Sir, – One response to the tragedy on the M9 – and the growing trend of intentionally driving in the wrong direction to evade gardaí and gain social media kudos – is to consider laying “tyre killers” on all slip roads entering high-speed routes.
They mandate weight-activated flow in the authorised direction, but tyres are automatically punctured, immobilising the vehicle if driven in the prohibited direction. They can be remotely controlled and deactivated should that become necessary for emergency access, etc. A small management plan in response to an enormous tragedy? – Yours, etc,
MORGAN McMONAGLE,
Vascular & trauma surgeon,
RM Block
University Hospital Waterford.
Sir, – Surely technology has a part to play in mitigating the risk of motorway joyriders? If a car is detected entering a motorway the wrong way, can a special series of alert lights begin flashing, to warn motorists ahead? Can electronic signs not warn motorists to pull over and stop their cars?
Such simple innovations may have helped the Carlow family avoid disaster. Furthermore, can road spikes not be remotely activated? The road spikes could be designed in a way that they flatten for cars travelling the right way, and stand rigid for cars travelling the wrong way. – Yours, etc,
HUGH GOLDEN,
Finglas,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – I refer to three letters on August 18th where each of the writers points blame at the social media companies, the Garda and Minister for Justice as well as Irish politicians as a whole.
The next logical step would then be to blame the car manufacturers.
The only blame that should be ascribed in these incidents should be at the perpetrators, and where under 18, their parents. – Yours, etc,
COLIN O’REGAN,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – The five young men killed on the M9 over the weekend died in a horrific way and have been denied the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and reach their potential in life. The sheer waste is beyond sad. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN QUIGLEY,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – While it is good news to hear the Garda is going to get pursuit training, what is going to be done about social media companies airing content of joyriders driving recklessly?
If I have a conversation about wombats, you can guarantee I’ll have social media content or advertising related to wombats the following day, so don’t tell me these companies can’t stop this type of content if they wanted to.
Maybe it’s time Europe went to war, not against a country, but against social media. – Yours, etc,
SINÉAD HAMILL,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – For some time I have thought social media a misnomer. It should be ascribed as “antisocial media”. Young people no longer speak to each other but converse via apps. Many walkers are absorbed in their phones and miss social interactions. In the areas we used to convene for socialising, ie pubs and restaurants, social media dominates.
Social media is dominated by vitriolic exchanges and confrontational language. Most devastating is the trend for the tragic mayhem on roads with fatal outcomes driven by posting online. This not social media but antisocial media and needs to be curbed. Yours, etc,
OWEN McKEON,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.
