M8 - Cashel to Cullahill

transylman

BluntGuy wrote: »

I haven't a clue how to do that...

But I'm hoping the people that did it last time will be nice enough to do it again.

It has been done. Kudos to whomever did this, very nice job.

Will try to do my bit with local roads in my area but I don't have a gps so I have to work from satellite images.

FIRE

Will have the pleasure of driving this road on friday. Missed out on sunday night as I was hoping like all that it would be open.

Have been excited as everyone else as I hate that stretch in particular, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread already.

I have a camcorder and will video this stretch. Unfortunately all my driving is done at night so it'll be night shots. If it's of any use to anyone, probably not.

BluntGuy

FIRE wrote: »

I have a camcorder and will video this stretch. Unfortunately all my driving is done at night so it'll be night shots. If it's of any use to anyone, probably not.

No, it'll be great to have a video of the finest stretch of narrow-median motorway in the country. :cool:

Also - and I know Furet has already mentioned this recently - I must once again say that there is no better place to get information on the M8 motorway than the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

It is first-hand information from us, so you know you can trust it. I would also hope that you find the layout we selected to be clear, fresh and easy-to-read. Revisions are made almost daily as new information is added so you can be sure that it's up-to-date.

The M6, M7 and M9 all have similar articles that are well looked after by us.

On a somewhat related vein, I would like to say that I am seriously considering starting a website dedicated to Irish roads to provide this information. Wikipedia is fantastic, but I would love to provide all the information in one dedicated place.

FIRE

BluntGuy wrote: »

No, it'll be great to have a video of the finest stretch of narrow-median motorway in the country. :cool:

Also - and I know Furet has already mentioned this recently - I must once again say that there is no better place to get information on the M8 motorway than the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

It is first-hand information from us, so you know you can trust it. I would also hope that you find the layout we selected to be clear, fresh and easy-to-read. Revisions are made almost daily as new information is added so you can be sure that it's up-to-date.

The M6, M7 and M9 all have similar articles that are well looked after by us.

On a somewhat related vein, I would like to say that I am seriously considering starting a website dedicated to Irish roads to provide this information. Wikipedia is fantastic, but I would love to provide all the information in one dedicated place.

Thanks Bluntguy.....

I have been in and out of this thread for ages and checked all the revelant info, wiki site etc, and great work done by all. Just havent posted a lot as I dont have much info about the road, I travel it 3 weekends a month friday and sunday, and thats all I can contribute.

The rest of you have a lot more info on it


If I get a chance to drive up or down it in daylight over christmas I'll post a video.

L1011

BluntGuy wrote: »

No, it'll be great to have a video of the finest stretch of narrow-median motorway in the country. :cool:

Also - and I know Furet has already mentioned this recently - I must once again say that there is no better place to get information on the M8 motorway than the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

It is first-hand information from us, so you know you can trust it. I would also hope that you find the layout we selected to be clear, fresh and easy-to-read. Revisions are made almost daily as new information is added so you can be sure that it's up-to-date.

The M6, M7 and M9 all have similar articles that are well looked after by us.

On a somewhat related vein, I would like to say that I am seriously considering starting a website dedicated to Irish roads to provide this information. Wikipedia is fantastic, but I would love to provide all the information in one dedicated place.

A site akin to Wesley Johnston's one for NI would be a great resouce, someone (Zoney off here I think?) has attempted in the past but its currently unmaintained...

BluntGuy

MYOB wrote: »

A site akin to Wesley Johnston's one for NI would be a great resouce, someone (Zoney off here I think?) has attempted in the past but its currently unmaintained...

Indeed.

Well, I've already checked what domains are available and how much they cost. The one I'm thinking of going for is www.irishmotorways.com - I can register that for a very reasonable price.

I would try to maintain it regularly and upload as many shots of different motorways and major road schemes as possible. I'd also, most definately, include motorway and national route schemeta and possibly even a forum.

Don't expect anything too soon because it's still only an idea, but one that I am giving serious thought to.

L1011

The path of least resistance to get one going would be to run it on MediaWiki actually - I've adminned an intranet site that used it due to its very rapid editing ability and fairly simplistic markup. I think you and most of the others interested in editing it are or were wikipedia editors - so it'd give you an known system, and let you have collaborative editing - but only from people you want (very easy to lock a MW site to passworded accounts you create only).

