Is it illegal to stop on a motorway?

IsaacWunder · 31-03-2019 08:08PM #1

I can’t find any law against it. RSA rules on motorway driving say do not stop on motorway, but doesn’t appear to be an offence.

drunkmonkey · 31-03-2019 08:12PM

Why would it be illegal? It's illegal to drive on the hard shoulder. I don't think it's illegal to stop on a road but remember someone saying you have to move a foot every day, the conversation was in relation to our mobile cousin's parking the house on the road.

antodeco · 31-03-2019 08:14PM

The legislation states:

A driver (or other person in charge) shall remove from the roadway as soon as possible a vehicle which, because of a breakdown, accident or other mishap, is parked in contravention of these bye-laws or is an obstruction to traffic.

Based on this, it would seem that there must be a valid reason for stopping on a motorway "because of a breakdown, accident or other mishap". Anything other than that would constitute an offence.

punisher5112 · 31-03-2019 08:17PM

You aren't allowed cross a continuous line(orange or white)

Yes to answer your question.

One may only stop on the hard shoulder on a motorway if it's a breakdown.

You can't just stop to pee, talk on the phone, jump out to get something in the boot etc etc.....

Victor · 31-03-2019 10:08PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

You aren't allowed cross a continuous line(orange or white)

This is a general rule. It is not an absolute rule.

Abba987 · 31-03-2019 10:10PM

Victor wrote: »

This is a general rule. It is not an absolute rule.

So it's not illegal to cross a continuous white line?
I can understand in case of an obstruction like an accident but in general?

TheChizler · 31-03-2019 10:14PM

Abba987 wrote: »

So it's not illegal to cross a continuous white line?
I can understand in case of an obstruction like an accident but in general?

The type in the middle of the road yes, but not all lines that could be described as continuous white lines.

Victor · 31-03-2019 10:50PM

Abba987 wrote: »

So it's not illegal to cross a continuous white line?
I can understand in case of an obstruction like an accident but in general?

It's perfectly acceptable for a bus to cross the continuous white line that is a bus lane marking.

It's perfectly acceptable for a bike to cross the continuous white line that is a bike lane marking.

It's perfectly acceptable for a vehicle to cross a continuous white line when accessing an individual property.

punisher5112 · 01-04-2019 08:31AM

Victor wrote: »

This is a general rule. It is not an absolute rule.

Yes I understand this.

Obviously for access, larger vehicles needing to cross over or otherwise take out street furniture or pedestrian etc, obstructions and so on.

Bus lane doesn't have same meaning as a continuous white line as it's much bigger.

source · 01-04-2019 08:59AM

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/si/182/made/en/print#article33

TheQuietFella · 01-04-2019 09:01AM

IsaacWunder wrote: »

I can’t find any law against it. RSA rules on motorway driving say do not stop on motorway, but doesn’t appear to be an offence.

Why would you be stopping on a motorway?

Car99 · 01-04-2019 09:07AM

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Why would it be illegal? It's illegal to drive on the hard shoulder. I don't think it's illegal to stop on a road but remember someone saying you have to move a foot every day, the conversation was in relation to our mobile cousin's parking the house on the road.

Why would it be illegal ? Answer: because it is extremely dangerous to the persons stopping and other motorway users. For the same reason if you breakdown on a motorway you should leave your car and get up the embankment behind the Armco while waiting for assistance/recovery.

punisher5112 · 01-04-2019 10:09AM

Car99 wrote: »

Why would it be illegal ? Answer: because it is extremely dangerous to the persons stopping and other motorway users. For the same reason if you breakdown on a motorway you should leave your car and get up the embankment behind the Armco while waiting for assistance/recovery.

I use to always see people park up and flake out in the car but now seeing exactly this more then ever where the person in the car is out and away from the road, which is great to see(not the breakdown of course).

Tombo2001 · 01-04-2019 10:18AM

Its extremely dangerous and partly because people dont pull in far enough.

The only excuse really is a flat tyre, risk of engine going on fire or severe medical issue.

Stopping to go the toilet, changing a babies nappy, taking a phone call, having a picnic, getting something from the boot.........I would like to see these as penalty point situations.

7znbd9xmoiupye · 01-04-2019 08:33PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

You aren't allowed cross a continuous line(orange or white)

Yes to answer your question.

One may only stop on the hard shoulder on a motorway if it's a breakdown.

You can't just stop to pee, talk on the phone, jump out to get something in the boot etc etc.....

or if garda stop you. i saw someone stopped by garda on a motorway last week. Do they stop for speeding on the mway. ?

punisher5112 · 01-04-2019 08:36PM

Killian Black Toucan wrote: »

or if garda stop you. i saw someone stopped by garda on a motorway last week

Well obviously.....

If you don't feel it's safe to stop you can acknowledge you see them and show that you are going to pull off the motorway or somewhere where it's wider and safer.

They should really have the signs like in the UK where it pops up and states to follow them.

punisher5112 · 01-04-2019 08:37PM

Killian Black Toucan wrote: »

or if garda stop you. i saw someone stopped by garda on a motorway last week. Do they stop for speeding on the mway. ?

