If you could make a new road traffic law what would it be?

cascade35

Got this idea from reading through different treads on here, seems alot of us have our own views on traffic laws.

I would increase the speed for trucks when travelling on motorways from 80kph to100kph.

Law might have to be ammended to only apply to modern trucks of a certain age.

Ok ive started the ball rolling, lets have your ideas.

Victor_M

Not a law as such, but I would allow only digital speed limit signs on motorways, the ones that can change the limit being displayed to suit the changing road and weather conditions.

The 60Kmph signs on the M50 are ignored by 95% of motorists, as they are there to protect workers during the day but are left up overnight and every weekend, often in zones where there is no longer any work going on.

yet the limit is still 120Kmph further up the road, regardless of weather conditions.

I'd also make it a penalty points offence to enter a roundabout in one lane and change lanes halfway around and exit in the other lane, without most drivers even realising they had changed lanes at all! One of the most irritating/dangerous commonly seen acts of stupidity on Irish roads.

Berty

Allow people to pass in any lane they wish on a Motorway or Dual Carraigeway.

Have two speed limits on the motorway. 130kph in optimal weather and 110 in rain like they have in France.

Encourage more county councils like Cork to ammend their regional roads from 80kph back up to 100kph.

stealthyspeeder

Foglights on when there is no fog would automatically be a penalty point. 2 penalty points if it was the rear one!

Berty

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Foglights on when there is no fog would automatically be a penalty point. 2 penalty points if it was the rear one!

Foglights not on when there is fog or headlights at all for that matter.

Instant license removal.

Wook

being able to mount Rocket-propelled grenade on the roof of my car, and shoot all bastards not knowing how to use their indicators, being on the mobile phone , being parked in the middle of the road and all slow pokes who are driving mss daisy around.

Thank you and regards,

doolox

You know the scene, you are behind a car in an outside lane both lanes are marked for straight ahead as well as right turning so you are Ok regarding lane selection. The lights change to green then the genius ahead puts on his indicator to turn right. You are now stuck behind this muppet because he didn't signal his intentions in good time.........................

ParkRunner

Make it compulsory for all drivers to do an advanced drivers training course every few years which must be passed in order to hold onto their full licence.

Bluetonic

It would be a hard one to police but those who give out about fog lights would get 2 penalty points.

EPM

Filter light for turning left at lights. Half the time it's clear to go and you're sitting there for 5 minutes instead:rolleyes:

tomcollins97

Reduce 'traffic calming' measures such as removing left filter lanes at junctions. The most ridiculous change made recently was removing the left filter lane at the bottom of Mount Merrion avenue which allowed many cars get through on each light change. Now only a trickle of cars get through each time.

tomcollins97

Prosecute cyclists for not obeying rules of the road

tomcollins97

Put up barriers along busy roads (i.e. bottom of Grafton St, Leeson Street) so that pedestrians can only cross at designate locations - like they have in london.

Seweryn

cascade35 wrote: »

Ok ive started the ball rolling, lets have your ideas.

The most basic rule:
No one should be allowed to drive a car without passing an exam with full practical diving test (including the theory test, of course) in various road conditions and prior to that there should be at least 20-30 hours of driving course with a qualified instructor (same as in civilized countries around Europe).
As we all know, in this country you can not change an abrasive wheel in an angle grinder without passing an exam after a specific H&S course. You can not enter into a building site car park without a Safe Pass. But yes, you can drive a car on a public road without any practical knowledge, experience or a (proper) licence what-so-ever...

tomcollins97

- so many people drive dangerously on Motorways and they are not taught and don't bother to educate themselves

tomcollins97

Anyone on a 'L' plate can only carry one passenger who must be a fully licenced driver

Anyone on a 'L' plate to have zero alcohol limit

For the first year on full licence only one passenger allowed

For the first year on full licence no minors allowed as passengers

Drivers with less that 3 years full licence have zero alcohol limit

Marlow

Bluetonic wrote: »

It would be a hard one to police but those who give out about fog lights would get 2 penalty points.

I think you've got the wrong idea. Fog lights are for visibility under 50 metres and should never be used in any other weather condition.

