M8 motorway (general thread)

01-03-2010 10:21pm

MYOB wrote: »

I've had people do the overtake, fall back, overtake thing on me for three or four goes on the M8 *without* me changing the speed on my cruise control. Generally the only way to get shift of them is pass again and plant the foot for about thirty seconds!

I've been forced to do that more times than I care to remember! :mad:
Some people seem to think that they have the devine right to be in front.:rolleyes:

NedNew2 · 01-03-2010 11:37pm

I drove the N25 from Rosslare to New Ross at the weekend and immediately noticed how clean the road was. By road I mean the surface, the verges and the surroundings. It was spotless, not a plastic bottle or rubbish bag to be seen anywhere. It is a credit to Wexford County Council on what is the first impression for some people on coming to Ireland (via Rosslare)

What a contrast tp the rubbish on the M8.

Amtmann · 01-03-2010 11:56pm

Pictures please! How bad is the M8 now?

L1011 · 02-03-2010 6:28pm

Horse and "chariot" on the Cashel BP today, phone battery was dead (new one, wrong car charger still) so I couldn't phone this one in.

Morrisseeee · 06-03-2010 11:38am

The M8 is a great addition in fairness.......but..........are there any online maps that show it ???!!

Stark · 06-03-2010 11:41am

www.openstreetmap.org

Google Maps has most of it, but it shows up as "N8" rather than "M8".

Irish and Proud · 06-03-2010 12:12pm

paddy cork wrote: »

went up and down to dublin from cork yesterday and the thing i noticed most was apart from the bottles and plastic was the amount of rubber off tyres ,whole retreads and big chunks ot it.out of interest,is there motorway maintainence crews operating in ireland

...yeah, does anyone ever clean the motorways in Ireland. In other countries, I've seen some badly surfaced motorways, but in Ireland where there's very little of that, they make up for it with strewn debris instead - IMO, the litter and rubber tyre remnants on the M1 looks very bad and gives a very bad impression of the people here.

Regards!

marious · 06-03-2010 12:23pm

sometimes You'll see entire tyres left on the side of the road, maybe drivers who're changing the tyre on motorway would tidy up the f..... tyre behind them? I'm not talking about pieces cause they can't walk up and down the motorway picking up stuff, just take used tyre at least?

BluntGuy · 12-03-2010 7:39pm

All the phones between Cashel-Mitchelstown have been installed (albeit covered in orange plastic). I counted 20 (10 on each side) between J11 and J12. Installation has begun on the Mitchelstown-Fermoy stretch.

Still no signs up on the R639.

Amtmann · 13-03-2010 1:27pm

What about phones on the Cashel Bypass section? And come to think of it, any progress with the 'service area' off junction 8?

Irish and Proud · 13-03-2010 10:51pm

MYOB wrote: »

Horse and "chariot" on the Cashel BP today, phone battery was dead (new one, wrong car charger still) so I couldn't phone this one in.

People like that should be in jail! :mad:

NedNew2 · 13-03-2010 11:46pm

I've noticed several posts in different threads both here in Infrastructure and other areas relating to rubbish along our motorways so I wonder if it would make sense to have a thread on it. Should it be a 'Infrastructure' thread though?

Many people have commented on this particular problem blighting our new motorways and it is truly a shameful situation. I believe a single thread may better focus the problem in the vain hope that some county councils responsible might take note and actually do something to remedy the situation.

What do you think?

emfifty · 14-03-2010 8:53pm

NedNew2 wrote: »

I've noticed several posts in different threads both here in Infrastructure and other areas relating to rubbish along our motorways so I wonder if it would make sense to have a thread on it. Should it be a 'Infrastructure' thread though?

Many people have commented on this particular problem blighting our new motorways and it is truly a shameful situation. I believe a single thread may better focus the problem in the vain hope that some county councils responsible might take note and actually do something to remedy the situation.

What do you think?

