AA Online Poll

30kph speed limit for Dublin – do you think its a good idea? Click here for the AA online poll

In this Issue

Llama Drama at the Red Cow

Ultra Low Speed Limit For Central Dublin

Phoenix Park Road Closures

BRC Launch

AA Proposes Regulation of Private Clamping

Dublin Bikes

Home Insurance Prices Rising Sharply

AA Insurance Ladies Golf Championships

Lower Drink-Drive Limit Coming, but not in Time for Christmas

AA Poll Results

AA Members Club

Discounts on accommodation, shopping, insurance and car hire are just some of the great benefits and savings available to AA Members at home and when travelling abroad

Click below for further details

AA Members Club

Useful Links

AA Car Insurance - Online Quote

AA Travel Insurance

Car Data Check

Petrol Price Survey

Car Insurance

Visit our website

Welcome to the latest edition of AA News...

Welcome to the latest edition of AA News, the online newsletter from AA Ireland. Shortening days and lengthening traffic jams herald the arrival of Autumn. With schools and now colleges now fully back congestion is worsening and the morning commute is getting longer. On days when the weather is bad or when there is a traffic incident we can quickly find ourselves in gridlock. We are set for a busy season in other ways as well. Just over 180 people have died on the roads so far this year with statistically another 70 expected before the end of December. Horrific as it seems, those are good numbers compared to previous years. There is to be a new road traffic act published next month which will provide for reducing the drink drive limit and a number of other measures which will see the AA closely engaged with the Minister and the Department of Transport.

Please tell us what you think: If you have any views or any suggestions as to topics that we should cover please email me directly by clicking here publicaffairs@aaireland.ie

Conor Faughnan, Director of Policy, AA Ireland

Llama Drama at the Red Cow

Drivers on the M50 northbound had to look twice last week when a herd of five Llamas took a stroll along the M50 northbound between J10 Ballymount and J9 Red Cow Interchange. The major junction was closed for a while as, with a fair amount of huffing and puffing, Gardai and personnel from South Dublin Co. Council managed to control a potentially very dangerous situation.

Ultra Low Speed Limit For Central Dublin

From 31st January next Dublin City Council will introduce an ultra-low 30 kph speed limit across most of central Dublin. The affected area will stretch from St Stephen's Green to Dorset Street and from Merrion Square to Church Street. The North and South Quays are included between the Four Courts to the O2 (Point Depot). All traffic will be restricted to 30kph at all times. Will this affect you? Do you think it is a good idea?

Phoenix Park Road Closures

Major Closures are in place in Phoenix Park until the end of November and motorists are already feeling the impact to traffic on Carpenterstown Rd, Castleknock Rd and Knockmaroon Hill. Dublin commuters are urged to allow an extra 40 minutes journey time morning and evening for the duration of the works.

Breakdown Repair Cover takes the sting out of fixing the car...

The AA attends about 160,000 car breakdowns every year. You get all sorts of problems but the AA Patrol Force repairs almost 80% of cars on the spot and gets them back on the road. Impressive as this is, there are still plenty of cases where replacement parts and garage repairs are needed. Batteries, clutches, engines – they can mean big bills. Now the AA is offering Breakdown Repair Cover, a new service that will protect members against the unwelcome burden of unplanned and expensive car repairs. The AA asked members via our Member's Panel poll whether they would be interested in this service and the response was hugely positive.

To find out more about Breakdown Repair Cover, click here

AA Proposes Regulation of Private Clamping

We are quite used to the sight of clampers in many parts of Ireland. Mostly these are controlled by the local authority. Motorists may not love them but there is a need to keep parking spaces available and at least the local authority's charges are controllable and accountable. But private clampers are a different matter. They have become a scourge in Britain where their behaviour has been deplorable. We now have evidence of some bad practices creeping in here – as heard on the Joe Duffy Liveline programme recently. The AA has put forward a proposal to the Transport Minister to intervene before it gets worse and regulate the sector now.

Dublin Bikes

It's been a few weeks since "dublinbikes", Dublin's new bicycle rental scheme, arrived on the capital's streets. Beginning on 13 September, the distinctive grey and blue bikes have subsequently become a familiar sight on Dublin streets.

So what are they like to use? We asked the opinion of a member of staff, Joe Langan, AA Vehicle Inspections co-ordinator, who uses a dublinbike in his commute.

Home Insurance Prices Rising Sharply

Consumers are being hit with a dramatic rise in the cost of Home insurance this year. Prices are rising by 20% and more in some areas. We are being told prices are falling in the Irish economy, so what on Earth is happening?

Prices did fall for 4 consecutive years and this could not continue forever. In fact when you allow for the affect of inflation home insurance prices will still be lower in real terms after this year's price increases than they were last year. But that is not much consolation when you are looking at a household bill that is 20% higher than the last time it hit your doormat 12 months ago.

AA Insurance Ladies Golf Championships

The 2009 National Finals of the AA Insurance Ladies Golf Championships recently took place at the Royal Tara Golf Club on September 23rd to 26th 2009. The Royal Tara Golf Club has been recognised for its superb golfing facilities in recent years. The championship comprised of seven teams with a wide range of handicaps from Athenry, Ballycastle, Castletroy, Douglas, Dublin City, Edenmore and Enniscorthy.

Lower Drink-Drive Limit Coming, but not in Time for Christmas

The Government is planning to reduce Ireland's drink driving limit from 80 milligrams down to 50 milligrams. The law will be published in the coming weeks but is unlikely to be in place before the new year. The change would bring us into line with most of Europe but what the effect would be on the number of our road deaths is the subject of some heated debate, writes Conor Faughnan.

Motorists Have No sympathy for Drink Driver – AA Poll

Irish motorists have no sympathy for drink drivers and would favour harsher punishments for them, according to a poll of over 10,000 Irish drivers carried out by the AA. Over half (52%) of motorists would call the Garda if someone that they knew was about to drink and drive. 83% believe that drunk drivers should have their cars confiscated.

Click here to find out more