You should get penalty points for using them in any other weather condition and you do get fined on the continent mainland for using them, when it's not foggy, especially in Germany.

The rule, I would like to have implemented however is no learner driver licenses, a driving course on a track including aqua planing before you are allowed on the road with your instructor and no driving without certificed instructor before you have your full license. This is the standard in for example Denmark .. for more than 20 years.

/M

Marlow

Berty wrote: »

Foglights not on when there is fog or headlights at all for that matter.

Can you enlighten on that one ?

Fog lights should not be on, unless there is fog. Matter of fact, only at 50 metres or less visibility.

Headlights on (low beam) all day is the law in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In Germany it is for motorbikes.

In the states it's a dimmed high beam in some places, that you need to have on during daytime driving.

And those are serious good laws, because you see cars a lot earlier, especially the ones that blend in with the road.

/M

Harcrid

Similiar to what EPM has said, I would like the ability to turn left on a red light when the way is clear like they have in the USA. It works very well over there.

vengeance52

EPM wrote: »

Filter light for turning left at lights. Half the time it's clear to go and you're sitting there for 5 minutes instead:rolleyes:

Totally agree with this. in America, your allowed to turn right on a red light (which would be left for us) unless it is not clear, or road signs tell you not too.

It was one thing I liked when I drove over in there.

vengeance52

Celtxx wrote: »

Similiar to what EPM has said, I would like the ability to turn left on a red light when the way is clear like they have in the USA. It works very well over there.

ahhh beat me too it :P

token56

Having a minimum speed for the motorway, i.e. all vehicles on the motorway should be driving above 70km/h and under 120km/h in normal driving conditions, these figures are just an example, I dont know what I minimum speed I would like to see.

Marlow

Celtxx wrote: »

Similiar to what EPM has said, I would like the ability to turn left on a red light when the way is clear like they have in the USA. It works very well over there.

Same in Germany. They have a green arrow (sign, not light) to indicate, where you are allowed to turn if it's safe.

token56 wrote: »

Having a minimum speed for the motorway, i.e. all vehicles on the motorway should be driving above 70km/h and under 120km/h in normal driving conditions, these figures are just an example, I dont know what I minimum speed I would like to see.

Denmark has a minimum speed of 60 km/h on motorways and surely should be like that. There's nothing worse than meeting a tractor with a trailer loaded with hay bails in 4 stacks on the motorway between Ballinasloe and Athlone. Max speed under 120 km/h is nonsense. There's several coutries that even upped that lately. Denmark went from 110 km/h to 130 km/h.

/M

.Longshanks.

Something to educate people that you should always move to the left lane on multi-lane roads when the traffic is clear

Or put another way, educate people that the outside lane is the overtaking lane and not the 'fast' lane

Arathorn

Ban all tinted windows and blue lights.

Ban all car tuning, cars are all tested for safety, people should not be allowed mess with this.

cascade35

Seweryn wrote: »

The most basic rule:
No one should be allowed to drive a car without passing an exam with full practical diving test (including the theory test, of course) in various road conditions and prior to that there should be at least 20-30 hours of driving course with a qualified instructor (same as in civilized countries around Europe).
As we all know, in this country you can not change an abrasive wheel in an angle grinder without passing an exam after a specific H&S course. You can not enter into a building site car park without a Safe Pass. But yes, you can drive a car on a public road without any practical knowledge, experience or a (proper) licence what-so-ever...

+1

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

Ban all tinted windows and blue lights.

Ban all car tuning, cars are all tested for safety, people should not be allowed mess with this.

Sorry, but you can not generalize like that.

First of all, there are rules for tinting, even here in the Republic. And it has been announced, that those rules will be enforced. So that one made no sense at all.

As for banning all car tuning, that is nonsense, too, because you can tune cars in ways that are well within the limits of the safety tests done with the original car. The manufacturers do it themselfes, as they sell you the same car, same engine, same setup with various power options on the engine.

Be specific. Laws that are as unspecific as your post will cause nothing but problems.

/M

cascade35

I would also like to see, (where possible) traffic lights replaced with roundabouts.
If any of you have driven through Milton Keynes in the UK you will see this system works very well.

