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Speed vans - Impressive camouflage

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Comments

  • #32
    DubInTheWest
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭DubInTheWest


    McCrack wrote: »
    They are not magical apparitions

    They are vans with very distinctive and reflective markings parked at the side of the road

    If you keep your eye focused along and far down the left side of the road you will spot them well in advance

    You're one of those people that just is awkward. If I told you a colour is black you'd say it's grey. If I said it was dark grey you'd say it was black.

    We know what the vans look like but as the poster said, they are well hidden and just appear within seconds. They are strategically very well placed to pull in as much cash as possible.


  • #33
    ridonkulous
    Registered Users Posts: 527 ✭✭✭ridonkulous


    Lumen wrote: »
    There was one on the M50 southbound on the
    120kph bit over the weekend that was only visible when you were within a couple of seconds of it.

    Not a concern as I was under the speed limit, but there was absolutely no way you'd be able to lose 20kph before getting blipped.

    I don't speed these days, but when I was caught about 15 years ago in the UK doing 99mph in a 60mph limit I was got by an officer with a laser tripod from 480m away. You'd need to be superman to spot that.

    A speed van on the motorway? Where exactly? I thought it was illegal for them to be on motorways as it is a parked vehicle. Sounds pretty dangerous to have one on the motorway anyway.


  • #34
    McCrack
    Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭McCrack


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    You're one of those people that just is awkward. If I told you a colour is black you'd say it's grey. If I said it was dark grey you'd say it was black.

    We know what the vans look like but as the poster said, they are well hidden and just appear within seconds. They are strategically very well placed to pull in as much cash as possible.

    They are not well hidden nor are gosafe vans intended to be hidden

    There are safety and operational requirements as to where they are positioned and they need a specific line of sight which means they don't park behind trees etc

    They are parked on road side and quite conspicuous from a distance to anyone that is observent


  • #35
    turdball
    Closed Accounts Posts: 111 ✭✭turdball


    McCrack wrote: »
    They are not magical apparitions

    They are vans with very distinctive and reflective markings parked at the side of the road

    If you keep your eye focused along and far down the left side of the road you will spot them well in advance

    Haha, you must think every speed van parks on a straight road or something. The way some of them park you wouldn't see the speed van till there 20 metres away.


  • #36
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 28,776 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    turdball wrote: »
    Haha, you must think every speed van parks on a straight road or something. The way some of them park you wouldn't see the speed van till there 20 metres away.

    When they park on a straight road, they're shooting fish in a barrel. (Yet they still seem to catch plenty cars speeding, if all the howls of protest are to be believed)

    When they park on a bend, they're camouflaged and hiding from the poor speeding motorists, and it's not fair.

    Seriously?


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  • #37
    turdball
    Closed Accounts Posts: 111 ✭✭turdball


    HeidiHeidi wrote: »
    When they park on a straight road, they're shooting fish in a barrel. (Yet they still seem to catch plenty cars speeding, if all the howls of protest are to be believed)

    When they park on a bend, they're camouflaged and hiding from the poor speeding motorists, and it's not fair.

    Seriously?

    When did I once mention it's not fair? I agree with them parking in areas hard to see. All I'm saying is that people are saying you can see them well in advance but with some of the places there parking now you cant until the last 5 seconds.


  • #38
    DubInTheWest
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭DubInTheWest


    HeidiHeidi wrote: »
    When they park on a straight road, they're shooting fish in a barrel. (Yet they still seem to catch plenty cars speeding, if all the howls of protest are to be believed)

    When they park on a bend, they're camouflaged and hiding from the poor speeding motorists, and it's not fair.

    Seriously?

    I think one of the main issues is, they claim to have the speed vans to prevent accidents, when in fact their modus operandi is to get as much money in as possible and couldn't give 2 hoots about accidents etc...

    If they put them in the 'open,' then motorists have no one to blame but themselves if they are speeding and caught, but they have them on certain stretches of motorway where one minute it's 120 and the next is 100kmph and also hidden everywhere they can hide them. Sneaky


  • #39
    FishOnABike
    Registered Users Posts: 4,346 ✭✭✭FishOnABike


    Pkiernan wrote: »
    Are there roads in Ireland that have a 120 kmh limit that aren't motorways?

