Cut to speed limit might be on the cards.

mikeecho · 22-04-2022 10:27pm #1

Read the last paragraph.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/drive-to-save-energy-begins-as-warnings-issued-over-possible-fuel-rationing-by-end-of-year-41575947.html

TheRiverman · 22-04-2022 10:38pm

I have no problem with that, I have been doing economy driving for many years, and I am not a nuisance on the roads doing it.

colm_mcm · 22-04-2022 10:42pm

And then Dublin airport has queues out the door for flights.

this is Green Party bolloxology, which they’ve always gone on with, before any war.

Atlantic Dawn · 22-04-2022 10:45pm

It's a good job Ireland has a public transport network 2nd to none 😂

mikeecho · 22-04-2022 10:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963339#Comment_118963339

It's a good job that the current speed limits are rigorously enforced 😂

I don't think there'll be much more enforcement of 110 on a motorway

TheRiverman · 22-04-2022 10:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963325#Comment_118963325

I detest the Greens, but this happened previously before they existed. In 1979 the 60 mph limit was reduced to 55mph to save fuel during the oil crisis back then.

AlekSmart · 22-04-2022 10:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963325#Comment_118963325

An integral component of this nonsense is now surfacing regularly in each doom laden piece of reportage,focusing on getting people into sacrifice mode,which of course will not apply to members of the Oireachtas or associated quasi-criminal followers.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0421/1293595-reducing-energy-use/

It comes as Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan urged consumers in Ireland to take smaller efficiencies when it comes to cutting their daily use of power.

"That saves consumers' money, it reduces the amount of gas that we buy from the market and therefore revenues going to the Russian government," he told a meeting of the International Energy Agency, adding: "It's a step in the efficiencies direction where we need to go anyway."

Minister Ryan said all these smaller efficiencies could quickly add up.

Either this gentlemans policies stack up in their own right or they do not. Invoking Russia or Ukraine in any of this is just cringeworthy,particularly as it is aimed directly at those of us who would rather spray the man and his party acolytes with DDT or Jeyes Fluid,before giving him the benefit of taking any of his twittery seriously.

Even more anger inducing is his slavish buy-in to this little gem.....

The IEA released a ten-point plan yesterday including measures such as adjusting your boiler settings, driving more slowly and swapping short-haul flights for trains which it said could help consumers reduce their reliance on Russian energy and cut their bills.

It took Michael O Leary to point out the bleedin obvious,that Ireland being an island outlier to the European Continent does'nt actually have ANY road or rail links to ANYWHERE.

When will these eejits take their heads out of the clouds and embrace reality ?

elperello · 22-04-2022 11:16pm

This applies to all fuels.

If you burn less you save money.

If the fuel gets more expensive you save even more money.

Wishbone Ash · 22-04-2022 11:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963378#Comment_118963378

The reduction of the speed limit from 60 to 55 was in the US as far as I can recall. I don't remember it being done here but I'm open to correction.

You seem to think it's a bad thing which is puzzling.

L1011 · 22-04-2022 11:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963487#Comment_118963487

It was.

The ROTR until the mid/late 1990s insisted NSL was still 55, even though it was restored in about 1990.

jd · 22-04-2022 11:23pm

It was reduced to 55 in the late 70s

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0125/847648-speed-limits-to-be-increased/

L1011 · 22-04-2022 11:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963511#Comment_118963511

Amazing how those changes too until 2005 to come through with metric - the 55mph to 60mph was actually 1992 looking up the SI.

That 50mph for HGVs was also brought in in 1992, but was still less than 56mph on motorways that equivalent vehicles were allowed do in the UK, and it was ~2013 before we changed to that (90km/h by then)

Wishbone Ash · 22-04-2022 11:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963498#Comment_118963498

I stand corrected - thanks.

Phil.x · 22-04-2022 11:46pm

This is just speak down talk from school teacher salad box ryan & Co.

Less wash more walking.

Less meat more salad.

Less car more bike.

Less road space for cars.

Less bnm briquettes more imported briquettes.

More charges for air travel on an island.

More charges for recycling.

Calls for Water charges.

Calls for Higher property tax.

Less coal, oil, and gas more expensive heating options that only the rich and stay at home social merchants get with grants from the carbon tax while I stay in arrears.

The list is never ending.

This breed of green need to be flushed out.

L1011 · 23-04-2022 12:03am

There is just a slight problem with this proposal. We don't have NSL anymore, except when signed on some side roads where signing 80 would be ridiculous. The intent is definitely going to be cutting 120 and possibly 100 limits, not the 80 on a subset of roads. In '79 they just need to promote that the NSL sign now meant 55.

