Gatso Van M1

eringobragh

BoardsRanger wrote: »

That is really cool- and seems like it can be done for relatively cheap also! Will certainly look into a similar setup for myself. There should be an incentive of lower premiums from insurance companies if you have it installed.

Yes I agree!! Its the reason I installed the bloody thing call me paranoid but this near miss should help justify the cost: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-hP9Q_Mcj4 :mad:

I reckon no more than 200euros should get you everything and i've mine a couple of months now no problems. I know a few others over here have installed the same system as myself.

If you've any queries on the setup just drop us a PM.

Bee

=eringobragh;57410180]Its there since 8:30am this morning

Just Heads up for the GATSO parked behind roadwork sign just after the M50 slip and before the airport exit its in the 80K wouldn't you know. I spotted it and slowed alright but i can see a pile up happening....so much for road safety :rolleyes:

If only they'd this much enthusiasm and creativity catching real criminals.

Just another reason as to why the siting of road traffic enforcement must be taken out of the hands of the Gardai as they are demonstrably proving once again that they are doing feck all to reduce fatal road accidents by not policing in areas where the majority of fatal accidents occur.

I can just imagine the sleazy response by the Superintendant (We have increased speed penalities by (pick a number!) and we are doing a great job Minister, lots of lolly in cash cameras)

Whilst fatalities increase due to the cash camera conciousness that is doing nothing to reduce fatalites by this pizz poor policing

ArphaRima

If there is a bus lane (not open to public vehicles) and it has a line of cars in it, I will drive all the way to where the bus lane ends in the normal right lane and then indicate and stop to wait to get into the left lane, if I do actually need to get into that left lane of course. Unfortunately, it blocks traffic on the main lane but then again, it's not my fault at all. Some people have said that I should just join the line of traffic in the bus lane but I don't want points in my licence and I also don't want to be delaying possibly 100 or more people on one or more buses. So by obeying the rules of the road, I get to pass out a load of cars and I save time.

You're whats wrong with drivers in this country. Self righteous piss-poor driving.
Every other driver is using common sense and joining the queue from the back, thus freeing up the outside lane, allowing traffic to progress. You on the other hand are following a self-serving self-righteous logic to get yourself ahead of the queue. No way in hell would I allow you join the lane ahead of me.

Dr. Loon

fluffer wrote: »

You're whats wrong with drivers in this country. Self righteous piss-poor driving.
Every other driver is using common sense and joining the queue from the back, thus freeing up the outside lane, allowing traffic to progress. You on the other hand are following a self-serving self-righteous logic to get yourself ahead of the queue. No way in hell would I allow you join the lane ahead of me.

But you're in the bus lane, that you shouldn't be in?! You aren't skipping a queue by moving into the lane once the markings indicate you can do so, you're obeying the law and rules of the road. YOU are what's wrong with drivers in this country. If everyone were to obey the rules of the road, things would go alot more smoothly.

macplaxton

fluffer wrote: »

highdef wrote: »

I'd say you'd hate to be driving in my proximity Sizzler. If there is a bus lane (not open to public vehicles) and it has a line of cars in it, I will drive all the way to where the bus lane ends in the normal right lane and then indicate and stop to wait to get into the left lane, if I do actually need to get into that left lane of course. Unfortunately, it blocks traffic on the main lane but then again, it's not my fault at all. Some people have said that I should just join the line of traffic in the bus lane but I don't want points in my licence and I also don't want to be delaying possibly 100 or more people on one or more buses. So by obeying the rules of the road, I get to pass out a load of cars and I save time.

You're whats wrong with drivers in this country. Self righteous piss-poor driving.
Every other driver is using common sense and joining the queue from the back, thus freeing up the outside lane, allowing traffic to progress. You on the other hand are following a self-serving self-righteous logic to get yourself ahead of the queue. No way in hell would I allow you join the lane ahead of me.

I see nothing wrong with highdef not using the bus lane when not permitted. I wouldn't call it piss-poor. Bold boys steaming down the bus lane when in operation is. Sitting a car or two in length on the end of the bus lane is not too bad, if it doesn't block the bus getting to stop, but a long queue blocking the bus lane defeats the point of the bus lane. Not a very courteous driver are you fluffer? Before you know it, there will be loads of bus lane scameras set up to empty your pockets. You'll change your tune then.

That aside, some clowns in charge decided to have 24h bus lanes which are totally unnecessary and the very few which do have shorter operating times I NEVER see any drivers use when out of hours. (e.g. Lucan village out to Woodies). Does nobody understand the concept of reading the timeplate?

Esel

macplaxton wrote:

Does nobody understand the concept of reading the timeplate?

