I got hit too (another speeding fine question)

Yvonne Rav · 10-07-2008 1:14pm #1

Hi there

I got hit with a speeding fine too. I did query it and still didn't understand where I got the fine. As far as I knew it was 80km and I was doing 77km. I rang the superintendants office 01 6669800 and was advised that 'I had better pay' - very unfriendly and matter of fact garda I presume - to be honest I got so flustered at the way he spoke to me that I am still unsure where he means.

peasant · 10-07-2008 3:14pm

split off from an old thread about speeding on the M1

Saruman · 10-07-2008 3:21pm

Where was the offense and can the speed limit be confirmed? Is the 77kph the speed they have you clocked at or what you think you were doing?

Yvonne Rav · 10-07-2008 6:02pm

Saruman wrote: »

Where was the offense and can the speed limit be confirmed? Is the 77kph the speed they have you clocked at or what you think you were doing?

the "offence" was on the M1, I was driving north from the santry roundabout - went down the sliproad onto the M1. The summons says 'M1 Cloghran, Dublin, Dublin'. When I asked the exact location by emailing npo@garda.ie, I was told that it was on the slip road to or from the airport. I agree that the speed limit on that slip road is indeed 60, however, I didn't drive on that road!

The minimum speed limit on the roads I drove on was 80. I'm sure I was doing 77, so I am trying to check exactly where the gatso van was - hopefully I will win this one:)

Saruman · 11-07-2008 9:23am

Surely they sent you a picture? If they are claiming you were on a road you were not on and do not have photographic evidence to prove you were in fact on that road and therefor breaking the limit then do not pay it. Just be careful that you are in fact correct otherwise when it goes to court you will get 4 points instead of two.

Yvonne Rav · 11-07-2008 12:54pm

Saruman wrote: »

Surely they sent you a picture? If they are claiming you were on a road you were not on and do not have photographic evidence to prove you were in fact on that road and therefor breaking the limit then do not pay it. Just be careful that you are in fact correct otherwise when it goes to court you will get 4 points instead of two.

Thanks for that. Yes they did send me a picture of the reg. On the day in question, I took another route as I was dropping some friends to their home in Santry. My query is the location of the fine - ya see I didn't realise it was 60 wherever it was and I want to be sure I don't get another fine!! Must be going blind in my ould age. My not so friendly garda in the traffic section informed me that there are numerous signs ..... wherever this occurred. I suspect it may have been the sliproad at Coolock Lane onto the M1 - have been wracking my brain since I got the fine. Ah well, my other half has taken up the gauntlet and is contacting mr friendly garda in traffic to see if he can confirm this - they won't mess him about!! - will keep you posted on the outcome.

randomer · 11-07-2008 12:56pm

There is regularly a gatso van on the road between the Airport Roundabout and the M1. This road has a 60kmph speed limit. I drive this road regularly and always get overtaken on it (when I am doing 60kmph).

I doubt there has ever been an accident on the road. That annoys me, as it is just shooting fish in a barrel.

Yvonne Rav · 11-07-2008 1:02pm

randomer wrote: »

There is regularly a gatso van on the road between the Airport Roundabout and the M1. This road has a 60kmph speed limit. I drive this road regularly and always get overtaken on it (when I am doing 60kmph).

I doubt there has ever been an accident on the road. That annoys me, as it is just shooting fish in a barrel.

I go to Donnycarney regularly and come into Whitehall from the M1. It is usually in the afternoon. Slowing down to 60 and then 50 can be very dangerous when the road is not busy, and I know my fellow drivers get really fraustrated when I do it, but what is the alternative - wait till they introduce private speed cameras - it will be great fun.

is_that_so · 11-07-2008 1:08pm

Yvonne Rav wrote: »

the "offence" was on the M1, I was driving north from the santry roundabout - went down the sliproad onto the M1. The summons says 'M1 Cloghran, Dublin, Dublin'

I think that is actually the road to the airport from the M1 which is 60 kph although it could be the stretch to that airport junction from the M50 turnoff. The Santry sliproad is not Cloghran whatever else it may be called.
It is also unfair to target drivers at the Santry sliproad ,considering the actual speed is 80 kph on the M1 and that many other far busier motorway junctions have speed limits of 120 kph. The fact that traffic already travelling on the M1 potentially has trucks coming from the right at 80 kph out of the Port Tunnel, a far greater risk imo.

As I unsuccessfully argued when I got done, it is lazy and spanks more of filling the coffers than any level of road safety. It also gives more substance to the suspicion that the Traffic Corps or those who operate the Gatso vans are operating a quota system. Bring out the wooden cars I say.

jimmycrackcorm · 11-07-2008 1:45pm

is_that_so wrote: »

As I unsuccessfully argued when I got done, it is lazy and spanks more of filling the coffers than any level of road safety. It also gives more substance to the suspicion that the Traffic Corps or those who operate the Gatso vans are operating a quota system. Bring out the wooden cars I say.

