Rural Speed Limit Sign - Confusing?

ironclaw

Is it just me, or is this terribly confusing:



So it means 'End of All Restrictions' but the speed limit is actually 80km/h and you have to go slow? Why not just have an 80km/h limit?

Contrasting to this on the Autobahn:



I'm open to correction, but does this sign (The white background, black crossing lines) not mean in a greater European context that previous restriction (City Limit, No Passing etc) no longer apply?

jimgoose

The correct translation of that sign is "Take it hawndy noy!!"

Tea 1000

OSI wrote: »

Because if you put a 80km/h sign up, everyone assumes the road is fit for 80 and uses it as a taget. Just look at all the replies in the speeding threads of "Why do we have 80km/h limits on roads that should be 30."

Nope. People complain that other people use it as a target. In reality, some people drive too fast. These same people will still drive too fast when you put up a different sign.

Atlantic Dawn

Something like a <80 speedlimit sign would be better indicating the limit is 80 but conditions may not allow for 80.

The Backwards Man

Should have a sign saying

'Ah, shure ye should know yourself'

Make more sense.

Special Circumstances

Will they have the "Go Mall / Slow" on all of these - as in, leaving a 50 zone you will be greeted by a sign saying "Slow"?

Seems counter intuitive alright. But hey...

Tea 1000

Lets just work out which is the crappiest car out there, with the crappiest tyres, and put up signs for every corner according to what is safe for that car. Then everyone should be happy. Because the premise of this whole campaign is that people can't think for themselves, and can only ever act upon seeing a sign telling them what to do.

ironclaw

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Something like a <80 speedlimit sign would be better indicating the limit is 80 but conditions may not allow for 80.

That was my thinking Why not have an 80 Sign even with 'Caution' on the bottom.

Atlantic Dawn

Tourists are not going to have a clue what speed to do, lots of Irish drivers won't either.

bbability

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Tourists are not going to have a clue what speed to do, lots of Irish drivers won't either.

Just out of curiosity my kids local primary school has an 80KM speed limit on the road outside. I was told that its a 30km speed limit even though the signage is not in place.
The amount of people who fly up and down this country road is disgraceful.

Chris_Heilong

How are they to know its a 30 zone if there is no signage saying so and the only sign is an 80 one.

CiniO

ironclaw wrote: »

I'm open to correction, but does this sign (The white background, black crossing lines) not mean in a greater European context that previous restriction (City Limit, No Passing etc) no longer apply?

It does indeed.
In short this sign in nearly all countries on the continent means - "end of restrictions".
So f.e. if there was "no overtaking" sign then end of restrictions would cancel it.
If there was 5tonne weight limit sign, end of restrictions would cancel it.
If there was 70km/h speed limit, then "end of restrictions" would cancel it.

However afaik all over continent, there are national speed limits depending on type of road - f.e. 50km/h in built up area, 90 or 100 outside built-up area, 120 or 130 or 140km/h or no limits - on motorways, etc...
So normal speed limits signs are not used to tell drivers what general speed limit applies on certain kind of road.

nd

My driving instructor told me the speed limits are targets and that they'll mark you down in the driving test if you don't get up to them quickly enough.

visual

nd wrote: »

My driving instructor told me the speed limits are targets and that they'll mark you down in the driving test if you don't get up to them quickly enough.

And the instructor was correct you have to be progressive and be able to drive at the speed of other traffic up to the speed limit

else you have everyone crawling around at walking pace during test and be a rolling road block to other traffic.

markpb

nd wrote: »

My driving instructor told me the speed limits are targets and that they'll mark you down in the driving test if you don't get up to them quickly enough.

I'm sure he also told you to drive safely in accordance with the road conditions. If a road has an 80kph limit and a blind corner, do you think you'd be marked down for not rallying around it at full speed?

Cookie_Monster

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Lets just work out which is the crappiest car out there, with the crappiest tyres, and put up signs for every corner according to what is safe for that car. Then everyone should be happy. Because the premise of this whole campaign is that people can't think for themselves, and can only ever act upon seeing a sign telling them what to do.

They do the bolded bit here in NZ on all the state highways and some other roads. Speeds quoted are what Buses and HGVs need to do and cars can generally add 20kph but it is surprisingly re-assuring to have them and I certainly noted missing them when back in Ireland.

ardmacha

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Tourists are not going to have a clue what speed to do, lots of Irish drivers won't either.

I don't see why anyone has a problem, if they are in Fermanagh they'll see such signs are they going to get confused in Donegal?

The "Slow" is a bit lame though, "Rural road" would have been appropriate.

ironclaw

ardmacha wrote: »

I don't see why anyone has a problem, if they are in Fermanagh they'll see such signs are they going to get confused in Donegal?

The "Slow" is a bit lame though, "Rural road" would have been appropriate.

Outside this little island of ours, that sign has an entirely different meaning. It will confuse the hell of tourists especially Europeans. Its also very counter intuitive as its literally means 'End of all restrictions' when in fact it means '80km/k speed limit applies and its a rural road'

Also, and I know its up for a difference of opinion, but an 80km/h speed limit is not exactly 'slow' considering the legal maximum in Ireland is 120km/h. So to me, if I didn't know, I'd probably guess it means a 50km/h (or 'built up area') speed limit applies.

Some RSA think tank just picked a random sign and decided 'Good enough'

nd

markpb wrote: »

I'm sure he also told you to drive safely in accordance with the road conditions. If a road has an 80kph limit and a blind corner, do you think you'd be marked down for not rallying around it at full speed?

Twas a she. No. But imo in the driving test or at any time it's better for people to be concentrating on driving at an appropriate speed for the road/conditions than to be concentrating on specific speed limits.

Pov06

All the country roads will be race courses now. "TDI coo 120 km/h baye"

expectationlost

Liz O'Donnell still thinks 80km rural speed limit is way too high http://www.newstalk.com/Head-of-Road-Safety-Authority-says-speed-limit-on-rural-Irish-roads-is-way-too-high

she was on Sunday Show full interview about 3/4 through this http://www.newstalk.com/listen_back/24/20154/19th_July_2015_-_The_Sunday_Show_Part_1/ 80km way too high, takes no account that there is no footpaths for people walking... cyclists. its limit rather then a goal.

joujoujou

expectationlost wrote: »

Liz O'Donnell still thinks [...]

Really? :eek: