M4 - Why are there no speed cameras?

DonJose

I travel the M4 frequently and see my fair share of speeders, why are there no permanent speed cameras on this motorway? There is one towards the end, just after where the M4 ends.

Mr Magnolia

There are plenty of speed checks, hair-dryers and the Gatso. I'd say it's a nice money spinner as it is. I'd rather see a speed camera outside a school or hospital than on a 2/3 lane dual-carraigeway tbh

Anan1

DonJose wrote:

I travel the M4 frequently and see my fair share of speeders, why are there no permanent speed cameras on this motorway? There is one towards the end, just after where the M4 ends.

Because it's a motorway on which speeds of 160km/h can be safely attained? Or so i'd like to think.;)

SGKM

Anan1 wrote:

Because it's a motorway on which speeds of 160km/h can be safely attained? Or so i'd like to think.;)

Completely agree!

The LAST thing that we need are speed cameras on motorways!!! I cant believe that a motorist actually thinks that speed cameras are a good idea on motorways!

0.8% of fatal and injury collisions occur on motorways according to the NRA Road Collision Facts 2004.

commited

Sparks400 wrote:

There are plenty of speed checks, hair-dryers and the Gatso. I'd say it's a nice money spinner as it is. I'd rather see a speed camera outside a school or hospital than on a 2/3 lane dual-carraigeway tbh

I travel the M4 alot and have never seen one (thank god)

It's a great road - would be even better if people knew how to use motorways

Gary ITR

DonJose wrote:

I travel the M4 frequently and see my fair share of speeders, why are there no permanent speed cameras on this motorway? There is one towards the end, just after where the M4 ends.

Shut up for christ sake man....:p

maidhc

commited wrote:

I travel the M4 alot and have never seen one (thank god)

It all depends on your concept of a speeder.

I know I was called a "speeder" by an annoying so-in-so in a Seicento who I had to endure for 3 miles at 30mph on twisty roads (albeit ones which can safely be navigated at 50mph), before getting the opportunity to overtake.

DonJose

Onkle wrote:

Shut up for christ sake man....:p

I'll shut up when aholes like you slow down

commited

maidhc wrote:

It all depends on your concept of a speeder.

I know I was called a "speeder" by an annoying so-in-so in a Seicento who I had to endure for 3 miles at 30mph on twisty roads (albeit ones which can safely be navigated at 50mph), before getting the opportunity to overtake.

Sorry I meant a speed camera.

Certainly dont consider that a "speeder" Its a pet hate of mine - a slow driver ruining a lovely drive down some backroads.

Don hose - whats your definition of a "speeder"?

unkel

DonJose wrote:

I'll shut up when aholes like you slow down

Winky or no winky, there's no need for personal insults. You're getting away with a warning this time. Next time you're banned

Saruman

To be honest this is the safest road in this country. Little traffic and almost no off/on ramps.
Speed limit should actually be increased on it! Well between Kinnegad and the kilcock toll booth anyway.

Gerry

I'm pretty sure there are a proportion of road users who don't have any intention of driving at the 120 km/h limit on motorways like the m4.
When you pass one of these muppets out, doing 120 km/h, they probably class you as a "speeder".
This is far worse on the m1, where you see plenty of people doing 60 - 70 km/h, nearly causing massive accidents. The m4 has pretty good lane discipline, a sizeable amount of people on it seem to know what lane to be in, which is strange in Ireland.

astrofool

On the M50 a while back, we had a Toyota Avensis 04/06-WX (can't remember the year), travelling at 70kph in the overtaking lane. EVERYONE who caught up to him would end up undertaking (completely clear road), I was taking the next exit, so flashed him before changing lane, then onto the off ramp, about a km later, a merc caught up to him, and the avensis tried double tapping the brakes, Merc just undertook him.

You really have to wonder what was going through the avensis drivers mind travelling 70kph all the way, i'd hate to be stuck behind all the way to Wexford.

Mr Magnolia

Gerry wrote:

The m4 has pretty good lane discipline, a sizeable amount of people on it seem to know what lane to be in, which is strange in Ireland.

Drivers on the M4 might have good discipline but on the N4 southboud after the red the driving is very poor with the majority driving in the middle lane.

