Poor driving on the M7 M9 upgrade

brokenarms

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I made some calls when this all started, and the only thing I was able to get was that they're all (Gardai, Council, Contractor, TII) passing the responsibility between them.

The reality on the ground is that 60 km/h is inappropriate and unsafe for the present level of works and conditions most of the time - heavy peak traffic is a different thing of course - and so, rather than having cars and trucks up my ass, or being over/under-taken at speed, I keep a steady pace with the rest of the traffic.

I pointed these risks out at the time I made the calls, and while they all agreed, no-one wanted to take responsibility for a definitive answer.

60kph is not an inappropriate speed.

I had the misfortune to travel this bit of road last week on a motorcycle.

Leading up to Naas there is a large section of road where the workers have removed the heavy white paint, possibly rumble strips and also removed the cats eyes, leaving a very poor surface and holes every few meters .
I rode over this at night at about 90k as this part is in the centre of the lane now.
I nearly fell as the bikes suspension was unable to cope.

Later up the road and after learning my lesson, I noticed the lanes are very narrow . Two articulated trucks in front of me had very little clearance . One side with a few inches to spare was the temporary barrier.
Also, the men working there have the right to work in relative safety. 60kph is a lot less dangerous that 80 or 100 to them.

ELM327

60kph is the speed limit in that section of the m7

brokenarms

ELM327 wrote: »

60kph is the speed limit in that section of the m7

Yep it is. I was breaking the limit at the time. And it nearly cost me dearly.

s14driftking

One car doing 60kmh through here is like a rolling road block and leads to congestion further back along the road.
Haven’t driven this section most days since it started both in lorries and cars the limit needs to be increased as someone doing the limit is more of a danger here than the speeding as every vehicue try’s to get past even thou they are breaking the limit.

yesto24

I am a road worker .
The 60kph speed limit is not too low.
Be thankful we are not in Alberta in Canada, it's double the fine for speeding at roadworks.
I also disagree that doing 60 causes congestion back up the motorway. If anything, since the 60 limit there has been a smoother flow and less time stopped on the M7. It has also improved the flow past the roadworks on the N7.
I do 60-70 on this stretch of road now.
Sure cars and some trucks overtake me. But I get no hassle from anyone and no one driving up my ass.
On the actual speed limit, I have read that it is an official speed limit and not an advisory limit so you can be prosecuted for breaking it.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

lucernarian

brokenarms wrote: »

60kph is not an inappropriate speed.

I had the misfortune to travel this bit of road last week on a motorcycle.

Leading up to Naas there is a large section of road where the workers have removed the heavy white paint, possibly rumble strips and also removed the cats eyes, leaving a very poor surface and holes every few meters .
I rode over this at night at about 90k as this part is in the centre of the lane now.
I nearly fell as the bikes suspension was unable to cope.

Later up the road and after learning my lesson, I noticed the lanes are very narrow . Two articulated trucks in front of me had very little clearance . One side with a few inches to spare was the temporary barrier.
Also, the men working there have the right to work in relative safety. 60kph is a lot less dangerous that 80 or 100 to them.

A shame I can't see this study mentioned earlier that was carried out in the UK, but there was a suggestion that 55mph (about 90km/h) was in fact safer than the existing general 50 mph limit for roadwords in similar dual carriageway situations.

I don't agree with anyone taking the law into their own hands, but there may be a question as to how appropriate 60 kph really is. I wonder what the limit was for the M1 Airport to Lissenhall widening was when that was going on?

CeilingFly

lucernarian wrote: »

A shame I can't see this study mentioned earlier that was carried out in the UK, but there was a suggestion that 55mph (about 90km/h) was in fact safer than the existing general 50 mph limit for roadwords in similar dual carriageway situations.

I don't agree with anyone taking the law into their own hands, but there may be a question as to how appropriate 60 kph really is. I wonder what the limit was for the M1 Airport to Lissenhall widening was when that was going on?

Current UK motorway works speed limits are 50mph (80kph)

They are increasing some current limits and most new works limits to 60mph (95kph)

The safety aspect of the M7 meet or exceed the safety aspects of major motorway schemes in the UK.


80kph is the better limit as it would be respected and it is proven by extensive research that a lower speed is not safer.

Here's the uk report on higher limits.