I am all for this. I raised the very matter with the NRA only this week. The M7 through kildare from naas to kildare town exit is littered the whole way. absolutely disgusting. weeds, litter, overgrown hedging. it's a national disgrace and nothing is being done about it. Also raised the matter with kcc (in Jan) and nothing has been done since. now that i've had my rant a new thread might be appropriate!

mysterious · 15-03-2010 2:31am

I had to pick up litter on the N7 last week, and its was disgusting. I would personally put people in jail for at least 7 years for dumping rubbish in the countryside. Its is absaloutely disgusting that people would even think about littering. Its a demonizing attitude to think, "hey I can throw this out of my car sure it doesn't matter someone else will pick it up"

I think people need to realise that littering on motorways actually happen on our national primary routes, its just harder to see it, because of the ditches. Where as on the new motorway its bear soil and grass.

damoz · 15-03-2010 12:43pm

I drove up and down the M8 this weekend - first time in a while. I could not believe the amount of litter on the side of the road. No bins at any lay by (lay by near Mitchelstown is knee deep in rubbish !). Obviously no enforcement of litter laws. So im looking to highlight this to the relevant authorities.

Who do i contact. Who is responsible for it? NRA? Each country council ?

It actaully made me angry. We drone on this country about the beautiful landscape and attracting toursits etc etc - well if they drive on that road they would be appalled. I know i was - and ashamed. Who throws litter our of their cars - in 2010 - seriously - they should be neutered.

So who do i contact. I will compose a letter / email (hopefully not as much of a rant as this post ! ) and send it to all bodies. If anyone has photos id appreciate it - didnt have a camera with me.

As for a solution - well, we have close to 500,000 on the dole, many of them able bodied long term - they should be put to work for the dole, and id have then start by cleaning up the mess in this country. I know i would get all the health and safety, minimum wage blah blah blah - but we need to restore some civic pride in this kip

Amtmann · 15-03-2010 1:12pm

It's become increasingly clear to me that most Irish people hold Ireland itself in great contempt. The backward mindset of nationalism is still powerful in Ireland, but it relates almost exclusively to historical figures, previous and current organisations (such as FF or the Land League) and political ideologies, namely a mutated form of republicanism (true republicans wouldn't countenance a church-state relationship as cosy as the one we've tolerated for so long).

To me it's obvious at this point that most Irish people actually don't give a DAMN about the actual landscape. For many, Irishness = the tricolour, republicanism, the craic, drink, taking offense at warranted criticism, cheering for a national sports team, and parading around other countries in a GAA jersey. That's about as deep as it goes. There is no pride in the actual countryside itself; only empty platitudes are sometimes mouthed. The Germans idealise their forests, the English their shires, the Norwegians their fjords. Nothing in Ireland itself is held in very high regard. Litter, lack of maintenance, wanton hedgerow removal, the idea that trees are there only to be cut down, lack of river and waterway care, the dereliction of almost all old castles, etc.: It all bespeaks a massive failure on the part of Irish people to tend to the land on which we live. Maybe it's a form of sub-conscious self-loathing dating from famine times - "the land failed us in 1848, so now we'll neglect and rubbish it".

I haven't seen the M8, but I am not surprised at the reports here. Photos would be good. It is a bloody disgrace though, pure and simple. Through sheer lack of giving a damn, gombeen local authorities, abetted by a totally complicit electorate, are ruining the countryside in a horrendous way that will further tarnish our already besmirched reputation abroad. Wait until the 2011 edition of Lonely Planet appears. There will be uproar at the way in which it will criticise Ireland's litter problem. Thousands of tourists will carry reports of filth back to their country when the tourist season ends. [/RANT]

BluntGuy · 15-03-2010 1:31pm

Furet wrote: »

It's become increasingly clear to me that most Irish people hold Ireland itself in great contempt. The backward mindset of nationalism is still powerful in Ireland, but it relates almost exclusively to historical figures, previous and current organisations (such as FF or the Land League) and political ideologies, namely a mutated form of republicanism (true republicans wouldn't countenance a church-state relationship as cosy as the one we've tolerated for so long).

