30 KPH spped limit on the M50 roundabout and the N3

Murt10 · 18-03-2011 02:00AM #1

I have just sent a letter off to our local TD and Minister for Transport on this matter. I'll let you know if i get any result.

Others may also like to draw his attention to the stupidity of the 30 KPH (18MPH) speed limit.

His address is leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie

I contacted him previously and found him very helpful and he responded quite quickly. Let's hope he hasn't changed.

Murt

athtrasna · 18-03-2011 08:07AM

It makes sense on the awful bendy bits IMO and as far as I know it's mainly to do with the risk of trucks overturning as has happened at other new junctions including the airport/M50 south junction.

Twigster · 18-03-2011 08:14AM

So it drops to thirty for a couple of hundred yards, is it going to make that much of a difference to a journey? As said it's definitely a safety reason it's not as if they have a speed camera parked on it and are doing it for the money.

bofh666ie · 18-03-2011 08:24AM

Twigster wrote: »

So it drops to thirty for a couple of hundred yards, is it going to make that much of a difference to a journey? As said it's definitely a safety reason it's not as if they have a speed camera parked on it and are doing it for the money.

Yet

anniehoo · 18-03-2011 09:34AM

athtrasna wrote: »

It makes sense on the awful bendy bits IMO and as far as I know it's mainly to do with the risk of trucks overturning as has happened at other new junctions including the airport/M50 south junction.

Yeh i agree, i took it a bit too fast awhile back and it scared the bejaysus out of me. Its very deceptive and its difficult to see how sharp the bend is until you're literally on it. Could easily see how a truck would overturn on it. If it was a long stretch of motorway is be like "WTF" but its such a small part and really is just a safety measure.

ciaran76 · 18-03-2011 10:25AM

Every week I see paint or cans that have fallen from a truck just at the bottom of that bend. This week it looks like a can of glue but not 100%

I dont mind it dropping to 30km to be honest as my journey home is now 25 mins from Swords to Clonee compared to almost 45 mins to an hour 1 year ago.

Twigster · 18-03-2011 10:38AM

In reality anyway if they upped the speed to fifty you'd get people trying to take it at 80, it'd still be too slow for some people.

ChewChew · 18-03-2011 10:39AM

I find it exceptionally annoying. Not the whole dropping from 80 to 50 to 30. I do that no problem, but it's the morons behind me who have major issues with it. I've had so many near incidents on that road because of over drivers inability to abide by speed limits. I had one guy who tried to intimidate me off the road by driving so close to the back of my car, I couldn't even see his lights!! It's an all round danger, and because of other motorists, I do agree that 30KPH is a bit too slow, I think 50 would be acceptable.

fptosca · 18-03-2011 02:03PM

too slow speed limits are as dangerous as too high speed limits. Distracted drivers who "respect the rules of the road" brake hard to get the car down to 30 and they are a hazard to be honest.
50 would be fine even for trucks as it's proven by the fact that 50 is indeed the speed in which most trucks currently take that bend.

Gaspode · 18-03-2011 02:39PM

ChewChew wrote: »

I find it exceptionally annoying. Not the whole dropping from 80 to 50 to 30. I do that no problem, but it's the morons behind me who have major issues with it. I've had so many near incidents on that road because of over drivers inability to abide by speed limits. I had one guy who tried to intimidate me off the road by driving so close to the back of my car, I couldn't even see his lights!! It's an all round danger, and because of other motorists, I do agree that 30KPH is a bit too slow, I think 50 would be acceptable.

Yep, I agree.
I was coming towards Ashtown from Clonee today and dropped down to 30kph for that stretch (not suddenly or anything), and 4 moronic drivers behind me swerved all about the place in their rush to get by me. One guy beeped at me for ages, and when I drew level with him at the lights at the bottom of the hill he started beeping again and gesticulating away at me. There's one heart attack another day closer.

Random · 18-03-2011 02:41PM

unrealistic speed limits mean that everyone just does their own thing. i think this is another prime example. there's back roads down the country not wide enough for 2 bikes to pass with speed limits of 80.

ongarboy · 18-03-2011 03:17PM

Murt10 wrote: »

I have just sent a letter off to our local TD and Minister for Transport on this matter. I'll let you know if i get any result.

Others may also like to draw his attention to the stupidity of the 30 KPH (18MPH) speed limit.

His address is leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie

I contacted him previously and found him very helpful and he responded quite quickly. Let's hope he hasn't changed.

Murt

I'd imagine these speed restrictions are based on international best practice safety recommendations for these types of road designs and not just something the council or the NRA pulled out of the air. I doubt any local politician (transport minister or otherwise) can get rid of these if any chance of safety is compromised. I also got a bit of a shock the first couple of times doing these free flow sharp bends at 80kph or so (admitting carelessness here!) during the sharpest points and belatedly appreciate the limits now.

While I do feel 30 may be overly cautious, you definitely would need to be no higher than 50. As someone else posted, many drivers will add 10/20 kph to the advised speed so if you set it at 50, some would think 70 or 80 is fine when it would not be.

sdanseo · 18-03-2011 03:25PM

athtrasna wrote: »

It makes sense on the awful bendy bits IMO and as far as I know it's mainly to do with the risk of trucks overturning as has happened at other new junctions including the airport/M50 south junction.

Agreed 100% it makes perfect sense on the 270 degree turns on the freeflow junctions.

It does not, however, make one shred of sense on the section travelling on the M3 southbound through the junction. It doesn't turn by 270 degrees or anything near it, and doesn't require a 50 limit let alone a 30. Should be 60.

