Bizarre/Illegal things on motorways

Capt'n Midnight

Victor wrote: »

For some people, penalty points are not a punishment - foreign visitors, tourists, people without driving licences, etc.

Don't some places abroad have a higher fine if you can't be hit with penalty points ?


And don't get me started on what should be done with disqualified drivers caught behind the wheel :mad:

ItHurtsWhenIP

This evening after 6:30pm, eastbound on the M7 between J29 (N24) and J28 (Newport Roundabout) ...
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I'm cruising in and around 120KPH ...
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I'm overtaken by a GoSafe Speed Van tipping along about 140KPH!!!:eek:
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Ta Da!
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Where do I collect my prize???

MMFITWGDV

MMFITWGDV wrote: »

This evening after 6:30pm, eastbound on the M7 between J29 (N24) and J28 (Newport Roundabout) ...
...
...
...
I'm cruising in and around 120KPH ...
...
...
...
I'm overtaken by a GoSafe Speed Van tipping along about 140KPH!!!:eek:
...
...
...
Ta Da!
...
...
...
Where do I collect my prize???

He knows where the camera is...... and it's not on the side of the road! :pac:

flazio

SeanW wrote: »

I tend to agree with ninja900 that speed checks do sod all to make motorways safer, IMO motorways enhance safety by their very presence.

Take for example this tragic accident yesterday. When I saw it on the news, the reporter said the road was popular for walkers and joggers. But looking at the actual road, a number of things struck me. First of all, the fact that this is a national primary road (I think) it has a 100kph speed limit and the hard shoulders in the immediate vicinity were thinned out so as to accomodate turning lanes for the junction with the N83, whichs starts there. There are no footpaths or anything.

Lots of pedestrians and 100kph traffic on the same road don't mix very well.

A toll free M17 bypass would likely have prevented that accident, alongside raised footpaths for the pedestrians. Much as I hate to admit it given that I think Irish speed limits are too conservative, a 60kph speed limit to the N83 junction and an 80kph limit for a few hundred metres beyond might be more appropriate.

My point is that long distance traffic should be put onto motorways and that motorways don't need speed checks for a safety improvement, they are the safety improvement.

I believe that the the driver came ill and incapacitated to control the vehicle so even if there were footpaths, the car was going to mount it anyway.

jd

I see Judge Zaiden fined two cyclists a total of 1000 euro for cycling along a motorway (without lights). No link, but is in the Leinster Leader

L1011

jd wrote: »

I see Judge Zaiden fined two cyclists a total of 1000 euro for cycling along a motorway (without lights). No link, but is in the Leinster Leader

Zaidan is extremely tough on traffic offences. Good to see he realises cyclists need to obey rules too.

Hotblack Desiato

That's just how judges roll in Mega-City One.



Judge Zaidan is a fecking great name. I AM the law :pac:

Iwannahurl

ninja900 wrote: »

That's just how judges roll in Mega-City One.

Judge Zaidan is a fecking great name. I AM the law :pac:

So you're happy to see Judge Zaidan impose correct behaviour on the citizenry?

jd

[op edited]

Iwannahurl

jd wrote: »

If he's an Irish citizen what's the problem?

I was attempting a 'shorthand' reference to the origins of the judge's "fecking great name".

Given the potential for misunderstanding, I've edited my earlier post accordingly.

funnyname

Yesterday morning (about 8.30am) an artic had shed part (at least 2 if not 4) of it's load of round bales of hay just after coming off the slip road onto the M6 at Kilbeggan going eastbound. The Gardai were there looking after the situation and luckily it was contained to the hard shoulder.

In situations like this is the driver at fault for failing to properly secure their load and can they be prosecuted for negligence?

antoobrien

funnyname wrote: »

In situations like this is the driver at fault for failing to properly secure their load and can they be prosecuted for negligence?

Yes they can be prosecuted, but unless somebody is hurt or killed, it's unlikely.

funnyname

antoobrien wrote: »

Yes they can be prosecuted, but unless somebody is hurt or killed, it's unlikely.

