speed limits and night driving.

G Luxel

I have experienced some drivers that don't adher to the speed limit in places like road works or where the main road is now replaced by a bypass. What happens is when I hit into the 50 zone, the cars behind start flashing their lights or blowing the horn to get me to drive Ioo. The problem is that they dont want to pass out and there are also white transit vans with cameras parked anywhere in the area, including garda bikes with speed guns. While I keep to the speed limit, others are not and I think maybe there may be some form of road rage emerging. What do others think?

On another topic, Night driving or day driving, Ive noticed the high number of stupid people throwing cigarette butts out the window at high speed not realising that the butt is still alight and may possibly fly into your car if you have a window open, or if you drive an open top car.

Lorax

God I hate ppl like u who see those signs saying 'roadworks ahead slow down to 50 bla bla whatever' and actually do the 50 for example the reason is on the N3 there is a digital sign saying slow to 50km when the limit is 100km because of roadworks that DONT EVEN EXIST the people flashing u probably kno the road better than u so just speed up when they do it.

Anan1

Lorax wrote:

God I hate ppl like u who see those signs saying 'roadworks ahead slow down to 50 bla bla whatever' and actually do the 50 for example the reason is on the N3 there is a digital sign saying slow to 50km when the limit is 100km because of roadworks that DONT EVEN EXIST the people flashing u probably kno the road better than u so just speed up when they do it.

You think that the OP should break the law to facilitate you?

BarryM3

I would be what you might term as a 'progressive driver' as in I drive quicker than I probably should.

Very slow drivers do kinda get me wound up but after reading the OP its satisfying to know that these people are more wound up than me, with their worrying about just about everything.

I feel much better now, safe in the knowledge that you guys annoy yourselves more than you do me!!!

Larry David

Lorax wrote:

God I hate ppl like u who see those signs saying 'roadworks ahead slow down to 50 bla bla whatever' and actually do the 50 for example the reason is on the N3 there is a digital sign saying slow to 50km when the limit is 100km because of roadworks that DONT EVEN EXIST the people flashing u probably kno the road better than u so just speed up when they do it.

I agree. The OP is a nerdy prude. He probably drives a Yaris!

jimmycrackcorm

you can't blame peoples attitude when you see something like the 60 km/h limit on the M50 roadworks. It strikes people as a limit placed by an over protective mother on her dahling child.

ninty9er

In my experience roadworks don't exist and the signs have just been left behind by lazy roadworks crews for local kids to batter each other with.

I believe a council must crete a by-law on speed limits therefore nullifying roadworks speed limits unless they've done so, which would be very unlikely

overdriver

Are you guys serious?

In this country, with the heirarchy we have, anyone who ignores speed limit signs may just have their credit card at the ready and bend over. I am sick of people thinking that I have to speed to facilitate them. If it says 60 kph, that's what I do. I'm right to, and if you don;t like it, overtake.

Good on ya, OP.

Th cigarette butts thing just bugs me because people don't see it for the littering it is. Try throwing a coke can out the window and watch everyone be horrified.

Larry David

overdriver wrote:

If it says 60 kph, that's what I do. I'm right to, and if you don;t like it, overtake.

I try to overtake, but you drift in and out of lanes and don't check your blind spot.

overdriver

Damn I didn't think you'd notice!!!

stifz

full wind screen wash... foot on the brake.. and watch the f**ker back away.

I had it with a guy on the M4.. he came at me doing at least a 100mph when i clearly had no where to go on the inner lane ( full of cars ) he went mental.. i was doing the limit with cars infront of me.. i don't know where he thought he was gonna go?


.....screen wash full wack & slapped on the break..I watched him in the mirror loose two years off his life with fright.. I then took his number and had a garda call to his door offering a caution stating clearly if he did'nt accept responsiblity for being a c**t i'd see him in court for 4 penalty points. To drive the umarked car would be a true pleasure.

Lets hope slowed him down.:mad:


And as for cig's out the window.. thats drives me mad.. especially when it lodges on your wiper..

overdriver

stifz wrote:

I then took his number and had a garda call to his door offering a caution stating clearly if he did'nt accept responsiblity for being a c**t i'd see him in court for 4 penalty points.

How'd you manage that? You a Garda?

gaillimhabu

Why put on the full wind screen wash while hitting the brakes

endplate

Those of you that know Summerhill in Meath will now the newly done road on the Trim side about 2KM's of 50km/h very frustrating but I do keep to it and very annoyingly (well it really pissed me off) I saved a lorry driver from a fine as he sped up behind me coming out of the town and we crossed the brow of the hill before the school at the speed limit there was a speed trap pointing at me. A week earlier going the other direction I had a guy flash at me for not going faster than the speed limit ohhh I wanted to get out and hit him.

