M1 motorway speeding

Viscount Aggro

I have been driving on the M1 motorway recently - the stretch from Airport to Port tunnel. I keep just below the 80kph speed limit. I notice that most drivers are pushing up behind me, or speeding past me. Im wondering, is this normal behaviour, do drivers just ignore the speed limits?

Car99

Viscount Aggro wrote: »

I have been driving on the M1 motorway recently - the stretch from Airport to Port tunnel. I keep just below the 80kph speed limit. I notice that most drivers are pushing up behind me, or speeding past me. Im wondering, is this normal behaviour, do drivers just ignore the speed limits?

Yes it's normal.

tomfoolery60

Viscount Aggro wrote: »

I have been driving on the M1 motorway recently - the stretch from Airport to Port tunnel. I keep just below the 80kph speed limit. I notice that most drivers are pushing up behind me, or speeding past me. Im wondering, is this normal behaviour, do drivers just ignore the speed limits?

In my experience it's widely ignored here. Though you'll only ever see the people speeding past you as those obeying the limit will remain behind.

Same in the opposite direction at the end of the M50 onto the malahide road and the end of the M50 to airport before the M1 proper starts is exactly the same, lots of drivers exceeding 80km/h.

I imagine it's never enforced so people feel free to ignore.

micks_address

Yes it's normal behavior there. I generally get into the left lane and let traffic barrel out by me. It's a little tricky though where traffic merges from m50 north bound onto the m1. I've seen traffic cops there a few times.. seems like ripe spot for handing out penalty points

tigerwoods

That section of road travelling from the airport to past the port tunnel is a nightmare in peak times. Between the taxi drivers coming from the airport and Nothern drivers cutting you up trying to join the M50 or the R139 and don't mention the Coolock lane turn off. A certain bus company that operates in the North East is always over the limit and always cutting in and out as well.

Isambard

the problem may be that you are travelling "just below" the speed limit. Why would you do that?

Samuel T. Cogley

Isambard wrote: »

the problem may be that you are travelling "just below" the speed limit. Why would you do that?

It isn't and you know it. OP could be doing 100 in that zone and would still have people passing.

OP keep doing what you're doing and it won't be you getting the ticket.

And FFS its cue and queue.

km991148

Viscount Aggro wrote: »

I have been driving on the M1 motorway recently - the stretch from Airport to Port tunnel. I keep just below the 80kph speed limit. I notice that most drivers are pushing up behind me, or speeding past me. Im wondering, is this normal behaviour, do drivers just ignore the speed limits?

Its normal there - but what difference does it make - if you are happy around 80 fair enough if you want to push on its probably ok too as I rarely see traffic police there.

But be careful - when it gets busy I wouldn't be speeding much as there is lots going on between the port tunnel traffic, HGVs, Malahide and m50 junctions etc

Wildly Boaring

It's one stretch of road that badly needs variable speed limits.

80 or even 60 when there's queues.
But in light traffic this could be 100 or 110.

I stick to the limit here and on any dual carraige approach to Dublin (chapo bypass, blanch bypass, finglas)
Guards love shooting the fish on occasion.

Dravokivich

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

It's one stretch of road that badly needs variable speed limits.

80 or even 60 when there's queues.
But in light traffic this could be 100 or 110.

I stick to the limit here and on any dual carraige approach to Dublin (chapo bypass, blanch bypass, finglas)
Guards love shooting the fish on occasion.

Reads to me like you don't understand why the limit is there. There's too many junctions so close to each other which require lane changes to get across them.

listermint

There's multiple lanes on that road. If your overtaking someone then move into the outside lane. For normal driving use the inside lane/s



The end.



Goodnight.

Wildly Boaring

Dravokivich wrote: »

Reads to me like you don't understand why the limit is there. There's too many junctions so close to each other which require lane changes to get across them.

So at 3am with 5 cars on the road it needs the same limit as it does at 8am?

The amount of junctions is static.
The number of manouvers is dynamic. .
A risk assessment of one by the other could give a risk rating and hence a speed limit.

Also I believe the 80 starts too early on that stretch

Dravokivich

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

So at 3am with 5 cars on the road it needs the same limit as it does at 8am?

The amount of junctions is static.
The number of manouvers is dynamic. .
A risk assessment of one by the other could give a risk rating and hence a speed limit.

Also I believe the 80 starts too early on that stretch

Ah, so you want to drive faster, instead of just being part of the traffic with everyone else.

Wildly Boaring

Dravokivich wrote: »

Ah, so you want to drive faster, instead of just being part of the traffic with everyone else.

Actually not really.
I'll go by the limit.
I take an interest in these things.
Have a background in civils, traffic management and general engineering.

People abide by a limit where it makes sense.
People abide by a limit that is enforced.
It's evident in that stretch that the limit is not abided by.