Yes they will pull you in for speeding, no tax, no NCT or insurance or if there is a marker on the car such as drugs for example.

7znbd9xmoiupye · 01-04-2019 08:48PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

Yes they will pull you in for speeding, no tax, no NCT or insurance or if there is a marker on the car such as drugs for example.

anpr re the tax etc? what is a marker such as drugs/

They should really have the signs like in the UK where it pops up and states to follow them.

what isthis?

endacl · 01-04-2019 08:53PM

Killian Black Toucan wrote: »

what isthis?

Illuminated sign in the rear of a police vehicle. Helps people follow a simple instruction instead of making a stupid mistake.

punisher5112 · 01-04-2019 08:58PM

Killian Black Toucan wrote: »

anpr re the tax etc? what is a marker such as drugs/

what isthis?

Anpr would be used to tell if vehicles are taxed, NCT and markers would flag if inputted into the data base.

The signs would help to get people to follow the Garda instructions to say follow to next turn off or services.

drunkmonkey · 01-04-2019 09:18PM

Car99 wrote: »

Why would it be illegal ? Answer: because it is extremely dangerous to the persons stopping and other motorway users.

Someone stopped on the road infront of me to answer their phone. I give them a little hello. My fault she was allowed stop in the road.

That was a national road.

seagull · 02-04-2019 12:48PM

I once had some doddery old bod stop in front of me in the overtaking lane of the M50, forcing me to stop. This was in evening rush hour traffic, so I couldn't change lanes easily. He then got out of his car, and walked back to ask me for directions.

7znbd9xmoiupye · 02-04-2019 05:18PM

seagull wrote: »

I once had some doddery old bod stop in front of me in the overtaking lane of the M50, forcing me to stop. This was in evening rush hour traffic, so I couldn't change lanes easily. He then got out of his car, and walked back to ask me for directions.

ha ha thats good one

Carawaystick · 03-04-2019 09:56PM

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Why would you be stopping on a motorway?

Red Traffic Light
toll barrier
traffic jam
Motorway service area
breakdown
medical emergency
conditions unsafe to continue driving
garda instruction to stop

Del2005 · 04-04-2019 03:49PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Its extremely dangerous and partly because people dont pull in far enough.

The only excuse really is a flat tyre, risk of engine going on fire or severe medical issue.

Stopping to go the toilet, changing a babies nappy, taking a phone call, having a picnic, getting something from the boot.........I would like to see these as penalty point situations.

I wouldn't be stopping on a motorway for a flat tyre, I'd drive the thing onto it's rim to get to an off ramp.

Carawaystick wrote: »

Red Traffic Light
toll barrier
traffic jam
Motorway service area
breakdown
medical emergency
conditions unsafe to continue driving
garda instruction to stop

There's no traffic lights on motorways

Tacklebox · 04-04-2019 03:55PM

The worse thing if someone is pulled in on a motorway and the numpty decides to sit there and indicate right and automatically pull out...

That's what really pisses me off, why can't they up their speed on the effing shoulder and then pull into the lane.

The amount of knobs you'll see doing this on the Limerick to Galway road is frightening, there's been a few collisions over spa's just pulling back out, and someone doing 120kph behind them.

The next thing both car's are reduced to a crumpled up Mish mash of rubber glass and metal.

I can't get my head around this kind of stupidity....

Gain momentum and be safe.....

Victor · 04-04-2019 04:17PM

Del2005 wrote: »

There's no traffic lights on motorways

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4278994,-6.2190792,3a,75y,110.29h,86.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZwaenGk-IYbiVDELjFCAZQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

GM228 · 04-04-2019 04:35PM

Del2005 wrote: »

There's no traffic lights on motorways

Both the M1 and M50 have traffic lights.

soups05 · 04-04-2019 06:59PM

coming out of the m1 toll heading south this evening in lashing rain. some , ahem, silly person decided that the point where 5/6 lanes merge to two would be an ideal place to come to a stop while trying to figure which lane to get into.
car and bus behind me nearly ended me. when she finally got going i was stuck behind her due to the amount of traffic in right hand lane. next thing you know she spots traffic cones on the hard shoulder, slows to 30 and tries to join the overtaking lane where cars were doing 130.

thankfully she eventually moved on in the left lane and I was able to overtake. crazy woman, must try to up the dash cam later.

(sorry, thought i was in motors, delete if inappropriate)

ted1 · 04-04-2019 07:00PM

Abba987 wrote: »

So it's not illegal to cross a continuous white line?
I can understand in case of an obstruction like an accident but in general?

It depends on the type of white line. There are different ones

Odyssey 2005 · 04-04-2019 07:23PM

Del2005 wrote: »

I wouldn't be stopping on a motorway for a flat tyre, I'd drive the thing onto it's rim to get to an off ramp.

There's no traffic lights on motorways

Or toll barriers.

Is it illegal to stop on a motorway?

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