads.
i had a uk license,till i had a lend of a car an audi a4,never realised i was doing 45 in a 30 mph zone[my cars a mondeo…slow…slow]
got nabbed and 3 points for my trouble,i went to ireland the next day and changed the license over.
my points are only on computer and no one is bothered by 3 but its so easy to get them nowadays you got to take some sort of defensive action.
macplaxton:
P121>>You must not drive a type of vehicle that is restricted to a maximum vehicle speed limit of 80km/h or less in the traffic lane nearest the centre
median of the motorway (the outside lane). An exception to this
prohibition applies at any location where the speed limit is 80km/h or
less.
As I learnt today from an instructor, this includes pretend motorways too. (those with 2 lanes) Just make sure there’s no Gardai about. There wasn’t and a the glass lorry was going painfully slow in lane 1 and I was on the limiter. (:shock: Irish lorry that only does 85km/h )
Perhaps I should follow my own advice. 
mac.
just wondering.
how do you get on speaking english in dublin now.
the polish is getting more widespread.
you wouldnt hear english getting spoken in oconnell street anymore.
its gone like soho in london.
spot the cockney.
i feel more and more like a stranger every time i visit my city of birth.
good job my mates are still there or i woud have no one to speak to.
I get on OK, but I feel I might have had some employment now if my surname sounded Polish. (“because they don’t moan, work hard and never take a day off” think the employers)
Yes, there are shed loads of Poles and Lithuanians (not in absolute number, but more as a percentage of population than the UK) and half of the shared house I’m in are Poles. There is me, originally from Scotland, but spent the last ten year in Bucks/Middlesex; the girlfriend who spent 6 years in France but came back home to Dublin two years ago; a Polish lass who speaks good English; a Polish couple who speak hardly any and an Irish fella whose from Tipperary whose not here that often. I don’t mind, but it can be difficult communicating with the couple.
In the shops, I’m beginning to wonder why I ask for 20 cigs, when that’s all you can buy. I’m also having to explain “big” when I want a 25g of rollie baccy ! (Why do they try and give you a half ounce?) But I find unless I find someone whose lived here a long time, there none of the banter you’d get even when you went down the corner shop UK and had a chat with the Indian/Pakistani (or other native/2nd generation immigrant) fella behind the counter.
The kebabs are rubbish, I hardly seen Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi people (after living in High Wycombe!) and I more likely to see after Eastern Europeans, a few African and a few Chinese. The dole money is good. I do have trouble understanding Ryanscare in-flight announcements, they’re unintelligible. At least the announcements on Aerlingus or bmi can be understood.
I can hardly complain though, I’m just as much of a foreigner! I feel a bit like you do when I come back to Glasgow for a visit.
Is the Irish Industry full of Poles and Lithuanians?
What are Irish Firms drivers rates like these days?
Are Irish firms running bent all the time?
Is there good local work and is the money fair?
I have family connections in County Waterford and was maybe going to go home and work for an Irish company 
looking on www.irishjobs.ie i think it was but no mention of rates or anything 
Have a look at www.fas.ie too.
As I haven’t got a job yet, it’s hard to answer all these questions.
I believe there are quite a lot of PLs & LTs about.
No idea what rates are. I found some supposed economic report that had the average wage at €17ph, but from looking at all the jobs, that doesn’t add up!
For a 40hr week:
B work is just above minimum wage €18-20k annual.
C is a bit more €22k-28k p.a.
CE is a bit more again €26-32k p.a.
I’ve seen the odd job pay €35k+, but it’s unusual.
(Dublin Bus pays their drivers €30k-38k if that’s a useful benchmark).
Construction work is down the pan now.
I’ve been told to avoid tipper work like the plague as you’ll be run ragged.
I don’t know if they’re running bent all the time, I assume some are as the concept of enforcement is an alien one here. The Gardai know a bit about weight and speeds, but they might not understand the squiggly lines on a tacho chart
I was also told by one agency that they were getting out of driver stuff as companies were wasting their time and calling off a search a few days later as they already had found someone. Doorstepping TMs would be the way to go. You should be fine with experience. I’ve also heard that some companies insurers won’t touch PL / CZ / LT drivers from past experience of claims. Horses for courses.
Do a bit of homework first before making a decision.
Wages are a bit better than that. Stay away from the big companys and any dublin port haulier bar maybe eucon and jp ryan. Tesco Ireland have alot of drivers and are always lookin for drivers. Youll have €700 home for 4 x 12 hr days. Thy also run better trucks than uk, all high roof with horns and side skirts. If your thinking of becoming a driver in Ireland Dublin is not the place with the best jobs, the worst in reality.
Thanks lads
A mate of mine is a Taxi man in Waterford and says the economy has receeded a bit recently do you get that feeling living in Ireland as i do here in the UK
dessy:
Thanks lads
A mate of mine is a Taxi man in Waterford and says the economy has receeded a bit recently do you get that feeling living in Ireland as i do here in the UK
That happened 12 months ago. Things are nice and steady now just the way i like it 
I don’t have that recession feeling (yet), but then again the Euro is very strong at the moment (probably overvalued 30%).
Then again you never know what is round the corner…
Quality of life is just as important as work.
Bring a motor in with you that you’ve already owned and used for 6 months. Do a transfer of residence on it and providing you keep it for another 12 months you won’t pay VRT, you’ll need a bag load of bank statements and paperwork, but VRT on a motor is the biggest scam going here.
your right about vrt max.
anyone thinking of moving over.
dont run on you foreign plate anymore than you should.
the customs are hot on this one.they would take the car off you without mercy.
the dublin dock carriers have always been bad payers and want all the hours in the day from you.
none of them pay on the hour for obvious reasons.
i remember back in the 80s when things were bad,
they all expected you to draw the dole and work at the same time.
1986 i was getting 30 punts a day.
it wasnt very good.
i couldnt afford to keep my house and was always late with electricity bill etc.
i touched lucky afterthat.
a year later i was getting 380 stg for italy.
this was good money in 1987.
we were doing an italy every week.
tachos.
dont go there.
stay away from dublin dock.
theres a lot of international hauliers only paying in the region of 110 euro per day.
we know whos at fault for this low wage.
i wouldnt go near them and i know a lot of them.
they want us westerners to driver for the same money.
i could have a choice of jobs in the morning,just a phone call away.
but i would starve rather than work for that.
get more stacking the shelves in aldi or lidl.
be very careful anyong moving over for the first time.
get on this forum and i or someone like max who is actually there will put you wise.
therte are some good companies there in all fairness…
i wont put their names up here,anyone want to know
pm me.
Thanks greg,mac and ellies dad.I’m just toying with the idea as my mrs and i were over in Belfast and Dublin last year to visit family and a bit of sightseeing and she fell in love with Ireland and so did my kids(they had never been before),Quality of life always comes to mind when back home as compared to UK and London especially.I don’t know much about the industry in Ireland but am aware of the “Internationals” would prefer to do Eire and Northern Ireland in country so Tesco Ireland sounds good,.Where is the best location to live for getting work IYOpinion.Maybe buy a house at somepoint or stay near family and friends already in Ireland i.e Co.Waterford or Belfast