To me it's obvious at this point that most Irish people actually don't give a DAMN about the actual landscape. For many, Irishness = the tricolour, republicanism, the craic, drink, taking offense at warranted criticism, cheering for a national sports team, and parading around other countries in a GAA jersey. That's about as deep as it goes. There is no pride in the actual countryside itself; only empty platitudes are sometimes mouthed. The Germans idealise their forests, the English their shires, the Norwegians their fjords. Nothing in Ireland itself is held in very high regard. Litter, lack of maintenance, wanton hedgerow removal, the idea that trees are there only to be cut down, lack of river and waterway care, the dereliction of almost all old castles, etc.: It all bespeaks a massive failure on the part of Irish people to tend to the land on which we live. Maybe it's a form of sub-conscious self-loathing dating from famine times - "the land failed us in 1848, so now we'll neglect and rubbish it".

I haven't seen the M8, but I am not surprised at the reports here. Photos would be good. It is a bloody disgrace though, pure and simple. Through sheer lack of giving a damn, gombeen local authorities, abetted by a totally complicit electorate, are ruining the countryside in a horrendous way that will further tarnish our already besmirched reputation abroad. Wait until the 2011 edition of Lonely Planet appears. There will be uproar at the way in which it will criticise Ireland's litter problem. Thousands of tourists will carry reports of filth back to their country when the tourist season ends. [/RANT]

+1 to every single bit of this.

Every single bit of natural beauty our little nation has is being slowly but surely being eroded way - it is actually saddening to think about. If we do not as a collective (because I'm well aware there is a significant minority out there who DO care about our land, and do want to cherish and safeguard it while at the same time not vehemently opposing every single development),start to take some genuine pride in our nation soon, then by the time we do, it will have already been destroyed.

But that is far more general. On the specific problem of litter and our motorways, people's mindset just needs to change, why do people think it's acceptable to just toss rubbish out of their car with reckless abandon. Why do parents set this example to children? On the other hand, why aren't authorities doing more? Why is nobody even picking up the litter? Why are NO BINS provided at the layby? Why aren't anti-litter laws enforced more strongly? These are the questions that need to be asked, but unfortunately never (or rarely) are.

Whenever I get round to taking snaps of the R639 signage (whenever they bloody well put it up) or phones on the M8, I'll be sure to stop in the layby and grab some snaps of the rubbish, which I'll upload and anyone who wants to send in a complaint can use.

But it isn't going to solve the overarching problem, and at a time when my faith in the Irish people is at an all-time low, I don't see this problem being solved any time soon.

invinciblePRSTV · 15-03-2010 1:31pm

Agree with the sentiment however this ain't new. Irish people are serious litter bugs, for a lot of people throwing rubbish out the car window is perfectly acceptable and it afflicts people of all social classes, not just scummers! tis a me fein nation.

KevR · 15-03-2010 2:41pm

damoz wrote: »

As for a solution - well, we have close to 500,000 on the dole, many of them able bodied long term - they should be put to work for the dole, and id have then start by cleaning up the mess in this country. I know i would get all the health and safety, minimum wage blah blah blah - but we need to restore some civic pride in this kip

Agree fully. Especially the long-term unemployed who are able to work but who never bothered getting a job (even during the boom times when there were loads of jobs available) - they should be made to work for their benefits; even if it's only for a few hours per week. I don't think anyone should be allowed to live their full life on benefits without giving anything back to the state in return (if they are able-bodied).

As for measures to prevent littering - I would certainly be in favour of some high powered CCTV cameras in rest areas and other litter hotspots on our roads with hefty fines being given to anyone caught littering. In Galway City there are signs up saying you could be fined €1,900 for littering. All well and good but there is nowhere near enough enforcement.

Going a bit off-topic here but there was an article (which I can't find) saying the cold snap over Christmas actually cleaned a lot of footpaths (although the downside is it also caused a lot of damage to roads!); I certainly notice an improvement in the footpaths. The combination of freezing weather, grit and people walking on the grit scraped a lot of chewing gum off footpaths. How long before they are destroyed again with chewing gum?

invinciblePRSTV · 15-03-2010 2:49pm

KevR wrote: »

Agree fully. Especially the long-term unemployed who are able to work but who never bothered getting a job (even during the boom times when there were loads of jobs available) - they should be made to work for their benefits; even if it's only for a few hours per week. I don't think anyone should be allowed to live their full life on benefits without giving anything back to the state in return (if they are able-bodied).