Jakey

OP

I've a great idea .... Go join the garda reserve and make a big difference !!! NOT!


What a muppet. How would putting speed cameras there save accidents on back roads at 3 and 4 in the morning??

I'd rather they spent the money with random drink driving tests than speed cameras pure money spinner we give the government enough as it is at the minute!!!

Big Nelly

DonJose wrote:

I travel the M4 frequently and see my fair share of speeders, why are there no permanent speed cameras on this motorway? There is one towards the end, just after where the M4 ends.

Was on the M4 on Tuesday, great road and seen drivers using it alot better than any other motorway I have been driving on a long time.

OP is prob one of those drivers that sits in the overtaking lane going 120Kmph and not letting anyone pass and causing more hastle than any speeder on the road, then comes on and moans about it.

DonJose

Personally I don't break the speed limit, if its 120kph I'll drive at 120kph with my cruise control on. For those who think the M4 is a great motorway, you should travel a little more. The motorways abroad are as straight as railway lines unlike the cr@p they build here.

If the Irish learned how to drive then I wouldn't be as pi$$ed off. Every car comes with indicators as standard, why don't the out idiots use them. When you do overtake how about NOT pulling back in just 2 meters in front of me when there is no traffic in front. When it rains or when its getting dark how about putting on some light.

Looks like those road saftey ads on RTE blow right over you guys. We have 400,000 learner drivers out there and it shows, especially on this board.

Kaskade

DonJose wrote:

Personally I don't break the speed limit, if its 120kph I'll drive at 120kph with my cruise control on. For those who think the M4 is a great motorway, you should travel a little more. The motorsways abroad are as straight railway links unlike the cr@p they build here.

If the Irish learned how to drive then I wouldn't be as pi$$ed off. Every car comes with indicators as standard, why don't the out idiots use them. When you do overtake how about NOT pulling back in 2 meters in front of me when there is no traffic in front. When it rains or when its getting dark how about putting on some light.

Looks like those road saftey ads on RTE blow right over you guys. We have 400,000 learner drivers out there and it shows, especially on this board.

I've driven a few thousand miles in the UK over the last few months and although they often have 3 lanes very very few of their motorways had anything like the surface quality of the M4,

DonJose

Big Nelly wrote:

OP is prob one of those drivers that sits in the overtaking lane going 120Kmph and not letting anyone pass and causing more hastle than any speeder on the road, then comes on and moans about it.

I'm happy to drive in the outside line, when I overtake I do so in the correct manner and pull back in when its safe to do so. See my above post, which one are you???

peadair 11

I ama fully paid member of the M4 which in my opionion works very well because it is not policed. People want to get home from work and Get 20-30KPH over the limit does no harm, Fantastic road well worth the toll money

peadair 11

I am a fully paid member of the M4 which in my opionion works very well because it is not policed. People want to get home from work and Get 20-30KPH over the limit does no harm, Fantastic road well worth the toll money

maidhc

I'm off to get a bucket of popcorn and watch this thread unfold.

DonJose

LOL hold the butter on that popcorn. I've already got enough fodder on this thread and have forwarded this thread to my contacts at the RSA and the Traffic Corp Funny how ones arrogance will backfire Thanks all.

Mr Magnolia

DonJose wrote:

For those who think the M4 is a great motorway, you should travel a little more. The motorways abroad are as straight as railway lines unlike the cr@p they build here.

DonJose wrote:

Looks like those road saftey ads on RTE blow right over you guys. We have 400,000 learner drivers out there and it shows, especially on this board.

DonJose wrote:

I'll shut up when aholes like you slow down :rolleyes: .

Surely you can communicate your points better than this.

Seth Brundle

DonJose wrote:

LOL hold the butter on that popcorn. I've already got enough fodder on this thread and have forwarded this thread to my contacts at the RSA and the Traffic Corp Funny how ones arrogance will backfire Thanks all.

What do you expect the RSA & the traffic corp to do or are you just wanting to waste their time by reading your mail and this thread?

DonJose

The RSA are very receptive to corresponce they receive. I've received courteous replies from the CEO in relation to threads here which I have brought to their attention. The same applies to the Guards.

