Local Roads - New Speed Limits

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143527#Comment_123143527

Radio 1 and Today FM both included this in their radio reports this morning.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143204#Comment_123143204

the white circle with black diagonal stripe through it is far from new (was originally taught to me back in the 90s as 'end of speed restrictions'). and it's used in britain too.

anyone who lives in ireland and doesn't know what the sign means should not have been allowed pass their driving test.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/58170307ed915d61c5000000/the-highway-code-traffic-signs.pdf

Brendan Bendar

Lookit….Heres how it rolls, reducing the max speeds on L roads is a good thing….it will help ….however….. the mad mullahs will still tool along at dangerous speeds unless there is some enforcement or expectation that they will be hit for non compliance and I can't see too much of that to be honest.

Clearing the serial non compliers off these roads by the courts is where these safety changes will stand or fall.

No_Hope_Club

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143657#Comment_123143657

Why not research the topic from official sources Department of Transport and you'll be in a position to type accurate and truthful facts. Not stuff you may or may not have heard from someone who may or may not know what they are talking about.

Even better, read the legislation and regulations.

magicbastarder

handy hint - if you do have access to such information (given your confidence about it) why not share it with the class?

posting 'your information is wrong, look it up yourself' is disingenuous and makes you look insincere and untrustworthy.

scrabtom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143657#Comment_123143657

Can you back it up with a source that you can share, rather than anecdotal evidence of hearing it on the radio.

Soc_Alt

Just put the speed signs up all over the country and install Automated Speed Traps cameras.

It will cost alot but will generate alot also.

end off

Pale Red

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143716#Comment_123143716

The end of speed limit (moving from 60kph to 100kph limit) was a white disc with a solid thick black line. This L road limit is five thin black lines. I don't know why they don't put up the number (except it saves having to change them when that limit is altered). Off topic: Has the old signs with the solid black line been replaced with 100kph signs?

I think the new limit is a bit of a non-issue as doing 60 on many of these boreens would be bordering on reckless. Say if the Conor Pass was reduced by this measure it would make no difference as only the reckless would attempt to go more than 60 and they will continue to do do.

boardlady

Lets start with the group here that are saying how little rights motorists actually have . Read the laws and you will be surprised how very few rights pedestrians and cyclists have when it comes to road use compared to motorists. The only reason a cyclist or pedestrian get away with it , is because the gardai don't enforce it . So its lead to a belief that their safety lis solely on the shoulders of motorists . END QUOTE

It really doesn't matter what the 'law' you are quoting says. Within reason, where you hit a child or an adult, you will largely be found responsible. This is the personal injuries process in Ireland. For a child under the age of (I think it's 10), there will never be a finding of negligence on their part as they are considered to not have capacity. Even where you hit a pedestrian who chose to cross the road metres from a zebra crossing, they may be found to be contributory negligent, but this will merely reduce their award of damages. You will still be found to be negligent and your insurance company will pay out. None of this takes account of the fact that, if the pedestrian/cyclist/child playing ball actually dies, you have to live with this for the rest of your days. Will you take comfort from the fact that they shouldn't have been there, or that you had right of way, or that the 'law' was in your favour? I always assume that, as the larger road user - in my suv, I am the one responsible for yielding right of way.

boardlady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123141786#Comment_123141786

I also live on an L road and I walk a lot. I regularly have near misses and some of those cars are my neighbours! I think a bit more education on etiquette when passing pedestrians and cyclists would be a good idea. My neighbours cheerily wave at me as they zoom past at 50/60k and pepper me with dust and gravel! As they are not walkers, they simply have no idea of how uncomfortable they are making me. I don't walk on the R roads without pavements - there is simply no joy in that - and I don't expect drivers in an 80k area to slow passing me. However, where the road is generally only the width of one car, please be mindful of other road users.

On the issue of cyclists, the rules of the road may be regularly flaunted by them also, but they are also entitled to use the roads. I just keep reminding myself that I don't want to be responsible for killing anyone - even if their cycling is a disgraceful flaunting of rules of the road. As the larger road user, I will always yield right of way - I expect the HGV/bus to do the same for me!

