I hate the M50 [Warning post #222]

sdanseo · 22-01-2016 3:50am

sebcity wrote: »

Yeah maybe.
They said they were going to fine him for no seatbelt and fine me for allowing it.
Neither of us received these fines.

If the passenger is over the age of 17 the responsibility is on them and not you. You can't be fined if they are, that would be two penalties for a single offence.

savagethegoat · 22-01-2016 4:03am

mockingjay wrote: »

The M50 has been a dream to travel on since the beginning of January.... Leaving at 7.30 arriving in work around 8am. This journey took over an hour from September right up until December. I suppose the Government will pretend they solved the problem (just in time for the election) :pac::pac::pac::

Any ideas why the traffic is much lighter (and it is lighter!)? Evidently there seems to be less lorries, less cars, moving very well. Nearly like holiday season traffic.

I suppose less people go Christmas shopping in January perhaps.

OldMrBrennan83 · 22-01-2016 10:55am

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ohnonotgmail · 22-01-2016 3:37pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

I suppose less people go Christmas shopping in January perhaps.

I dont think you can blame it on christmas shopping. it was like that for November and earlier as well.

Macy0161 · 22-01-2016 4:02pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

I suppose less people go Christmas shopping in January perhaps.

November is generally considered peak month, as far as I'm aware, with less people taking leave, all schools and colleges back etc.

As for how it's been since Christmas, well I don't think the colleges are fully back until next week, which maybe a factor?

cython · 24-01-2016 6:32pm

sdanseo wrote: »

If the passenger is over the age of 17 the responsibility is on them and not you. You can't be fined if they are, that would be two penalties for a single offence.

The passenger (once over 17) is liable for not wearing a seatbelt, but the poster is also liable for overloading his vehicle by seating 4 people in the back seat when there was presumably only space for 3, so both probably valid penalties. The only question over validity in my mind is actually whether or not the passenger can be penalised for not wearing a seatbelt that does not exist! The overloading is much more clear cut IMHO.

sebcity wrote: »

Must be!

I was pulled over once on the m50 by the traffic corps.
It was because I had 4 in the back, fair enough.
But they were insistent that the 4th person (without the seat belt) had to get out of the car...on the m50!!, they wanted me to leave the person on the side of the road!
They said no to giving him a lift.
I said I'd let him out at the airport where it's safe.

OldMrBrennan83 · 25-01-2016 9:02am

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Stheno · 25-01-2016 9:52pm

Patww79 wrote: »

First morning in ages I seen the N3 backed up to Ballycoolin. I presume normal service has resumed on the M50 then, and it had been so good since Christmas too.

I'd to get from Swords to Sandyford this morning, was pretty ok

BohsCeltic · 25-01-2016 11:19pm

Patww79 wrote: »

First morning in ages I seen the N3 backed up to Ballycoolin. I presume normal service has resumed on the M50 then, and it had been so good since Christmas too.

I was on it at about 7.40am. Breakdown in the left lane before Connolly hospital.
It's a joke that minor situations can impact like this

ThisRegard · 25-01-2016 11:23pm

BohsCeltic wrote: »

I was on it at about 7.40am. Breakdown in the left lane before Connolly hospital.
It's a joke that minor situations can impact like this

There was a crash around the same time too.

Stheno · 26-01-2016 12:18am

ThisRegard wrote: »

There was a crash around the same time too.

Ah that was about five minutes after I passed there.

OldMrBrennan83 · 26-01-2016 12:21am

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mockingjay · 26-01-2016 8:50pm

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Good idea, it was pretty slow this morning. Slowed down just before Blanchardstown exit at 7.32am, crawled under the bridge, and didn't manage to get off at Liffey Valley exit until 7.55 am. 23 minutes to travel under 2km! Think i'll have to revert back to my original departure time again. There were no accidents as far as I know.