Seth Brundle

that doesn't answer my question - what are you going to say? Will you tell them that people like to speed on motorways? Im sure that they will appreciate being given this bit of info as they possibly aren't aware of it.

Mr Magnolia

DonJose wrote:

The RSA are very receptive to corresponce they receive. I've received courteous replies from the CEO in relation to threads here which I have brought to their attention. The same applies to the Guards.

Ya, I'm sure they'll act on:
DonJose: "Hello, is this the Traffic Corp? This is DonJose here and I have it on good authority that Big Nelly speeds/overtakes dangerously on the M4 along with a lot of those other boardies"

DonJose wrote:

LOL hold the butter on that popcorn. I've already got enough fodder on this thread and have forwarded this thread to my contacts at the RSA and the Traffic Corp Funny how ones arrogance will backfire Thanks all.

Any chance this delightful thread could be lockeded Kbannon, the OP has probably all the answers he's going to get

SGKM

DonJose wrote:

I've already got enough fodder on this thread and have forwarded this thread to my contacts at the RSA and the Traffic Corp Funny how ones arrogance will backfire Thanks all.

edit: yes you might! warning applied!

DonJose

DonJose wrote:

Personally I don't break the speed limit, if its 120kph I'll drive at 120kph with my cruise control on. For those who think the M4 is a great motorway, you should travel a little more. The motorways abroad are as straight as railway lines unlike the cr@p they build here.

If the Irish learned how to drive then I wouldn't be as pi$$ed off. Every car comes with indicators as standard, why don't the out idiots use them. When you do overtake how about NOT pulling back in just 2 meters in front of me when there is no traffic in front. When it rains or when its getting dark how about putting on some light.

Looks like those road saftey ads on RTE blow right over you guys. We have 400,000 learner drivers out there and it shows, especially on this board.

Good for you.

Motorways are statisticly the safest type of roads. Gardai and speed cameras are better off using their resources to save lives rather than shooting fish in a barrel on motorways.

I think you are just more annoyed about people overtaking you when you are sticking to the speed limit.

DonJose

Hopefully none of you will have to go through the pain of losing a close family member because of speeding/inexpericence/careless drivers. Such a loss gives you a different perspective.

Mr Magnolia

DonJose wrote:

Hopefully none of you will have to go through the pain of losing a close family member because of speeding/inexpericence/careless drivers.

Nearly everyone is touched in one way or another by the travesty that is our roads.

Sorry for your loss.

DonJose

DonJose wrote:

Hopefully none of you will have to go through the pain of losing a close family member because of speeding/inexpericence/careless drivers. Such a loss gives you a different perspective.

As someone who has lost two uncles on the road. Believe you me I know where you are coming from.

But there is no point coming in here calling people assholes and then retreating to the moral highground when you can't argue your points sensibly.

DonJose

ronoc wrote:

As someone who has lost two uncles on the road. Believe you me I know where you are coming from.

But there is no point coming in here calling people assholes and then retreating to the moral highground when you can't argue your points sensibly.

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they would, yet you would still have people breaking an increased speed limit. There was some foul weather last week and the amount of speeders remained unchanged even with low visibility and cross winds. If the only way to enforce this speed limit is by the implementation of speed cameras then I am all for it.

People on this board will not condone drink drivers even if they are just slighty over the legal limit, why does this attitude change when it comes to speeders, speed kills. I'm not looking for sympathy or preaching from a moral highground, I'm just trying to put the point across that speeding kills and Ireland has its fair share of inexperienced drivers on our roads.

Big Nelly

DonJose wrote:

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they would, yet you would still have people breaking an increased speed limit. There was some foul weather last week and the amount of speeders remained unchanged even with low visibility and cross winds. If the only way to enforce this speed limit is by the implementation of speed cameras then I am all for it.

People on this board will not condone drink drivers even if they are just slighty over the legal limit, why does this attitude change when it comes to speeders, speed kills. I'm not looking for sympathy or preaching from a moral highground, I'm just trying to put the point across that speeding kills and Ireland has its fair share of inexperienced drivers on our roads.

You havent a clue what your point is, your just going round in circles trying to post something to make out you have a point. Give up because it is embrassing for you now!!

