What’s your most controversial opinion? Read OP Mod Note in Post #3372

castletownman · 19-06-2025 08:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123561112#Comment_123561112

The newly adjusted speed limits on rural roads has seen a huge uptick in slow drivers, as if they are been rewarded for their over-cautious approach.

The mad thing is, I have NEVER seen a speed camera or checkpoint on the kind of roads now down to 60KM, so its only putting lipstick on a pig.

randd1 · 20-06-2025 09:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123562189#Comment_123562189

No-one around our way have changed their driving habits. There's no Garda checkpoints and no speed vans, and no place for them to safely do it either if there was.

So we're doing "as you were". There's a near dead straight stretch of road about 3 miles long near us that was once a main road 30 years ago, but was downgraded to 80km/ph some while back and is 60km/ph now. The road is clearly marked and wide enough for two lorries to pass by comfortably. I suspect most people are still doing around 100km/ph on it, I certainly haven't seen anyone that anything remotely like 60km/ph on it.

While some people have slowed down to the legal speed, most people who have driven the same roads for years will know what that road inside out, and where to slow and where you can comfortably speed up. They know better than some lad in a ministers office looking to score political brownie points who's never seen the roads never mind driven on them.

Bar a few people slowing down, I think it's changed nothing in the main.

As you said, lipstick on a pig.

NIMAN · 20-06-2025 10:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123563489#Comment_123563489

If the Guards even do a handheld speed trap on that road, then some folk are in for a serious fine if doing 100 on a 60 road.

randd1 · 20-06-2025 10:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123563493#Comment_123563493

Yeah, but in order to do that, the Guards would have to safely be pulled over. It may be a very good road to drive on (and it is), but there's ditches either side of the road about 4 feet from the hard shoulder, the only breaks being private entrances. So you can't park a car without causing an obstruction. I don't think Gardaí can do a speed trap while creating a possible obstruction.

It's also a very straight road, you can way ahead, so would have plenty of time to slow down.