That's not a great deterrent, it's not unusual to see lots of vans on the motorway with oversized items hanging out the back and dodgy looking loads on open trailers. Tis a pity these things aren't cracked down on more often but then again Garda presence on the network (well the M6/M4) seems to be very low.

flazio

It always seems to be hay bale artics doesn't it?

cargo

funnyname wrote: »

That's not a great deterrent, it's not unusual to see lots of vans on the motorway with oversized items hanging out the back and dodgy looking loads on open trailers. Tis a pity these things aren't cracked down on more often but then again Garda presence on the network (well the M6/M4) seems to be very low.

I have often seen vehicles pulled over in the past by TC with dodgy looking loads hanging on for dear life in the back. I suppose it's just due to the low Garda presence on the motorways that they are not spotted more often. I also imagine the Guards use it as a excuse to have a look through what some of these "scrap merchants" may be carrying.

i remember an episode of Motorway Protrol or simillar from the UK where they pulled in a small truck carrying huge rolls of "scrap" cable as they called it. Turned out to be brand new and nicked from a site back down the motorway. The cable was about 150mm thick and in full rolls in the back of the lorry!!! cheeky little rascals.....

RustyNut

funnyname wrote: »

Yesterday morning (about 8.30am) an artic had shed part (at least 2 if not 4) of it's load of round bales of hay just after coming off the slip road onto the M6 at Kilbeggan going eastbound. The Gardai were there looking after the situation and luckily it was contained to the hard shoulder.

In situations like this is the driver at fault for failing to properly secure their load and can they be prosecuted for negligence?

If the load fell off the truck it was not properly secured,in this case it would be the drivers responsibility to ensure the load is not going to fall. Yes the driver "could" be prosecuted and in any other European country would be.

mayo23

source wrote: »

M18 doesn't start until out past Shannon, what you saw was the N18 which runs from Roxboro to Shannon.

I know this was way back, but I'd just like to point out I saw the odd motorway entrance sign at the start of the M18 Southbound near Gort, not Shannon.

Redsoxfan

The M50 last Thursday at around 6.45pm. Pitch dark, heavy traffic. A Peugeot 206 driving northbound after J13 with no lights on. Quite a few people are flashing etc. but nothing. I move to overtake and beep as I go past. I glance over and notice the driver is holding a phone up in front of her face and looks like she's speaking into it. She still manages to beep back at me, obviously outraged at the fact I am trying to get her attention.

Iwannahurl

Redsoxfan wrote: »

the driver is holding a phone up in front of her face and looks like she's speaking into it.

I see that frequently. What's it all about?

Redsoxfan

I guess they have the phone on speaker so they don't have to hold it up to their ear, or, perhaps they are trying to use voice dialling or other voice commands? Or, maybe they're reading a text, e-mail or a tweet....

antoobrien

Redsoxfan wrote: »

I guess they have the phone on speaker so they don't have to hold it up to their ear, or, perhaps they are trying to use voice dialling or other voice commands? Or, maybe they're reading a text, e-mail or a tweet....

Most of the newer phones have the mic on the bottom, rather than on the front, so to talk properly into the mic, one would need it on front of them.

Iwannahurl

Redsoxfan wrote: »

I guess they have the phone on speaker so they don't have to hold it up to their ear, or, perhaps they are trying to use voice dialling or other voice commands? Or, maybe they're reading a text, e-mail or a tweet....

Perhaps they're trying to avoid frying their brains? Which would be ironic, given that the behaviour is so brainless.

yer man!

