M50 thread

ardmacha

Everyday I see people entering and exiting the M50 across the hatch marks. The lines mean very little to these people.

It isn't rocket science, it is not a case of not knowing how to drive, it is to do with selfishness and lack of enforcement. Erect a camera programmed to record anyone crossing the line and send them a ticket. Most issues on motorways arise at entry/exit.

celticbest

murpho999 wrote: »

Whole issue is by the drivers not being thought to drive on motorways properly and AFAIK it's still not on the new curriculum which is ridiculous in this day and age.

I thought I could drive, moved to the Netherlands and had to take driving test with compulsary course (none of this provo/learner licence crap there).

Why didn't you just keep your Irish licence or transfer to a Dutch one instead of sitting a test over there?

Also re Motorway Driving - Section 11 of the ROTR covers Motorway from entry to Exit.

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=40464

m0nsterie

Davy wrote: »

M50 NB road markings before junction M1 interchange are being done tonight and tomorrow. Gantry signs will probably need to be done at the same time.

Both of the left lanes on m50 NB after Ballymun entry now proceed directly to m1 NB.

Hopefully it will put a stop to the last second merging just before the free flow to m1.

Davy

m0nsterie wrote: »

Both of the left lanes on m50 NB after Ballymun entry now proceed directly to m1 NB.

Hopefully it will put a stop to the last second merging just before the free flow to m1.

We can only hope. It did work on the N7 inbound before the redcow after the second adjustment so their is hope yet.

Idbatterim

I use this only about once a month at peak times and it is stop start traffic on this just newly completed upgrade, could they have not fitted in an extra lane in each direction?

L1011

Idbatterim wrote: »

I use this only about once a month at peak times and it is stop start traffic on this just newly completed upgrade, could they have not fitted in an extra lane in each direction?

Not without replacing pretty much every structure along the entire route, no.

Additionally, the issues come from the roads *off* the M50 being below capacity and backing up on to it, e.g. the old N7 inbound, Newlands Cross and the Dundrum exit.

Chris_5339762

Partly, but now the 'unblocking' of the M1 has effected the M50 Southbound in sheer capacity rather than just junction-backing.

This new phenomenon will means that Newlands inbound will make no difference when the bridge is done as it will just jam up... expect NB delays every morning also from J9 to J7.

maguic24

Junction 13 southbound in the morning, what a disaster, the traffic literally stops just before that exit. Morning rush hour traffic is backed the whole way back to the exit 11. It seems to have gotten worse in the last 3 months. I thought it was just with colleges and schools back but it is definitely worse than this time last year.....

sgarvan

Thread here in Commuting & Transport on it

celticbest

New layout at M50 to M1 NB should make a massive difference as there hopefully won’t be as much lane hopping once people get used to it.

IMHO this was the layout they should have gone with in the first place.

Carawaystick

celticbest wrote: »

New layout at M50 to M1 NB should make a massive difference as there hopefully won’t be as much lane hopping once people get used to it.

IMHO this was the layout they should have gone with in the first place.

It's been 80-100 kmh from Ballymun to m1 last two evenings, not the 50-60 with a risk of sudden dead stops and an escape manoevre to the hard shoulder or two like the last few weeks

The n32 renumbering is done, but it still is only signed for malahide, not baldoyle or clare hall

Davy

This is the current layout for anyone who hasn't seen it.
I think the first sign after J4 Ballymun should be three signs like it is in the second picture just at the junction. I have seen cars already staying in the city lane ( second from the right) and just continue straight on toward the R139 like before.

nordydan

About time too!

nordydan

nordydan wrote: »

About time too!

I seem to remember that there a few threads here when the motorway was rebuild and the lines were first laid out saying they were wrong, and we were proven correct!

Jayuu

The only problem with the new layout are the people who still stay in what was the left Malahide lane but is now the right M50 lane and don't bother adjusting.

I nearly got run off the road by somebody a few days back because of this. I was in the proper Malahide lane and went to move across to the left when it became two lanes only to have to adjust sharply to avoid somebody who was moving faster than I was in the old lane but had continued straight through. Gave me a right shock.

Maybe it will settle down once people become used to the new layout but given that all the overhead gantries approaching mention a new layout and there are extra warning signs after Junction 4 it's clear that some people just don't look at signs.

Jayuu

Jayuu wrote: »

The only problem with the new layout are the people who still stay in what was the left Malahide lane but is now the right M50 lane and don't bother adjusting.

I nearly got run off the road by somebody a few days back because of this. I was in the proper Malahide lane and went to move across to the left when it became two lanes only to have to adjust sharply to avoid somebody who was moving faster than I was in the old lane but had continued straight through. Gave me a right shock.

Maybe it will settle down once people become used to the new layout but given that all the overhead gantries approaching mention a new layout and there are extra warning signs after Junction 4 it's clear that some people just don't look at signs.

A lot of commuters are on "automatic pilot" when they drive the same route day in day out, sometimes I wonder if you put a brick wall in a lane and place adequate warning signs in advance of it, just how many would just simply run into it!

Stereomaniac

Amen, Bubba. My thoughts exactly. When I lived in Dublin last and had to take the M50 between the Knocklyon exit and Dundrum each morning, I was shocked at some of the merging!

Davy

Deleted User wrote: »

A lot of commuters are on "automatic pilot" when they drive the same route day in day out, sometimes I wonder if you put a brick wall in a lane and place adequate warning signs in advance of it, just how many would just simply run into it!

That really is bad when you have the large overhead gantry signage, 3 large overhead VMS (as per pic) and two temp small VMS, all warning about new layout ahead.

highdef

Jayuu wrote: »

The only problem with the new layout are the people who still stay in what was the left Malahide lane but is now the right M50 lane and don't bother adjusting.

I nearly got run off the road by somebody a few days back because of this. I was in the proper Malahide lane and went to move across to the left when it became two lanes only to have to adjust sharply to avoid somebody who was moving faster than I was in the old lane but had continued straight through. Gave me a right shock.

Maybe it will settle down once people become used to the new layout but given that all the overhead gantries approaching mention a new layout and there are extra warning signs after Junction 4 it's clear that some people just don't look at signs.

On the way to the R139, I too ended up in the incorrect (right M50) lane last Friday evening after dark. I had seen the signs but was still a little confused as to what was actually going to be up ahead. When I did realise, I did what any normal driver should do and checked my mirrors, saw the lane to the right was free, indicated and moved over. I didn't even have to hit the brakes. If there had been traffic in the other lane, I would have continued in the other lane and continued on to Coolock interchange, where I'd double back and make my way back. It's shocking that some people just panic or worse still, change lane as if there are no lines on the road. If you miss your exit, it's tough. It's not the end of the world. You will be delayed by just a few minutes.
I was wrong that I did not pay enough attention to notice the change in layout in good time however, when I did realise that I was in the incorrect lane, I simply checked to see if I could safely move to the other lane with endangering myself or others which luckily for me, I could. I'd consider my initial observation as poor but my follow up was fine and that really should be the worst case scenario for anyone.

Davy

highdef wrote: »

On the way to the R139, I too ended up in the incorrect (right M50) lane last Friday evening after dark. I had seen the signs but was still a little confused as to what was actually going to be up ahead. When I did realise, I did what any normal driver should do and checked my mirrors, saw the lane to the right was free, indicated and moved over. I didn't even have to hit the brakes. If there had been traffic in the other lane, I would have continued in the other lane and continued on to Coolock interchange, where I'd double back and make my way back. It's shocking that some people just panic or worse still, change lane as if there are no lines on the road. If you miss your exit, it's tough. It's not the end of the world. You will be delayed by just a few minutes.
I was wrong that I did not pay enough attention to notice the change in layout in good time however, when I did realise that I was in the incorrect lane, I simply checked to see if I could safely move to the other lane with endangering myself or others which luckily for me, I could. I'd consider my initial observation as poor but my follow up was fine and that really should be the worst case scenario for anyone.