Going off topic but this is crazed right wing sheriff Arpaio nonsense talk, i suggest leaving your stereotypes of the long term unemployed in your head.

BluntGuy · 15-03-2010 3:00pm

KevR wrote: »

Agree fully. Especially the long-term unemployed who are able to work but who never bothered getting a job (even during the boom times when there were loads of jobs available) - they should be made to work for their benefits; even if it's only for a few hours per week. I don't think anyone should be allowed to live their full life on benefits without giving anything back to the state in return (if they are able-bodied).

This is dangerous territory to be heading into and I would be wary of it. The current agenda from our governments and corporations is to slash wages to bits, and slash down social welfare. And it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of thinking it is correct to make people who are unfortunate enough to become unemployed earn the social security they are entitled to.

I do agree with the overall sentiment, but I do believe that a better idea would be to have a state community scheme, where people get paid a few bob for doing an hour or two of community work, aimed at people on welfare. It would help foster pride and would help those on welfare with a little extra cash (especially if social welfare is cut again, which it most likely will be).

I do not under any circumstances believe in forced unpaid work or making people "earn" their dole.

The issue of long-term employed is a seperate one that wasn't dealt with effectively during the boom. It is only being brought up now as it is convenient for advancing arguments that social welfare recepients are "comfortable" and are "spongers" etc. I do believe in discussions involving welfare, the long-term spongers and the hard-working unfortunates need to be seperated and dealt with explicitly.

fresca · 15-03-2010 3:55pm

NedNew2 wrote: »

I've noticed several posts in different threads both here in Infrastructure and other areas relating to rubbish along our motorways so I wonder if it would make sense to have a thread on it. Should it be a 'Infrastructure' thread though?

Many people have commented on this particular problem blighting our new motorways and it is truly a shameful situation. I believe a single thread may better focus the problem in the vain hope that some county councils responsible might take note and actually do something to remedy the situation.

What do you think?

Any progress on this new thread?
I drove tralee-galway at the weekend and was really surprised by the volume of litter. particluarly on the crusheen - oranmore section.

KevR · 15-03-2010 4:41pm

invinciblePRSTV wrote: »

Going off topic but this is crazed right wing sheriff Arpaio nonsense talk, i suggest leaving your stereotypes of the long term unemployed in your head.

Where did I sterotype all long-term unemployed?

So are you saying people who are able to work should be allowed to decide that they don't want to work and spend their whole life claiming benefits and never want or try to get a job?

I don't think people should be allowed to do that; and I can't see how any country could sustain having such a system. A few of the people I went to school with went straight on the dole when they finished school; they have never worked and probably will never work a day in their lives and they could if they wanted to. They couldn't wait to finish school so they could go on the dole. These were/are young, single, childless, debt-free people so the whole "benefits trap" arguement just doesn't wash. I feel bad for them on the one hand but I also feel angry that it's allowed to happen.

BluntGuy wrote: »

And it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of thinking it is correct to make people who are unfortunate enough to become unemployed earn the social security they are entitled to.

I agree that it could be easy to fall into this trap now that there's a recession. For what it's worth, I had the same opinion back when I left school during the height of the Celtic Tiger (see above about some of the people I went to school with).

BluntGuy wrote: »

I do believe in discussions involving welfare, the long-term spongers and the hard-working unfortunates need to be seperated and dealt with explicitly.

Agree. Long-term spongers and hard-working people who unfortunately lost their jobs are 2 totally different groups and should be treated in a completely different manner.

Anyhow...we're gone completely off-topic here. This is something I would like to debate further but not here. I probably shouldn't have even posted this reply but felt I should clarify my position.