Marlow

cascade35 wrote: »

I would also like to see, (where possible) traffic lights replaced with roundabouts.
If any of you have driven through Milton Keynes in the UK you will see this system works very well.

Can you tell Galway City Council that ? They've replaced the Wellpark roundabout with a traffic light and they are planning on doing that in 4-5 other places around Galway. What a disaster.

/M

Arathorn

Marlow wrote: »

Sorry, but you can not generalize like that.

First of all, there are rules for tinting, even here in the Republic. And it has been announced, that those rules will be enforced. So that one made no sense at all.

As for banning all car tuning, that is nonsense, too, because you can tune cars in ways that are well within the limits of the safety tests done with the original car. The manufacturers do it themselfes, as they sell you the same car, same engine, same setup with various power options on the engine.

Be specific. Laws that are as unspecific as your post will cause nothing but problems.

/M

What can be more specifice than NO tinted windows and NO tuning. Yes you can tune cars that comply with safety standards but that would be too hard to check and police. (Manufacturers can do it if they like as they are liable for its safety)

Just ban it outright, safety should come before someones hobbie.

alias no.9

I'd issue hunting licenses along motorways that allow the holder to shoot rubber neckers on sight, using high powered rifles.

Carstuck

I would increase the speed in certain areas but not all to 60KM (40mph) because in some areas there aren't many houses and have the 50KM speed limit. Anyway most people do around that

Creamy Goodness

turn left on red. but first educate the drivers out there how to safely do this.

i mean come on americans can do it why can't we?

jhegarty

Arathorn wrote: »

What can be more specifice than NO tinted windows and NO tuning. Yes you can tune cars that comply with safety standards but that would be too hard to check and police. (Manufacturers can do it if they like as they are liable for its safety)

Just ban it outright, safety should come before someones hobbie.

Most cars comes with some tint from the factory.

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

What can be more specifice than NO tinted windows and NO tuning. Yes you can tune cars that comply with safety standards but that would be too hard to check and police. (Manufacturers can do it if they like as they are liable for its safety)

Just ban it outright, safety should come before someones hobbie.

And you are then putting a whole industry out of their job. Are you gonna provide jobs for all those people, some of them that are very much better at it (including safety) than the auto industry ?

/M

Arathorn

jhegarty wrote: »

Most cars comes with some tint from the factory.

Exacty which is why increasing the tint could very easily push it into unsafe territory. Perhaps what I should have said was no increasing factory tint. The limit could be set at 30 -35 % for example, this could be agreed with the manufacturers.

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

Exacty which is why increasing the tint could very easily push it into unsafe territory. Perhaps what I should have said was no increasing factory tint. The limit could be set at 30 -35 % for example, this could be agreed with the manufacturers.

The limits are set by law for the maximum tint being applied, doesn't matter if the auto manufacturer does it or not as long as it is adhered to.

You just made an exception to your own rule and that law exists !!!

/M

Arathorn

Marlow wrote: »

The limits are set by law for the maximum tint being applied, doesn't matter if the auto manufacturer does it or not as long as it is adhered to.

You just made an exception to your own rule and that law exists !!!

/M

There is no tint law in Ireland yet.

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

There is no tint law in Ireland yet.

There is, maybe not directly on tint, but certainly on visibility through the windows. There was a discussion on this in the modified motors section of boards: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055622263

The RSA has clear rules on what is allowed and where the limits are. The Garda are being equiped with gear to measure this.

And you can be failed at the NCT for having too much tint.

And just to show you, what is legal and perfectly safe:


That is factory tint from BMW.

/M

Arathorn

Marlow wrote: »

The RSA has clear rules on what is allowed and where the limits are.

And you can be failed at the NCT for having too much tint.



/M

What are the clear rules and limits from the RSA, I can't find them

What level of tint does the NCT fail you for again it wasn't clear from your links

daveharnett

Centralize all road planning, works, and speed limits.
Regional road conditions and speed limits seem to depend entirely on how well inhabitants know their local councilors/td. You either get lovely roads with stupidly low speed limits (see south kerry), or crappy roads with stupidly high speed limits (almost everywhere else).