Carrigman

BluntGuy wrote: »

Also - and I know Furet has already mentioned this recently - I must once again say that there is no better place to get information on the M8 motorway than the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

Are you sure the link is correct? This is what I get when I click on it:

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. Please search for M8 motorway (Ireland in Wikipedia to check for alternative titles or spellings.

* Start the M8 motorway (Ireland article or add a request for it.
* Search for "M8 motorway (Ireland" in existing articles.
* Look for pages within Wikipedia that link to this title.

L1011

Add a ) at the end, its very hard to link to Wikipedia articles with a closing ) on b.ie for some reason.

Carrigman

To answer my own question, this is the correct link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

There is an underscore between M8 and motorway and between motorway and (Ireland).

BluntGuy

Carrigman wrote: »

To answer my own question, this is the correct link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

There is an underscore between M8 and motorway and between motorway and (Ireland).

No, you made the same mistake I did...

Here is the exact link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_motorway_(Ireland)

D.L.R.

http://www.openstreetmap.org/ updated! (not by me)

EDIT: the basic blue line is there anyway, but not much in close up detail. Old N8 isn't downgraded...

Steviemak

D.L.R. wrote: »

http://www.openstreetmap.org/ updated! (not by me)

EDIT: the basic blue line is there anyway, but not much in close up detail. Old N8 isn't downgraded...

Yeah, bit of work to be done on that yet - no junctions and the blue continues onto the N8 incorrectly at Cullahill. But its probably just a first cut by someone.

BluntGuy

Steviemak wrote: »

Yeah, bit of work to be done on that yet - no junctions and the blue continues onto the N8 incorrectly at Cullahill. But its probably just a first cut by someone.

I imagine so as only the northbound carriageway is actually shown. But it is nice, none-the-less, to have the scheme mapped in some shape or form.

I'm sure the corrections will come over the coming weeks.

And doesn't the map look so much nicer with that bit of blue!

Danno

Who maintains Google Maps???

I drove the M8 from Cullohill to Urlingford this evening... class job.

Typewriter

Danno wrote: »

Who maintains Google Maps???

I dont know but if you find out tell them that Waterford is not in Kilkenny. :rolleyes:

Our man in Havana

It is all part of the plan for Kilkenny to invade Waterford.

Zuisse

BluntGuy wrote: »

The temporary exit is dodgy though: for a start, the "motorway ahead" signs are practically on the slip-road which is useless. Second, it IS too narrow, and there is great potential for bottlenecks. Third, it isn't that well-lit.

I can't imagine that any "Wide Loads" will be able to make it on/off the motorway at the temporary Cullahill exit. I was driving past this morning and noticed that three of those poles they inset into the cats eyes to partition the traffic were knocked over, which is worrying. There's definitely going to be an accident here at some stage.
On a positive note, the traffic calming speed limit signs northbound at this junction are very good - the speed limit progressively decreases from 120km/h to 100km/h, 80km/h, 60km/h and 50km/h.

G_R

urlingford is like a ghost town. Its absolutley empty. I'm nearly starting to wish the motorway closed again, it doesnt feel right......NEARLY

Our man in Havana

Are they going to reduce the speedlimit on the R639 (the old N8) to 80km/h?

G_R

Bond-007 wrote: »

Are they going to reduce the speedlimit on the R639 (the old N8) to 80km/h?

they should do....but when they get around to it is a different story.:D

It'll be a shame tho, the road between urligford and littleton is very good, well able to handle 100km/h, maybe they will impose a special speed limit (if that's possible, i kno they can increase N roads to 120 so i c noi reason why they cant increase an R to 100 if it is suitable)

Our man in Havana

They can create a special speed limit of 100km/h but they normally go to 80km/h first and then increase it later.

I see the 100 km/h signs are still up. I saw the Gardaí speed checking between Urlingford and Johnstown on Tuesday. If the 100km/h signs are still up they can hardly get you for doing 90?

trap4

I got a chance to drive the new section of the M8 on Tuesday and took the opportunity to test out a theory of mine that a drive from west Limerick (near Newcastlewest) to Dublin could be done nearly as quickly on the M8 now as on the N7.

So I went cross country (Drumcollogher->Liscarrol->Buttevant) to Mitchelstown and enjoyed the 50 miles of wonderful motorway from there. It took me 2h15m to get to the Midway foodcourt in Portaloise. Only for the dirt track from Buttevant to Mitchelstown and a tractor tailback near Abbeyleix I'd have done it 10 minutues quicker.

