Anyone else using the N52 to travel to the south west to the north?

Jimmy Garlic

I usually used the motorways when going from Limerick up to the North. Recently I started using the N52 instead. Time wise there isn't much difference at all. I am definitely using less diesel, and of course no tolls. Savings all round for me as I have to go to and from Newry on a regular basis. Of course the N52 is sketchy in places but I suppose there is a price to pay. I won't be going back to using the motorways for that journey again, Ill keep the money that would have been robbed in tolls in my pocket.

Carawaystick

Google Maps says its 155 mins from Nenagh to Newry via the M7/50/1
and 189mins via the n52

Banjoxed

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

I usually used the motorways when going from Limerick up to the North. Recently I started using the N52 instead. Time wise there isn't much difference at all. I am definitely using less diesel, and of course no tolls. Savings all round for me as I have to go to and from Newry on a regular basis. Of course the N52 is sketchy in places but I suppose there is a price to pay. I won't be going back to using the motorways for that journey again, Ill keep the money that would have been robbed in tolls in my pocket.

Walking or cycling will be cheaper again. A shower may be necessary at the other end.

Colm R

I've noticed this myself - travelling from Cork to Kells, taking the N80 from Port Laoise and then the N52.

If you have a deadline, then take the motorway. But if you are traveling at your ease, then the N52 is not a bad way to go - you are saving money on Diesel because you are averaging between 80 and 100, whereas on the Motorway, you are @ 120. I do find my mpg in my Octavia is far higher in the 80 to 100 speed than it is at 120.

Then it depends on the type of journey and the type of person you are. Motorways are great when you just want to get somewhere, but the high speed, and at times, the high levels of traffic can make the journey exhausting from a concentration point of view. For your journey, from Kildare through to Drogheda certainly requires a level of a concentration thats higher than the rest of the journey.

If you're the type of person that can slot in behind a truck and only overtake it when you have a good straight stretch, but your not bothered to be stuck behind it for an hour or so, then more power to you, stick to the N52.

Personally I'm a Jekyll and Hyde - I often find myself driving around the roundabout outside Kells trying to make a decision - M3/M50 or N52.

Coming from Cork is different, as I approach Port Laoise, I know what kind of mood I'm in, what the weather is like etc - and usually have my mind made up as I join the M7 on which way I will go.

Jem72

The motorway at a constant 100 would be considerably more efficient again, particularly if you have cruise control. The acceleration and deceleration for towns, villages and roundabouts on non motorway roads has a considerably effect on fuel efficiency.

Jimmy Garlic

Jem72 wrote: »

The motorway at a constant 100 would be considerably more efficient again, particularly if you have cruise control. The acceleration and deceleration for towns, villages and roundabouts on non motorway roads has a considerably effect on fuel efficiency.

Personally I couldn't toddle along at 100 on a motorway watching everybody else wizz by. It is the tolls really that were eating into my wallet considering how often I have to make the journey. Just avoiding them saves me a lot of money.

savagethegoat

tbh I sit at 120 on the motorway and I pass far more cars than pass me. Many people must be doing the 100k thing.

_Kaiser_

savagethegoat wrote: »

tbh I sit at 120 on the motorway and I pass far more cars than pass me. Many people must be doing the 100k thing.

Then they shouldn't be on the motorway IMO. If someone can't/won't do the 120 when there is no reason not to then take the alternative route.

The "I'm saving money" or whatever it is types doing 100 (or less) lead to traffic bunching and congestion, trucks pulling out into the right-hand lane for an extended overtake to get past them, and a lot more concentration and effort needed generally because others who end up behind such folk will be more inclined to do things like pull out into too-small gaps at the last minute, or lane-weave etc

Me I do a constant rate of a few km over when conditions permit, I signal for every lane change (something hundreds don't bother with on the M7), move out/in with plenty of space and when overtaking I do so rapidly, both to pass the slower vehicle but also "dissuade" them from doing something stupid.