There's a timeplate? No way!

highdef did say "If there is a bus lane (not open to public vehicles)" though.....

I.S.T.

highdef wrote: »

lol. And I'm not on a high horse before someone says that.
I really can't see what the gripe is with the safety/speed cameras. Should I think more along the lines of "How dare I be punished for breaking the law" or "How dare I be punished for driving without due care and attention". Why is everyone obsessed with speed cameras? Seriously........WHY???

People are annoyed because most speed traps are on the country's safest roads. If you had a serious wound to your stomach which was losing a lot of blood and some small scratches on your arms you wouldn't attend to the scratches on your arms first, you would deal with the stomach. Why don't the Guards deal with the roads on which most fatal and injury accidents occur and when they've improved the accident rate on these roads then park up on dual carriageways and motorways?

familykane

bman wrote: »

Because the speed limit there is too low (as it is almost everywhere in this country). The cameras aren't placed in accident prone areas and are placed in areas where the speed limit is too low, and that's why people have a gripe with them.

I agree totally. these gatso vans are supposes to be placed in areas that have a history of road accidents. How many accidents have there been at this junction?

These gatso yokes area only about revenue collection.

Run_to_da_hills

familykane wrote: »

I
These gatso yokes area only about revenue collection.

And watching out for individuals. :eek:

BoardsRanger

Dr. Loon wrote: »

But you're in the bus lane, that you shouldn't be in?! You aren't skipping a queue by moving into the lane once the markings indicate you can do so, you're obeying the law and rules of the road. YOU are what's wrong with drivers in this country. If everyone were to obey the rules of the road, things would go alot more smoothly.

No, you are! and you are of the opinion that if everybody ignored the que and tried to join it when the markings on the road permitted it then "things would go alot more smoothly" - haha!! wait till you get rear ended and then see whos showing initiative.

whosedaddy?

They can't park a GATSO van on the M1!
It's not on the list of speed enforcement zones....

http://www.garda.ie/sez/Speed_Enforcement_Zones.htm

/WD

Sizzler

I presume the driver of the van got 2 penalty points for crossing the white chevrons? And presumably he got another 2 points when he drove it away :rolleyes:

highdef

Yes but if everyone did obey the rules with bus lanes, there will be a queue of traffic in the regular lane which will be stopped or slow moving so there shouldn't really be any reason for rear ending to take place. Sure if you see a car ahead of you with his/her left indicator on and then brake lights showing, I'm sure even a really bad driver will know that the car may come to a stop and brake accordingly. If you do manage to rear end a car at the end of bus lane, you're obviously driving too close and/or not paying attention.

Having said that, the fact that so many people illegally use the bus lanes means that I get home quicker as I observe the ROTR. If people drive legally and correctly, it will take me way way longer to get home. The off-shoot of this is that this would hopefully entice more and more people to use the buses. If the bus lanes were clear at all times that buses run, or at least during the rush hours (I agree that 24 hour bus lanes are just plain silly though), travel times to and from the city would be slashed hugely. More people using the buses means less cars on the roads. Getting to that stage is nigh on impossible though. And I have to admit that I drive a company vehicle and cannot use public transport. However I certainly would if I could and always did until I had to start using the company car last november.

I also agree that speed cameras should be placed where accidents do regularly occur. Motorways are the safest roads in the country and are built for speed. But I will say that the location of the Gatso van in the OP's picture is a legitimate location as it is a potentially dangerous location due to the large amount of weaving that happens here. It just takes one car doing well over the limit to cause a serious accident here. The Gatso that is sometimes located further north just before the 120KMH signs is a little bit sneaky, as I said before.

pa990

eringobragh wrote: »

Sorry who was taking photos?? I've a camera in my car on constant record. Usual high and mighty attitude. :mad:

I presume that this was one of the new Multanova's
What sort of range did you get with a V1?

eringobragh

pa990 wrote: »

I presume that this was one of the new Multanova's
What sort of range did you get with a V1?

It wasn't a Multanova it was an older Van so the GATSO system I reckon. The V1 would get you at least 300metres+ travelling straight and 13 seconds warning at the posted speed limit. However off axis coming from the M50 slip I got **** all warning less than 100metres. You need to be on the ball on the K band. I was the 80k passing the cnut.

pa990

they usually set they're limit higher than the posted limit.. otherwise they would catch everyone.. its up to the individual operater, but it was prob set to 90/100k

Dr. Loon

BoardsRanger wrote: »

No, you are! and you are of the opinion that if everybody ignored the que and tried to join it when the markings on the road permitted it then "things would go alot more smoothly" - haha!! wait till you get rear ended and then see whos showing initiative.