No one is perfect, least you have sorted the issue now, and im sure it wont happen again, but what do you think should have been different if anything that would have actually made you move to the correct lane in time

ardmacha

If you miss your exit, it's tough. It's not the end of the world. You will be delayed by just a few minutes.

+1E10
.
While driving on holiday in the US, I missed more than one exit. I didn't swerve across the road nor slam on the brakes, but went to the next exit or whatever. If you make a mistake, live with it and don't risk other people's lives as well as your own.

omicron

Does anyone know what the actual capacity of the m50 is per hour or per day? Was looking at the NRA traffic counter site and between junctions 7 and 9 sees close to 140,000 cars per day some days and over 12,000 cars per hour between 8 and 9 am some mornings. Surely it can't handle much more than this?!

God only knows what it will be like in the mornings when the Newlands Cross upgrade is finished!

e.g Last Friday 140,000 cars.

Last Tuesday 12,000 cars from 8am to 9am.

Carawaystick

I thought it was taking about 100k across westlink at the peak when it was 2 lanes and a roadblock/pike

Jayuu

I don't know the capacity of the road but I don't think any problems with the M50 are with the mainline itself. It's the fact that some of it's most important exits aren't up to capacity.

I drive from the R139 (N32) to N4 everyday and anytime there is major congestion the source of it seems to happen around Junctions 11, 12 and 13. I don't think the Newlands Cross upgrade will impact that in the mornings to be honest and it may help considerably in the evenings with outbound traffic.

Other problems on the M50 especially when there is congestion is the constant unhelpful lane hopping. If people see that any of the lanes are moving even slightly faster they try to jump into it. This upsets the flow of traffic and make the situation worse and ultimtely it only tends to gain you a few car lenghts. The other one (which I am guility of myself so I'm not complaining about it) is people staying in the leftmost auxiliary lane until the last minute possible before a junction and then squeezing back into the mainline.


On an unrelated note the VMS usage on the M50 is really poor. The signs only ever seem to display one message. So it's either traffic times, whether there are delays from congestion or a collision or a safety message if conditions are poor. Given the amount of money that they cost I think this is poor return.

The signs should be used to rotate a few different messages over a period of 30-40 seconds. So if there is an accident we should know about it but they could also then give us the expected times to get past the accident so that people can then make a decision as to whether to seek an alternative route. I find that I have to listen to Dublin City FM (103.2) to get real information if there are delays.

Carawaystick

Jayuu wrote: »

On an unrelated note the VMS usage on the M50 is really poor. The signs only ever seem to display one message. So it's either traffic times, whether there are delays from congestion or a collision or a safety message if conditions are poor. Given the amount of money that they cost I think this is poor return.

I was coming home from work back in the winter, when it was twilight,
the vms said
Surface water: use your lights

I was thinking "its nighttime, use your lights" might have been more appropriate...

Carawaystick

Carawaystick wrote: »

I was coming home from work back in the winter, when it was twilight,
the vms said
Surface water: use your headlights

I was thinking "its nighttime, use your headlights" might have been more appropriate...

fyp - so many drivers would just put on their parking lights! :mad:

First Up

Deleted User wrote: »

fyp - so many drivers would just put on their parking lights! :mad:

Or the one of them that works.

Saint Sonner

Is the M50 now not fit for purpose after only 10 years?

omicron

Saint Sonner wrote: »

Is the M50 now not fit for purpose after only 10 years?

There is no point upgrading beyond it's current capacity as the roads surrounding it can't handle it. Driver education, law enforcement and variable speed limits will have a far greater effect that spending billions on an extra lane.

cgcsb

education can be a part of the solution. The Irish don't understand 3 lane motorways/dual carriageways as it stands. Indeed on the N7 the leftmost lane is the fastest.

There's also a desperate need for orbital bus routes through west Dublin and integrated ticketing throughout the metropolitan area.