What are you suppose to do with this idirocity you can't be reporting them to the Garda as you'd never be off the phone

Fey!

gaillimhabu wrote:

Why put on the full wind screen wash while hitting the brakes

If your jets are set a bit high and the person is close enough to the back of your car, you can end up soaking their windscreen.

I hate the "speed up and break the limit" flashers, too, although I will admit to flashing people doing 70 in a 100 zone!

As for the cigarette thing, I hate to admit it, but I'm occasionally one of the knob-ends who does that (on the rare occasions when I smoke in the car).

It BeeMee

Great thing about cruise control : just set the speed and that way you're not inclined to speed up over the limit when someone starts their little tailgating and flashing fits behind ....

daymobrew

overdriver wrote:

Th cigarette butts thing just bugs me because people don't see it for the littering it is. Try throwing a coke can out the window and watch everyone be horrified.

Littering can be reported to the relevant local authority. They will issue a fine of 125 euro. You will need to provide the reg number, car description, location, date/time, incident details.

smemon

it's annoying all right, when people stay just under the limit. I'll always stay about 5km/hr over if i'm the front car. That way, everyone behind me is happy and no cop is gonna bother pulling me in for being 5km/hr over the limit

cruise control ftw however i don't have it so i have to make do with my right foot. I seriously think sensors should be put on cars and attached to road signs. Once you got past the sign, car automatically slows to a max of 50km/hr etc...

but the government won't do that because it will lose them revenue and cost them a bomb initially.

kippy

God I hate ppl like u who see those signs saying 'roadworks ahead slow down to 50 bla bla whatever' and actually do the 50 for example the reason is on the N3 there is a digital sign saying slow to 50km when the limit is 100km because of roadworks that DONT EVEN EXIST the people flashing u probably kno the road better than u so just speed up when they do it.

You hate law abiding citizens? Well I hate people like you. People who break the law and intentionally put other peoples lives in danger.

OP,
Same as you. I stick within the speed limit in areas where they are signposted.
If anyone else wants to break the law I make it as easy as possible for them to overtake me without putting my life in danger.

There are far to many idiots on the roads in a major rush somewhere. If more people slowed down on the roads and had a little more patience we would have less accidents.
Kippy

stifz

gaillimhabu wrote:

Why put on the full wind screen wash while hitting the brakes

the back spray hits their wind screen resulting in impaired visiblity coupled with full red of brake lights they tend to pull back and keep there distance...

Stark

Lorax wrote:

he people flashing u probably kno the road better than u

Or are probably just ****. There's an area down in Cork that always has speed traps, practically every person in Cork knows about it and slows down to the speed limit before getting caught. However, you often get drivers from outside the county who start flashing, overtaking and contributing to the speed fine coffers. But I suppose they "know the road better" :rolleyes:

KeRbDoG

kippy wrote:

You hate law abiding citizens? Well I hate people like you. People who break the law and intentionally put other peoples lives in danger.

OP,
Same as you. I stick within the speed limit in areas where they are signposted.
If anyone else wants to break the law I make it as easy as possible for them to overtake me without putting my life in danger.

There are far to many idiots on the roads in a major rush somewhere. If more people slowed down on the roads and had a little more patience we would have less accidents.
Kippy

I completely agree with Kippy. When someone is doing a speed limit posted, whos to say whoever's behind them flashing and beeping at them knows better? Just by the act of beeping and flashing and driving aggressively behind them shows they don't have simple intelligence to just wait till its safe to overtake and break the speed limit on their own.

stifz

overdriver wrote:

How'd you manage that? You a Garda?

By picking up the phone and calling the nearest station to the incident.. Think you put 2 & 2 together and got 5 there overdriver..

Are you a Nurse?:D

BarryM3

So to combat people driving a few mph over the sometimes too low limits, you impare their vision and brake test them??

Anybody that does this is WAY more of a hazard on the road.

Stark

I doubt the driver coming up behind him wanted to only go a few mph over the limit. It's that driver's responsibility to maintain a safe distance anyway.

overdriver

stifz wrote:

By picking up the phone and calling the nearest station to the incident.. Think you put 2 & 2 together and got 5 there overdriver..

Are you a Nurse?:D

I am!!!

Not.