    Several stretches of high quality dual carriageway have 120kmh limits.


  • #40
    donspeekinglesh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭donspeekinglesh


    ridonkulous wrote: »
    A speed van on the motorway? Where exactly? I thought it was illegal for them to be on motorways as it is a parked vehicle. Sounds pretty dangerous to have one on the motorway anyway.

    They usually park on the sections marked For Garda/service vehicles only. Not uncommon to see the van on the M3 been Dunboyne and Clonee.


  • #41
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    I think one of the main issues is, they claim to have the speed vans to prevent accidents, when in fact their modus operandi is to get as much money in as possible and couldn't give 2 hoots about accidents etc...

    If they put them in the 'open,' then motorists have no one to blame but themselves if they are speeding and caught, but they have them on certain stretches of motorway where one minute it's 120 and the next is 100kmph and also hidden everywhere they can hide them. Sneaky

    Gosafe don't make money based on tickets issued. The cost for them operating is the same regardless of any fines.


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  • #42
    DubInTheWest
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭DubInTheWest


    Dravokivich wrote: »
    Gosafe don't make money based on tickets issued. The cost for them operating is the same regardless of any fines.

    Gosafe never even entered my head, it's the government who will surely benefit.

    If they were positioned at accident black-spots I 100% agree with them being there. But I've seen the dirty tactics by the gardai too. People here will surely remember the Belgard road in Tallaght going back some years, it was 60kmph or was it less and it was tedious driving down that road at such slow speeds, but low and behold the gardai would be hiding at the wall trying to catch people going over. The road is now 80kmph I think which is much better and now the gardai are not there as much ?!


  • #43
    rapul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭rapul


    A question as it was stated above, since the vans are independent of the gardai and can catch the gardai speeding aswell from what I've gathered, but my question surely no one but gardai can park in the spots on the dual carriageways or motorways? Sign says gardai only, gardai amhain


  • #44
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    Gosafe never even entered my head, it's the government who will surely benefit.

    If they were positioned at accident black-spots I 100% agree with them being there. But I've seen the dirty tactics by the gardai too. People here will surely remember the Belgard road in Tallaght going back some years, it was 60kmph or was it less and it was tedious driving down that road at such slow speeds, but low and behold the gardai would be hiding at the wall trying to catch people going over. The road is now 80kmph I think which is much better and now the gardai are not there as much ?!

    The government spend more on it, than they get back. Gets posted regularly on the motors forum.

    So what if the road was 60 in the opposite direction? It wasn't a mistake. Theres plenty of eoads where the speed limit differs by direction. N7 and n4 have stretches of that nearby. I'd expect they brought that up to 80 due to excessive speeding there. But guess what, they still have to post speed vans there. There a lot of accesses on the road, especially with a fire station. It should be lower.


  • #45
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,239 ✭✭✭markpb


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    People here will surely remember the Belgard road in Tallaght going back some years, it was 60kmph or was it less and it was tedious driving down that road at such slow speeds

    You realise that speed limits are there not there for the entertainment of motorists, right? They're there because motorists pose a risk to other people (and, quite often, to themselvers).


  • #46
    DubInTheWest
    Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭DubInTheWest


    markpb wrote: »
    You realise that speed limits are there not there for the entertainment of motorists, right? They're there because motorists pose a risk to other people (and, quite often, to themselvers).

    I take it you never drove down that road then. If you did you'd realize there is no threat to any people even now it's changed to 80kmph up from 60.

    It's often the case that dozy slow drivers pose more of a risk on the roads, you don't have to be driving fast to kill.


  • #47
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    I take it you never drove down that road then. If you did you'd realize there is no threat to any people even now it's changed to 80kmph up from 60.

    It's often the case that dozy slow drivers pose more of a risk on the roads, you don't have to be driving fast to kill.

    It's an extremely short stretch to be even worth going up to 80. I don't know why you are arguing it, as it was clearly sign posted even when it varied.