The return jouney, from Midway to home via the N7 was 13 miles shorter but took only 7 minutes less. So my theory wasn't quite correct but not anything like as daft as some friends thought it would be either.

BTW, that Cashel to Cullahill is as wonderful as everyone says but how sad to think it'll be as defiled by litter as Portlaoise to Dublin is now, within a year :-(

BluntGuy

The stretch needs a service area now...

As the situation with motorways gets better, the situation with MSAs gets worse. We now have 435 km of motorway in this country, and do we have a single place to legally stop?

Rowley Birkin QC

Only if you have a white car with a blue flashing light unfortunately.

It's something I don't understand at all, the lack of service areas. Studying to be a Planner and it seems ridiculous that no-one thought of these at the planning stage.

BluntGuy

bigkev49 wrote: »

It's something I don't understand at all, the lack of service areas. Studying to be a Planner and it seems ridiculous that no-one thought of these at the planning stage.

It is stupid. If the NRA hadn't flapped around in deciding whether we needed them or not then they would more than likely be under construction now and would co-incide with opening of the MUIs.

Anyway, I've started a thread specifically dedicated to the MSAs:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055439234

Our man in Havana

Just saw some agriculural tractors crawling along the M8 at 40 km/h! :mad:

BluntGuy

Bond-007 wrote: »

Just saw some agriculural tractors crawling along the M8 at 40 km/h! :mad:

I really wish I could say I'm surprised... :rolleyes:

Do people not see the bleeding OBVIOUS:

Motorway Ahead

... that appears before every single junction in the country. It honestly cannot be made ANY clearer than that (our UK counterparts don't even HAVE this sign - yet they don't have this problem).

It's not ignorance, it's pure disregard for safety of other road users and is utterly selfish. There is a nearly empty high-spec regional road running alongside it for them to use.

No excuses. If they're caught they should be heavily fined IMO...

Amtmann

Bond-007 wrote: »

Just saw some agriculural tractors crawling along the M8 at 40 km/h! :mad:

This really boils my blood. I always beep viciously at a tractor on motorway. I have nothing but contempt for such drivers. This deserves its own thread really.

BluntGuy

Furet wrote: »

This really boils my blood. I always beep viciously at a tractor on motorway. I have nothing but contempt for such drivers. This deserves its own thread really.

Agreed.

But it wasn't a tractor in this case, it was tractors...

I can just imagine the sight, a convoy of them sluggishly trundling along the motorway in the inner lane (or even hard-shoulder) somehow thinking that they're entitled to be there.

It's not a sight that I see too often, but I see it more often than I should and it always makes me mad. WHAT is their rationale? They aren't going to get anywhere any faster on the motorway than they are on quiet regional roads. All they serve to do is defeat the purpose the motorway by slowing down traffic and reducing safety.

Stark

Anytime I've seen them on the motorways, they're usually foreshadowed by the sight of cars slamming on the brakes as they come up behind them. From a distance, the effect looks similar to if a car was broken down on the motorway.

Amtmann

Just fired off an email to traffic@garda.ie

The Cashel Bypass in particular always has at least one yokel-driven tractor on it.

BluntGuy

I think the fact that four people have reported incidents of seeing tractors on motorways within the space of half-an-hour is evidence enough that there is a huge problem.

marmurr1916

Bond-007 wrote: »

Just saw some agriculural tractors crawling along the M8 at 40 km/h! :mad:

Bloody idiots! Hope you got their numbers to give to the guards.

BluntGuy

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Bloody idiots! Hope you got their numbers to give to the guards.

My sentiments exactly. People should colloborate in order to stop this kind of stupidity...

icdg

BluntGuy wrote: »

I really wish I could say I'm surprised... :rolleyes:

Do people not see the bleeding OBVIOUS:

Motorway Ahead

... that appears before every single junction in the country. It honestly cannot be made ANY clearer than that (our UK counterparts don't even HAVE this sign - yet they don't have this problem).

They used to! In fact our sign is nearly identical to theirs. They abandoned them in the 1980s on the basis that people were so used to motorways, they didn't need to be reminded of the restrictions. Now "Non-Motorway Traffic" gets signed as the last exit prior to the start of the motorway.

The original of the speicies can be seen here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7764506.stm

BluntGuy

icdg wrote: »

They used to! In fact our sign is nearly identical to theirs. They abandoned them in the 1980s on the basis that people were so used to motorways, they didn't need to be reminded of the restrictions. Now "Non-Motorway Traffic" gets signed as the last exit prior to the start of the motorway.