Schadenfreudia · 27-01-2016 12:30am

Came from Navan to Carrickmines at the rush-hour peak today...M50 worked like a dream, never went below 100km.

sdanseo · 27-01-2016 12:34am

cython wrote: »

The passenger (once over 17) is liable for not wearing a seatbelt, but the poster is also liable for overloading his vehicle by seating 4 people in the back seat when there was presumably only space for 3, so both probably valid penalties. The only question over validity in my mind is actually whether or not the passenger can be penalised for not wearing a seatbelt that does not exist! The overloading is much more clear cut IMHO.

He can certainly be fined for the overloading, but not for failing to enforce the wearing of the seatbelt.

Small semantics in the scheme of things and not great driving. Mind you, probably less dangerous than some of the tailgating I've seen in the last few weeks. During the really serious rain a few weeks ago I was beside a truck that wasn't more than 10m from the car in front at 80km/h. Really unbelievable stuff.

I've said in this thread, others, and probably going full broken record here (apologies, I did a thesis on this) - the problems on the M50 and other motorways are because people don't know how to use them, and the authorities that be seem to be absolutely determined not to so much as attempt driver education in the form of a public information campaign.

Bad Management. Ireland. Go figure.

RainyDay · 28-01-2016 3:37pm

sdanseo wrote: »

the authorities that be seem to be absolutely determined not to so much as attempt driver education in the form of a public information campaign.

You mean public information campaigns like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9HWp-EH4yU

GM228 · 28-01-2016 9:01pm

sdanseo wrote:

the authorities that be seem to be absolutely determined not to so much as attempt driver education in the form of a public information campaign

RainyDay wrote: »

You mean public information campaigns like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9HWp-EH4yU

There is many more of those ads and it can't be a bad thing, however it is sad to think the RSA need to make ads that show people how to properly overtake or indicate on a roundabout, in an ideal world they wouldn't be required, but we don't live in an ideal world. I just hope that people take them in and learn from them.

Charles Babbage · 28-01-2016 10:50pm

Education is all very fine, but in most cases it is not a case of ignorance of what to do but ignorance of good manners and a contempt for others. People routinely double park for instance, not because they don't know this is wrong but because they are in hurry and they don't give a damn about anyone else. Likewise people drive in the middle lane to save themselves the trouble of changing lane and hold up traffic because they are suiting themselves and ignoring everyone else. Most tailgaters do so deliberately.

Yes, have some films showing what to do, but this needs to be followed up with some measure of enforcement.

Charles Babbage · 28-01-2016 10:50pm

Education is all very fine, but in most cases it is not a case of ignorance of what to do but ignorance of good manners and a contempt for others. People routinely double park for instance, not because they don't know this is wrong but because they are in hurry and they don't give a damn about anyone else. Likewise people drive in the middle lane to save themselves the trouble of changing lane and hold up traffic because they are suiting themselves and ignoring everyone else. Most tailgaters do so deliberately.

Yes, have some films showing what to do, but this needs to be followed up with some measure of enforcement.

RainyDay · 28-01-2016 10:59pm

Charles Babbage wrote: »

Education is all very fine, but in most cases it is not a case of ignorance of what to do but ignorance of good manners and a contempt for others. People routinely double park for instance, not because they don't know this is wrong but because they are in hurry and they don't give a damn about anyone else. Likewise people drive in the middle lane to save themselves the trouble of changing lane and hold up traffic because they are suiting themselves and ignoring everyone else. Most tailgaters do so deliberately.
.

Part of the solution to this is to call people out on their behaviour. Often this isn't directly possible on the road, but sometimes it is. I was on foot tonight, and an older man in Volvo pushed forward at a junction to block the crossing point for pedestrians when the lights went red. So I did a bit of arm-waving and pointing and bladdering to call him out on his selfish driving. Maybe, just maybe, he'll think twice next time.

Schadenfreudia · 29-01-2016 12:14am

GM228 wrote: »

There is many more of those ads and it can't be a bad thing, however it is sad to think the RSA need to make ads that show people how to properly overtake or indicate on a roundabout, in an ideal world they wouldn't be required, but we don't live in an ideal world. I just hope that people take them in and learn from them.

