Driving at 30KPH causes engine damage and stalling

erlichbachman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256341#Comment_119256341

It appears boards.ie does not have a suitable emoticon for my reaction to this post, think exasperation, deflation, despondency

I shall now leave you as I attempt to resurrect my Monday - have a great day

Considering you think "stopping to let pedestrians cross the road" is some sort of 'random event' that other drivers can't foresee as they literally see the pedestrians at the side of the road stepping into it in front of the now stopped car, I don't think there's ever going to be any hope of a ressurection in your fortunes.

You absolutely should not be behind the wheel of a car with the decision making skills you've displayed in your posts.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256326#Comment_119256326

Classic example of why people crash like lemmings into cars in front, especially on motorways, pileups etc. No anticipation that cars in front can and do suddenly stop, and drive to the limit, regardless of conditions leaving no margin for error.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256376#Comment_119256376

Maybe avoid the Park.

Duckjob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256376#Comment_119256376

The essense of 30kph zones is that people take priority in that zone, that cars are guests in the area and motorists need to modify their driving behavior accordingly. It's still a radical concept to many in Ireland because we're so used to cars having priority everywhere, but it's a popular concept in Dutch cities ("auto te gast") and other progressive cities.

The era of cars ruling the roost on every street is over dude, probably better to make peace with that for your own sanity.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119255756#Comment_119255756

i dug out the response i was forwarded, just to confirm i'd remembered it reasonably accurately:

Question to the Chief Executive

Council Meeting 04th JULY 2016

Q.85 COUNCILLOR ANDREW MONTAGUE

Can the Chief Executive install a zebra crossing at Castlemarket at the junction with South William Street?

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPLY:

Dublin City Council does not recommend Zebra crossings as they may provide a false sense of safety for pedestrians. In Ireland, a pedestrian does not have the right-of-way until they have already stepped onto a Zebra crossing. For this reason Dublin City Council’s preferred option is for crossings where the onus is unambiguously on the driver to stop. 

The location is listed for examination and report by the Traffic Advisory Group. The Councillor will be informed of the recommendation in due course.

Flinty997

Quality.

magicbastarder

i wonder if that weird experience (for irish tourists) in foreign climes, that when they even set foot near a zebra crossing, motorists will stop to allow them to cross; is that down to the zebra crossings having greater weight in road traffic law, or just a culture where motorists are more habituated to (randomly!) stopping in the road for a non-vehicle.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256163#Comment_119256163

The problem you are referring to is easily over come by motorists not driving up the ass of the vehicle in front, which is endemic now in Ireland, and akin to aggressive and bullying behaviour.

Learners are thought to keep a safe distance from vehicles in front to cover the eventuality you highlight as extremely dangerous. If they or any other motorist do this they are very unlikely to rear end a conscientious driver that slows or stops to allow a pedestrian to cross the road.

It's a park, what's the rush?

Safe and responsible driving is the responsibility of all road users, and I include pedestrians and cyclists in this.

Duckjob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256768#Comment_119256768

I had that experience on a bike in France. When approachings crossings where the bike path crossed to the other side of the road- motorists would see me when I was still 15-20 feet back from the crossing and stop and wait. Felt a bit strange, but oh so refreshing to have that sort of basic civility shown to you. We're essentially a nation of boiling frogs in Ireland.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119256717#Comment_119256717

DLRCC have recently put one in Belarmine. Seems to work ok. This seems to be a new departure for them as about 10yrs ago they said no to installing one nearby.

There is also a new one at Greentrees Road roundabout. Unusual at a roundabout but it works OK.

Maybe times are changing.

elperello

Some interesting points today.

I have said previously that I would like to see the park made safe for all pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

Just on the random stopping to allow people to cross the road, if one car stops there is no guarantee that a car coming in the opposite direction will stop

This leaves the pedestrian in a vulnerable position.

IMO more use should be made of signal controlled crossings.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119257096#Comment_119257096

The wellington/templeville roundabout design is horrifically bad. How they thought it was an acceptable design to trial in 2021, at a location a cyclist was killed not long ago, beggars belief.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119257156#Comment_119257156

Signalled crossings are surprisingly expensive, maybe €100,00 per junction. They also doubly penalise pedestrians by making them walk to the nearest crossing (which is rarely close because of the cost) and then there’s a delay for some reason, no matter how long it has been since they were green last. They are probably better for people with disabilities though because they provide some certainty that traffic has stopped.

Flinty997

"Doubly penalize"

Well either you need crossings for safety or you don't. If you don't then the whole unsafe for pedestrians to cross is a complete red herring.

erlichbachman

maybe markpb can give us all prior notification when he is in the park, and we can all then make sure to not to inconvenience him by driving through

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119258023#Comment_119258023

I agree that signal controlled crossings are not perfect but they are safe especially for vulnerable users like those with disabilities as you say but also for young people or parents with children in buggies or on pavement cycles.

