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It’s that time of year again.

Our showpiece event of the year will take place,again within the grounds of Arklow Rugby Club.

We’ll have live music,bouncy castles & a BBQ.

All are welcome.
 
McRae at 50: memories of a fellow Scot

https://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/august-2018/mcrae-at-50/page/5641--12-12-.html

Sunday (August 5) would have been the 50th birthday of Colin McRae. WRC All Live reporter and fellow Scot Colin Clark penned a personal tribute to the 1995 world champion:

“Scotland is a small country, less than 10 per cent of the population of England, but in motorsport we punch above our weight. Perhaps our greatest motorsport hero, certainly the greatest of my generation, was Colin McRae.

I wasn’t fortunate enough to be at stage ends when Colin was doing what many thought impossible for a Brit - winning rallies and world titles and rewriting the record books. I say unfortunate, but in some ways I was the fortunate one. I was a fan!
My early memories of Colin are as a sporting God and national icon. So you can imagine how I felt when I had the privilege of meeting him in a professional capacity. I was starstruck. I don’t lack confidence and rarely feel nerves, but on this occasion I’ll admit to a few butterflies.
It was Wales Rally GB 2005 and Colin was making a surprise WRC comeback with Skoda. I was close to the end of the Epynt stage, hoping some drivers might stop on the liaison section to give me a few words.
Thankfully I got the biggest prize. Seeing me standing there, furiously waving my microphone at him, Colin stopped. Excitement levels went into overdrive! No one other than another excitable Scot would have understood my garbled, slightly hysterical question but the great man did, and answered with his usual laconic charm.
I even managed a follow up which Colin had every right to ignore - but he didn’t. He answered that, too, with remarkable good grace and patience. Then he drove off and I had a memory that will stay with me forever.
There are other great memories, like the time in Australia at the end of 2005 when Colin came desperately close to an unlikely podium for Skoda.
It sadly wasn’t to be and Colin retired early to the Irish bar across the road from rally HQ in Perth with wife Alison and a few friends.
By the time I got to the bar, fully kilted in preparation for the end of season dinner, Colin was a little merry. Seeing my kilt and recognising another true Scot, he came up to me and lifted my kilt - exposing me to the eyes of all and sundry!
And he was horrified! Fearing for my modesty amongst a predictably rowdy end of term WRC crowd, I turned my back on national tradition and put on my finest boxer shorts under my kilt. Apparently as I walked in, he bet one of his Aussie mates that I would be wearing my kilt as every Scot should, with nothing underneath.
He lost his bet and worse than that, he lost it to an Aussie. His revenge was to be swift and brutal. The boxers had to come off!
Colin positioned himself on one side of me, while Alison took up station on the other. Somehow my skean dhu, a small ceremonial knife worn with the kilt, was in Colin’s hand. I was hoisted aloft by my boxers.
The discomfort and embarrassment was extreme. But worse was to come. Colin put the skean dhu to good use, cutting off my best tartan boxer shorts.
He had his trophy, my now shredded boxers and my modesty, both left unceremoniously on the beer stained floor of O’Neills Irish Bar in Perth!
I always knew Colin was more than a bit unique. And he always will be.”
 
Who you recon won the race? :icon_grin:

SPEEDING MOTORISTS

Police Scotland is asking for the help of the motoring public in relation to an incident which happened on the southbound carriageway of the A74(M) between junctions 16 (Johnstonebridge) and 19 (Ecclefechan) at around 12.15 pm on Sunday 5 August 2018.

At that time a traffic patrol car travelling south observed four cars, also travelling south, and which appeared to be travelling at excessive speed. The vehicles, a blue coloured BMW M6, an orange coloured Nissan GTR, a red coloured Audi S5 and a grey coloured Porsche GT3 were unable to be stopped at the time by the traffic patrol.


Sergeant Leigh McCulloch of the Trunk Roads Policing Group said "these four cars were observed by officers travelling south and it is suspected that they were travelling in convoy. The speed of these vehicles was recorded as being more than double the legal limit for the motorway. Clearly speed to this level on a public road is totally inappropriate and I am appealing to anyone who may have been on the A74(M) to call us if they can help us identify these vehicles, or indeed on any other roads south of Ecclefechan in the lower Annandale area during early Sunday afternoon. Motorists with any dashcam footage which might help are also asked to call us at Lockerbie on the 101 number, quoting the reference 2124 of 5/8.
 
The Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally takes place on Sat 1st December and is recognised Internationally as Irelands premier Historic Rally, it attracts a huge amount of quality competitors every year and is Ireland’s only event to cater solely for historic rally cars. It is included as counting rounds of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, The Kingdom of Kerry Rally Championship, The British HRCR Rally Championship and The Plasticbags Southern 4 Rally Championship. The Event is expected to attract over 150 crews from all over Ireland, the UK and indeed Europe.
 
:54:
Rally Germany 2006, how the Subaru World Rally Team brought Petter's car back to life:
At 1105hrs on Thursday 10 August Petter set off for his fifth pass through Rally Germany's 3.3km shakedown stage.
At 1118hrs the team's sporting director, Luis Moya, received a telephone call from Petter's co-driver Phil Mills - his first words were "it's a mess".
Their car had gone off the road near the finish line and had hit some trees. Petter and Phil were uninjured but the car was going nowhere.
The stage was stopped, Petter and Phil got out of the seats and the team started work on a plan…
1123hrs
Team co-ordinator Ken Rees and two technicians (including Petter's No.1 tech, Steve Whitehead) drive one the team's Subaru Legacy estate cars to the accident scene.
The technicians make an initial damage assessment, put a cover over the car and stay with it. Ken and the drivers return to the service area.
1204hrs
Petter's car is brought to the team's service area on the back of a breakdown truck. Using trolley jacks and muscle power, 15 technicians drag it into the service area.
Privacy screens are put up, the car cover comes off and the team's senior engineers get their first proper look at the damage.
1219hrs
If the car is unsafe, Petter's rally is over. Operations Director Paul Howarth, Petter's engineer FX Demaison and Steve Whitehead make an inch-by-inch inspection of the most critical component, the roll cage.
Despite data loggers confirming an initial impact of 15g, the cage is undamaged. A group of 10 Subaru World Rally Team technicians start to remove damaged panels and components.
1257hrs
FIA technical delegate Jerome Touquet checks the roll cage and confirms the car is suitable for repair.
1326hrs
Nineteen hours and two minutes before it is due to leave for the first stage, the car is being broken apart. As components come off, the scale of the repair job becomes clearer.
Already on the replacement parts list are the engine (cam belt mechanism broken in impact) gearbox (bell housing cracked) left-front wing, bonnet, headlights, radiator pack (including mounting panel) front and rear bumpers,
left-rear inner and outer wheel arches, left-rear sill, left-rear door, boot-lid, rear lights, seatbelts, HANS straps, wheel hubs, suspension uprights, prop-shaft, rear differential and all electronic control units (ECU's).
1406hrs
The car is stripped of major mechanical components. Measurements confirm that the engine and gearbox were pushed back in the accident.
Technicians assemble the team's mobile chassis jig and start work on getting the bodyshell straight. Initial straightening is made using a mixture of 6lb lump hammers and 16lb sledge hammers.
More delicate adjustments are carried out with ratchet straps, chains and hydraulic rams.
1722hrs
The front chassis legs are perfectly straight. The split left-rear chassis leg has been welded together and the inner boot floor and rear arch are repaired.
A new outer wheel arch panel and sill cover is bonded to the shell. Up to 20 technicians are working on the repair job. Groups of technicians rotate to keep fresh and alert. Re assembly begins.
1735hrs
Engine, gearbox, propshaft and rear differential are fitted. Work starts on fitting suspension components, drive shafts and plumbing in the engine and gearbox.
2008hrs
Official start ceremony in Trier city centre. In front of thousands of fans, competitors drive over the start ramp. Wearing their racing overalls, Petter and Phil walk over.
2240hrs
A new radiator cross member and headlight mounting panel arrive with a courier who has driven from the team's base in the UK. Up to 17 technicians are working on the car.
Just before he goes to bed, Solberg gets a telephone update from Howarth - he thinks there is a 90 per cent chance the car will be ready to go in the morning. The engine is started for the first time.
0000hrs
With eight and a half hours remaining. Eight technicians leave Bostalsee for the team hotel and some sleep. Engine engineer Vincent Dumarski, data engineer Charles Hodge, Demaison, Whitehead, Howarth and three technicians stay on.
Work is concentrated on the body shell, engine and transmission.
0145hrs
First road test. Howarth and Hodge take the car on a 35km test drive and systems check on the roads around Bostalsee.
0230hrs
Back to the service area and the flat patch. The alignment is double checked and suspension settings applied (chosen by Petter after his fourth pass through the shakedown stage). Final inspections and spanner checks are made.