The authorities prefer to get the motorway message signs to say brain-dead things like "slow down" in M50 traffic jams!

plodder · 29-01-2016 11:11am

RainyDay wrote: »

You mean public information campaigns like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9HWp-EH4yU

The problem with that ad, is it has little relevance to the M50. It shows a traffic free, two lane motorway, with ne'er another vehicle to be seen. I think that is significant because the rules that some people are fond of quoting "keep to the left, use the outside lane for overtaking, and then move back to the left lane" are not sufficient for dealing with the daily congestion on a 3+1 lane m/way like the M50.

aphex™ · 29-01-2016 11:21am

I actually think we could crowdsource a better set ads. The RSA ones don't do enough.

Also, as cars are starting to come with collision avoidance systems, it's time to campaign for these extras to not be subject to VRT and VAT.

RainyDay · 29-01-2016 3:04pm

aphex™ wrote: »

I actually think we could crowdsource a better set ads. The RSA ones don't do enough.

Great, give it a lash so. How long will it take you to come up with something - 3 months maybe?

Schadenfreudia · 30-01-2016 3:54pm

RainyDay wrote: »

Great, give it a lash so. How long will it take you to come up with something - 3 months maybe?

Jaysus no.....

In traffic jam situations they should say "Don't worry, be happy"

Better for the collective blood-pressure than telling people sitting nearly stationary to "slow down" !

Dubl07 · 30-01-2016 10:28pm

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Jaysus no.....

In traffic jam situations they should say "Don't worry, be happy"

Better for the collective blood-pressure than telling people sitting nearly stationary to "slow down" !

And in those three-five hour stalls they should have roving flatbeds on the emergency lane with the luxury portaloos on one truck and a bbq vendor on another. If we're going to do mega bouchons, let's get comfy. Pyjama vendors, ice creams, any other requests? It's like a block party except the block is a road block.

Schadenfreudia · 31-01-2016 12:14am

Dubl07 wrote: »

And in those three-five hour stalls they should have roving flatbeds on the emergency lane with the luxury portaloos on one truck and a bbq vendor on another. If we're going to do mega bouchons, let's get comfy. Pyjama vendors, ice creams, any other requests? It's like a block party except the block is a road block.

Fortunately despite at least twice daily using sections of the M50 I'm never got stuck in one of those crash-related mega-jams.

I have got stuck in smaller ones and frankly they appear to be caused by a very Irish cocktail of rubberneckers and the cops making a major production of the crash investigation (in stark contrast to what you see in the UK or on the Continent where keeping things moving is the obvious priority).

ThisRegard · 31-01-2016 12:18am

In the UK they close their roads and motorways just as we do here. Priority is not to keep things moving, it's the safety of those in the accident and the emergency services. Same the world over. They also keep them closed until they're happy their investigation is complete.

Schadenfreudia · 31-01-2016 12:29am

ThisRegard wrote: »

In the UK they close their roads and motorways just as we do here. Priority is not to keep things moving, it's the safety of those in the accident and the emergency services. Same the world over. They also keep them closed until they're happy their investigation is complete.

Absolutely not - in my (wide) experience.

The safety of anyone needing medical attention; yes. The post-crash forensics; no.

ThisRegard · 31-01-2016 12:33am

You'll see it on any of those fly on the wall documentaries, roads will be closed to allow for accident investigations where needs be.

You're also not the only person who has been abroad.

Motorway closures alone cost at one time £1 billion to the UK economy. That's a lot of road closures.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tackling-1billion-cost-of-motorway-closures

From that report

Last year there were more than 18,000 full or partial motorway closures lasting a total of more than 20,000 hours.

Again, that's just motorway figures.

A RAC report has a much higher figure so might take into account all roads.

It is estimated road closures caused by accidents account for a quarter of all congestion and cost the country more than £5 billion a year.

In the last quarter of 2008 there were 86 closures of English motorways lasting more than three hours, yet for the whole year - across Great Britain - there were only 136 fatal motorway accidents.

Roads are often still closed long after an accident has taken place because of police investigations

I hate the M50 [Warning post #222]

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