And for good measure, any road being rebuilt must have cable conduits installed, so it doesn't get dug up and shoddily repatched a month later.

Fighting Irish

No speed limits anywhere, but if you crash or hit a pedestrian, you lose your license

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

What are the clear rules and limits from the RSA, I can't find them

What level of tint does the NCT fail you for again it wasn't clear from your links

Obviously you didn't read any of the posts in the link to the thread.

Here is the RSA publication, that should come into play for the NCT next year: http://www.rsa.ie/publication/publication/upload/NCT%20Consultation%20Paper%202009%20FINAL%20ROB200209.pdf

I know of cases, where people were failed by NCT because of tint. And this enforces it even more.

/M

Fighting Irish

If someone doesn't pull in slightly to give you a better chance of passing its legal to put on your full beams

Arathorn

Marlow wrote: »

Obviously you didn't read any of the posts in the link to the thread.

Here is the RSA publication, that should come into play for the NCT next year: http://www.rsa.ie/publication/publication/upload/NCT%20Consultation%20Paper%202009%20FINAL%20ROB200209.pdf

I know of cases, where people were failed by NCT because of tint. And this enforces it even more.

/M

Clear rules on what is allowed and proposals for next year are very different things.

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

Clear rules on what is allowed and proposals for next year are very different things.

Correct. And I've got no problem admitting that I might been ahead of myself there, as I thought, that was implemented already.

I also do not have the time nor the interest to do a more thorough research on how much of that has been accepted already and is going to be implemented. That proposal is from January or February this year, so a lot can have happened in 8+ months. But as you have a fair interest, you could do that research and get back to us with the result.

All I was saying is, that you can get factory tint. It doesn't matter if the tint is applied by factory or afterwards. The NCT will fail you if the tint inhibits your view. And just saying "ban all tinting" is nonsense.

/M

Arathorn

Marlow wrote: »

And just saying "ban all tinting" is nonsense.

/M

Yes ok, I would accept that setting a low % limit is more practical

jiggawigga

Seweryn wrote: »

The most basic rule:
No one should be allowed to drive a car without passing an exam with full practical diving test (including the theory test, of course) in various road conditions and prior to that there should be at least 20-30 hours of driving course with a qualified instructor (same as in civilized countries around Europe).
As we all know, in this country you can not change an abrasive wheel in an angle grinder without passing an exam after a specific H&S course. You can not enter into a building site car park without a Safe Pass. But yes, you can drive a car on a public road without any practical knowledge, experience or a (proper) licence what-so-ever...

Hits the nail on the head.

Before you are allowed to drive on public roads you should have to pass a test on a private course. Then you should be under probation for a period of time. Then when you get the full licence there should be testing every 10 years until you hit 65 when it should be reduced and the tester should recommend the next testing time i.e. 5 years if the person is well able or in 1 year if they are dodge.

Marlow

Arathorn wrote: »

Yes ok, I would accept that setting a low % limit is more practical

The way it is outlined, a 65% tint on the rear windows is maximum allowed. Which is perfectly fine, there is no need to be able to look in the back.

Most countries don't allow the driver, passenger and windshield to be tinted more than around 10% and that is certainly something the NCT enforces here, too.

As you saw from the BMW picture i posted. The rear windows are tinted, the front ones can clearly be looked through.

The same is for example for my mini-bus, which has no tint on the front 3 windows and somewhere around 65% tint on all other windows.

/M

Fighting Irish

Arathorn wrote: »

Yes ok, I would accept that setting a low % limit is more practical

Or else let people do what they want, but if you crash or hit a pedestrian, you lose your licence

anonymous_joe

Comparing what you need to do to learn to drive here with say, Holland and what my ex went through to learn - we need more courses on how to drive, much more.

For two reasons as well:

Safety and insurance costs.

It's very easy to get behind the wheel of a car in Ireland and there are plenty of people who've been driving for donkeys years who are still lethally dangerous.

Also, restructuring the nature of our driving test - plenty of bad drivers have passed it, it needs to be less about tiny errors and more about general driver safety and competence. It's become like the Leaving Cert, people don't learn to drive, they learn to pass the test. That's not safe.