0329hrs
Finished. Car cover goes on. Faced with a 1.5hr round trip to the hotel, Howarth and the other workers catch some sleep in the team's trucks.
0630hrs
Solberg's event crew arrives in service. A fresh group of technicians inspect the car and prepare it for the first group of stages. Since shakedown, almost every part of the car (except the body shell and wiring loom) has been replaced.
Eighty nine new components or sub assemblies have been fitted. From start to finish, the repair job has taken more than 300 man-hours.
0730hrs
Solberg arrives in service and hugs each of his technicians.
0838hrs
Solberg leaves service and starts the rally on time.
 
Variable speed limits will be introduced on the M50 to avoid gridlock

The M50 is riddled with accidents every single day

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/m50-variable-speed-limits-traffic-15286736


Variable speed limits will soon be introduced on the M50 to avoid gridlock on Ireland's busiest motorway.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland are to introduce variable speed limits between 60km/h and 80km/h, according to the Times of Ireland.
This, they hope, will reduce the risks of incidents on the M50 where the speed limit is currently 100km/h.

A spokesperson said: "Variable speed limits also help in reducing the stop-start actions of motorists when driving."
Under the new measures the speed limits would be able to be changed throughout the day depending on how busy traffic is.
Ireland’s busiest motorway has seen more than 5,100 traffic accidents since the start of last year.

Dublin’s M50 witnessed 243 incidents a month, figures by Transport Infrastructure Ireland confirmed.
There were 23 cases of drivers falling ill at the wheel, while in 25 instances, somebody called for help but there was nobody on the line.
 
Don't see it working to be honest.

Any morning I'm on that road , it's poor driving that causes the tail backs .
The amount of people trying to force their way from a slip road onto lane 3 in one move is amazing.
Or the shear stupidity of people who come down the slip road only to stop at the broken white line and wait for someone to stop to let them out into traffic flow .
And why is the road so much better during summer holidays and mid term breaks , surely the mother's of Ireland rushing to collect their little angels can't cause so much trouble, even though the rules of the road don't apply to them as collecting a child from school is as good as an emergency service in their eyes .
Gardai should be able to patrol the roads effectively and people should be able to drive properly , it's not that difficult .
Also what ever is wrong with lane 1 must be sorted . Nobody wants to drive on it but will happily sit in lane 2 doing 80kmph , usually someone with a N plate :facepalm:
 
this sounds serious:


A REAL THREAT TO EUROPIEAN MOTORSPORT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=3lN6Lfm0RA0

https://www.the-mia.com/VNUK?fbclid=IwAR3AhRCJEqKioU1_usErGQEmTxXy4KEACpme3IPx1ku1wVYgrc15WDWq_3s

SUMMARY

How does the May 2018 European Motor Insurance Directive threaten motorsport?
New proposals, made in May 2018, to amend the European Motor Insurance Directive (MID) are currently under review by the European Commission (EC). The text will be voted on by both the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union before the end of 2018 and, unless amended, will mean the end of motorsport throughout the EU.
This latest review follows the “Vnuk” ruling made by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in September 2014. This ruling required all EU Member States to ensure compulsory unlimited third-party liability insurance is carried by anyone using any form of motorised transport, in any location – including motorsport.
In May 2018, the EC clarified that this new MID would apply to “any use of a vehicle, consistent with its normal function as a means of transport, irrespective of the terrain on which the motor vehicle is used and whether it is stationary or in motion”. So, any motorsport vehicle (Formula One, Moto GP, race or rally car, motorcycle, go-kart, speedway, drag, etc) must carry insurance which covers personal injury to other competitors AND car to car /bike to bike damage to competitor’s vehicles during any event, anywhere in the EU
However, there is no such motorsport insurance available in the EU which meets the compulsory requirements of the Motor Insurance Directive (MID). Insurance Market specialists, who underwrite the majority of insurance for motorsport across the EU, make it clear that no effective market can, or will in the future, write insurance to meet the specified levels of liability.
To be clear - when this new MID is actively enforced by the laws of each EU State, it will be illegal to race or compete as the compulsory motor insurance required will not be available for vehicles taking part.