If I'm understanding you correctly you're telling me I should take some "initiative" and break the rules of the road? Am I right? You see, there's the problem right there.

My girlfriend was driving my car a few weeks ago and was rear ended by an idiot who didn't understand the rules of the road. He's now paying for my repairs, because my girlfriend knows the rules of the road! If I do get rear ended entering a bus lane where the road markings permit, legally, then the person that hits me will be paying for my repairs. How about that? Ha ha!!1

Not that I want this to happen, I change lanes with the utmost of safety, but it's THE LAW my silly friend.

On topic, I've noticed a lot more Garda presence lately, and I think it's a good thing. Not the shooting fish in a barrel thing but more presence is definitely a good thing as far as I'm concerned. I always watch my speed on the M1 though. ****ers are always stashed in stupid places. Cherry picking.

highdef

Thanks for the back-up Dr Loon. And at one stage, I was half thinking that I should be joining the bus lane if there is a queue of traffic already in it. I can just imagine the conversation I'd have with a Garda if I was rear ended while waiting to join the left lane at the end of the bus lane.

Me: I was stopped in the right lane and indicating left to pull in to the left lane.
Guard: And why did you stop at that spot?
Me: Because this is where the bus lane ends and I need to turn left so this is where I join the other lane.
Guard: And why didn't you join the left lane at the back of the queue? You were holding up the traffic in the right lane and caused an accident.

Now I seriously doubt that a Guard would dare ask such a question.

The way I see it is that when I am stopped in the right lane and waiting to get into the full left lane at the end of the bus lane, I treat the thick solid white line of the bus lane as a wall that I cannot cross. Which in effect is what it is supposed to be.....a line you DO NOT cross. Obviously there are exceptional circumstances where you must. I see the start of the queue in the left lane as beginning as soon as the bus lane ends. Private vehicles still in the bus lane should not be there. They ususally let me in as they know they are in the wrong but you get a fair few who refuse to let me legally join the lane. Bothers me a bit but I don't act upon it.
Yesterday evening on the way home, I was driving from the N4 St john's Road inbound onto the South Circular Road to Islandbridge. As is often the case, there was a line of traffic over 100 metres up the Bus Lane. So I stayed in the centre lane (from left to right, it's bus lane, centre lane and right lane), indicated well in advance my intention to turn left/change lane, and braked slower that I normally would as this is dual carriageway, albeit only with a speed limit of 60 KMH. When I got to the end of the bus lane, I had to wait a few moments as the traffic in the left lane was not moving at the time. When it got going, the Dublin bus at the top of bus lane queue was more than happy to let me in as he knew that I was not one of those people who delays all his passengers. I am wary that traffic moves quickly on this particular road and there is a risk of a rear ending but why should I risk points on my licence because of other people, or should I say lemmings??? This particular road is the one I don't particularly like being stopped on. Am i still completely correct in what I am doing here?

ArphaRima

Well I think you're nuts. You could well get seriously injured or killed dong things like that. You can be as "technically" correct as you like, but if you are the lone car stopped on a dual carriageway, and traffic behind you is moving at 60mph+ then you're frankly asking for trouble. Who cares if you think you're right?
The vast majority of drivers used their --judgement-- and common sense to queue out of harms way.

What road planners hope for and what is practically viable and safe are 2 different things. I think no garda or judge would fault you for being in a bus lane on a dual carriageway in that circumstance. Its using personal judgement to assess a safe course of action. Rules are only guidelines at the end of the day. They are not definites. They can be broken in given circumstances.

Seth Brundle

highdef wrote: »

It just takes one car doing well over the limit to cause a serious accident here.

How will one car going well over the limit "cause a serious accident here"? Will it suddenly just crash for no reason? Is it a kind of twilight zone junction? :eek:

highdef

Hi kbannon. I should have rephrased my statement a bit better than that. What I should have said is that high speed in general along this stretch would not be very safe due to the number of slip roads coming onto the M1 from the M50. The one where the Gatso van was parked being a particular short slip. I have attached a map from Google Maps to try to illustrate the amount of slips onto the M1 here. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=dublin,+ireland&ie=UTF8&ll=53.414648,-6.223862&spn=0.005768,0.013819&t=h&z=16 The yellow line towards the bottom of the map with M50 written on it is the slip from the M50/M1 roundabout.To the north, there are two lanes which form two more slips. The left one becomes the left lane destined for the airport and the right lane is a very short slip onto the M1. This is where the Gatso was parked. You can see the chevrons between this slip and the M1 northbound carriageway. While all this is going on, there are also people on the right lane of the M1 trying to get into the left lane so that they can then get into the airport bound lane/slip. So a lot of merging and weaving to deal with. All in all, a rather messy situation due to space constraints and not the best of planning, IMO. Hence the reason that lower speeds should be adhered to along this stretch.