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/5560mph-speed-limit-through-roadworks-trial-reports/

Lord Glentoran

yesto24 wrote: »

I am a road worker .
The 60kph speed limit is not too low.
Be thankful we are not in Alberta in Canada, it's double the fine for speeding at roadworks.
I also disagree that doing 60 causes congestion back up the motorway. If anything, since the 60 limit there has been a smoother flow and less time stopped on the M7. It has also improved the flow past the roadworks on the N7.
I do 60-70 on this stretch of road now.
Sure cars and some trucks overtake me. But I get no hassle from anyone and no one driving up my ass.
On the actual speed limit, I have read that it is an official speed limit and not an advisory limit so you can be prosecuted for breaking it.

If drivers push this too hard we’ll end up with the blasted average speed cameras.

Chris_5339762

Good. Get them out and then when I go 60kmh on it I won't have 40ft lorries up my tail flashing me. The current state of it is ridiculous and I'm surprised hasn't led to more accidents.

trellheim

I'd say in order to get the risk assessment for the higher speed approved THAT is what the contractor needs. However it is set now and all parties like NTA, Council everyone signed off on it. The only answer there is to get the contractor to vary it which would cost a lot of money.
To be honest it takes I think less than 2 or 3 minutes to drive it difference between 80 and 60 for a 5 mile stretch. Putting in those average speed cams for 60 kph would slow the fast laners down and kill that stupid congestion

Dravokivich

CeilingFly wrote: »

Current UK motorway works speed limits are 50mph (80kph)

They are increasing some current limits and most new works limits to 60mph (95kph)

The safety aspect of the M7 meet or exceed the safety aspects of major motorway schemes in the UK.


80kph is the better limit as it would be respected and it is proven by extensive research that a lower speed is not safer.

Here's the uk report on higher limits.

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/5560mph-speed-limit-through-roadworks-
trial-reports/

The issue itself isn't that they are working there. It's that the work is going on in the middle and they won't be able to get out if the traffic is faster.

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Good. Get them out and then when I go 60kmh on it I won't have 40ft lorries up my tail flashing me. The current state of it is ridiculous and I'm surprised hasn't led to more accidents.

I slow down for tailgaters. I've gone down to 30 on some stretches because of it. Might be an idea.

CeilingFly

Dravokivich wrote: »

The issue itself isn't that they are working there. It's that the work is going on in the middle and they won't be able to get out if the traffic is faster.



I slow down for tailgaters. I've gone down to 30 on some stretches because of it. Might be an idea.

they have a exit lane at each end of the works.

As for slowing to 30kph in free moving traffic - just to piss someone off - that's pure dangerous driving and people like that should be taken off the road.

Its exactly because of self righteous drivers who act the prick that a reasonable limit of 80kph should be applied - then at least its a limit that you can properly police.

Dravokivich

CeilingFly wrote: »

they have a exit lane at each end of the works.

As for slowing to 30kph in free moving traffic - just to piss someone off - that's pure dangerous driving and people like that should be taken off the road.

Its exactly because of self righteous drivers who act the prick that a reasonable limit of 80kph should be applied - then at least its a limit that you can properly police.

I slow down gradual not suddenly. The immediate danger is someone right on my back side. If I was to speed up, they'll only go faster and still stick to the back of me. What makes you think it's to piss them off? My kid is in the back seat. I don't want them there too if I had to stop.

They also have gaps in the barriers for access throughout the works zone. Maybe you didn't notice it because you were going too fast to see them.

Lord Glentoran

Dravokivich wrote: »

I slow down gradual not suddenly. The immediate danger is someone right on my back side. If I was to speed up, they'll only go faster and still stick to the back of me. What makes you think it's to piss them off? My kid is in the back seat. I don't want them there too if I had to stop.

They also have gaps in the barriers for access throughout the works zone. Maybe you didn't notice it because you were going too fast to see them.

God knows why so many drivers love tailgating, but they do.

WishUWereHere

Saw it all on Thursday evening....03 car belting down the 'emergency lane'. What speed he/she was doing I have no idea, but I am certain it was way more than the stipulated 25kmh.

Time for this stretch of road to be patrolled 24/7...thats the only way to sort out lunatics like this. I'm also noticing more and more trucks & coaches driving in the outside lane....I don't know if this is legal or not but it certainly is not healthy.

iwillhtfu

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Saw it all on Thursday evening....03 car belting down the 'emergency lane'. What speed he/she was doing I have no idea, but I am certain it was way more than the stipulated 25kmh.

