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A JUDGE HAS dismissed a no-insurance prosecution against an e-scooter owner after being told it is impossible for the third-level student to get insurance for the vehicle.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Cashin dismissed the no-insurance case against UL student, Mezis Emenikeonu (27) of The Courtyard Student Village, Castletroy, Limerick.
Cashin said that it was not safe to convict e-scooter drivers for no insurance as the Government is currently bringing in legislation to address the issues around e-scooter use.
Garda Ken Butler gave evidence of operating a speed check on the N18 going into Shannon on 29 July last year when he clocked Emenikeonu’s e-scooter going at a speed of 20km per hour driving up the hard-shoulder at the N18 at Clonmoney near Shannon.
A third-level student at the University of Limerick (UL) at the time, Emenikeonu was making his way to work at the local Supermac’s in Shannon.
Butler told Emenikeonu to stop and after Emenikeonu was unable to provide evidence of insurance or a licence, Garda Butler seized the e-scooter.
Emenikeonu’s solicitor Billy Loughnane said that he had no argument with Butler over the facts of the case.
However, Loughnane told Judge Cashin that it would be unfair to convict his client.
Loughnane told the court that “it was impossible for Mr Emenikeonu to obtain insurance for the e-scooter and is still impossible for him to get insurance”.
Loughnane said that it was in the programme for Government that road traffic legislation would be introduced for e-scooters.
He said: “The Government’s 2023 legislation on e-scooters hasn’t come into effect as secondary legislation is required and is to follow and it seems that won’t be ready until the end of year or early next year.”
Loughnane said that it cost Emenikeonu €150 to retrieve his e-scooter from the Gardaí but that he hasn’t used it since.
He also said that Emenikeonu usually got to Shannon from Limerick by bus and from the Shannon bus-stop to Supermacs by e-scooter.
Loughnane said on 29 July last, Emenikeonu got off the packed bus one stop early to make way for a wheelchair user and that is how he found himself e-scooting on the hard-shoulder leading into Shannon.
Loughnane said that the e-scooters have not been insurable before by insurance companies as they were not classified but they are now classified as powered personal transporters.
Judge Cashin stated that she was dismissing both the no insurance and no driving licence summons against Emenikeonu.
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I bought a Dacia from a dealer who advertised it as one owner , yes it was , however that owner was a well known Car rental company who was selling them used to dealers for 6.200 euro and the dealer was selling the for 12.000. there were dozens in the yard. another dealer told me I would never get anything on a future trade as the dealers were getting them for a song from rental companies. I brought it straight back to the dealer and contacted the Irish times and they eventually gave me back my money.
@Dáithí: happens with all car makes.
Rental companies lease for 6 months to 1 year.
That has always been the case it’s not something new.
Dealer does the lease supported by the manufacturer and then has a decent supply of used cars after the lease.
The car equivalent of wearing crocs !!
A dumbed down Renault.
@Don Juan: Thanks for that pointless bit of information.
@Roy Dowling: Every day’s a school day.
@Roy Dowling: have you arranged your Dacia appointment?
@Don Juan: You could say the same for The Nissan Qashqai which uses the same engine and much of the same running gear. It’s a fairly robust and proven 1.5 diesel that has been fitted to many marques.
@David McShite: not just the Qashqai. The commercial models in Renault and Nissan are all the same. The interior and exterior quality and finish on the Dacia is nasty, not so the Nissan. Rust is a problem, catalytic converter, and computer plus the recall issues.
Are Dacia built by Renault at it’s base or are they a separate cheaper identity in another Country. I am hearing that Dacia are a heap of junk and not to touch them . Mind you the very same was said with Fiat and Skoda before VW took took Skoda over many years ago
@Alan Scott: driving a Logan the last 2 years and love it. Far from junk.
@Alan Scott: I have a Duster Dacia. Never had a problem with it in 3 years. Very ecomonical to run. It is a basic car which does what it is susposed to do. You pay for what you get and if you want fancy then pay extra for it and it has a Renault engine.
@Alan Scott: I rented a Stepaway from Enterprise. Worst driving experience in my life the handling was all over the place the steering was as light as anything and the brakes had a mind of their own. I couldn’t wait to get rid of it there’s more metal in a tin of baked beans.
@Alan Scott: Built in Romania using Renault engines and running gear.
They utilise old tech rear drum brakes and rear leaf spring suspension if memory serves. All pretty solid stuff but not too fancy which jeeps the cost down.
Very few reliability issues given the simplicity of design and longevity of service of its proven parts.
Victim of a degree of badge snobbery more than any real issues.
@Alan Scott: Renault own Dacia.
@Alan Scott: Dacia are Renault built in Romania as far as I away. Renault engine and parts since they acquired Dacia a number of years ago.
With BMW and Mercedes recalling car as well can we really tar Dacia with the junk brush without throwing shade on other manufacturers?
@Alan Scott: Dacia and Renault are in bed together since the 1960′s. They used old Renault manufacturing lines
@Alan Scott: I’ve owned a diesel Dacia Logan MCV for the past 4.5 years and it’s never given me a day a of trouble despite me giving it some serious abuse and clocking up over 170,000 km. Fuel economy is an impressive 65+ mpg ( 4.3l per 100 km) as is it’s load carrying capacity. I’m certainly going to replace this one with the upgraded model in a couple of years.