It's just I would be wary of complaining about a driver unless I were prepared to take it to court, particularly after my recent experience with Lucan gardai. So you were lucky they agreed to do it for you. I hope he got the fright of his life!

stifz

I'd put him in the ditch if ever tries a trick like that again. He's lucky i had kids in the car or i'd highlight his complete lack of self control by speeding without any care for any other road user when i come to a full halt and let him plough trough me.... he was intimidating me by the fact i could'nt see his headlights he was that close. He was on top of me in the space of checking my mirrors.. he was'nt there.. all of a sudden he's up my arse.

It's the only traffic situation i'd actually be prepared to see him in court for.. And i do 30k a year. SO i meet a lot of assH**es

Hotblack Desiato

Fey! wrote:

As for the cigarette thing, I hate to admit it, but I'm occasionally one of the knob-ends who does that (on the rare occasions when I smoke in the car).

Grrrrr - I'm a biker and having lighted missiles thrown at you is not fun. People have crashed as a result of a lit cigarette becoming lodged in their lap or even flying into their helmet.

In stopped traffic I'd be very tempted to throw it back inside the car

ianobrien

ninja900 wrote:

Grrrrr - I'm a biker and having lighted missiles thrown at you is not fun. People have crashed as a result of a lit cigarette becoming lodged in their lap or even flying into their helmet.

In stopped traffic I'd be very tempted to throw it back inside the car

I have done it to stopped traffic, even if I'm walking, and I always say "Sorry, you dropped this". Most of the time I get an open mouth, sometimes I get abuse, but it's worth it for the look on peoples faces

Traumadoc

Happened to me today I was cycling and a van driver threw a butt out the window narrowly missed me. Was going to go back, pick it up and give it back to him at the next set of lights but decided- its not worth it.

JamesM

stifz wrote:

By picking up the phone and calling the nearest station to the incident.. Think you put 2 & 2 together and got 5 there overdriver..

That's odd I reported a woman for being all over the road last week, almost certainly Drunk. She picked up her kid from school and nearly hit everything in sight. I followed her for a while and then reported her. I was told that I would have to go ito the nearest Garda Station and make a statement and be prepared to go to court. Also, I would have to be sure that I recognised the woman - her reg was not enough. They said that they could not just call to her house and give her a warning.
Jim.

h2s

JamesM wrote:

That's odd I reported a woman for being all over the road last week, almost certainly Drunk. She picked up her kid from school and nearly hit everything in sight. I followed her for a while and then reported her. I was told that I would have to go ito the nearest Garda Station and make a statement and be prepared to go to court. Also, I would have to be sure that I recognised the woman - her reg was not enough. They said that they could not just call to her house and give her a warning.
Jim.

Gardai tell porkies there - a truckie reported me a few years ago over some minor overtaking incident on a dualcarrageway. Anyway the Gardai called to my house and that was the first I heard about it, I was dumbstruck when they called as I hadn't a clue what I was supposed to have done at the time until they told me. This thing was so minor that it took me a few minutes to remember what it was. I gave my version of events and I never heard anymore about it and that was about three years ago.

overdriver

I had them call at 3 a.m, after I was driving home from a gig. I was loading the gear into the house, when they arrived. The missus was with me, and between the tow of us we couldn't figure why the person who reported us had done so. Save for my steering gently around a drunk standing in the road with a bollard in the air, over his head. I told them that and off they went. But they weren't giving out to me. only seeing if I was drinking.

Now the scary part to me is that normally, I don't unpack the gear, but that night I did, and normally, i have a beer or two in the house to help me wind down. But I didnt get to that night.


I recently had exactly the same experience as JamesM though. So it does seem to depend on who you get on the day.

G Luxel

In follow up to this op, i am glad that most of the replies are from responsible and good drivers. My point of both observations is that if the sign says 50 kph, then stick within 50kph, even during so called rush-hour traffic. There are some people that want to get from a to b in seconds, who get up late and are disorganised. There are many people who are organised with their lives and can get from a to b and also have regard for others and for speed limits. If there are white transit vans with cameras and patrol cars with guns and I am driving within the speed limit, I am saving myself and the people behind me from getting penalty points and paying a fine of 80 euro or whatever it is, but expecting me to drive faster just so that you can get somewhere faster will cost me and you penalty points and a fine. If your late or disorganised and drive aggressively and couldnt care less about others, then thats your problem.

People who throw items out of the car window dont have regard for the environment or other motoristsa. While a coke can or a cigarette butt is thrown out the window, they may well hit the car windscreen behind and may cause a crash (either item) or the cigarette butt may fail to extinguish and land on someone's clothing or hit someone's face and may cause the driver to lose control of what they are driving.

oleras

overdriver wrote:

Now the scary part to me is that normally, I don't unpack the gear, but that night I did, and normally, i have a beer or two in the house to help me wind down. But I didnt get to that night.