I don't believe that it is correct to say this. Part of the logic of these type of speed checks on busy roads is to remind large numbers of drivers that there are speed checks and create an awareness of speeding. If the Guards only did the dangerous roads then many many drivers would never see a speed trap and end up speeding anyway.

I know I learned to slow down from constantly seeing speeders pulled over on the best part of the N2 in Monaghan.

is_that_so · 11-07-2008 2:03pm

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I don't believe that it is correct to say this. Part of the logic of these type of speed checks on busy roads is to remind large numbers of drivers that there are speed checks and create an awareness of speeding. If the Guards only did the dangerous roads then many many drivers would never see a speed trap and end up speeding anyway.

I know I learned to slow down from constantly seeing speeders pulled over on the best part of the N2 in Monaghan.

My own driving tends to be on the M1, a section of road rarely policed as far as I can see but yet they'll tuck the van way on a sliproad a few miles from Santry Garda station.
There is a 50 kph stretch through Julianstown on the old Belfast road which the Traffic Corps regularly monitor and pull people for speeding. It is not a dangerous section of road. The SUV is not hidden and is parked in one of two places. In my view this serves as an actual deterrent while also improving road safety rather than the approach adopted by the Gatso hiding on sliproads of motorways. All that does is teach you not to get caught on a section of road no more than 150m long and this is what I have a problem with.

omega man · 11-07-2008 2:15pm

Yvonne Rav wrote: »

the "offence" was on the M1, I was driving north from the santry roundabout - went down the sliproad onto the M1. The summons says 'M1 Cloghran, Dublin, Dublin'. When I asked the exact location by emailing npo@garda.ie, I was told that it was on the slip road to or from the airport. I agree that the speed limit on that slip road is indeed 60, however, I didn't drive on that road!

The minimum speed limit on the roads I drove on was 80. I'm sure I was doing 77, so I am trying to check exactly where the gatso van was - hopefully I will win this one:)

'M1 Cloghran' is the airport roundabout. The gatso vans will usually be either side of the M1, just after the bend (60 zone) in the direction of the airport or just after the roadabout in the direction of the m1. I got done there a few years back and i clarified that was the exact position of 'M1 Cloghran'. It still amazes me the amount of people who fly past the vans (white/green/red) totally oblivious!

sam34 · 11-07-2008 7:06pm

omega man wrote: »

The gatso vans will usually be either side of the M1, just after the bend (60 zone) It still amazes me the amount of people who fly past the vans (white/green/red) totally oblivious!

was just going to ask what the gatso vans look like? i dont drive in dublin but i presume they're around all over the country

Yvonne Rav · 11-07-2008 7:13pm

sam34 wrote: »

was just going to ask what the gatso vans look like? i dont drive in dublin but i presume they're around all over the country

Hi there

My husband has just informed me that a gatzo van is a dark green transit van - ya learn something new every day!!

eringobragh · 11-07-2008 7:25pm

Yvonne Rav wrote: »

Hi there

My husband has just informed me that a gatzo van is a dark green transit van - ya learn something new every day!!

..And white for that matter!!!

sam34 · 11-07-2008 7:33pm

cheers for that

Yvonne Rav · 14-07-2008 2:01pm

eringobragh wrote: »

..And white for that matter!!!

Ah well, it's official - on the day in question, I used the slip road from the airport roundabout to the M1. I had no idea it was 60 km there - my usual concern is the traffic coming from my left trying to head for the M50 across traffic lanes, and me trying to cross over to my left to get to the M1 slip road. It seems really dangerous to me given the speed of traffic at this roundabout/junction but what can you do!!

lafors · 14-07-2008 3:27pm

Well that van has been sitting on the M1 just after the M50 and before the clonshaugh/coolock lane junction, for a few days in the past week.

Its an 80 zone, which I passed at 120 (no traffic, cruise control left on, eejit), I'd say I'm caught, my own fault when I knew it was there 2 days previously, plus I was speeding. I'll be p*ssed off at myself for this if I get done, I've never gotten a point or any fines in 10 years of driving :mad:

Do these vans ever run out of film or is it digital?

Marcus.Aurelius · 14-07-2008 4:01pm

Film, and they have buckets of it. They're set up for the full day before being parked up.

eringobragh · 14-07-2008 5:36pm

Chief Admiral wrote: »

Film, and they have buckets of it. They're set up for the full day before being parked up.

Most of the Vans are digital a long time now!! Fixed GATSO are film for now.

A few will still use the VHS system but its all moved to harddrive DVR as stuff dies off.

I got hit too (another speeding fine question)

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