M50 - Speeds?

Taltos

This may have been done before - but anyone know when the M50 speed limits are returning to 120k?
To be honest I am sick to death at driving along long stretches of it at 100k and being constantly passed by long strings of traffic. And then when you get caught behind a truck and you overtake you are immediate over the limit at - wait for it - 120k...

I am all for sensible limits - but this reduced speed is in fact effectively labelling many of the drivers as criminals...
And lets not get me started on these 30k zones....

Hoping someone will have some good news for me.

Random

they aren't returning to 120k. they're sticking at 100k.

Colm R

The 3 lanes are too narrow to allow 120.

You could make a case for a variable speed limit to allow 120 when the road is quiet. But you equally argue that the limit should be 80 when busy.

Cookie_Monster

M50 is and alsways has been 120 from Sandyford to M11

Colm R wrote: »

The 3 lanes are too narrow to allow 120.

apparently, I really don't see it.

Mitch Connor

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

apparently, I really don't see it.

technically they are not, their design speed is higher than 120. However, whoever sets the limits feel the lanes are too narrow so have set the limit at what they feel is appropriate.

Absurdum

as far as I'm aware, vehicle width doesn't expand above 100km/h

Cookie_Monster

Mitch Connor wrote: »

technically they are not, their design speed is higher than 120. However, whoever sets the limits feel the lanes are too narrow so have set the limit at what they feel is appropriate.

whoever set the limits is an idiot

Absurdum wrote: »

as far as I'm aware, vehicle width doesn't expand above 100km/h

:pac:

less time to deal with lane drift (for all the difference 20kph and a foot or two will make)

Cool Mo D

Part of the reason is also that sight lines are shorter in places, because the wide central median, that used to soften out some curves, is gone.

Vanbis

Also the outside lane is for overtaking and not coasting like you see every day.

pepperds

The worst thing since the M50 has been widened is the vast number of drivers who sit in the middle lane when there is no traffic around them, especially in the inside lane. It's annoying and it's dangerous and just leads to the outside lane being slowed down. I really don't get it. All that money spent on an extra lane and many people seem to have an issue using the inside lane.

Cookie_Monster

every sinlge gantry should have signs say keep left unless overtaking or keep to lane 1 unless overtaking. Might get the messge into the thickos head then.

Its really annoying having to go from 1-2-3-2-1 just to overtake some idiot sitting in the middle lane.

NuMarvel

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

every sinlge gantry should have signs say keep left unless overtaking or keep to lane 1 unless overtaking.

Of those two options, I'd recommend the Lane 1 option. A driver in the middle lane might think they are in the left lane if cars can still overtake them on the right.

I'd even go so far as to suggest painting on the lanes themselve (e.g. overtaking only).

I need to declare a conflict of interest here as I used to be a middle lane hogger when I moved up to Dublin first. Sorry!

As for the OPs post, I can understand his frustration. I sometimes think I'm the only one in Dublin who obeys the 30kph city centre limit, but at the end of the day, if others choose to break the speed limit, that's their choice.

Colm R

Did you ever have a glance at a middle lane driver. They seem always seem to be driving with a dazed expression on their face.

And why oh why do all these people drive from the M50 to the Naas road, because they are all down there too.

Victor

Taltos wrote: »

And then when you get caught behind a truck and you overtake you are immediate over the limit at - wait for it - 120k...

The truck is mean to be doing 80km/h max, so if you do 90-100km/h, you're fine.

whyulittle

Truck overtaking a truck in Lane 3 this morning, with Lane 1 totally empty.

How big is the Traffic Corps? Surely that should have a dedicated couple of cars that just drive up and down the M50 all day long pulling people for hogging Lane 2/3.

deandean

I think a great solution for the middle-lane carry-on is to MAKE ALL LANES EQUAL PRIORITY.

They have this sytem in the U.S. where there are up to six lanes each way, e.g. around L.A., and I found it works well. Just mirror-indicate-move as standard, no problems.

Cookie_Monster

deandean wrote: »

I think a great solution for the middle-lane carry-on is to MAKE ALL LANES EQUAL PRIORITY.