Fluffer, I have personally seen the Gardai on this stretch of Bus Lane (N4/St John's Road heading east just before the South Circular Road) give dozens of cars tickets (and presumably penalty points too) for being in the bus lane, particularly during operation free flow. Are you saying that if I join the lemmings in the bus lane and next of all a garda appears, I should say that I thought it would be dangerous for me to drive in the correct lane in case someone somehow does not see that I am stopped with brake lights on and indicator indicating left and it would be in the interest of safety if I clog up the bus lane? That would never stand and I'd be given an on the spot fine and penatly points. I am not the only person who observes the rules of the road along here and other roads too. I often have a small queue of people behind me waiting to get into the left lane at the end of the bus lane.

Just because other people jump into the bus lane doesn't mean that it's ok for me to do it. Maybe a poll is in order for this? Sorry for going off-topic about the gatso van, mod

BoardsRanger

Dr. Loon wrote: »

THE LAW my silly friend.

surely you can have a debate without resorting to insults! well obviously, there is a difference of opinion here. i think your wrong, you think i'm wrong! il continue to do what i do, as will you. best of luck now

Esel

highdef wrote: »

... I'd be given an on the spot fine and penalty points....

No points, just a fine, €80 afaik. That's one reason lots of drivers chance it. If it was a points offence, different story!

ArphaRima

Are you saying that if I join the lemmings in the bus lane and next of all a garda appears, I should say that I thought it would be dangerous for me to drive in the correct lane in case someone somehow does not see that I am stopped with brake lights on and indicator indicating left and it would be in the interest of safety if I clog up the bus lane?

Yes.

Especially on a dual carriageway.

I'd be given an on the spot fine and penatly points

No penalty points AFAIK. But I'd contest the fine.

Look there's a reason why most of the other drivers are doing it differently than you. And it's not because you're smarter than they are. It's just they decided its the correct course of action. Sure some are lemmings, joining a queue because one exists, yes. But that's a separate argument.

highdef

But if drivers drove correctly, the normal driving lanes would be full anyway so there wouldn't be an issue and the buses would fly into town instead of sitting in kilometres of bus only bus lanes full of cars.
Would I be able to get something in writing from the Gardai saying that I would not be fined if I drove into a bus lane if there was a queue in it? I have the strangest feeling that it would be a definite NO. If I can get something signed by a garda, then I will join the already full bus lanes and contribute to the main reason why buses have such long journey times. Sure everyone else does it, I may as well join them. And sure I don't use the bus, why should I care! Am I getting the right attitude now??? I am making myself sound like a right aul selfish ignorant tosser now with no regard for users of public transport.

I'd be a fool to further delay public transport users and also to be at risk of a fine. If someone somehow cannot see that I am slowing or coming to a stop in front of them, they really need to take some lessons or get glasses, or both!!
I really can't believe the attitude of some people here. I'm just glad I don't have to use the bus service in this city. If the bus lanes were not abused, then we would have a fantastic service. So all you tossers, get out of the bus lanes and let the buses use them. They are NOT for your use. If we all do this, those of us who have the option of using the buses can do so and get to work quicker than the car. If there's more demand for the buses as a result, more services will be introduced and they'll become more frequent.

I'll continue to dream

ArphaRima

Simple fact is that you are doing something that is unexpected to other drivers. You could get yourself or others killed on a dual carriageway with your insistence on following the letter of the law.

I'm not arguing this point anymore. You continue doing what you do. I'll do what I do. Just like everyone else. Just dont expect people like me to let you in.

Mr. Presentable

fluffer wrote: »

. Just dont expect people like me to let you in.

Does the bus lane not end with a Yield marking?

andrewh5

fluffer wrote: »

Simple fact is that you are doing something that is unexpected to other drivers. You could get yourself or others killed on a dual carriageway with your insistence on following the letter of the law.

I'm not arguing this point anymore. You continue doing what you do. I'll do what I do. Just like everyone else. Just dont expect people like me to let you in.

The op is acting in accordance with the law. It is you and the other drivers who are not and you will be fined if seen by gardaí. By refusing to let him in you are committing another offence as well - obstruction.

ArphaRima

Does the bus lane not end with a Yield marking?

Some do, some dont.

markpb

fluffer wrote: »

Some do, some dont.

I've yet to see a bus lane that doesn't.

I can't understand how this is still being debated. You're saying that because a chain of people are breaking the law, it would be unsafe (and unwise) for someone else to follow the law. That's an odd sort of logic.