So do one, the other or both

trellheim

its 80 from Airport Jn all the way to just past the port tunnel entrance

you've a very complicated merging junction from the airport ( 2 lanes) immediately splitting into M50 (2 lanes ) and Malahide turnoffs, then shortly after the coolock slip and then the exit for the City plus 2 lanes straight into the tunnel

Anyone unfamiliar with that is at severe odds because it is tremendously difficult to figure out if you've no satnav and its your first time

Plus that the usual yee-haws at 130 down the M1 straight over 5 lanes into the M50 overpass , you then have to contend with mergers and joiners all the way to the tunnel.

Damn right it should be 80

markpb

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

People abide by a limit where it makes sense.
People abide by a limit that is enforced.
It's evident in that stretch that the limit is not abided by.

You're making the mistake of thinking that people understand the reason for a speed limit (either you're not familiar with this road or you don't understand it). Not everyone is a road traffic engineer, not everyone is a guard or paramedic who has responded to a serious RTC. Normal people who have not done those things do not understand the limit but it still applies to them. Sometimes it's wise to listen to the experts, they may know more than you or they may have more experience than you.

Wishbone Ash

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

So at 3am with 5 cars on the road it needs the same limit as it does at 8am?

The amount of junctions is static.
The number of manouvers is dynamic. .
A risk assessment of one by the other could give a risk rating and hence a speed limit.

Also I believe the 80 starts too early on that stretch

It has to be 80km/h to allow trucks to use the centre and right hand lane to enter the port tunnel. If the limit was more than 80km/h they would be legally required to stay in the left lane. (Same where a lane merges with a motorway on the right side - limit can't be more than 80km/h or trucks wouldn't be allowed to use it).

Isambard

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

It isn't and you know it. OP could be doing 100 in that zone and would still have people passing.

OP keep doing what you're doing and it won't be you getting the ticket.

And FFS its cue and queue.

He's doing less than the limit and moaning about being overtaken. I've no problem with him doing less than the limit.

I don't believe I said cue or queue...

antix80

Viscount Aggro wrote: »

I have been driving on the M1 motorway recently - the stretch from Airport to Port tunnel. I keep just below the 80kph speed limit

Why? It's actually harder to drive below the speed limit.

mikeecho

antix80 wrote: »

Why? It's actually harder to drive below the speed limit.

Because some people have tunnel vision, and just need to get ahead of everything, and the lack of peripheral awareness, eliminates the ability to see potential hazards.

Why drive slow if there is no potential hazard.

Wishbone Ash

mikeecho wrote: »

...Why drive slow if there is no potential hazard.

That section of road is normally full of potential hazards.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

Isambard wrote: »

He's doing less than the limit and moaning about being overtaken. I've no problem with him doing less than the limit.

I don't believe I said cue or queue...

What do you suggest?
Drive at 80 km/h on the button?

Exceed by 1 km/h and risk being fined, drive at 79 km/h and risk being subjected to road rage by people like you?

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

This is an annoyance of mine too. I keep left unless overtaking and rigidly obey the speed limit.

I take the road for Dublin city centre on a daily basis. What annoys me is queues of people speeding up the right lane (including lorries going at 90 km/h) and refusing to let me move over to take the lane. Sometimes vindictively slowing down and speeding up to prevent me getting in, then suddenly swinging towards the M50 at the last minute.

Why prevent me from entering "your lane" if you've no intention of actually staying there.

mikeecho

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That section of road is normally full of potential hazards.

But those with tunnel vision, can't see the hazards.. that's what I was trying to get across.

Voodoomelon

Coming off the M50 and joining the M1 there feels like your standing still if you stick at 80kph, certainly there's more breaking the limit on that stretch than obeying it. Not saying it's right, but it's more often than not a big wide open road and 80kph to most feels like nothing. It's the people sitting in the middle lane there all the way out to the Skerries/Donabate exit that does my head in.

cnocbui

markpb wrote: »

You're making the mistake of thinking that people understand the reason for a speed limit (either you're not familiar with this road or you don't understand it). Not everyone is a road traffic engineer, not everyone is a guard or paramedic who has responded to a serious RTC. Normal people who have not done those things do not understand the limit but it still applies to them. Sometimes it's wise to listen to the experts, they may know more than you or they may have more experience than you.

I hope you are using oxygen up on that there high horse. I have been driving for some time and it is clear to me some of these so called experts you think we should bow to and who you think know more than others, are often inexpert and illogical.

There was a considerable length of N road which was superceded by motorway. It was a national trunk route, built and engineered for heavy traffic doing 100. After the motorway was turned on, the geniuses dropped the speed limit to 80 even though the volume of traffic dropped by 99%.