In my experience of the Phoenix Park limiting the number of pedestrian crossing points on Chesterfield Avenue would not necessarily negatively impact on the users of the park.

I'm just basing my suggestions on my observations but a proper survey would identify the correct location for crossings that would cater for most park users.

There is plenty of space for all activities and better design and facilities could eliminate even more need to cross the avenue.

The park could be a showcase for best practice in providing safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119236191#Comment_119236191

It's the same with my Renault diesel. 25 km/h in 2nd is fine and so is 35 in 3rd but doing 30 in either gear is not smooth. I drove a rental VW petrol car recently and it was smooth at 30 km/h.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119257972#Comment_119257972

The roundabout these was never a great piece of infastructure for sure. I had forgotten about the fatality there.

The zebra type crossing seems to work. They had to pole off the sides to stop vehicles creating a double lane at the head of the lane.

Anyway, back to the park. I would see no reason not to insall zebra crossing on a straight road with a 30kmph limit, unless they have no plans on enforcing the limit other than a limit by consent. (=useless)

I was in there cycling on Sat evening and passed on Chesterfield Ave by many cars doing 50 to 60. Very few in the 30 to 40 range.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119258241#Comment_119258241

If you want to avoid the park, that would be great, thanks! If you have to drive in the park (not through it), it’s probably simpler if you just assume I’m always there and always waiting to cross so if you could drive accordingly, that would be super!

I might also be in most residential areas too so the same applies there. Hell, I might even pop up on a cycle lane as well so probably best to drive safely and courtesy around cyclists too.

Thanks buddy! 😁

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119258997#Comment_119258997

Sweet Jesus, the funniest post Ive read in ages. Will take some beating

liamog

The main thing I find that driving at 30 km/h causes is tailgating, the stretch going down to Lucan Village is brutal for that. Had an animated driver yesterday who's car had severe electrical faults when travelling behind me at 30km/h it seemed to cause his lights to flash and his horn to continuously sound.,

Duckjob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119271315#Comment_119271315

I'd interpret that as him warning me that I'm still going a bit fast and should take it a bit handier.

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119271315#Comment_119271315

Yesterday I had a lad in an Audi S3 revving behind me as I was cycling behind traffic. When I'm coming home at 7:30 in the evenings in the car I've had people up my arse many times when doing 30. And for what? The light at the main junction is always red, pedestrian crossings always red and there's always traffic. The village is so tight you have to be very cautious as there's often someone coming at you around the corner over the line, cars sticking out if the parking spaces, people looking at you driving towards them and still trying to get into the car etc.

To be honest I think they should get rid of the free 30 minute parking so people will consider not driving down just to get a coffee. It's only going to get messier now that they want to turn it into a bloody tourist destination.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119271315#Comment_119271315

I 100% agree, it does cause tailgating from inexperienced & impetuous slow-to-learn older drivers. I deal with this by simply indicating & pulling in, letting the anxious driver overtake, then I pull out (safely) immediately after them & continue to drive at 30kph. They'll accelerate off, brake heavily at speed ramps, accelerate off etc... then you'll end up behind them at the next set of lights, or usually overtaking or undertaking them as they stop at a left or right turning lane. (they'll never look at you if you end up in traffic beside them!!)

I always indicate in and let a tailgater overtake. I don't know what's going in in the car, are they rushing to the children's hospital, have they a medical emergency in the car? Most likely not, but I find a lot of the time it tempers their rush if the feel people need to actually pull in and let them by as if they were an ambulance.

It's a bit like monkey see, monkey do, if you overtake a cyclist giving them lots and lots of room inevitably, the driver behind you does the sane unless you've got some sort of stupid chunt behind you that's spending to much time on Facebook commenting and displaying ignorance & stupidity.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119271315#Comment_119271315

As I said previously, try driving through Slane village at 30kmh. Be prepared for serious intimidation fr both cars and trucks. This is why it's a joke of a speed limit, seriously which is safer trying to stop a fully loaded truck at 30kph

Flinty997

You get tailgaters at all speeds on the motorway. So is no speed where you won't get tailgaters.

So either let them past so or ignore them. Some don't even want to be in front it's their habit to tailgate. So if they are let past they slow down. As they have no one to follow.

They are just bad drivers and best advice is to stay away from them.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119281772#Comment_119281772

Should have added or a car. If that speed limit was seriously about safety it would apply to trucks only. In reality it was just an arbitrary response to a public outcry rather than an evidence based response to an actual road safety problem. In any case its not enforced so just a PR exercise to get public of politicians back

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119281772#Comment_119281772

the defence would like to present exhibit A into the evidence, your honour

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7048187,-6.5408477,3a,75y,30.24h,75.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skgwe_MrAvV0XDaa_XIThfw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Pinch Flat

Given the driving standards here, it's no surprise that drivers here can't maintain 30kph without it turnibg into somexqort of drama. Let's hope the don't venture to drive in Europe where limits like these, and even lower, are common place.