They have this sytem in the U.S. where there are up to six lanes each way, e.g. around L.A., and I found it works well. Just mirror-indicate-move as standard, no problems.

or enforce current rules which is easier and safer for all concerned.

Breezer

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Its really annoying having to go from 1-2-3-2-1 just to overtake some idiot sitting in the middle lane.

I've given up doing this, unless the road is completely clear. I got sick of first of all slowing down to let whatever traffic has built up behind the lane hog pass me by, then moving out, then moving out again, then flooring it with my 1L engine before someone doing well over 100 rear ends me, then moving back in (sometimes getting flashed by the lane hog), then moving in again, then repeating the whole manoeuvre a few hundred metres further along.

I just continue in the left-most lane and undertake. The lane hog can see me in their left mirror. If they look like they haven't seen me they'll hear my horn if they start moving in. If a guard pulls me he pulls me, I'm sick of weaving all over the road to facilitate them, and it's not as if the problem is going away.

Tragedy

Variable speed limits please.

Quite often, sections of the M50 should be 80km/h, and quite often they should be 120.

ScouseMouse

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

or enforce current rules which is easier and safer for all concerned.

Ah, come on now. common sense has no place on irish roads. The rules are the rules and are non negotiable.

(or so I am told :rolleyes:)

Stark

Victor wrote: »

The truck is mean to be doing 80km/h max, so if you do 90-100km/h, you're fine.

Something like 85% of trucks break the limit. They're speed limited to 90km/hr but that looks like 100 on most people's speedometers.

RATM

Breezer wrote: »

I've given up doing this, unless the road is completely clear. I got sick of first of all slowing down to let whatever traffic has built up behind the lane hog pass me by, then moving out, then moving out again, then flooring it with my 1L engine before someone doing well over 100 rear ends me, then moving back in (sometimes getting flashed by the lane hog), then moving in again, then repeating the whole manoeuvre a few hundred metres further along.

I just continue in the left-most lane and undertake. The lane hog can see me in their left mirror. If they look like they haven't seen me they'll hear my horn if they start moving in. If a guard pulls me he pulls me, I'm sick of weaving all over the road to facilitate them, and it's not as if the problem is going away.

Same here, I also have taken to undertaking on the M50. I know its illegal but in my opinion its actually safer to undertake in the slow lane than it is to pull off 4 lane changes (1-2-3-2-1) in order to get around a middle lane hogger.

And Im on a motorbike so I have my thumb permanently on the horn button ready to hit in case a lane hogger doesn't bother looking in their left wing mirror.

I blame the Dept of Transport for this. Ireland never had a 3-4 lane motorway before so there should have been an awareness campaign launched informing people of how a 3-4 lane motorway should be used. I know the majority on here know well how this is done but clearly a majority out on the road don't and need to be told. Instead of an awareness campaign there was nothing whatsoever and now as a result the prevading culture on the new motorway has been that the middle lane is for cruising. Because the government didn't educate at the outset it will now take a much larger effort to change drivers bad motorway habits.

VW 1

Tragedy wrote: »

Variable speed limits please.

Quite often, sections of the M50 should be 80km/h, and quite often they should be 120.

In all fairness though, if it is a busy period and the max speed it is safe to drive at is 80kph then you will find that the majority of drivers will be 80kph. However on a 3 lane motorway there is no excuse (other than bad lane positioning) that the highest speed safe to drive at is 80kph. Surely the roads are adequate and safe enough to be both busy and free flowing at a 100kph or 120kph speed limit.

Tragedy

VW 1 wrote: »

In all fairness though, if it is a busy period and the max speed it is safe to drive at is 80kph then you will find that the majority of drivers will be 80kph. However on a 3 lane motorway there is no excuse (other than bad lane positioning) that the highest speed safe to drive at is 80kph. Surely the roads are adequate and safe enough to be both busy and free flowing at a 100kph or 120kph speed limit.

M50 NB offramp at Firhouse is a joke and dangerous in heavy traffic at high speed. Same when queues start forming on N7 slip road and N3 slip road. At times like that, I think 80km/h around junctions( like they do in UK ) is perfectly justifiable.