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143930#Comment_123143930

as to why that sign is used rather than an explicit number in the display, this seems to be part of the rationale:

to remove the 'visual target' of the 80 km/h speed limit. The speed limit remains at 80 km/h, however, drivers are encouraged to use their best judgement to drive at speeds appropriate for the road/conditions but no greater than 80 km/h

https://www.speedlimits.ie/rsl

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143816#Comment_123143816

I literally said I heard it on the radio. Why are you questioning what I said when I explicitly said I heard it in the radio?

Pale Red

I looked up The Rules of the Road

https://www.rsa.ie/services/learner-drivers/resources/rules-of-the-road there is no longer a white disc with thick black line. But on page #115 it says the white disc with the five thin lines is 80kph and applied to local and regional roads (L and R?). I know we are only a few hours into this but I would've thought that the RSA would have had one ready to go first thing. I previously worked in the public sector and it was one thing you'd always be conscious of - it takes so long to make a decision it should be communicated as quickly as possible once made.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144023#Comment_123144023

The technical code for the sign is RUS 042A. This is commonly called the Rural Speed Limit sign and was introduced by the Dept in 2015 setting a limit of 80km/h on all local tertiary and some local secondary roads. All roads using this sign are single-lane.

That 80km/h limit has now been changed to 60km/h. To my knowledge, everything else remains as-is.

magicbastarder

the point is though that if you look at the ROTR currently on the RSA website, it states the limit is 80km/h.

you'd have thought someone in the RSA would have swapped in new ROTR overnight, or earlier, to reflect the change, as the current version is now incorrect.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144131#Comment_123144131

You think the RSA are proactive?

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144131#Comment_123144131

and its this lack of pro-activeness that makes for tabloid headlines.

It would have taken a few minutes to update the text and have it ready for publication and a few seconds to upload the new version 1st thing this morning.

plodder

I find this graphic on the RSA site confusing as well. Shouldn't it be the other way round? The sign on the right is now to be understood the same as the sign on the left?

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144196#Comment_123144196

An equals signs is commutative (remember that from school?😀). So it doesn't matter which side they're on. Message is the same.

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144371#Comment_123144371

It’s very stupid to have 2 signs to mean the same thing. Is there anywhere else in Irish motoring that this happens?

GerardKeating

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144374#Comment_123144374

This is kind of how it was before they switch to KM.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144374#Comment_123144374

It's because they're not the same.

One is for 60kmh whilst the other is the Rural Speed Limit which is currently at 60kmh but could also be adapted.

A driver should know it and it's similar to national speed limit in the UK.

No_Hope_Club

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144374#Comment_123144374

There's a perfectly good reason to have 2 signs but if you're happier posting inaccurate and hearsay information, it's probably a waste of my time but....

One reason- you can't use the rural sign on Regional Roads so 60 & the rural sign is needed.

Another post has explained another reason but why let some logic get in the way of running out of things to say.

The 60km/hr default speed limit is here for rural local roads. It's part of the solution to save lives. Everything else is semantics.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144196#Comment_123144196

= Lot of drivers have no idea what either of those road signs mean.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144371#Comment_123144371

I must have been using my programmer brain, where the right side is "assigned" to the left.

As pointed out they don't have exactly the same meaning though. Otherwise, we wouldn't have two different signs

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144414#Comment_123144414

So one does not equal the other. The RSA site is incorrect.

AugustusMinimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144399#Comment_123144399

Unless I’m very badly mistaken, there was no 60mph sign only the white and black one. At least that’s how memory serves.

bog master

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123143967#Comment_123143967

I am of the opinion that there is a multitude of opinions, personal experiences, and attitudes when it comes to observing and being involved in L road incidents. In my case, a very very rural community, there is rarely any incidents of speed or improper driving that I have come across. But others may live in areas where there is much less regard for road safety and proper etiquette.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144423#Comment_123144423

Well then they should't be on the road. It's part of the rules of the road and ignorance is no defence.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123144612#Comment_123144612

Indeed … my experience would be different…on the L roads I travel on if you stick to the speed limit, you would have at least three or four vehicles with their bonnets 'stuck in your boot ' so to speak.

Try some motorway driving and cruise along at 115 to 120 in the inside lane or a two lane Way, and check how many cars pass you….. a not insignificant number

you'll find.