Speed limits and no one obeying them

Saruman

Im curious about something... i notice every time there is a thread on here about slow drivers or people overtaking and exceeding the speed limits... there are a LOT of posters who come on and say things like people whose speed are evil or they NEVER speed etc etc etc...

There are lots of roads out there that i notice NO ONE!!! Not a single person i ever see obeys the speed limit.. im wondering are these posters actually breaking the speed limit?

Another thing is why is it that no one obeys the limit? Is it set too low? well thats certainly the case with some roads.

One example is the old N4 which had always been 100kph until the motorway was built and the road became an "R" road instead.. now the speed limit is 80kph. Only one thing changed and thats the road number... if it was safe to have a 100kph limit before.. why the need to change it? And this is one road were i NEVER see anyone obey the limit... the only drivers who stay below it is the odd tractor... even trucks who cant go much more than 80kph anyway (and not legally on any road in the country) break this limit.

Lets take temp speed limits where there are road works... i have seen them at 15kph 20kph.... who obeys these?? I heard recently of a funeral procession and everyone in it was done for speeding... now remember this is a funeral procession and they never go beyond 50 - 60 kph done for speeding because there was a temp speed limit because of roadworks.. not to mention the 300 other cars that were also done along that road.

Industrial estates.. usually they have a speed limit of 15 to 30 kph... does ANYONE obey these?

Anyway im just sick of hypocrites on boards coming down on anyone who even defends someone who speeds.. even if its only for a few seconds because they are overtaking a slower vehicle and slow down to the limit again after they are past.... I say to these people that you.. YES YOU break the speed limit somewhere... every one does.. no one can possibly obey every speed limit everywhere in the country.

Im not condoning driving at 120kph down a narrow country road.. im not condoning speeding in general.. im just saying 2 things.. no one can possibly NEVER break the speed limit and also there are roads where speed limits are way too low.. as well as way too high on some roads...

BoozyBabe

Most of the speend limits in this country are an absolute joke!!!!!!!

80kmph on big straight wide roads.
50kmph still going on for over a mile out of town, practically in the countryside.
& then it's perfectly ok to do 80kmph on a little country laneway, where it's almost impossible for two bicycles to meet without touching!!

With those as guidelines, why should we even bother.
I use my own judgement of what's appropriate!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a racer in any way, but when it's more than safe to do 100kmph in an 80 zone, sure as hell I'm gonna do 100, on the same token, when it's not safe to do any more than 50kmph on an 80 zone, then I'm not going to do 80.

If they want us to adhere to speed limits, they should use their common sense & put up appropriate ones.

Anan1

Personally, I drive at a speed which will allow me to stop within the space which I can see to be clear. On certain sections of motorway, this speed could be in excess of 200km/h. On other roads, it may be below 20km/h. It's all down to conditions at the time.

Saruman

My point exactly....
There are roads where the speed limit is 80 or even 100 and its physically impossile to get to that speed.. but if the limit is 100 you can be sure people will try and go as fast as they can around a windy narrow road where its not safe...
And then on a long straight road... 80kph for no reason...

200kph is a little fast now... only motorway i know for certain thats even possible is the M4 toll road and the M1 towards the north. And thats because they are not very busy.

LikeOhMyGawd!

Some speed limits defy logic.

On the Belfast - Newry road there is a contraflow. Each lane is nice and wide, brand new smooth tarmac, straight road with great visibility and has a good verge on either side . Speed limit is 40mph.

At the very end of the contraflow on the Newry side it's back to the old road, which is divided into two narrow lanes, poor surface, bendy, grass verges and a notorious accident black spot with turn-offs right and left and goes past a big pub/night club. Speed limit is 60mph.

It's a bloody joke. The contraflow is many times safer. In fact, most cars do at least 50mph on the contraflow but seem to actually slow down when reaching the old road where the speed limit is higher...

Stephen

I find the speed limits on the Naas road hilarious. Any time I've ever been there off peak, EVERYONE is doing 80kph at the very minimum where the limit is 60kph. If you try to keep to the 60kph limit there you'll have the arse tailgated off you.

Ernie Ball

I speed. Regularly. So shoot me. The speed limits in this country, by and large, have been decided for "revenue enhancement" purposes and not in the interests of safety. The N4 is a perfect example. The N11 is another. The stretch of the M50 where the limit inexplicably drops from 120kph to 100kph is yet another.

Of course, these all have their justifications as they allow the guards to nail almost anyone at any time. But it wouldn't be Ireland without its totally irrational aspect: hence the country lanes with the 100kph limits. I never speed on those.

So, yes, I speed. I never drive dangerously, though.