How can this serious Threat be overcome?
The European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union, will vote on the text of this May 2018 Motor Insurance Directive proposal at the end of 2018. This Directive can be amended or rejected by either MEPs or Council members before the final text is adopted – to save European motorsport it must be amended.
All involved in motorsport can demand the text be amended to exclude motorsport in one of two ways:

  • The Directive should state that obligatory insurance will apply “only to vehicles used in traffic”. Vehicles used during motorsport events, on circuits or closed roads, would therefore not require the new level of insurance.
  • The Directive should clarify that, as the use of a motorsport vehicle in competition is clearly not its ‘normal function as a means of transport’, then they are exempt.
Either, or both, of these simple amendments will allow motorsport to continue in all EU Member States.

What can I do to keep European motorsport alive? – ACT BEFORE 1st DECEMBER 2018
This immediate threat to jobs and businesses can be overcome if motorsport organisations and motorsport employers, across all EU States, individually, and collectively, send a strong, clear message demanding these amendments to the EU Motor Insurance Directive before it is adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
If you are a motorsport-based business or employee in the EU, write to your MEP and your national government and explain to them the catastrophic effect this Directive will have on your business, jobs, the motorsport industry and sport. Share the amendments above and ask them to propose these being made in the text to save EU motorsport.
The MIA has prepared a template message (in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German) which may help you write to your MEP and national government.
 
m50 today

i was northbound on the m50 today and the traffic was shite it was when i got close to either the finglas or ballymun passover there was a woman on the bridge above me thretning to jump she was on the outside of the rail just over the middle lane ,i realy feel sorry for her there was 3 people trying to talk sense into her but some wonker in front of me started taking pictures of her as where most which caused huge delays i got out and gave out to him and told him he was scum and he sped off then ahead the road was clear ,jesus whats the world coming too ,,its getting like america
 
[h=1]Automatic disqualification for drink-driving to be implemented from midnight[/h]https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/1025/1006667-drink-driving/?fbclid=IwAR0XuqqR4jaGkt631ZMxAUQw7o7lHI3FLALF7Ya3us_qc742_Qm5tb076cA

A new provision that will see drink-drivers facing an automatic disqualification from the road will be implemented from midnight.
The Minister for Transport announced the commencement of the drink-driving provisions of the Road Traffic Act this afternoon.


Speaking at the launch, Minister Shane Ross described the measure as a significant step to clamp down on drink-driving.
Minister Ross said it was "always wrong to give people the mild slap on the wrist of three penalty points for such lethal behaviour".
He accused some of his Oireachtas colleagues of trying to delay the provision by playing irresponsible parliamentary games.
The bill was passed in July, but it had been delayed for several months due to the strong opposition mounted by a small number of TDs from the Rural Independent Group.
In brief, what do the new drink driving laws mean?
Drivers detected by a member of An Garda Síochána with between 50 milligrammes and 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine, or 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, will be disqualified from holding a driving licence for a period of 3 months and receive a fine of €200.
 
Subaru Back In The WRC?

Subaru is reportedly working on a new subcompact hatchback for entry in the 2020 World Rally Championship season.

Japanese publication Spyder7, which regularly publishes allegedly leaked materials, claims that Subaru's brand has suffered in Europe as a result of its withdrawal from the WRC in 2008 and that Toyota's success in the 2018 season is tempting Subaru back. To match the more compact Yaris WRC, Subaru would need a smaller vehicle than its current WRX, and as such, it is claimed that Subaru's car in development is a subcompact, or B-segment vehicle per European terminology.

Subaru allegedly will launch the vehicle in 2019. Japanese organizers are reportedly bidding to get the country onto the race calendar during the same year as the 2020 Summer Olympics, to be held in Tokyo.

This timeline aligns with the WRX's reported refresh schedule, as the aging model is said to be due for an overhaul in 2020. With this redesign, the model will reportedly ride on Subaru's Global Platform, according to Automotive News.

Once the darling model of Subaru, the Impreza and its once-associated WRX variant are now too bulky to be competitive in the WRC. The WRX was refreshed in 2014, but many argue that Subaru has allowed its powertrain to become dated due to a lack of competition in the compact sports sedan segment. Subaru has seemingly acknowledged waning interest in the model with a barrage of special editions sold in both the United States and its home market of Japan, such as the TC 380.

How much the rumored upcoming WRC entry candidate will have in common with another of Subaru's rumored enthusiast car programs—a mid-engined hybrid sports car—is unknown. Hypothetically, the hatchback body style could accommodate both front- and mid-engined powertrain configurations, though we doubt the latter.

The Drive contacted Subaru for comment, though the automaker declined, as its policy is not to discuss potential future models.

http://www.thedrive.com/accelerator...g-a-subcompact-hatch-for-2020-wrc-competition
 
Colm nows the time to hit the market:

[h=1]Drivers who install dash cams will now get insurance discount[/h] [h=2]Move an attempt to cut down on fraudulent claims[/h]https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/drivers-who-install-dash-cams-will-now-get-insurance-discount-37526616.html

Motorists who are prepared to use a dash cam in their car will be given a discount on their insurance.
The move by Axa is part of a plan to cut down on fraudulent injury claims.
It comes after plans by the Garda to target uninsured drivers were welcomed by the Road Safety Authority.
Axa Ireland is offering motorists discounts of 10pc on their cover if they fit dash cams to their cars. The insurer has partnered with camera company Nextbase in the hope the use of the technology will make it easier to establish liability in the event of a crash.
Nextbase will also match this with a 10pc discount on its dash cams bought in retailers Halfords, DID, Powercity, Expert Electrical, Micksgarage.com, Euronics Electrical, Soundstore and Sam McCauley nationwide.
Axa said the use of a dash-board camera could help protect a customer's no-claims discount after a non-fault collision.
"Dash cam footage can be crucial in establishing who was at fault as the camera doesn't lie," the insurer said.
Nextbase dash cams cost between €69.99 and €299.99.
Axa director Antoinette McDonald said: "Dash cams offer a great way for drivers to get extra peace of mind when they are on the road and can be helpful to resolve issues when liability is disputed."
There are claims that in-car cameras improve the driving habits of motorists.
A study by the RAC in the UK found that 25pc of drivers believe that fitting a dash cam will improve their driving.

Some seven out of 10 of those who have had an accident have said that a dash cam would have been useful in settling the liability claim.
Meanwhile, the Road Safety Authority has welcomed the fact gardaí will soon be able to use hand-held devices to scan vehicles and check if they are insured.
Chief executive of the authority Moyagh Murdock said: "There is generally a small cohort of people out there who are serial offenders in a number of areas of road traffic legislation.
"I think this is a very welcome move and I hope that An Garda Síochána gets the correct and appropriate resourcing for it and that the funding and resources are there to give all gardaí a hand-held device to do this."
The new system is set to be up and running by the end of the year. The devices will be linked to the new national database of cars and insurance cover.
Insurance companies have been providing gardaí with lists of insured and uninsured vehicles which are being loaded on to the Garda automatic number plate recognition system.
Initial testing of the system has been completed and it is hoped it will be rolled out by the end of the year.
It will see gardaí able to use hand-held devises to scan a number plate to see if a vehicle is insured when they pull over a car on the road.
The move is an attempt to clamp down on the numbers taking to the roads without insurance. Experts said the use of the technology will mean uninsured drivers will have nowhere to hide.
It is estimated there are around 150,000 uninsured drivers.
If it works to reduce the number of uninsured drivers the measure is expected to lead to demands from drivers that insurers cut premiums.
Motorists who pay for insurance have to fund pay-outs for accidents caused by uninsured drivers through the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland.

Irish Independent
 
I heard this on the news yesterday. Currently i'm insured with Liberty and just for the craic i rang them up and currently they do not offer a discount on insurance policies. I guess over time this may change. But in the mean time highly recommend getting a camera from Colm. Great pieces of kits he offers and is always honest about what to go for that suits you rather than convince you to buy the most expensive. Be interested to see if other insurance companies jump on this too.
 
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