@Alan Scott: there’s a hell of a difference between Skoda taken over by VW and Dacia being taken over by Renault.
@Alan Scott: Renault owns Dacia or at least has a massive stake it in they build in Romania, France in Europe. They are in a strategic partnership with Nissan and on Nissan’s side they also share parts and IP with Mitsubishi.
Fiat’s are no where near as bad as they used to be as it merged with GM and Panda/500 on which most of its cars are built are solid and so is the mutli air engine. Just don’t get a Punto. 0 out of 5 NCAP.
Point is it’s kind of hard to know what you are buying these days as they are all in bed together and use the same suppliers. Always ask someone who tells you classics like Fix it Again Tomorrow, or all french cars are bad how many of the cars they are bashing they’ve owned and listen to people who have had them. Also get it looked at by a mechanic you trust.
@Alan Scott: The Dacia Duster is sold as a Renault Duster in some markets. I suspect the branding has to do with sources and sales costs and distribution fees and stuff… and trade in values and sales discounts – so can be easier to keep the two brands separate. Not sure of the other models but a google search should reveal all… many car makers use different brands in different countries for various reasons, the best know to us is probably the Vauxhall/Opel where the only difference is the badge.
@David McShite: The Duster is gaining popularity in eastern Europe and Russia for those particular reasons. It’s simple, reliable, cheap, and easy to maintain. All dated technology you couldn’t really sell in a modern car, but it’s tried and tested.
@Don Juan:
Latest Dacias no longer use “old” tech.
Renault own Dacia and invested in developing new models.
Sandero, Logan, Duster.
They use common parts e.g. engines that are used in Renault and Nissan vehicles.
@Rodney Williams: correct but the quality in bodywork and quality of some components is reflective of it’s price.
LOVE my Dacia Duster 171! I get so many compliments on it – it’s the high spec one and looks great ! Drove 2 Megane before it . No regrets at all.
@Margaret: high spec duster?? Does that mean it has a spare wheel?
@Brian Scott: look up on carwow. Base model doesn’t even come with a radio lol
@Neil Brady: you pay for what you get! :)
At least the recall seems to be happening before we have had any major disasters and the issue is not that difficult to explain or understand or fix. Recalls sound scary but are a common part of car safety issue follow ups mostly, as in something found amiss after the car has been sold…. and it get fixed for nothing…
Dacia duster looks like it’s been in a crash and that’s in the showroom..
I like my one though,has a few design flaws but overall I would recommend it,low tax,very good on fuel and it is very reliable..
Yes the hi spec version has air con,front & back electrics,sat nav,6 speed gearbox etc..for a 1.5 they feel underpowered but I’m no boy racer so would recommend them if you fancy cheap motoring..
I’m on my second duster. Never had a minutes trouble. Interior is a bit cheap looking but if your not bothered about that and not fussy about the badge you’ll save 10 grand over the quashquai.
Do many of them even have air con?
@Do the Bort man: yes
So what happens now, do the cars that are being recalled go in to get repaired and sent back to owners or…? Always wondered!
@Clairy Rooney: it’s sent to an authorized garage and repaired at the cost of Dacia, then returned to the owners.
@Clairy Rooney: yep.
@niall: Thanks! I imagine they provide loan cars while the repairs are carried out?
@Clairy Rooney: Doubt it, but I could be wrong. I’d say you would be within your rights to hire one independently and send them the bill though.
@Clairy Rooney: VW provided me with a loan car while they were doing the dieselgate software update on my Golf
@Peter Johnston: did you find any issues with your car after the so called fix…might be worth you while to check out FB ‘emissions scandle’ regarding what people have gone through and your rights to have related repair work done…
Dacia apparently have reconditioned Rover engines in them.
@Nathan Cunningham: not sure where you heard that but I suppose they wouldn’t be any worse than a Renault engine!
@Nathan Cunningham: Apparently.. ??? and that source is?
or is it just anti-Dacia propaganda – according to Wiki..
the Sandero has several engines mostly Renault D or K engines, but one Renault/Nissan collaboration
the Duster uses F and K engines and the Logan uses D and K engines – not a sign of a reconditioned Rover engine….
Rover Also make a K engine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_K-series_engine) but it is not the same as the Renault K engine series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_K-Type_engine) – hence the potential confusion – but it is interesting to see that engines often cross car makes, the K engine appearing in Dacia, Renault, Nissan, Lada, Mercedes and Mihindra… the Rover K engine appearing in Lotus as well as a few other Rover brands such as MG and Land Rover…. all interesting stuff and I am glad to have looked it up and learned something
@Seamus Murphy: Seamus don’t be slagging the tin can! Niall is getting his panties on a bunch over your comment lol
How could you dumb down a Rennie ?
I’m on
Crush them all. When you’re tired of life….buy a Dacia. Romainian junk made from parts castoffs from Renault. They make a Clio high class.
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