This can be a little disconcerting for visitors but after a couple of days of careful driving you should get used to it. Main roads are patrolled by unmarked police cars doing speed checks with sophisticated cameras and tracking equipment. Gardai also mount checkpoints on all roads on a regular basis. Dublin's traffic can be notoriously slow and gridlock is almost a daily feature during rush-hours. Bus lanes are also a feature on the main routes into the city centre.
Parking can be difficult, even at night.
Most car-parks charge by the hour and some close at midnight or 1.00 a.m. Wheel-clamping was introduced in August 1998. The declamping penalty is 65. Illegally parked cars which cause a danger to the public are also liable to be towed away. The charge for reclaiming a vehicle is 130 within the first 24 hours and an additional 30 for each subsequent day, or part of a day.