  • #48
    Infini
    Registered Users Posts: 4,573 ✭✭✭Infini


    markpb wrote: »
    You realise that speed limits are there not there for the entertainment of motorists, right? They're there because motorists pose a risk to other people (and, quite often, to themselvers).

    The problem is usually with speed limits is how haphazardly they are applied in some places or at set inconstently (ie single lane road down the country having Higher speed limits than multilane roads in Dublin).

    What makes it worse is that the justification behind these speed vans is to slow people down and prevent accidents but theyre nearly always located in places where accidents never occur not near blackspots where they actually might save lives.

    This gives the impression that this is nothing more than a gacha operation to catch people out for money not for safety because its applied in a cynical way.


  • #49
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,239 ✭✭✭markpb


    Infini wrote: »
    The problem is usually with speed limits is how haphazardly they are applied in some places or at set inconstently (ie single lane road down the country having Higher speed limits than multilane roads in Dublin).

    That's certainly a problem but not one that makes it hard to stick to them.
    What makes it worse is that the justification behind these speed vans is to slow people down and prevent accidents but theyre nearly always located in places where accidents never occur not near blackspots where they actually might save lives.

    Blackspots are traditionally only places where crashes tend to happen, places with bad corners or limited visibility. They do not take into account places where a motorist might hit another road user without leaving the road. That can happen on a straight road with great visibility.


  • #50
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,234 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Infini wrote: »
    The problem is usually with speed limits is how haphazardly they are applied in some places or at set inconstently (ie single lane road down the country having Higher speed limits than multilane roads in Dublin).
    i've always assumed that this situation is as a result of someone actually needing to make a decision on a heavily used road in an urban area, but with rural backroads, no-one actually does anything other than apply a default 80km/h limit.
    so the process is consistent in how it is applied, but leading to inconsistent 'user experience'.

    it also begs the question as to whether if a road is properly assessed for speed limits, would it undergo a full assessment, resulting in boreens being festooned with 'bad bends ahead' and '90 degree bend ahead' signs, when anyone who is generally on it is local anyway so the investment in manpower in the assessment would be wasted?


  • #51
    amcalester
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,121 ✭✭✭amcalester


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i've always assumed that this situation is as a result of someone actually needing to make a decision on a heavily used road in an urban area, but with rural backroads, no-one actually does anything other than apply a default 80km/h limit.
    so the process is consistent in how it is applied, but leading to inconsistent 'user experience'.

    it also begs the question as to whether if a road is properly assessed for speed limits, would it undergo a full assessment, resulting in boreens being festooned with 'bad bends ahead' and '90 degree bend ahead' signs, when anyone who is generally on it is local anyway so the investment in manpower in the assessment would be wasted?

    Conor Faughnan was on Newstalk or the Last Word last week talking about inconsistent speed limits and pretty much put the blame on local councils as it is they who decide speed limits (with certain exceptions).

    He said there was a working group created that suggested measures to allow a peer review/appeals process where road users could appeal a speed limit if they felt it was inappropriate or didn't follow the approved guidelines.

    I think he said as well that they recommended that the default limit on boreens which weren't properly assessed would be 50 kmh not 80 kmh.


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  • #52
    donspeekinglesh
    Registered Users Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭donspeekinglesh


    rapul wrote: »
    A question as it was stated above, since the vans are independent of the gardai and can catch the gardai speeding aswell from what I've gathered, but my question surely no one but gardai can park in the spots on the dual carriageways or motorways? Sign says gardai only, gardai amhain

    The spot I see the van on the M3 says "Authorised Vehicles only"


  • #53
    Gazzmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Gazzmonkey


    McCrack wrote: »
    They are not magical apparitions

    They are vans with very distinctive and reflective markings parked at the side of the road

    If you keep your eye focused along and far down the left side of the road you will spot them well in advance

    Not all reflective

    They have white vans & red vans, the red vans that I've seen are unreflective but the white vans seem fine.