Anan1

Saruman wrote:

200kph is a little fast now... only motorway i know for certain thats even possible is the M4 toll road and the M1 towards the north. And thats because they are not very busy.

In fairness, it's only very occasionally that conditions permit driving at that speed. My point really was that my speed is dictated by conditions rather than speed limits.

Vegeta

i stick to the speed limit as much as possible, yes there are times i break it, if on a dual carriage way and the car in front is doing 80kph, i will pull out accelerate and then return to 100kph.

I'd say that i drive the limit 95% of the time. It pisses me off though cos i am constantly being overtaken in 50kph zones and 60kph zones.

I would agree that the speed limits are a joke in some areas, 50's going way into the country or roads that used to be 100 are now 80 is complete nonsense but i will drive at 80 if there's an 80 sign up.

ShiverinEskimo

Conditions shouldn't be the only factor.

If you have a blowout at 200km/h you better hope its only your life you take out. I see people bomb up and down that motorway (M1) and every time I just think of the amount of tyre debris on the roads - blowouts are common and at 200km/h you're leaving yourself no chance whatsoever. I've never had one but I've witnessed one and I lost my life trying to avoid him ahead of me because he had no control whatsoever. THe poor guy was a wreck when he got out. Scary ****.

Mayshine

To be honest nearly all blowouts are caused by tyres at the wrong pressure and/or tyres that are not rated for the speed you are travelling, which can be the case on a lot of boggo saloons and hatches over here.

If you check you pressures and have tyres that are rated for 240kmph+ then you chance of a blowout is fairly non-existant

Sparky

Yeah I keep on the limit, but in nearly all cases I go with the flow of traffic.
I think some roads in dublin should be changed to 40kmh, because thats what all the cars drive at.
Ive been told I drive like a granny if I stay at 30. So a granny I will be so.

SouperComputer

Anan1 wrote:

Personally, I drive at a speed which will allow me to stop within the space which I can see to be clear. On certain sections of motorway, this speed could be in excess of 200km/h. On other roads, it may be below 20km/h. It's all down to conditions at the time.

Ditto. Somtimes ill be over the "limit" others ill be below.

Blowouts are common on badly maintaned cars or incorrectly rated tyres. Im not saying they cant happen, but in cases of good maintenance they are very rare.

Of course there is the slim chance of hitting somthing and causing a blowout, but that's why we have appropiate use of speed and anticipation.

M50 where the limit inexplicably drops from 120kph to 100kph is yet another.

The main reason for this is the undulation and curavture of the road, it also think it was a noise pollution issue. It (undulation and curavture) reduces your distance of vision. Same applies to the twisty bit on the Lucan road as you get near Dublin. The surface itself is good, but the curvature of he road means that you cannot see far enough ahead.

Someone posted a link to the criteria for this. Im fudged if I know where it is though!

el tel

ShiverinEskimo wrote:

I've never had one but I've witnessed one and I lost my life trying to avoid him ahead of me because he had no control whatsoever. THe poor guy was a wreck when he got out. Scary ****.

Good to see there's internet access in the after life

gurramok

Ernie Ball wrote:

I speed. Regularly. So shoot me. The speed limits in this country, by and large, have been decided for "revenue enhancement" purposes and not in the interests of safety. The N4 is a perfect example. The N11 is another. The stretch of the M50 where the limit inexplicably drops from 120kph to 100kph is yet another.
.

Speaking of the N11, i drove to Wexford from Dublin at the weekend and the most dangerous part of the journey was that section past near Glen of the Downs where the limit goes from 100kph to 60kph on the dual carraigeway national road, the volume of traffic that has to break suddenly for this section to avoid collisions is very dangerous, there should be advanced warning to slow down well back before the 60kph signs appear.

Saying that, the rest of the journey to Wexford was 100kph limit (bar the towns along the route) which was grand and appropiate but i'd say about 30% of drivers exceeded that limit to drive at least 120kph imho as i witnessed.
Oh, and there was not a single garda in sight either to enforce any traffic laws.

KamiKazi

BoozyBabe wrote:

Most of the speend limits in this country are an absolute joke!!!!!!!

80kmph on big straight wide roads.
50kmph still going on for over a mile out of town, practically in the countryside.
& then it's perfectly ok to do 80kmph on a little country laneway, where it's almost impossible for two bicycles to meet without touching!!

With those as guidelines, why should we even bother.
I use my own judgement of what's appropriate!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a racer in any way, but when it's more than safe to do 100kmph in an 80 zone, sure as hell I'm gonna do 100, on the same token, when it's not safe to do any more than 50kmph on an 80 zone, then I'm not going to do 80.

If they want us to adhere to speed limits, they should use their common sense & put up appropriate ones.