Time for this stretch of road to be patrolled 24/7...thats the only way to sort out lunatics like this. I'm also noticing more and more trucks & coaches driving in the outside lane....I don't know if this is legal or not but it certainly is not healthy.

How do you know it wasn't an emergency?

On our last baby we were cutting it fine heading to the rotunda and I was booting it up the N7. Some old biddy thought it was her responsibility to take traffic management into her own hands and pulled across 2 lanes to block me and swerve between lanes to do so.

Baby was born outside Heuston Station.

Baby was infact born in the rotunda about 5 mins after we arrived (no lie wife couldn't even get out of the car as head was engaged :eek:) but we're a nation that's frugal with the truth when it comes to a good story

doolox

You need to get Garda escort to go faster than posted speed limit. The "biddy" putting her own car in danger should have been at least warned not to do it again.

I've seen unmarked police cars light up when faced with lane switching road blockers trying to "police" the speed limit. You never saw someone get to the left lane as fast as when that happens.

Then they have a nice chat with the officers......

I've heard of people being told to meet up with escort motor bikes en route to the delivery room, they are never told to speed but need the cop to light up and make way through traffic and down buslanes etc.

A cousin of mine was born in a taxi on the way to the hospital in 1958, a third child like me........

iwillhtfu

doolox wrote: »

You need to get Garda escort to go faster than posted speed limit. The "biddy" putting her own car in danger should have been at least warned not to do it again.

I've seen unmarked police cars light up when faced with lane switching road blockers trying to "police" the speed limit. You never saw someone get to the left lane as fast as when that happens.

Then they have a nice chat with the officers......

I've heard of people being told to meet up with escort motor bikes en route to the delivery room, they are never told to speed but need the cop to light up and make way through traffic and down buslanes etc.

A cousin of mine was born in a taxi on the way to the hospital in 1958, a third child like me........

Believe it or not I put in a call to our town Garda station and they said drive on till you get stuck and call Naas if needed. He didn't mention an escort but did say they would help if they had a car free.

WishUWereHere

iwillhtfu wrote: »

How do you know it wasn't an emergency?

On our last baby we were cutting it fine heading to the rotunda and I was booting it up the N7. Some old biddy thought it was her responsibility to take traffic management into her own hands and pulled across 2 lanes to block me and swerve between lanes to do so.

Baby was born outside Heuston Station.

Baby was infact born in the rotunda about 5 mins after we arrived (no lie wife couldn't even get out of the car as head was engaged :eek:) but we're a nation that's frugal with the truth when it comes to a good story

I don't but also unless you were the driver of that car, neither do you know. What I do know though, is the driver of that car was speeding ( whether it was necessitated or not ) on a construction site.

That in itself is criminal in my opinion.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Lord Glentoran

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Probably because angle grinders would be taken to them.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Lord Glentoran

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I like it! :pac:

trellheim

If average speed cameras were put up on that stretch, the money incoming would fund a security guard to sit under them 24/7.

( and that idiot who climbed the M50 toll cameras was caught and put away recently if I recall )

OldMrBrennan83

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/breaking-gosafe-speed-vans-monitor-60km-limit-m7-roadworks__trashed/243921

Madness that it's not average cameras.


_

WishUWereHere

Patww79 wrote: »

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/breaking-gosafe-speed-vans-monitor-60km-limit-m7-roadworks__trashed/243921

Madness that it's not average cameras.


_

I come off at J10 as I live in Newbridge, but am trying to figure out where these gatso vans can park safely between J8 & J10?

iwillhtfu

WishUWereHere wrote: »

I come off at J10 as I live in Newbridge, but am trying to figure out where these gatso vans can park safely between J8 & J10?

They're creating laybys for them there's one just before the new bridge heading south between Naas north and south exits accross from Kerry if memory serves me well. Another Northbound just after kilcullen on ramp under the bridge just at the end of the merge and one just before Naas north off ramp. Probably a few more dotted along I haven't noticed.

It's never going to work properly though and queue the muppets jamming on the brakes slowing from 60 to 20 as soon as they see a van and creating massive tail backs. A stupid decision if they wanted to do it right it should have been average speed cameras..

s14driftking

Be more in there mind throwing more man power at it there already 9 months behind atm.

_Kaiser_

This will of course cause more problems than it solves. A far better solution would have been to reset the limit to 80 except in cases where the level of works ACTUALLY warrant a lower limit.