Terrified residents speak out against two-decade long spate of dangerous driving

CONCERNS over dangerous driving in Falcarragh have reached new heights as residents claim the situation has become unbearable, with dangerous driving behaviour taking place nearly every weekend for the past two decades.

The terrified residents spoke to the Donegal News about recent incidents outside their homes including reckless driving, dangerous stunts like “diffing” and doing donuts on the national road, as well as the throwing of fireworks, which have led to growing fear locally.

They described how groups of up to ten cars or more gather in the car park of the national school on the main road going into the town.

For one resident whose home is less than 20 meters from where they regularly gather, the issue has been an ongoing nightmare.

“Every other weekend, they’re out there.”

“We’re all terrified,” said the resident, who asked to remain anonymous.

Another resident, who also lives near the main road, has witnessed the escalation of this dangerous behaviour to “a different level altogether”.

Last week, the Donegal News reported that gardaí were investigating a gathering of motorists engaging in alleged dangerous and illegal manoeuvres in Falcarragh.

A shocking video of the dangerous driving outside the primary school on the N56 was widely shared on social media. It showed two cars being chased by Gardaí, with one speeding past onlookers who recorded the incident.

“A vehicle failed to stop when Gardaí attended the location,” a Garda spokesperson said.

On another occasion in recent weeks, residents described fireworks being thrown toward their homes, making it seem like a “shower of hailstones” as the fireworks struck their roof.

ALARMING INCIDENT

Last Christmas, residents also witnessed an alarming incident which involved tying a tire and cone to cars and setting them on fire before performing stunts on the main road to see which car could put out the fire.

One resident described regularly looking out the window of their home at night and not being able to see the nearby school from the black smoke plummeting from the cars gathered.

One woman, according to the residents, is so fearful that her grandchildren refuse to visit her because of the cars racing through the area at night.

The concerned residents explained that the gathering of cars and the dangerous driving is “generational” and has been going on for over 20 years.

“There used to be a few fellas coming down and pulling their handbrakes and doing donuts, but at this stage things have escalated to a different level of danger.”

“Where is the parental responsibility?” one asked.

“What do the parents think their kids are doing at half-past two in the morning… in their cars with illegal plates and tinted windows?”

“The bizarre thing is if something did happen and some young fella was killed down there, I would probably be asked why didn’t you report it.

“I’m sick of reporting it”

They said local authorities have been informed repeatedly, with the resident claiming to have reported the dangerous driving to both An Garda Síochána and local councillors.

One resident stressed that he has reported them so many times that his number was saved to the PULSE system and gardaí knew him by name when he called to make a complaint.

But the residents feel little action has been taken.

“To me the gardaí are taking no action at all.”

“They make a big splash once a year in Letterkenny when the rally is on, after that traffic enforcement in Donegal is at an all-time low.”

Despite the heavy Garda presence over the recent bank holiday weekend, one resident reported hearing cars racing and doing donuts by Monday evening.

He said they “laid low” during the weekend, but it didn’t last.

TRAGEDY

“I’ve told the Gardaí there’s going to be a tragedy if this isn’t stopped,” the second resident added.

One said the local sergeant is doing his best, but “he has no manpower to address this”.

Both residents claimed that when they voiced their concerns to a local councillor, they were told that the issue was a “cultural thing”.

This explanation was met with frustration.

“That’s wrong,” one of the residents stressed.

“This is not a cultural thing; it’s downright thuggery and anti-social behaviour at the highest degree.”

In a bid to curb dangerous driving, councillors in the Glenties MD have made calls to reopen a stock car track located between the parishes of Gaoth Dobhair and Chloich Cheann Fhaola.

They believe this would give young people an alternative to the main roads, providing them with a safe and controlled environment to drive.

But the residents are wholly opposed to this, describing it as a “waste of time” as it won’t be open in the early hours of the morning when the cars gather near their homes.

One recalled when the track was open a number of years ago and he said when it closed in the evening, “they came over here and carried out what they learned to do at the track.”

One said to him it makes no sense at all, “it’s only going to be a training ground for them.”

Having witnessed the ongoing problem for years, the residents are calling on the Gardaí to implement a targeted strategy to address the issue, describing the area as a “hotspot” for dangerous driving.

When asked by this newspaper what measures are being taken to address both the dangerous driving and the anti-social behaviour in Falcarragh, a spokesperson for the gardaí said they cannot comment on remarks made by third parties.