Why would you be scared............. no law against having a beer in your house ?
as you said, all you done "wrong" was drive around a drunk in the road....... guards are there to both help and protect...... maybe the driver who reported you had a concern and reported it and the guards sorted it out.... ?

overdriver

You're picking me up wrong, there, mate. What I mean is, if I'd just gone straight in, logged on the pc with my can of cider, and the lads had come a-knocking, even though I wouldn't have been over the limit, my credibilty would've been seriously undermined. They would have treated me much more suspiciously. It was a huge help having the girlfirend here, too, because she was very adamant with them we'd been driving safely.

The thing that bothered me about the driver reporting me was the fact that they were safely anonymous, while I had the cops at my door - very publicly in that small estate with a few curtains twitching etc ( they left the engine running). Also if they saw my avoid the drunk, how didn't they see him, and what I was at?

The gardai"sorted" nothing out, as there was nothing to sort out. I sterred ever so slightly left to avoid this pillock, on an empty road ( just where Eddie Rockets is in terenure, heading to Bushy Park. The pub is opposite).

It annoyed me at the time, but in retrospect, it was cool they'd try to catch a "drunk" driver. My point is that they didn't go after the other poster's drunk in the same way.

stifz

JamesM wrote:

That's odd I reported a woman for being all over the road last week, almost certainly Drunk. She picked up her kid from school and nearly hit everything in sight. I followed her for a while and then reported her. I was told that I would have to go ito the nearest Garda Station and make a statement and be prepared to go to court. Also, I would have to be sure that I recognised the woman - her reg was not enough. They said that they could not just call to her house and give her a warning.
Jim.

I had explained that we were both going to end up in the morning traffic 3 miles down the road so he was purely acting the dick as he was in the same tail back 5 minutes later within 3 cars of me.. I guess i explained to the garda to the point that something needed to be said. I've reported people in the past including drunk drivers but never got any feedback. I even rang ahead to 2 stations on the galway road to try and get one lad nailed one time but neither did anything.. he actually put me into traffic cones to get away from him & his crazy driving.

I made a point that i would definitely see this F**ker in court though. So the garda proceeded with a caution. Being honest i was delighted he had a sqaud car outside his door. Slap a bit of sense into the muppet.

BarryM3

Surely you can't just decide to report someone for dangerous driving etc and have them in court?

If thats the case anyone that I might have a non driving issue with, owe me money etc etc I can just pick up the phone and have them in court on a bogus claim

stifz

BarryM3 wrote:

Surely you can't just decide to report someone for dangerous driving etc and have them in court?

If thats the case anyone that I might have a non driving issue with, owe me money etc etc I can just pick up the phone and have them in court on a bogus claim

based on witnesses etc etc.. obviously it's not his word against yours..


give the gaurds some credit...

BarryM3

Wasn't there a phone line somewhere that you could call to annonymously report dangerous driving to the authorities, so in that case you don't even have to give your details to have the guards knocking on someones door.


I'll give credit where credit is due, so the gardai wil be waiting

stifz

BarryM3 wrote:

Wasn't there a phone line somewhere that you could call to annonymously report dangerous driving to the authorities, so in that case you don't even have to give your details to have the guards knocking on someones door.


I'll give credit where credit is due, so the gardai wil be waiting

It goes to an answering machine!!!! I'm no joking!

oleras

BarryM3 wrote:

Surely you can't just decide to report someone for dangerous driving etc and have them in court?

If thats the case anyone that I might have a non driving issue with, owe me money etc etc I can just pick up the phone and have them in court on a bogus claim

You have to be willing to stand up in court and give evidence, otherwise its just a ticking off from the guards, afaik......

metallicabmw

hey, glad to see other drivers with my dilemma, I have 4 points on my licence, so that must mean I'm a dangerous driver, tailgating and overtaking only where there is oncoming traffic, well no, first was for doing 56km/h in a 50km.h and the other 66km/h in a 60. Thats the thickness of my speedo needle for gods sake.

I always try to stick to the limit buts its hard with a 06 DAF Bus Eireann radiator grill stuck to your back bumper, or some ass hole 06 DL Transit van with "wash me" on the front of it that seems to terrorise me every morning when he wants to do 160km/h and I'm doing 100km/h, but seems incapable of overtaking me

So the next bastard that tailgates my 03 Passat on the Trim to Longwood road in the morning will see how well my ABS works as compared to a fully laden Transit, because i've had enough.....you've been warned!!!

Why are the Gardai never ever to be seen on a back road, ever !!!!

overdriver

Bad day, Metallica?

Ronanom

G Luxel wrote:

I have experienced some drivers that don't adher to the speed limit in places like road works or where the main road is now replaced by a bypass. What happens is when I hit into the 50 zone, the cars behind start flashing their lights or blowing the horn to get me to drive Ioo. The problem is that they dont want to pass out and there are also white transit vans with cameras parked anywhere in the area, including garda bikes with speed guns. While I keep to the speed limit, others are not and I think maybe there may be some form of road rage emerging. What do others think?

On another topic, Night driving or day driving, Ive noticed the high number of stupid people throwing cigarette butts out the window at high speed not realising that the butt is still alight and may possibly fly into your car if you have a window open, or if you drive an open top car.

Even if your doing the maximum allowed speed limit and someone want's to overtake you then let them by pulling in a bit...
Accidents are caused by people driving under the limit and this leads to cars bunching up on one another

DrivingInfo

Ronanom wrote:

Even if your doing the maximum allowed speed limit and someone want's to overtake you then let them by pulling in a bit...
Accidents are caused by people driving under the limit and this leads to cars bunching up on one another

You should not move over to let traffic pass if you are travailing at the speed limit, especially at this time of year. It is the responsibility of the driver behind you to drive in a manner which is deemed as proper and safe.

If you move in to let them pass you could hit a pedestrian, pothole, ditch or anything on your left. Travelling to close to a vehicle in front of you is dangerous driving and you can be prosecuted..

vector

40kmph > Bandon

upsfan

I just cannot believe that people are complaining about drivers ahead of them that stick to the speed limit. Oh wait, I can - you're the same muppets I come across on the road every day driving dangerously. If you want to break the law, that's your business (and I hope you're caught) but don't expect someone else to do so just to facilitate your getting somewhere a few seconds earlier. If you have a problem with the limits, take it to the council or whoever is doing the roadworks.

stifz

upsfan wrote:

I just cannot believe that people are complaining about drivers ahead of them that stick to the speed limit. Oh wait, I can - you're the same muppets I come across on the road every day driving dangerously. If you want to break the law, that's your business (and I hope you're caught) but don't expect someone else to do so just to facilitate your getting somewhere a few seconds earlier. If you have a problem with the limits, take it to the council or whoever is doing the roadworks.

Completely agree with you...

Mojito

stifz wrote:

I'd put him in the ditch if ever tries a trick like that again. He's lucky i had kids in the car or i'd highlight his complete lack of self control by speeding without any care for any other road user when i come to a full halt and let him plough trough me.... he was intimidating me by the fact i could'nt see his headlights he was that close. He was on top of me in the space of checking my mirrors.. he was'nt there.. all of a sudden he's up my arse.

It's the only traffic situation i'd actually be prepared to see him in court for.. And i do 30k a year. SO i meet a lot of assH**es

You tried to impair his vision and hit the breaks while he is driving so close that you cannot see his head lights and you have your kids in the car!! :eek:

Are you a complete fool?

deevey

Well far as I am concerned the guy with his headlights flashing in my rear view can kiss my shiny metal ass! and I dont give a rats ass, i dont drive above the limit or below the limit, I drive AT the limit.

In my opinion the problem is with.....

(a)Idiot speedfreaks with road tunnelvision (other cars.. nah?).
(b)Inconsistant drivers - ones that go from 40k - 120k on a 100k road, everytime you try to pass.

I had quite an interesting experience coming off the enfield - dublin sliproad just before the motorway was finished there was a 60kph limit (and yes I had seen garda there many times) and two tailgating artics on my tail.

On the downward ramp hitting the motorway the first guy goes right up my ass and trys to overtake as soon as there is any space around me and swings into the outside lane of the m4 - he obviosly WAAAAYYY underestimated his (and wha would be) my speed and tried to get out / in of the lane and around me straight off the ramp in one foul movement ...

Speed limit just off the ramp goes now from 60k - 120k.. my foot goes down (BMW) .. he tries to overtake and swings into the overtaking lane (crosses two lanes on the white triangle leading into the motorway).. he now knows he cant overtake, I'm way ahead, but he isnt looking at his mirrors and cant see the truck behind him (who now is at faster speed than him)- and as soon as he sees Im suddenly way ahead of him swings (jerked) back into the slow lane flashing his lights and almost jack knifing the truck.. as i see the smoke behind him of truck No.2 in my mirrors and two dangerously wavering trucks .. thankfully no accident !