Good driving on the M50.

stratos

I have been driving on the M50 just before and after peak traffic for the last few days. This means the traffic is moving fast and freely, the rain had turned the road into something of a skid pan and visibility was down to low limits.
I was amazed by the standard of driving everyone kept their distance lane changes were made competently and everything ran pretty safely with everyone adjusting their speed to the conditions. Even on the U.K. roads that wouldn't happen, they just pile along 4 feet away good or bad visibility.
So pleasantly surprised.
I have no idea why the M50 kept so much standing water it wasn't raining that hard, and some sections, where the surface construction looked different, were fine. Why not use this surface everywhere.
Anyway good to see sense prevailing.
My two cents for what it's worth.

galwaytt

...much and all as I like this Utopia you speak of, I think you witnessed a manifestation of Fear, more than anything else..........no way a whole motorway-full-of-drivers got hit with the sensible stick all of a sudden......;)

In the last few days i had noticed nearly everyone was keeping a good distance on the wet roads, especially last night.

DingDong

Compared to my recent experience of drivers in Italy, The people on Irish roads are saints. Overtaking on blind corner not a problem for them and they are unbelievably impatience. I don't know how there isn't an accident ever few minutes on their roads.

stratos

I understand the whole Italian overtaking on a blind bend it took me a while to get it. They use 3 feet either side of the centre white line as no mans land. only to be used for overtaking or middle taking or something. But once you get used to it it's kinda fun, tearing down the centre watching all the Fiats parting like the red sea.( I just had to add this) especially in a two ton Jaguar XJ6.

unkel

stratos wrote: »

everyone kept their distance lane changes were made competently and everything ran pretty safely with everyone adjusting their speed to the conditions

And I just won the lotto - I wish

Not sure what happened to you, stratos, but it must have been a fluke.

Voodoomelon

stratos wrote: »

I have been driving on the M50 just before and after peak traffic for the last few days. This means the traffic is moving fast and freely, the rain had turned the road into something of a skid pan and visibility was down to low limits.
I was amazed by the standard of driving everyone kept their distance lane changes were made competently and everything ran pretty safely with everyone adjusting their speed to the conditions. Even on the U.K. roads that wouldn't happen, they just pile along 4 feet away good or bad visibility.
So pleasantly surprised.
I have no idea why the M50 kept so much standing water it wasn't raining that hard, and some sections, where the surface construction looked different, were fine. Why not use this surface everywhere.
Anyway good to see sense prevailing.
My two cents for what it's worth.

Falling asleep at the wheel, tut tut!

Marlow

stratos wrote: »

I have no idea why the M50 kept so much standing water it wasn't raining that hard, and some sections, where the surface construction looked different, were fine. Why not use this surface everywhere.

This was already the issue last year, when the M50 got flooded.

The problem is, that the drainage on the M50 isn't maintained/cleaned, so it fills up with junk, leaves etc. over the year and blocks up. Also it's dimensioned too small to get the water of the M50 quickly.

The reason why people keep their distance on the M50 now is previous bad experience, fear and most of'em are commuters that have seen all kinds of c**p over the last years.

/M

stratos

well maybe it was fear or maybe I dreamed it, either way it was good to see the the M50 owners club behaving well. I'll be back to ranting shortly when normal service is resumed.

c-note

this reminds me of the time i was in san diego,
they got heavy heavy rain [must have brought it with me]
the californians hadnt a clue about driving in wet conditions and continued to drive as normal.
on the freeway i said to my brother, it's amazing we havnt seen a crash yet the way theese guys are driving,

that evening we caught the news, lead story: 300+ crashes on the freeways around san diego!!:eek:

Irish drivers are generally good in my experience

EDIT:
just found this with a quick google, they were up to 283 crashes by 4pm
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071130-1627-bn30rain6.html

Guy:Incognito

Now if all those people realised theres actually 3 lanes on a good bit of it instead of just a middle and outside lane, we might get somewhere.

Having said that , I kind of enjoy having my own lane most of the time......:)