Saw a hitchhiker, dressed all in black, standing on the yellow line near Crusheen on the M18 tonight. The car in front of me swerved into the other lane wen they saw him and I thought it was odd until I realised there was a man there and I too had to swerve. I beeped at him and he just gave me a confused look..... christ if i hadn't seen him I would have taken his arm off.

limklad

M50 near Sandyford travelling North this evening, Slow moving car travelling about ~40kph with no vehicles or any obstruction in front of her in the driving lane, move her car across the middle lane into the Right (3rd) lane. No Traffic in front of her in the left or middle lane, no indicators. I (no change in my speed <100kph) overtook the car behind her, was just about to overtake her in the middle (overtaking lane) had to swerve into the driving (left) lane to avoid hitting her. Load of people beeping their horns ad flashing their lights at her, she took no notice. She probably believe that if she was in the "fast lane" that she is travelling fast and had a right to be there.


Near Monasterevin on the M7 heading west, I was coming up <120kph and just about to overtake two vehicles (~90kph) in the overtaking lane and the second vehicle (old fella ~60s Dublin Car) pull out infront of me with no indicators and barely over took the other car by by extra measly 1khm faster. I nearly hit his arse and I had to break hard because of him. He Held up huge trail of cars behind him and trucks. Took ages ~2mins before he decided to get back into the driving lane to allow other traffic to pass him. He did not take notice of traffic behind him and nearly caused an accident.


Load of car drivers ( Dublin, Mayo, Cork reg) who had their rear fog lights on in Dublin M50 and N7 in the mist/rain!!!!!

yer man!

I was on the N18 the last day outside Limerick, had the cruise control on and according to the sat nav was going 100km/h exactly, I was overtaking a car going about 95km/h when all of a sudden a vectra going about 130km/h speed up behind me and starts flashing at me while I was overtaking. Now the speed limit was 100km/h so she shouldn't have been going any faster. What are people's opinions on this? It keeps happening to me and it's really annoying.

sentient_6

yer man! wrote: »

I was on the N18 the last day outside Limerick, had the cruise control on and according to the sat nav was going 100km/h exactly, I was overtaking a car going about 95km/h when all of a sudden a vectra going about 130km/h speed up behind me and starts flashing at me while I was overtaking. Now the speed limit was 100km/h so she shouldn't have been going any faster. What are people's opinions on this? It keeps happening to me and it's really annoying.

I PERSONALLY think what your doing is dangerous. Overtaking sticking to speed limit with the cruise on? If i want to overtake ill do it as absolutely fast but controlled as possible, even if that means temporarily disregarding the limit.

EDIT: is this a duel carriage way or a regular N road?

EDIT 2: apologies my comments are bit drastic for a duel carriage way. I probably still speed up a but though & just let them off.

My understanding is that it is permissible to briefly exceed the speed limit to safely overtake a slower vehicle, this is to reduce the time you're in the opposite carriageway or overtaking lane.

yer man!

sentient_6 wrote: »

I PERSONALLY think what your doing is dangerous. Overtaking sticking to speed limit with the cruise on? If i want to overtake ill do it as absolutely fast but controlled as possible, even if that means temporarily disregarding the limit.

EDIT: is this a duel carriage way or a regular N road?

EDIT 2: apologies my comments are bit drastic for a duel carriage way. I probably still speed up a but though & just let them off.

Dual Carraigeway ya, it's a section outside shannon airport. 100km/h speed limit. The car in front of me was going from 90 and up to 110 km/h then back down again, was really annoying. I kept my speed constant and just overtook her while she decided what speed she wanted to do. Just as I was overtaking her she sped up again.

It has happened me before on the M20 where I was going 120km/h overtaking a much slower car and still got flashed by a car behind, despite me obviously overtaking and only staying in the lane briefly.

Just a note, there's speed cameras on the road so if you are going over the limit for any reason, you'll get done, it was a reason why I didn't want to break the limit.

corktina

Deleted User wrote: »

My understanding is that it is permissible to briefly exceed the speed limit to safely overtake a slower vehicle, this is to reduce the time you're in the opposite carriageway or overtaking lane.

you are not correct. Whereas a gard MIGHT let you off or ignore you, a camera van wont.

corktina

corktina wrote: »

you are not correct. Whereas a gard MIGHT let you off or ignore you, a camera van wont.

I'm probably thinking of the rules in the UK.