Replacing lots, and lots, and lots of plastic faced metal speed limit signs would have to be quantified for its resources impact.

colm_mcm · 23-04-2022 9:25am

Greens wanted to cut speed limits in 2020

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40018148.html

The sixteen largest ships emit the same amount of CO2 as all the world's cars.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 9:36am

dropping from 120km/h to 100km/h on the motorway between dublin and galway means the journey would take 1h48m rather than 1h30m, so not exactly onerous; probably would save at least 20% in fuel i suspect.

macvin · 23-04-2022 9:39am

It's just too simplistic.

The most "efficient" speed for me on a motorway is 115kmh.

That includes time which has to have a value.

The biggest waste of fuel is needless use of brakes due to poor driving manner as in cars aggressively accelerating only to meet traffic and hit the brakes.

"Easy does it" would be a better campaign.

Fr Tod Umptious · 23-04-2022 9:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963487#Comment_118963487

My first car in the US was an late 80s Honda and it had 55 marked in red on the speedometer, every other number was in white.

SouthWesterly · 23-04-2022 9:41am

Too right. I'm tired of going at 20kmh behind a tractor. I can go at 15kmh no problem 😁

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 9:45am

Replacing lots, and lots, and lots of plastic faced metal speed limit signs would have to be quantified for its resources impact.

i'd say if the drop was successfully implented, the resource impact would be 'paid for' within less than a day. that's an absolute finger in the air guess though!

JayPS 2288 · 23-04-2022 9:51am

Don’t forget that the kinetic energy of the car is E=1/2 mv^2.

The energy consumption increases by the square of the velocity of the car. The kinetic energy is 70% if driving at 100 km/h rather than 120.

That’s some fuel saving for little extra time.

And the calculation from @magicbastarder seems to be based on the assumption of driving flat out at 120 km/h from point to point. Much of that journey will involve slowing for tolls, stop start in towns. Reducing by a modest 20 km/h will have little impact.

JayPS 2288 · 23-04-2022 9:53am

Taking the extreme example of driving from Malin Head to Mizen Head (even if the whole stretch was 120 km/h, which it isn’t), you’d still only “waste an hour”.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 9:56am

Don’t forget that the kinetic energy of the car is E=1/2 mv^2.

The energy consumption increases by the square of the velocity of the car. The kinetic energy is 70% if driving at 100 km/h rather than 120.

you're right, but for the wrong reasons; burning fuel to increase kinetic energy only really matters during acceleration, but when at a steady speed, i.e. when kinetic energy is not changing, it doesn't take fuel to maintain KE, it takes fuel to push the air out of the way. the vast majority of fuel burn at 120km/h is overcoming air resistance, and air resistance squares with velocity.

IIRC the bugatti veyron, which develops ~1000BHP needs 150BHP (could be 250BHP?) to get to 150mph, but another 850BHP to get to 250MPH, and that's down to the air.

Dakota Dan · 23-04-2022 10:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963387#Comment_118963387

While at the same time banning the sale of turf and Smokey coal, timber for firewood will be next in line on the hit list. Then they can control oil gas and electric heating by limiting it, same with food, wait and see.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 10:47am

yeah, and soon after that you'll only be allowed go from dublin to galway if there's a good strong easterly.

elperello · 23-04-2022 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118964173#Comment_118964173

This link suggests that there may be more than meets the eye when it comes to marine vs. motor car emissions.

http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2021/04/no-sixteen-large-ships-do-no-pollute-more-than-all-the-cars-in-the-world/

Whatever about ships we actually have to pay to fill up our cars at the pump and slowing down can save us money.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 11:16am

The sixteen largest ships emit the same amount of CO2 as all the world's cars.

not only is that wrong, you're even getting the incorrect claim wrong.

the claim you're parroting was about sulphur dioxide, not CO2. and even with that, the claim about SO2 doesn't stand up.

anyway, the world's cars are estimated to produce two to four times as much CO2 as the entire global maritime fleet.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p05hm7ws

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 11:19am

huh, i should have refreshed, elperello got there before me.

also - the claim, originally made in 2009, and based on faulty assumptions, obviously couldn't take into account that sulphur limits were dropped from 3.5% to 0.5% in 2020.

Dakota Dan · 23-04-2022 12:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118964520#Comment_118964520

Curtesy of the BBC f course you won’t find any independent source because it doesn’t fit the narrative.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 12:32pm

This is not the conspiracy theories forum? The chap who originally formulated the claim was interviewed for that, how much closer to the source do you want?

