The New Speed Cameras

donegalman1

At the risk of being ridiculed, a post on the new speed cameras due for roll out.

Im still rather sceptical. I believe 50 or so are to be place in Donegal, not surprising seeing we have so much of the countries roads and so many fatal accidents though I wonder what their locations will be like.

I'm sure there will be a load on good stretches and yet dangerous roads and bends often the cause of accidents will still stay the same. Should the money making scheme not be used to finance the road network in a real effort to improve road safety.

When will drivers of slow moving vehicles be forced to allow traffic to pass and slow drivers be penalised for hugging the white lines. I rarely see a tractor in Donegal pulll in to allow long lines of traffic pass, though often see many dangerously overtake after a period stuck behind these inconsiderate drivers.

The cameras to me is an effort of show by the authorities with an eye on the cash bonanza also. I remember similiar comments about how the NCT would save so many lives while really driving up sales of cars and parts whilst most accidents do not involve old bangers.

I expect the cameras to be in the main concentrated on great stretches of road, which often have speed limits that could safely be increased. Now if it proves in a years time that the cameras do not have a significant reduction in road carnage will the government relook at the issue? I doubt it though many on the boards will cynically read this believing I am irresponsible. I am not, I am cynical at the motives of Government.

Now at the very least cameras should be clearly visible and perhaps signposted. Obviously there will be enough to really enforce speed over a wide area.

I hope this isn't just another of the stealth taxes. I believe the recent drink driving legislation to be fairer, more needed and if enforced, more significant in reducing road fatalities.

ednwireland

course its a stealth tax, if they were serious about road safety they would ensure cambers on roads were correct, blind bends were signposted but that would involve the gov. actually doing something i'm convinced many accidents ae due to bad signage and poor roads. if your car is unsettled coming into a bad corner its easy enough to lose it without breaking the speed limit. although i was suprised by the number of drink drivers caught this weekend now they need to do that every weeknd for the next six months.
the speed cameras will go in the honeypots as usual they will have nothing to do with road safety. anyone noticed on the donegal town bypass you can lose a whole lorry or several cars in a blind dip going towards lidl across the eske river i'm amazed that there hasn't been a big accident there same at roadstone in ballintra where a motorcylict was killed no solid white line no hidden dip warning signs. speed cmeras help but i think its a simplistic approach and they arent put a blck spots

byte

Yeah, I'm very familiar with those stretches, being from those parts. Particularly the Roadstone one I think has a bad blind dip.

I take it the dip you refer to on the Donegal bypass is the section sort of half way between the roundabout beside Mickey McIntyres Statoil and the Clar roundabout (near lidl)

btw, when was the motorcyclist killed near Roadstone?

ednwireland

ballintra accident 11/09/2005
http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0911/rta.html

road was closed all sunday afternoon

yep thats the bit on the bypass its crazy it isnt signed you go over the bridge over the killymard road and it levels off then drops to the eske i cant imagine that cant have been designed out soeone didnt do sight lines

byte

Ah yes, I remember that accident. The motorcyclist wasn't killed however, though he suffered severe injury.