For example - if coming up behind a truck and car, you have about a 50/50 chance that the car driver will choose the moment you go to overtake to decide they want to pull out too (whether it's lemming mentality or "how dare you" attitude I don't know) but being decisive tends to make them rethink it in my experience. Nothing worse than the types you can see drifting to the centre line while they think about it, and then dramatically swerve over at the last second.

The M7 is a mess though between the Kildare/Carlow exit and the M50 and it's mostly people dawdling along oblivious to traffic around them, or ignorant tools lane-jumping and tailgating to try and get a few car lengths ahead.

Jimmy Garlic

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Then they shouldn't be on the motorway IMO. If someone can't/won't do the 120 when there is no reason not to then take the alternative route.

I tend to agree. Dawdlers bottleneck motorways, especially the closer you get to Dublin as the traffic volume increases. They will tell you that ''the speed limit is not a target'' or something along those lines, but failure to make reasonable progress is just as dangerous as speeding imo, in fact more so on a motorway where the potential exists for pileups. I have come up behind drivers on that are moving so painfully slow they might as well be a stationary obstacle. People who drive like that for whatever reason have no business on motorways.

_Kaiser_

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

I tend to agree. Dawdlers bottleneck motorways, especially the closer you get to Dublin as the traffic volume increases. They will tell you that ''the speed limit is not a target'' or something along those lines, but failure to make reasonable progress is just as dangerous as speeding imo, in fact more so on a motorway where the potential exists for pileups. I have come up behind drivers on that are moving so painfully slow they might as well be a stationary obstacle. People who drive like that for whatever reason have no business on motorways.

The problem is very clear when you're trying to join a motorway with these people.

You'll either have them dawdling along in front of you and cutting in front of trucks and such (or worse - stopping dead at the end of the slip road), or dawdling alongside you as you try to get up to speed and effectively blocking you in... I have this problem on the N7-M50S merge almost every day! There's many times when I'm glad I drive something with a bit of power and acceleration as it allows me to avoid stuff like this by judicious use of the right pedal

Jem72

100 km/h is hardly dawdling. It's 10 k past the lorry limit and the same as the limit for buses. If you want to travel at that speed, there is no problem with staying in the left lane with the lorries. The real bottlenecks on motorways in Ireland are caused by people hogging the passing lane.

Certainly, if you feel the need to drive at 80 km/h or lower, then you have no business being on the motorway.

Carawaystick

Jem72 wrote: »

Certainly, if you feel the need to drive at 80 km/h or lower, then you have no business being on the motorway.

The minimum speed a vehicle is required to able to travel at is 50 kmh.
Busses use the motorways and they're restricted to 65.

Jimmy Garlic

Carawaystick wrote: »

Busses use the motorways and they're restricted to 65.

They do a fair bit more than 65 on the motorway, that's for sure. 65kph in old money is 40mph. When was the last time you saw a bus traveling that slow on an Mway? 65kph would be an unworkable speed in terms of profit, turnaround and customer satisfaction. Who would pay money to get on a 40mph bus from Dublin to Cork? Nah, wouldn't happen.. Buses on Irish motorways travel at or near 100kph/62mph.

smncnnr

AFAIK, Dublin Bus vehicles are limited to 65 kph whereas other coaches/buses are clearly capable of travelling at 100 kph at least.

Carawaystick

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

They do a fair bit more than 65 on the motorway, that's for sure. 65kph in old money is 40mph. When was the last time you saw a bus traveling that slow on an Mway? 65kph would be an unworkable speed in terms of profit, turnaround and customer satisfaction. Who would pay money to get on a 40mph bus from Dublin to Cork? Nah, wouldn't happen.. Buses on Irish motorways travel at or near 100kph/62mph.

Saw a 33x doing just that yesterday. It's probably faster than the train, from Rush and Lusk station to Tara station.