M50 Speed limit?

Roadhawk

I heard on the radio this morning that the minister of transport apparently said that the reason for traffic on the M50 is from road users traveling too fast and he suggested to lower the speed limit?


Has anyone heard anything about this or have i got this completely wrong?

L1011

Variable speed limits have been proposed; there are specific circumstances where the acceleration and braking cycle of cars trying to reach a 100kmh or similar limit actually causes more congestion than driving at an 80 or 60kmh limit.

dubal

Variable speed limits are proved to work in the UK to speed up roads in times of congestion, it would need a reasonable investment in signage etc

Dubal

LeinsterDub

dubal wrote: »

Variable speed limits are proved to work in the UK to speed up roads in times of congestion, it would need a reasonable investment in signage etc

Dubal

And enforcement

Larbre34

There may be something to the science of it, I've seen variable limits in operation on the M25 in London, to varying degrees of success (bear in mind they are combined with red lights on merge ramps at times)

Personally I think there are far higher priority issues to affect congestion on the M50; awful lane discipline, appalling/late merging and diverging, rubber necking at incidents. If the Gardai want to improve things they should start a campaign of pulling people over for this sort of stuff. The message will begin to filter through.

Roadhawk

Larbre34 wrote: »

There may be something to the science of it, I've seen variable limits in operation on the M25 in London, to varying degrees of success (bear in mind they are combined with red lights on merge ramps at times)

Personally I think there are far higher priority issues to affect congestion on the M50; awful lane discipline, appalling/late merging and diverging, rubber necking at incidents. If the Gardai want to improve things they should start a campaign of pulling people over for this sort of stuff. The message will begin to filter through.

I completely agree. there seems to be a lack of education on the M50. There is no training provided to road users to use the motorway.

Roadhawk

Having said that I don't mind going slower if it means getting there faster.

Roadhawk

100km is already slow enough. I think its the only motorway thats not 120km?

Larbre34

The 100 km/h limit is because it doesn't meet the design standards for 120, lots of different specific reasons.

GM228

Larbre34 wrote: »

The 100 km/h limit is because it doesn't meet the design standards for 120, lots of different specific reasons.

The two main reasons being the width of the lanes. and sight lines I believe.

GM228

L1011

GM228 wrote: »

The two main reasons being the width of the lanes. and sight lines I believe.

GM228

And planning permission requirements for some of the south eastern section (where the lanes have not been narrowed, but was always 60mph/100kmh)

Theboinkmaster

It's due to the short distance between exits. Simple way to improve m50:

Step 1 - remove reversing around a corner in driving test and replace with motorway driving

Step 2 - enforce motorway rules -> any middle lane morons etc. get 3 penalty points & €80 fine.

Job done.

Bogger77

Roadhawk wrote: »

100km is already slow enough. I think its the only motorway thats not 120km?

Last section of the M8, from J18 to end at J19
same reasons as M50, in terms of sight lines.

GM228

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

It's due to the short distance between exits. Simple way to improve m50:

Step 1 - remove reversing around a corner in driving test and replace with motorway driving

Step 2 - enforce motorway rules -> any middle lane morons etc. get 3 penalty points & €80 fine.

Job done.

The distance between exits is not a factor AFAIK? Open to correction though.

GM228

highdef

GM228 wrote: »

The two main reasons being the width of the lanes. and sight lines I believe.

GM228

I could well be mistaken but the M3 between Clonee and Pace appears to have fairly narrow lanes, despite having a 120 kmph limit. This is purely subjective on my part but the lanes seem similar width to the M50. Furthermore the auxiliary lane seems rather narrow, even for a car. Sight lines between Pace Clonee and Pace are excellent with the majority of it being dead straight. Speed limit is 120 kmph - Google streetview image shows the main carriageway lanes being similar to M50 and aux lane being rather narrow - https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4296041,-6.4649596,3a,75y,344.01h,86.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssJQriM7uXzDa3zqGwXxMsA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Roadhawk

That is ridiculous. I use the M50 twice a day going to and from work. I tend to use the middle lane and left lane the most (as these are the ones that move quicker). Everyone seems to pull onto the motorway and head straight for the overtaking lane (fast lane). The overtaking lane seems to come to a stop first which leave the most movement in the middle and left lane.

The amount of road rage is crazy too. I have start using my GoPro as a dash cam as I have had a few close calls from crazy drivers.

highdef

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

It's due to the short distance between exits. .

