As reported on RTÉ News, it’s the end of the road for (unaccompanied) unlicensed drivers as it’s now illegal (as of midnight, Monday night) to drive on your own unless you’re fully licensed – and damn right too.

That’s not to say that Irish people won’t moan about this – sure where would we be if we didn’t have something to moan about?
(… Jersey?) One common excuse is bound to be the old “we didn’t get enough warning” chestnut which, I’m afraid, is bollocks. The longest driving test back-log that I’ve heard of was 6-8 weeks (it’s come down a LOT recently) and this new law was announced over 6 months ago, so the truth behind that excuse was being too forgetful or lazy to bother applying for the test not not having enough time !

As I said last October, I’m glad I have my full license myself. I felt sorry for learner drivers back then, but that was because it seemed as if the laws were going to be introduced very quickly and not in fact many months later. I don’t feel sorry for them now as they’ve had a more than adequate chance to sort themselves out with a test.

We’ve always had one of the most lax “ah sure it’s grand” style attitudes towards learner driver laws in the world. As I said in a recent TV interview, it’s always been a case of “just send away for the piece of paper, it arrives in the post and out you go on the road”. This law plugs a gap that has been open for far too long. I’m sure it’ll reduce the number of cars on the roads (better for the environment!) and will annoy a lot of people – well, unlicensed drivers (who have no excuse anyway…) but as long as it helps reduce the level of carnage, it’s worth it.

In related news, I’m closing ShiteDrivers.com. The domain name is due to expire on July 18th and unless someone takes it off my hands well before that, that’s the end of it.

Love this. Found it via Damien’s fluffies:

Weezer and over 200 fans performing Radiohead’s “Creep” all together at a special ‘Hootenanny’ in Portland, Oregon:

(Warning: Bad language. Well… the word “fucking” is in the song.)

In other news, I’m planning to close ShiteDrivers.com as it seems to have run its course and I’ve done all I can do with it. Anbody want the domain?

I always thought I had a face for radio… Well now, that face for radio will be seen on TV as I’ve been invited to take part, as a representative of the ShiteDrivers.com web site, in a televised panel discussion programme to be screened on UTV!

It’s being recorded in their Belfast studios this Friday afternoon (May 2nd), so it’s northward-bound with me on the Enterprise on Friday morning!

The programme is about young drivers and ‘boy racers’ in Northern Ireland. If anyone reading this is interested in taking part too, read this. I’ve never been to Belfast before, nevermind to the studios of UTV… should be interesting!