Truck Protest
Sep. 19th, 2005 10:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lostcarparkI took the car today because I need to get a couple of places that are difficult by public transport.
So I got on the M1, turned the radio on, and immediately got a report about a protest by truck drivers who were driving slowly down the M1, and were planning to tour the city centre, ending up outside government buildings, as a protest about the price of fuel. Great timing on my part!
I caught up with the convoy around Malahide, and at that point the truck drivers seemed to be well behaved, keeping to the left lane and letting traffic pass without too many problems. It did look quite impressive to see the line of trucks, though it didn't take very long to pass - the radio report estiomated 40-50, but I'd say it was on the lower end of that scale. The motorway seemed a bit busier than usual, but then I don't often use it during rush hour. I hit traffic, as expected at the port tunnel, and sat with little movement for the next half hour or so. There was a fairly heavy Garda (Police) presence, so any thoughts of nipping up the bus lane (not that I would do such a thing) were quickly dispelled.
Personally, I have little sympathy for their cause. Ireland has the lowest fuel tax in the EU, and every other operator has the same problems. If the road hauliers put up their prices, their customers have little choice but to pay. If the hauliers can afford to absorb the increased fuel costs, then they were already raking in big profits, and if they can't, then neither can their competitors. I suspect that less than fifty trucks were taking part demonstrates that most of their industry have realised they've never had it so good, and moaning will get them nowehere.
The truckers later passed our office on the quays, making lots of noise as they did.
On the plus side, I did one of my drop-offs on the way in, and found a route from there to the office that seemed much less congested than the way I usually would go. Still sticking to the train for general travel, though.
So I got on the M1, turned the radio on, and immediately got a report about a protest by truck drivers who were driving slowly down the M1, and were planning to tour the city centre, ending up outside government buildings, as a protest about the price of fuel. Great timing on my part!
I caught up with the convoy around Malahide, and at that point the truck drivers seemed to be well behaved, keeping to the left lane and letting traffic pass without too many problems. It did look quite impressive to see the line of trucks, though it didn't take very long to pass - the radio report estiomated 40-50, but I'd say it was on the lower end of that scale. The motorway seemed a bit busier than usual, but then I don't often use it during rush hour. I hit traffic, as expected at the port tunnel, and sat with little movement for the next half hour or so. There was a fairly heavy Garda (Police) presence, so any thoughts of nipping up the bus lane (not that I would do such a thing) were quickly dispelled.
Personally, I have little sympathy for their cause. Ireland has the lowest fuel tax in the EU, and every other operator has the same problems. If the road hauliers put up their prices, their customers have little choice but to pay. If the hauliers can afford to absorb the increased fuel costs, then they were already raking in big profits, and if they can't, then neither can their competitors. I suspect that less than fifty trucks were taking part demonstrates that most of their industry have realised they've never had it so good, and moaning will get them nowehere.
The truckers later passed our office on the quays, making lots of noise as they did.
On the plus side, I did one of my drop-offs on the way in, and found a route from there to the office that seemed much less congested than the way I usually would go. Still sticking to the train for general travel, though.