Taltos

Tragedy wrote: »

M50 NB offramp at Firhouse is a joke and dangerous in heavy traffic at high speed. Same when queues start forming on N7 slip road and N3 slip road. At times like that, I think 80km/h around junctions( like they do in UK ) is perfectly justifiable.

I see your point - but all this is doing is re-inforcing to our planners and authorities that crappy designs that are not scalable are OK. Build us a 2 lane motor-way for speeds up to 120k - well that is what we got - but if I am reading that right then there was no room for 120 on the 3 lane version that was surely embedded in the plans.

Idiots with AutoCad. I guess I just get frustrated at driving each day on stretches of road that were acceptable for 2 lanes of traffic to do 120 where I am forced (by choice) to do 100 when just streams of cars continue to pass me by.

In terms of taking on the inside lane... Well if I am exitting and am in the lefthand lane I will do the limit - so if cars in the middle are coasting well I pass them - but I do not accelerate to pass and I will not slow down to abide with the no overtaking law - wonder was that created when we just had 2 lanes too.

Cheers all - guess I have learnt - yet again we are striding forwards by moving backwards....

Tragedy

You do realise, that mathematically it's been proven that around 80km/h is the optimal speed to fit the most amount of traffic on a road?

Stark

That makes sense in times of heavy congestion. But the M50 hasn't been heavily congested on a regular basis since the upgrade. If it ever did become heavily congested, then variable speed limits like on the M25 would make sense instead of punishing people for doing what are fairly modest speeds when the road is clear.

Tragedy

Tragedy wrote: »

Variable speed limits please.

Quite often, sections of the M50 should be 80km/h, and quite often they should be 120.

Stark wrote: »

That makes sense in times of heavy congestion. But the M50 hasn't been heavily congested on a regular basis since the upgrade. If it ever did become heavily congested, then variable speed limits like on the M25 would make sense instead of punishing people for doing what are fairly modest speeds when the road is clear.

See above

Cookie_Monster

Tragedy wrote: »

You do realise, that mathematically it's been proven that around 80km/h is the optimal speed to fit the most amount of traffic on a road?

but the M50 flows freely at 100-120 even at rush hour these days and even then its still possibly to easily go faster

Colonel Sanders

Guy from NRA on Matt Cooper yesterday. I text in about lane hoggers & Matt quizzed him on the text content. All he said was it's a "major problem". He also didn't help by referring to the "high speed lane". Interestingly enuf (no idea if he was mistaken or not) he said that speed limits could be set as high as 140km/h on motorways.

Tragedy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

but the M50 flows freely at 100-120 even at rush hour these days and even then its still possibly to easily go faster

My experience is only between Sandyford and N7, but it still bogs down at peak times. No stop/starts at dundrum like there used to be, but it definitely slows a good bit below 100 at times, especially at junctions(and in the UK, a lot of the time variable speed limits just apply at a junction!)

Guy:Incognito

RATM wrote: »

I blame the Dept of Transport for this. Ireland never had a 3-4 lane motorway before so there should have been an awareness campaign launched informing people of how a 3-4 lane motorway should be used..

Yeah what they should have done is sent a book to every houshold in the country outlineing the rules on how to use the motorways. This book should also include rules on roundabouts which would eliminate bad behaviour there too...............

Stark

Tragedy wrote: »

My experience is only between Sandyford and N7, but it still bogs down at peak times. No stop/starts at dundrum like there used to be, but it definitely slows a good bit below 100 at times, especially at junctions(and in the UK, a lot of the time variable speed limits just apply at a junction!)

That bit between Firhouse and Sanyford is apalling for lane hoggers I find. It was the same before the upgrade where you had an empty left lane and a right-lane that was choc-a-bloc with people doing less than the speed limit and refusing to pull in. I've undertaken cars there in the past when I got a chance and found an expanse of empty road space in front of the car leading the train.

I.S.T.

pepperds wrote: »

The worst thing since the M50 has been widened is the vast number of drivers who sit in the middle lane when there is no traffic around them, especially in the inside lane. It's annoying and it's dangerous and just leads to the outside lane being slowed down. I really don't get it. All that money spent on an extra lane and many people seem to have an issue using the inside lane.

Affectionately known as Middle Lane Morans in the UK.