    For the gaks on here (they may have other colours of van too)


  • #54
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,008 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    donspeekinglesh wrote: »
    They usually park on the sections marked For Garda/service vehicles only. Not uncommon to see the van on the M3 been Dunboyne and Clonee.

    This wasn't the spot but it's an example.

    https://goo.gl/maps/pYJEGDeBvGr


  • #55
    WishUWereHere
    Registered Users Posts: 2,271 ✭✭✭WishUWereHere


    DubInTheWest wrote: »
    You're one of those people that just is awkward. If I told you a colour is black you'd say it's grey. If I said it was dark grey you'd say it was black.

    We know what the vans look like but as the poster said, they are well hidden and just appear within seconds. They are strategically very well placed to pull in as much cash as possible.

    I can concur with what You say above. Just drive up northbound from the M7 past the ball onto the N7 and past the Johnstown Garden Centre. The speed limit is still 60kph, but I guess when people see the open road, it's foot to the floor, only as You pass the Garden Centre, there he is, no need for a camoflage, as He's hidden behind 2 poles. If You are over the limit, You have no chance, as he's waiting....and You only see him at the last possible moment.

    FYI: Number of fines issued has just been updated to 6,572 ( according to the flashing signs )...That's one hell of a money maker.


  • #56
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    WishUWereHere wrote: »
    I can concur with what You say above. Just drive up northbound from the M7 past the ball onto the N7 and past the Johnstown Garden Centre. The speed limit is still 60kph, but I guess when people see the open road, it's foot to the floor, only as You pass the Garden Centre, there he is, no need for a camoflage, as He's hidden behind 2 poles. If You are over the limit, You have no chance, as he's waiting....and You only see him at the last possible moment.

    FYI: Number of fines issued has just been updated to 6,572 ( according to the flashing signs )...That's one hell of a money maker.

    With all the signs and radio time that stretch of road has gotten, it's charity.


  • #57
    Perifect
    Closed Accounts Posts: 751 ✭✭✭Perifect


    I've camouflaged my car. :cool:


  • #58
    brightspark
    Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    WishUWereHere wrote: »
    I can concur with what You say above. Just drive up northbound from the M7 past the ball onto the N7 and past the Johnstown Garden Centre. The speed limit is still 60kph, but I guess when people see the open road, it's foot to the floor, only as You pass the Garden Centre, there he is, no need for a camoflage, as He's hidden behind 2 poles. If You are over the limit, You have no chance, as he's waiting....and You only see him at the last possible moment.

    FYI: Number of fines issued has just been updated to 6,572 ( according to the flashing signs )...That's one hell of a money maker.

    Drove on the N7 today, signs now saying 13,700, all I can say is fools and their money are easily parted. (That's over €1,000,000)

    I'm hoping that the driver of a 12D white Peugeot van has picked up a few points, not content with the limit of 60km he performed some very dangerous tailgating and overtaking maneuvers while chatting on his handheld phone (just how hard is it to use bluetooth handsfree??)


  • #59
    Hedgelayer
    Registered Users Posts: 530 ✭✭✭Hedgelayer


    brightspark wrote: »
    Drove on the N7 today, signs now saying 13,700, all I can say is fools and their money are easily parted. (That's over €1,000,000)

    I'm hoping that the driver of a 12D white Peugeot van has picked up a few points, not content with the limit of 60km he performed some very dangerous tailgating and overtaking maneuvers while chatting on his handheld phone (just how hard is it to use bluetooth handsfree??)

    There's a lot of spas on the road that's for sure.


  • #60
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Have also seen them on the Garda only sections of the M1. Apparently (according to the thread that was on here at the time) they're allowed because although it's 'Garda Only', it also applies to vehicles directed or allowed by the Gardai to park there.

    I do a lot of driving and I still maintain that Cavan is the speed-van capital of Ireland. I always see them in Cavan for some reason (I presume there's a depot there or something?). But i have seen some comical locations for them. My favourite one was on a 50km/h, steep downhill stretch, behind some trees and bushes. Thankfully i was approaching from the opposite direction, but it looked like it belonged in a parody video or something. Comical placement.


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