Some experts.

markpb

cnocbui wrote: »

I hope you are using oxygen up on that there high horse.

Isn’t admitting that I don’t know everything and that others might know more to me the opposite of a high horse?

cnocbui wrote: »

There was a considerable length of N road which was superceded by motorway. It was a national trunk route, built and engineered for heavy traffic doing 100. After the motorway was turned on, the geniuses dropped the speed limit to 80 even though the volume of traffic dropped by 99%.

The old N3 presumably? It was re-designated from a national primary road to a regional road when the M3 was built. Someone here said at the time that road classifications come with default speed limits which can be overridden if the council want to. Presumably the council didn’t want to do that for some reason. Perhaps there’s a reason for that decision that we’re not aware of?

fullstop

Isambard wrote: »

He's doing less than the limit and moaning about being overtaken. I've no problem with him doing less than the limit.

I don't believe I said cue or queue...

Didn’t see him moan about being overtaken, maybe you could point that out?

Slightly below the limit could be 79 in an 80 zone. Do you have an issue with that?

cnocbui

markpb wrote: »

Isn’t admitting that I don’t know everything and that others might know more to me the opposite of a high horse?

The old N3 presumably? It was re-designated from a national primary road to a regional road when the M3 was built. Someone here said at the time that road classifications come with default speed limits which can be overridden if the council want to. Presumably the council didn’t want to do that for some reason. Perhaps there’s a reason for that decision that we’re not aware of?

I'm pretty sure you were addressing someone else and telling them that they didn't know as much as the 'experts'.

No it was the N7 and probably applied to the rest of them as well. You are right about it being a reason we're not aware of. For a couple of years the local council persisted with the 80 kph nonsense and then finaly did the right thing and increased it to 100. The council and their experts were clearly wrong in reducing the speed limits in the first place.

There is a good example of inappropriate speed limit in Galway. The N6 ring road from the N85 roundabout to the Hedford road roundabout has a speed limit of 50 on a 4 lane road with no intersections, crosswalks or entranceways. it should be at least 60 and more like 80.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

Average speed cameras are badly needed.

cnocbui

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

Average speed cameras are badly needed.

No they aren't. Speeding is a very minor cause of accidents, ranking low as a princpal cause

Using the latest statistics from the Department for Transport, Regtransfers has researched the top causes of road accidents - here is a breakdown of the top 10 that occur in a year throughout Britain:

Driver failed to look properly - 42,189 accidents reported
Driver failed to judge other person’s path or speed - 21,211 accidents reported
Driver was careless, reckless or in a hurry - 17,845 accidents reported
Driver had poor turn or maneuver - 15,560 accidents reported
Loss of control - 12,151 accidents reported
Pedestrian failed to look properly - 8,687 accidents reported
Slippery road surface - 7,327 accidents reported
Driver was travelling too fast for conditions - 6,468 accidents reported
Driver was following too close - 6,040 accidents reported
Driver was exceeding speed limit - 5,102 accidents reported

https://www.regtransfers.co.uk/content/common-causes-for-road-accidents-in-britain

The fewest number of accidents were caused by speeding. This makes speed cameras a taxation device, not a road safety measure. Cameras that could detect drivers using mobile phones would have a vastly greater safety impact.

NickNickleby

From the tunnel to the Airport exit is a disaster. I'm amazed there aren't more crashes on it.

THe speed limit is 80Kph. Main offenders in my opinion - based on limited observation are (in order of most to least):
Taxis; NI reg plates; LH plates, white van man, and international hauliers. Then the D reg racers,

There are five lanes at one point, and at certain times you'll see Taxis way over the limit shooting from the far right to the airport lanes, while simultaneously some headcases are coming down the M50 ramps and trying to get ahead of everyone else. This results in people speeding in ALL the lanes.

Then along comes Nick, doing 80, and struggling to get to the airport exit because of the speeding cars on the left.
I wouldn't care what the speed limit is, as long as every one obeys it - consistency is what's needed.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

NickNickleby wrote: »

From the tunnel to the Airport exit is a disaster. I'm amazed there aren't more crashes on it.

THe speed limit is 80Kph. Main offenders in my opinion - based on limited observation are (in order of most to least):
Taxis; NI reg plates; LH plates, white van man, and international hauliers. Then the D reg racers,

There are five lanes at one point, and at certain times you'll see Taxis way over the limit shooting from the far right to the airport lanes, while simultaneously some headcases are coming down the M50 ramps and trying to get ahead of everyone else. This results in people speeding in ALL the lanes.

Then along comes Nick, doing 80, and struggling to get to the airport exit because of the speeding cars on the left.
I wouldn't care what the speed limit is, as long as every one obeys it - consistency is what's needed.

What we need is more people like Desmond Zaidan.

In my opinion, speeding should be a mandatory court appearance.