News: Out on the road!

Road to Glenveagh

Gardai to clap down on dangerous driving, and irresponsible boy racers, and people with illegal mods done to their cars, hopefully things like those feckin' compressors that make so much bloody noise especially late at night!

http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/donegalnews/Garda-vowed-to-continue-crack.6696900.jp

"We operate what is virtually zero tolerance policy. We just do not let any offence go ignored. We didn't ignore anything and that was our instructions, regardless how trivial or how menial they are. The only way these guys will learn is through education and the only way to teach the guys who do not have the life experiences or the education, is through harsh enforcement," Insp. Harrison stated.

Did you know they now have seat belts on school buses? I didn't. Does it surprise you that most of the wee'un's don't use 'em? All it taks is a collision at 40mph and everyone on the bus not belted in is going to go flying.
http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/donegalnews/Seatbelt-scandal.6696918.jp

As few as one in ten teenagers here are wearing seat belts on school buses and unless the trend changes a tragedy involving a school bus could happen on Donegal's roads, it has been warned.

Garda spot checks are being carried out to highlight the problem and the Donegal Road Safety Working Group has warned the possibility of withdrawing bus passes from students who don't wear seat belts could happen.

A farmer up in Convoy has 2 expensive 4x4 quad bikes stolen in the middle of the night:
http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/donegalnews/Quads-stolen.6696911.jp

It is understood that the bikes were driving away from the shed at approximately 4.30am yesterday morning and it is likely they were then loaded into a get away vehicle such as a lorry or van.

Speaking to the Democrat last evening Mr Gregg said the quads had been locked in a shed on his premises and the thieves forced their way inside and drove the bikes away up a back lane.

And in nearby Raphoe, a couple's caravan was stole, and it's scuppered their plans to finish work on their house:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12237402

A young couple's efforts to restore a 400-year-old cottage in Raphoe in County Donegal have been jeopardised after thieves stole their caravan worth 10,000 euro.

Helen Hancock and Ian Holyoak were about to sell it to pay for the property's thatched roof, but have now had to abandon their plans ...

"They had to bring a spare wheel as one was tied to the gas tank," she said.

"I felt so secure here, but since this happened I haven't been able to sleep at night. It's so sad."

The Avondale touring caravan was taken sometime over the weekend. The couple had lived in it for two years. Recently, it had been used as a home for volunteers from across the world who were working on the restoration project.

I'd bet these crimes are connected, and possibly by some gang who nip back'n'forth across the border. So if you saw a few quads around 4am, or a caravan toddling about the place in the middle of the night; call the Gardai and tell where you saw it! It might help them narrow down where they went, and whom stole them.

The photo above is one I took on the old road from near Churchhill to Glenveagh. The start is near Derek Hill's gallery which is well worth the visit if your near there. You can't drive the road, but it's a lovely 6k walk to Glenveagh, mostly downhill too (but then you need to walk back!). :)

Original posting at Donegal Friends.