Mitch Connor

DonJose wrote:

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they wouldQUOTE]

Its legal to drive at 80kmph on crappy little back roads round wicklow, yet a dual carraigeway (SP) is knocked down to 60kmph. Speed limits are inconsistent in this country, boardering on dangerously stupid.

Kaskade

DonJose wrote:

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they would, yet you would still have people breaking an increased speed limit. There was some foul weather last week and the amount of speeders remained unchanged even with low visibility and cross winds. If the only way to enforce this speed limit is by the implementation of speed cameras then I am all for it.

People on this board will not condone drink drivers even if they are just slighty over the legal limit, why does this attitude change when it comes to speeders, speed kills. I'm not looking for sympathy or preaching from a moral highground, I'm just trying to put the point across that speeding kills and Ireland has its fair share of inexperienced drivers on our roads.

Speeding per se doesnt kill, Inappropriate speeding does, Germany has the largest amount of derestricted roads in Europe and some of the lowest rates of road deaths (per head of captia)

Fey!

Out of curiosity, is your "120kph on cruise" according to the speedo (which on most cars will be about 105-110kph), or using a satnav/gps/calibrated system?

I don't condone speeding; if I want to go fast, i go to a track. However, I don't particularly enjoy listening to the sanctimonious preachings/ramblings of a holier-than-thou, be it on the interweb or in real life.

As has been pointed out, motorways are the safest roads we have. By all means get on to the RSA and the TC, waste their time and convince them to use resources which would be of more use on the bad back roads that most people die on on the M4 instead.

As for the new ads, personally I think they're embarrassingly bad, and do not really get their point across, unlike a lot of the drink driving campaign ads used over the last few years (gore gets you every time).

BTW; are those courteous replies from the RSA inividual or a standard letter?

Seth Brundle

DonJose wrote:

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they would, yet you would still have people breaking an increased speed limit. There was some foul weather last week and the amount of speeders remained unchanged even with low visibility and cross winds. If the only way to enforce this speed limit is by the implementation of speed cameras then I am all for it.

People on this board will not condone drink drivers even if they are just slighty over the legal limit, why does this attitude change when it comes to speeders, speed kills. I'm not looking for sympathy or preaching from a moral highground, I'm just trying to put the point across that speeding kills and Ireland has its fair share of inexperienced drivers on our roads.

These kind of comments bug me. Speed alone is not the issue in terms of incidents. Inappropriate speed is. Just because someone drives within the speed limit does not make it safe yet they will not be captuerd by speed cameras. Driving over the speed limit *may* be safe however.
Now, given the low incident rate on motorways, why waste garda time/resources if they can be better served elsewhere on the road network?
As for the speed limits and youor inference that Local Authorities know best - now you are just being naive! It is quite common for a road to have an inappropriate speed limit on it - this has even been agreed by our ministers for transport.

DonJose wrote:

Hopefully none of you will have to go through the pain of losing a close family member because of speeding/inexpericence/careless drivers. Such a loss gives you a different perspective.

Now are we talking about speeding or inexperience or carelessness? The three are not necessarily the same!

Sparks400 wrote:

Any chance this delightful thread could be lockeded Kbannon, the OP has probably all the answers he's going to get

I think I'll let it go on for another hour or two. Im finding it interesting and amusing reading this guff!

Tauren

Tauren wrote:

DonJose wrote:

The speed limit is there for a reason, if the road authorities thought it was safe to increase it they would

Its legal to drive at 80kmph on crappy little back roads round wicklow, yet a dual carraigeway (SP) is knocked down to 60kmph. Speed limits are inconsistent in this country, boardering on dangerously stupid.

Agreed. One notable example is the main road from Naas to Kilcullen. It used to be 60 mph but was dropped to 80kmh(50mph) when speed limits became metric.

The reason? It is now classed as a regional road. The road hasn't changed at all.

Another similar one is the Naas to Newbridge dual carriageway which in the stroke of a bureaucratic pen was reduced from 60 mph to 80kph(50mph).

Edit: fix quotes

DonJose

Fey! wrote:

Out of curiosity, is your "120kph on cruise" according to the speedo (which on most cars will be about 105-110kph), or using a satnav/gps/calibrated system?

BTW; are those courteous replies from the RSA inividual or a standard letter?

Thats cruise control according to the speedo and always in the outside lane, only using the overtaking lane, when overtaking.