But before the upgrade, the limit was about 113kmph yet the distance between junctions is virtually identical

Theboinkmaster

GM228 wrote: »

The distance between exits is not a factor AFAIK? Open to correction though.

GM228

Thought NRA lad on newstalk said that, but I could easily be wrong.

Roadhawk

I would say that the speed reduction is down to the face that the road has 3 lanes across (not including the on/off ramp) and when silly drivers are sitting in the overtaking lane it gives them more time to make their turn off.

highdef

Roadhawk wrote: »

I would say that the speed reduction is down to the face that the road has 3 lanes across (not including the on/off ramp) and when silly drivers are sitting in the overtaking lane it gives them more time to make their turn off.

So basically the limit is low to facilitate morons???? Yet morons are not actively dissuaded by the Gardai from being morons on the road!

Roadhawk

highdef wrote: »

So basically the limit is low to facilitate morons???? Yet morons are not actively dissuaded by the Gardai from being morons on the road!

Pretty much. Again that's only my opinion. If the road users were not morons you could definitely increase the speed and have a more efficient motorway.

Pistolpete1

I think the main problem as said before is the people staying in the middle lane or far right lane.

They are called over taking lanes for a reason.

There should be a national campaign of education on how to drive on a motorway for a few months.

Instead of the proposed tolling of the M50 in other locations, install cameras that monitor and automatically fine drivers sitting in the middle lane or far right lane.

At this stage i think people need to learn the hard way......

Government get there extra income, more lives saved on the M50 and hopefully it becomes a more free flowing, accident free motorway.

com1

Roadhawk wrote: »

highdef wrote: »

So basically the limit is low to facilitate morons???? Yet morons are not actively dissuaded by the Gardai from being morons on the road!

Pretty much. Again that's only my opinion. If the road users were not morons you could definitely increase the speed and have a more efficient motorway.

You do realize that the middle lane is also an overtaking lane?

Roadhawk

com1 wrote: »

You do realize that the middle lane is also an overtaking lane?

I sure do. As i mentioned earlier, I usually use the left lane or middle lane. I should have emphasized that i use the middle lane when over taking.

Roadhawk

Pistolpete1 wrote: »

I think the main problem as said before is the people staying in the middle lane or far right lane.

They are called over taking lanes for a reason.

There should be a national campaign of education on how to drive on a motorway for a few months.

Instead of the proposed tolling of the M50 in other locations, install cameras that monitor and automatically fine drivers sitting in the middle lane or far right lane.

At this stage i think people need to learn the hard way......

Government get there extra income, more lives saved on the M50 and hopefully it becomes a more free flowing, accident free motorway.

I agree here. The government would make huge amount of revenue if they policed this.

deathtocaptcha

for all you people wanting to fine people sitting in the middle lane, how would you enforce it beyond putting a bunch of squad cars or unmarked cars looping around the M50?

it just seems like such a waste of resources... if traffic is flowing at a consistent speed, that's all we can hope for on the M50...

bendzi

In my opinion the middle lane is OK specially when there is lots of lorries on the left one. The real nightmare is sleeping honey bunny on the right one causing long queue on this lane.

First Up

deathtocaptcha wrote:

for all you people wanting to fine people sitting in the middle lane, how would you enforce it beyond putting a bunch of squad cars or unmarked cars looping around the M50?

Same as all motorway rules need to be enforced - you police it.

deathtocaptcha wrote:

it just seems like such a waste of resources... if traffic is flowing at a consistent speed, that's all we can hope for on the M50...

Accidents jam up the M50 almost every day. Motorway accidents are largely caused by irresponsible or careless lane changing. Muppets sitting in the middle lane force undertaking or push people into outside lane, increasing the risk of collisions.

First Up

bendzi wrote:

In my opinion the middle lane is OK specially when there is lots of lorry on the left one. The real nightmare is sleeping honey bunny on the right one causing long queue on this lane.

No it isn't unless you are overtaking. Most times on the M50 the driving lane is empty, while people like you clog up the overtaking lane.

endacl

dubal wrote: »

Variable speed limits are proved to work in the UK to speed up roads in times of congestion, it would need a reasonable investment in signage compliance and road sense etc

Dubal

Better.

savagethegoat

bendzi wrote: »

In my opinion the middle lane is OK specially when there is lots of lorries on the left one. The real nightmare is sleeping honey bunny on the right one causing long queue on this lane.

your opinion doesn't come into it, if there is space n the left hand lane, that's where you should be.