KevR · 15-03-2010 4:51pm

invinciblePRSTV wrote: »

Agree with the sentiment however this ain't new. Irish people are serious litter bugs, for a lot of people throwing rubbish out the car window is perfectly acceptable and it afflicts people of all social classes, not just scummers! tis a me fein nation.

If you throw litter out of your car window then you are scum. It doesn't matter how wealthy or poor you are and it doesn't matter whether you are good citizen (the littering aside) or if you are and all round scumbag.

I remember reading an article a while back about how New York cleaned up it's image years ago. For example, if a window was broken, the glass was immediately cleaned up and the window repaired. They had round the clock street cleaning. The theory was that people are less likely to litter a clean street. If a street has loads of litter on it already then people would be more inclined to just throw their litter on the ground rather than bring it to a bin. It's a vicous cycle - one that won't be easy to break. Also, they probably had/have strict enforcement in New York.

CerebralCortex · 15-03-2010 5:01pm

KevR wrote: »

If you throw litter out of your car window then you are scum. It doesn't matter how wealthy or poor you are and it doesn't matter whether you are good citizen (the littering aside) or if you are and all round scumbag.

I remember reading an article a while back about how New York cleaned up it's image years ago. For example, if a window was broken, the glass was immediately cleaned up and the window repaired. They had round the clock street cleaning. The theory was that people are less likely to litter a clean street. If a street has loads of litter on it already then people would be more inclined to just throw their litter on the ground rather than bring it to a bin. It's a vicous cycle - one that won't be easy to break. Also, they probably had/have strict enforcement in New York.

You're talking about the broken windows policy and we need it badly and it was effective with more than just the litter problem.

KevR · 15-03-2010 5:16pm

CerebralCortex wrote: »

You're talking about the broken windows policy and we need it badly and it was effective with more than just the litter problem.

Thanks, I couldn't remember the name of the policy or find a link. I just remembered some of the details.

Just doing some googling and reading up about it again now. It's an interesting method and I certainly think that intensive efforts to clean up our roadsides followed by a zero tolerence approach to littering is the way to go.

damoz · 15-03-2010 6:10pm

Sorry to drag this up again, but the main thing i wanted answered here is still unanswered. ie...

Who is responsible for the upkeep and litter control on the M8 motorway?

The NRA?
County councils?
Nobody.

KevR · 15-03-2010 6:15pm

damoz wrote: »

Sorry to drag this up again, but the main thing i wanted answered here is still unanswered. ie...

Who is responsible for the upkeep and litter control on the M8 motorway?

The NRA?
County councils?
Nobody.

Would I be right in saying that on the tolled section of the M8 that the toll operator would be reponsible for litter control?

Not sure about the other sections (i.e. - I don't know if it's the various County Councils or the NRA)..

damoz · 18-03-2010 12:58pm

Ok so here is the reply i got from the NRA :

Thank you for your email regarding litter control on the M8.

Under the Roads Act, the maintenance of all national and regional roads in a county or city is a function of the council of that county or city. In the case of the M8, the road authorities concerned are Laois, Cork and Tipperary County Councils.

Funding is provided by the government and allocated through the Authority to each local authority to maintain national roads in their area. Programming to carry out the specific tasks is decided by the local authority within the available budget. It should be noted however, that the maintenance budget which covers a number of areas such as repair work to potholes, litter picking, winter maintenance, has been significantly reduced in recent years.

As indicated in your email, responsibility for litter rests initially with those members of the public who discard rubbish and litter in this manner. While the local authorities are working within available budgets to ensure that an adequate level of service is maintained, the real solution lies in the hands of the public.

________________

So where should i go next - i suppose each county council. I am not too optimistic though, as in ireland i am sure it will just be a case of getting a run around and excuses - and no action will be taken. But im willing to at least try.

Chris_5339762 · 18-03-2010 1:27pm

And that explains it. ALL money is going into pothole repair after the floods/freeze, and that money is drastically down on last year. There is no way any sane council is going to pick litter up when there are far more potholes/pits to be filled than they have money for in the first place.

M8 motorway (general thread)

Comments