It was a personal reply from the CEO of the RSA.

DonJose

kbannon wrote:

Now are we talking about speeding or inexperience or carelessness? The three are not necessarily the same!

All three applied in this case, inexperienced learner driver overtaking and losing control of her car as she rejoined traffic.

kbannon wrote:

I think I'll let it go on for another hour or two. Im finding it interesting and amusing reading this guff!

Thats so kind of you. I'm glad to see the title of moderator hasn't gotten to your head.

DonJose

DonJose wrote:

Thats cruise control according to the speedo and always in the outside lane, only using the overtaking lane, when overtaking.

It was a personal reply from the CEO of the RSA.

The same RSA that adviced people when they were tired to pull over, have a cup of coffee then try to sleep?

peadair 11

DonJose - I think your time is up,,
What a ridulous thread to post in the first place..
I travel the M4 5 Days a week and never seen 1 Crash even though a majority are touching 140 - 160 KPH

Let the speed continue !!!!!

gyppo

I dont condone speeding either. I dont exceed the speed limit anywhere, and I get pi**ed off listening to those who try and justify speeding.

Sure the M4 is a great road, and I believe the newly completed N4 section to Tyrellspass should be Motorway status.

The problem with habitual speeders is that the problem is not contained within Motorways, ie. those who exceed the speed limit on motorways are hardly going to obey speed limits on all the other roads.

Thats why the guards target such spots, I've been told.


Theres a section of the Athlone Bypass with a special speed limit of 50kmh at the moment, and a lot of workers/constuction traffic on the eastbound hard shoulder.
Anyone that passed me this morning on this section was not even driving within the normal speed limit, let alone the special limit. I'm sure many who drove through there did so without the faintest comprehension of what would happen if they needed to brake hard on a mucky dirty carraigeway. I'm certain that even less would have been able to stop their car safely, if they had to.

Limits are there for a reason - they're limits, not guidelines to be taken with a pince of salt by those who know better than everyone else.





\puts on flak jacket\

gyppo

gyppo wrote:

I dont condone speeding either. I dont exceed the speed limit anywhere, and I get pi**ed off listening to those who try and justify speeding.

Sure the M4 is a great road, and I believe the newly completed N4 section to Tyrellspass should be Motorway status.

The problem with habitual speeders is that the problem is not contained within Motorways, ie. those who exceed the speed limit on motorways are hardly going to obey speed limits on all the other roads.

Thats why the guards target such spots, I've been told.

Come off it, there is a big difference between putting the boot down on a deserted motorway and travelling through a builtup area at speed.

DonJose

peadair 11 wrote:

Let the speed continue !!!!!

More like, Let the arrogance continue.

PS : Do a search on rte.ie for the number of people killed on the M4.

Seth Brundle

DonJose wrote:

Thats cruise control according to the speedo and always in the outside lane, only using the overtaking lane, when overtaking.

It was a personal reply from the CEO of the RSA.

Do you mean that the RSA CEO is suggesting to use cruise control when overtaking only?
Anyhow, Fey! was trying to tell you that most speedos over-read by up to 10% so when it reads 120km/h your real speed may be 105 to 100km/h so these people you consider to be attempting murder are driving legally!

DonJose wrote:

Thats so kind of you. I'm glad to see the title of moderator hasn't gotten to your head.

What makes you think the role has gone to my head? Im just not closing the thread as I don't want to!

gyppo

ronoc wrote:

Come off it, there is a big difference between putting the boot down on a deserted motorway and travelling through a builtup area at speed.

There is, thats not exactly the point I was making though.

Are you saying that those who break the speed limit on motorways obey every other speed limit with godfearing reverence?

peadair 11

DonJose wrote:

More like, Let the arrogance continue.

PS : Do a search on rte.ie for the number of people killed on the M4.

Have a look to see how many people have been killed on the new motorway which we are discussing here !!!!!
http://www.roaddeaths.ie/

DonJose

kbannon wrote:

Do you mean that the RSA CEO is suggesting to use cruise control when overtaking only?

NO!!!

Fey asked : BTW; are those courteous replies from the RSA inividual or a standard letter?

I replied : It was a personal reply from the CEO of the RSA.