23-04-2022 12:41pm

It's a pity we designed motorways with 160km/hr design speeds. Some amount of money wasted. Meanwhile in most of Europe it's 130 on far worse (some of them) motorways than ours.

colm_mcm · 23-04-2022 4:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118964467#Comment_118964467

Ah yeah, I had a fair idea that stat was a bit wonky 🤭

mikeecho · 23-04-2022 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963653#Comment_118963653

In reality, they could just cover up the reminder signs, and just replace the speed limit signs at the motorway entry points.

There is no legal obligation to have all of the reminder signs.

In fact, I dont see reminder signs when driving abroad.

Yes there will be a cost, but not as much as you might think.

Btw . I'm opposed to any to reduction, in fact of like to see motorways increased to 130km/h. ( Or even 140 like in Poland) but haven driven in Poland... 140 with their standard of driving can sometimes be a bit rediculas.

But I'm sure no-one would have an issue with the cost of replacing signs with higher limits... Strange isn't it.

elperello · 23-04-2022 6:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966067#Comment_118966067

Not to worry.

Besides we need all those ships to deliver the cars 🙂

TheRiverman · 23-04-2022 8:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963487#Comment_118963487

It was introduced here in Ireland in 1979. I do not think it is a bad thing, I have been doing economy driving for many years, reducing speed is just one of the many ways to save fuel when driving.

Ceramic · 23-04-2022 8:39pm

How about actually enforcing the existing speed limits. My observation of urban driving in Ireland is that almost 100% of the drivers completely ignore the 50 limit once they're outside very narrow streets and if you're doing 100 or 120 you get overtaken all the time.

RobAMerc · 23-04-2022 8:49pm

I have an electric car so I can drive at 140 then right ?

Eamon Ryan is making it very difficult for folks like me (who would normally try and make an effort to be green)not just give up and say fook that.

It also says a lot about boards motoring forum that so many dont see this as a totally ridiculous pile of shoite. If I want to save the planet I can drive at 100 if I want - but if I dont then I should be allowed do 120 ( or more )

AndrewJRenko · 23-04-2022 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967259#Comment_118967259

We all share the planet. You don't have your own planet.

RobAMerc · 23-04-2022 9:34pm

"It also says a lot about boards motoring forum that so many dont see this as a totally ridiculous pile of shoite. "

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967407#Comment_118967407

thanks Eamon 🙄

Atlantic Dawn · 23-04-2022 9:41pm

I see a possible money maker for government, average speed camera's where you pay more to drive over 100 km/h.

road_high · 23-04-2022 9:44pm

People are cripped with extra costs, much of it fanned by government taxes and levies. And the latest they come up with is yet more nanny state rules to make your life even more miserable. They can fcuk right off. We need a revolution here.

John_Rambo · 23-04-2022 9:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118964201#Comment_118964201

I have a Campervan with the bunk on top of the cab, possibly the worst vehicle for aerodynamics. The amount of fuel saved from driving slower is shocking!! Up to 40% with a small reduction of motorway speed. The extra time on the road is minimal (as you pointed out).

23-04-2022 9:50pm

Drove from Dublin to tipp yesterday,

People absolutely crawling it on the motorway doing 80kmph

Trucks were overtaking them even

It's absolutely infuriating and dangerous

AndrewJRenko · 23-04-2022 9:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967449#Comment_118967449

Funnily enough, there's more than just Eamonn that sees the need for dramatic change.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967491#Comment_118967491

Is driving fast a significant joy in your life, overall?

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 9:51pm

'we need a revolution' over motorway speed limits. you mean we need to overthrow the government because of this?

Chris_5339762 · 23-04-2022 9:57pm

Europe saying "work from home 3 days per week" when I'm not even allowed to work from home for one. And they want to cut the speed limits on my commute? Out.

elperello · 23-04-2022 9:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967521#Comment_118967521

In a way you might be making the case for lowering the upper limit.

If 80 is widespread the gap to 120 could indeed be dangerous in some circumstances.

23-04-2022 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967565#Comment_118967565

It's not widespread only a few, usually elderly fair enough but enough to cause enough hassle for everybody else

120 is absolutely fine, if some people wanna drive a bit slower than 120 that's grand but when trucks are over taking you that's taking the pissh

elperello · 23-04-2022 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967608#Comment_118967608

Trucks pulling out to overtake slow traffic and cars doing 120+ in the right hand lane is bad news all right.

magicbastarder · 23-04-2022 10:17pm

irish people are terrified of driving in the left lane. i drove to cork the evening of the all ireland last year - loads of cork and limerick fans returning home - and the M8 was clear for over 1km in front of me, and 1km behind me - and the right hand lane was essentially full. i was doing the same speed as the cars in the right hand lane too, probably 100km/h.

Cut to speed limit might be on the cards.

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