Anan1 wrote:

Personally, I drive at a speed which will allow me to stop within the space which I can see to be clear. On certain sections of motorway, this speed could be in excess of 200km/h. On other roads, it may be below 20km/h. It's all down to conditions at the time.

agree 100% with both of these guys

Seanie M

I speed, all the time - honest answer. BUT only within reason. Some of my line of work takes me from Daingean to Mulingar along the N52 from Tyrrellspass. Once you get to Dalystown and turn right and continue, you are still on the N52, but it as more dangerous bends than most R roads - and its still 100kph!

I als confess to speeding (like many others) on the Portarlington road between Tullamore and the turn off for Edenderry/Daingean. Minimum I will do on the R420 road is 100kph - for the simple fact that almost 200,000 Irish Pounds were spent on it improving the roads' surface and visibility, as it is Tullamore's second busiest route.

Also, I have never seen cops on it, and doubt I ever will. They were even quoted last year in the local paper (Tullamore Tribune), along with the Council, as saying it was a farce to have the best road in/out of Tullamore marked as an 80kph zone - it's compleely dead straight for 5 miles, and has hardly seen any accidents on that stretch for years!

I'm all on for speeding within limits and conditions. The limits are that you are not acting as a threat to other motorists, and in my mind does not exceed 115kph (thats my limit on the good roads) according to the conditions, which are smoth straight roads in suitable weather conditions. After that, I use my cop on about weather and road conditions.

Have I a poor atitude? Perhaps in some peoples views. Still, with almost 200,000 driving miles to my credit and no accidents, confidence wins over all the time.

Seanie.

ShiverinEskimo

KamiKazi wrote:

agree 100% with both of these guys

Nah, 200km/h is just too fast no matter what the conditions. thats 126mph. Stopping distance of 840 feet (252m). at 15ft per car length approx thats 56 car lengths to stop. **** that.

Alun

ShiverinEskimo wrote:

Nah, 200km/h is just too fast no matter what the conditions. thats 126mph. Stopping distance of 840 feet (252m). at 15ft per car length approx thats 56 car lengths to stop. **** that.

I'll remember that tomorrow as I tear down the autobahns in Germany at that speed (if not more if I get a decent rental car). And I'll make sure to pull in when someone comes up behind me doing even more Admittedly 200km/h is too fast for most Irish roads, but only because they're full of Irish drivers.

Padwick

gurramok wrote:

Speaking of the N11, i drove to Wexford from Dublin at the weekend and the most dangerous part of the journey was that section past near Glen of the Downs where the limit goes from 100kph to 60kph on the dual carraigeway national road, the volume of traffic that has to break suddenly for this section to avoid collisions is very dangerous, there should be advanced warning to slow down well back before the 60kph signs appear.

Saying that, the rest of the journey to Wexford was 100kph limit (bar the towns along the route) which was grand and appropiate but i'd say about 30% of drivers exceeded that limit to drive at least 120kph imho as i witnessed.
Oh, and there was not a single garda in sight either to enforce any traffic laws.

It's 80kph at the GotD. The 60kph is through Kilmacanogue, which is one of the Gardaí's regular haunts.

Saruman

Seanie M wrote:

I speed, all the time - honest answer. BUT only within reason. Some of my line of work takes me from Daingean to Mulingar along the N52 from Tyrrellspass. Once you get to Dalystown and turn right and continue, you are still on the N52, but it as more dangerous bends than most R roads - and its still 100kph!

That N52 is in my opinion the most terrible road ever... every time im on it im stuck behind convoys of giant logging trucks or other types of trucks at an absolute crawl and there are very few places you can overtake. I try to avoid it at all costs.

The speed limit on it is a joke!! 100kph on a road that doing over 60kph is impossible for most of the journey except where there are the odd straight run!!

Our man in Havana

I agree about the N52 particulary the Mullingar-Delvin section. 100 km/h is stupid on that road but it don't stop the boyracers/suicide merchants from overtaking on bends etc.

BrianD3

I also agree about the N52, very twisty road and basically no overtaking for approx 17 km between Mullingar and Delvin. And the realignment near Delvin that has been going on for what seems like years won't make much difference when it eventually opens

N52 Delvin-Clonmellon is also bad but after that there are a couple of excellent straights before you get to Kells and hit a 60km/h zone well outside the town. Cops are always doing speed checks there and I'd say they have a lot of "success". I've never seen a cop on the dangerosus twisty stretch of the N52 though - no surprise

mloc123

BrianD3 wrote:

I also agree about the N52, very twisty road and basically no overtaking for approx 17 km between Mullingar and Delvin. And the realignment near Delvin that has been going on for what seems like years won't make much difference when it eventually opens

I used to drive that road 5 days a week when I was younger working in the petrol station after cloughan (Ayres for anyone that knows the area). I loved driving it though. Its a good road, well maintained and surfaced even though its quite twisty, the road on the kells side of Delvin is much worse imo.

unkel

Several like-minded people posting in this thread

Alun wrote:

I'll remember that tomorrow as I tear down the autobahns in Germany at that speed (if not more if I get a decent rental car). And I'll make sure to pull in when someone comes up behind me doing even more Admittedly 200km/h is too fast for most Irish roads, but only because they're full of Irish drivers.