The original of the speicies can be seen here...

I'm aware the UK used to have similar signage and you're right, it was gradually phased out...

Rowley Birkin QC

Bond-007 wrote: »

Just saw some agriculural tractors crawling along the M8 at 40 km/h! :mad:

How exactly did you measure their speed?

There are plenty of agricultural machines in this country that are capable of being driven at the minimum motorway speed of 50km/h.

Furet wrote:

yokel-driven tractor on it.

No need for that tbh.

Our man in Havana

Now "Non-Motorway Traffic" gets signed as the last exit prior to the start of the motorway.

Why is that not done here?

Amtmann

bigkev49 wrote: »

No need for that tbh.

These people are ignorant or thick, or possibly both, and they're a lethal hazard. They're lucky they don't get called worse. Calling someone a "yokel" won't get anyone killed; tractors on motorways will.

AugustusMaximus

bigkev49 wrote: »

How exactly did you measure their speed?

There are plenty of agricultural machines in this country that are capable of being driven at the minimum motorway speed of 50km/h.



No need for that tbh.

Unless it was a JCB fastrack then it would prob be unable to do 50kph.

BluntGuy

Bond-007 wrote: »

Why is that not done here?

The "Motorway Ahead" signs compensate for that. It should be obvious that if you are on the categories listed then you LEAVE the motorway at the next available exit.

BluntGuy

bigkev49 wrote: »

There are plenty of agricultural machines in this country that are capable of being driven at the minimum motorway speed of 50km/h.

And there are plenty that aren't which is why they shouldn't be on the motorway.

And do you really think, regardless of what the law states, that 50 km/h is a sensible speed to be doing in traffic that is generally going at 120?

AugustusMaximus

BluntGuy wrote: »

And there are plenty that aren't which is why they shouldn't be on the motorway.

And do you really think, regardless of what the law states, that 50 km/h is a sensible speed to be doing in traffic that is generally going at 120?

IMO, I'd have a minimum speed limit on motorways of 70kph, if not 80kph.

A 70kph speed differential from 50 to 120 is stupid and dangerous.

Rowley Birkin QC

Bluntguy wrote:

And do you really think, regardless of what the law states, that 50 km/h is a sensible speed to be doing in traffic that is generally going at 120?

It's not my job to make the law; it currently states that 50km/h is an acceptable speed to travel at. Provided the lighting is correct and working on the tractor and all brakes are working then no I don't see a problem.

Furet wrote:

These people are ignorant or thick, or possibly both, and they're a lethal hazard. They're lucky they don't get called worse. Calling someone a "yokel" won't get anyone killed; tractors on motorways will.

How are they ignorant and thick?

The law states that a vehicle capable of 50km/h is permitted on the motorway. Where is the confusion?

I can understand your frustration if it was a guy in a old Massey out for a look at the new road but there genuinely are many tractors (lots of Fendts, Fastracs etc.) capable of the minimum speed limit and they have as much right to use the road as you or I in cars, buses or trucks.

amacachi

bigkev49 wrote: »

How are they ignorant and thick?

The law states that a vehicle capable of 50km/h is permitted on the motorway. Where is the confusion?

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's safe or sensible.

BluntGuy

bigkev49 wrote: »

The law currently states that 50km/h is an acceptable speed to travel at.

Common sense does not.

Rowley Birkin QC

amacachi wrote: »

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's safe or sensible.

BluntGuy wrote: »

Common sense does not.

That's your view, the law states otherwise. Anyway that's enough off-topic discussion I reckon.

Amtmann

bigkev49 wrote: »

How are they ignorant and thick?

Ignorance (as in ignorance of the law/rules of the road) = driving your tractor half on the carriageway, half on the hard shoulder. Any tractor I've ever seen on a motorway does this.

I label such drivers 'thick' [i.e. stupid] based on the ignorance outlined above. That's to say, if you* think it's ok to drive your tractor like that, then you are thick, and not only thick, but a dangerous menace too.

Then there're tractors that haul slurry, muck and silage on the motorways, bits of which always fall off and create a dangerous amount of slippery detritus for other traffic to drive through. Again, this is ignorant and thick, and totally selfish to boot.

Oh, and I've seen more than a few old banger tractors chugging along at a snail's pace on motorway hard shoulders, especially along the Cashel bypass.

* I'm not referring to you personally, BigKev.

Amtmann

Actually, here's a good example of what we're talking about (video commentary is...cryptic!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhp9RlrfAn8