The case against average speed cameras

Its working for a while now and the stunning thing is that they are getting 24 or so every day, despite it being flagged.

Some as NI reg but its still mad that the signs are there and lads still speed

The choice of the M7 location was certainly odd. As another poster mentioned it's relatively one of the quietest stretches of the network and apparently has had very few accidents since it opened. What makes it completely daft though, particularly heading south is that just before the second set of cameras at the Birdhill exit there is a legal lay-by where anyone who has been going like the clappers since the first cameras can pull in and wait a few minutes.

I've never really got the logic of needing a straight stretch, no turns, for average speed cameras to work. I struggle to believe that the system will fail/ crash if some plates don't show on the second camera. Lots of R roads, even with L's and laneways off them, should be prime candidates for average speed camera's.

If all these people perform this convey routine in the left lane like you desire, they effectively block the vehicles trying to join the motorway, thereby leading to collisions as merging traffic somehow believe they have the priority.

Middle lane hogging is far safer than the Russian roulette when the merging traffic pull out regardless of what is in the left lane. Apparently once a merging vehicle indicates to merge or just pull outs without signals, my vehicle must immediately apply the brakes because the new entrant is the king/queen of the road and then hope the driver behind me was paying attention.

You might disagree with it, but it is a learned behaviour brought upon by bad driving behaviour.

"On a three-lane motorway, there is an extra overtaking lane (lane 3), but you should still keep left as much as possible. i.e. don’t drive in the right lane if the middle lane (lane 2) is empty, or in the middle lane if the left lane is empty."

Define empty? Also is the advice suggesting that if there is a regular stream of traffic joining a motorway should you remain in middle lane when in the proximity of on ramps?

In some places you have to give way to merging traffic.

Yes, every camera should be ANPR for any/ every offence. We normally get rubbish about check points catching other offences, but even if you buy that (I personally don't as I suspect most are related to NCT type issues anyway) it doesn't have to be either or.

Just likes the ROTR themselves, that's all fine and dandy in a theoretical sense. In reality, in particular in heavy traffic its not feasible much of the time and often the traffic on the off ramp is travelling faster than that on the motorway. Its like all walks of life you have to drive in accordance with the prevailing conditions and yes that includes braking on entry to a motorway when required.

People not being able to merge it's also due to driver behaviour in lane 1. They simply don't let people out.

Some countries have a rule to give way to joining traffic.

Tbh the issue is lack of enforcement of driver behaviour. Until the Garda get on board it's not going to change.

You can't give way if you're in bumper to bumper traffic in the left lane and there is traffic in the middle lane. What to do? Ease off to create a space in front for the merger and have the guy behind you hit the horn and flash light while riding your rear bumper?

Or just keep the horse blinkers on and ignore the merger forcing merger to brake and wait for a gap in traffic?

Or mover into middle lane prior to merge point and avoid all the bullsh1t. If the latter you quickly realise that staying in the middle lane on the M50 during heavy traffic is sensible unless you are exiting in the near future. Not ideal but just driving to the prevailing conditions

The M50 mostly has an auxiliary lane, there are few points at which mergers would have to brake. The person in left lane can ease off gradually to leave a gap, no need for slamming on brakes either.