Hallelujah! I felt a lot safer cruising at 160km/h on a fairly empty Autoroute in a FIAT Uno compared to driving at 120km/h on an equally empty M50 in my 7-series even though the stopping distance in the 7 would have only been a fraction of that of the Uno

It's quite normal for a vehicle driving at 80km/h on the Autobahn being overtaken at >250km/h. It works fine because people can drive. All people can drive. Not like here

Saruman

Another gripe i have is road markings...
There are plenty of long straight roads with solid white lines meaning you cant overtake.. and then there are loads of roads with broken lines meaning its "safe" to overtake but they are going around corners so its clearly NOT safe!!

Keyzer

See, this is the problem in Ireland.
Everybody calls for safer driving and speed limits etc. but when they come into play no one adheres to them. Its a sad part of the Irish psyche.
"I don't have to obey those rules"... seems to be the general opinion when it comes to driving in Ireland.

Having said that, many people speed and have developed other bad driving habits because they know they will not be caught. I can't remember the last time I seen a checkpoint. I don't know anyone who has been caught by a speed camera. If you can get away with something in this country then you can bet everyone will do it.

Saruman

Thats also true... lack of enforcement.. and when they do enforce they do it in the wrong place... no point putting speed checks on motorways and bug dual carriageways that are almost motorway standard!! People do not die there.

They should be going through towns on major routes... on dangerous roads especially where there are black spots.

shoegirl

Whats far more distrubning is the number of times I've driven past gatsos above the speed limit and NOT been fined. The system is a joke.

Saruman

I wonder do sometimes Guards use Gatso's not to fine people but to see what the average speed is on a road... like the naas road after the red cow heading towards the city. It is... or was 50kph coming off the M50 slip... i remember one there near woodies. I was doing 60kph overtaking a truck and then i saw it.. did not have time to slow so i was expecting a fine.. nothing ever came of it and i think recently the speed limit was changed to 60kph? I could be wrong....

Seanie M

Keyzer wrote:

See, this is the problem in Ireland.
Everybody calls for safer driving and speed limits etc. but when they come into play no one adheres to them. Its a sad part of the Irish psyche.

Hhmmm.... in my humble opinion, the problem is the IMPROPER safer driving methods. Tonnes of examples. Like the current N4 versus the M4 between Kilcock and Mullingar. Since the M4 opened, the N4 has been dropped to 80kph - stupid. Its as good as the M4 in both width, surface conditions, lack of bends, and visibility. Now who the hell is going to keep to 80kph on a road like that? In my opinion, idiots. Why was it brought down to 80kph? Probably to encourage more traffic to use the tolled M4 I think.

Then you take the said stretch between Tyrrellspass and Mullingar, the N52. More bends then most R roads for the same stretch (and thats not really much of an exaggeration - just drive it yourself to see). There are NO traffic calming methods, and 2 vicious bends have never been posted as such on it. And, between Dalystown and Mullingar (about 7 miles), there are only 3 parts where you can overtake. And all this is marked at 100kph? There have been 3 fatal road accidents I know of since last autumn on that stretch alone.

McDowell () certainly is responsible for this kind of jacking-off in the Dail. There is no proper implementation of strategies between government and local councils, and little heed taken to when members of the public voice their valid concerns.

Ireland is still a banana republic on this one.

Seanie.

Saruman

Since im from the area i know the roads well!!
The reason the N4 is now 80kph is because its not longer the N4 its not and R route. When the motorway opened i did post about this thinking the same.. its to get people on the motorway and pay the money.. however i was told as much..

Yes Tyrellspass to Mullingar is nuts.. Only reason its 100kph is its a National road.. N32 i think...

No actual thought to speed limits in this country!!!

Leaving Rochfortbridge (where i live) heading to Dublin ont he N6 its 100kph.. the opposite direction is 80kph.. same road....
Same with Navan road. from castleknock roundabout its 100kph.. heading the other way on the dual carriageway its 80kph..

I can understand some of the thinking. 100 heading away from city... 80 heading in though is there a need for it to be so long at a lower speed? It just adds to confusion.. if the same road has different limits depending on what direction you travel.. it just makes us think that none of our speed limits make sense so why should we bother?