G.MAN · 18-03-2011 05:41PM

Murt10 wrote: »

I have just sent a letter off to our local TD and Minister for Transport on this matter. I'll let you know if i get any result.

Others may also like to draw his attention to the stupidity of the 30 KPH (18MPH) speed limit.

His address is leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie

I contacted him previously and found him very helpful and he responded quite quickly. Let's hope he hasn't changed.

Murt

Seriously?..I think he might have some more pressing matters to deal with.its only a couple of hundred yards and its a dangerous bend...dont worry about it

Pineapple stu · 18-03-2011 06:52PM

30kph is a stupid limit on the ramps, the car will stall trying to go that slow up it. Someone mentioned that the limit is there for trucks etc to prevent them from tipping over on the bend, to me thats just nonsense. Its simple, you drive to the conditions of the road and not to the max speed limit. Anyone driving along there would ( or should ) drive with enough care so that they have full control of their vehicle to go around it safely. It doesnt matter if the limit is 100mph you are not going to take it at 100mph are you.

G.MAN · 18-03-2011 07:00PM

Pineapple stu wrote: »

30kph is a stupid limit on the ramps, the car will stall trying to go that slow up it. Someone mentioned that the limit is there for trucks etc to prevent them from tipping over on the bend, to me thats just nonsense. Its simple, you drive to the conditions of the road and not to the max speed limit. Anyone driving along there would ( or should ) drive with enough care so that they have full control of their vehicle to go around it safely. It doesnt matter if the limit is 100mph you are not going to take it at 100mph are you.

unfortunately somebody would try and take it at 100mph!!..

G.MAN · 18-03-2011 07:02PM

Pineapple stu wrote: »

30kph is a stupid limit on the ramps, the car will stall trying to go that slow up it. Someone mentioned that the limit is there for trucks etc to prevent them from tipping over on the bend, to me thats just nonsense. Its simple, you drive to the conditions of the road and not to the max speed limit. Anyone driving along there would ( or should ) drive with enough care so that they have full control of their vehicle to go around it safely. It doesnt matter if the limit is 100mph you are not going to take it at 100mph are you.

its not on all the ramps, just the stretch with the sharp bends at Blanch and Naas Road

Twigster · 18-03-2011 07:22PM

Pineapple stu wrote: »

30kph is a stupid limit on the ramps, the car will stall trying to go that slow up it.

Can you not change down in gears? Or does your car cut out everytime you go up a slight incline at 30?

Murt10 · 18-03-2011 09:48PM

I drive am automatic. There are no gears to change down. Trying to stay below 30 KPH is the problem, especially going up and down hills. It is nigh on impossible to stay under 30 KPH and drive safely. I actually spend so much time looking down at the speedo, I am more dangerous that I would be at 50kph.

Also, on my car, cruise control doesn't work at 30 KPH. It works fine at 50 KPH.

Murt10 · 18-03-2011 09:51PM

G.MAN wrote: »

its not on all the ramps, just the stretch with the sharp bends at Blanch and Naas Road

30 KPH is also the limit coming off the M50 northbound at Finglas, heading towards Town. You can actually see the sign as you drive by on the M50.

G.MAN · 18-03-2011 10:23PM

lol...sometimes i think some of these threads are wind ups!!

athtrasna · 18-03-2011 10:47PM

Pineapple stu wrote: »

30kph is a stupid limit on the ramps, the car will stall trying to go that slow up it. Someone mentioned that the limit is there for trucks etc to prevent them from tipping over on the bend, to me thats just nonsense

It's not nonsense, when the airport freeflow slips opened there was at least one truck overturning a week by taking the turn too sharply. High sided vehicles are affected much more by sharp turns at speed. Coming off the M50 north, the slip onto the N3 avoiding the hospital has plenty of dangerous bends worthy of a 30 IMO

sdanseo · 18-03-2011 11:48PM

athtrasna wrote: »

It's not nonsense, when the airport freeflow slips opened there was at least one truck overturning a week by taking the turn too sharply. High sided vehicles are affected much more by sharp turns at speed. Coming off the M50 north, the slip onto the N3 avoiding the hospital has plenty of dangerous bends worthy of a 30 IMO

That slip is like a little rollercoaster.

LostinBlanch · 20-03-2011 01:12PM

Twigster wrote: »

Can you not change down in gears? Or does your car cut out everytime you go up a slight incline at 30?

That is not a slight incline, when you're driving on it, it feels like closer to 40 degrees! Murt has given you reasons why some drivers find it difficult to go up that hill at 30kmh. It's not nice trying to go up that hill while keeping strictly to 30, I usually pull into the left lane as soon as possible and let everyone else go ahead at their own speed.

I had thought that the speed limit was put in at 30 in order to make sure that people slow down to 50!

Pineapple stu · 20-03-2011 01:15PM

athtrasna wrote: »

It's not nonsense, when the airport freeflow slips opened there was at least one truck overturning a week by taking the turn too sharply. High sided vehicles are affected much more by sharp turns at speed. Coming off the M50 north, the slip onto the N3 avoiding the hospital has plenty of dangerous bends worthy of a 30 IMO

It is nonsense because if a truck turns over its down to driver error not the speed limit.

Pineapple stu · 20-03-2011 01:22PM

Twigster wrote: »

Can you not change down in gears? Or does your car cut out everytime you go up a slight incline at 30?

Its 30 kmh which is around 18mph wich is dangerously too slow on any free flowing stretch of road especially on an incline with a bend . Have you driven that section from the N3 onto the M50 ?

Twigster · 20-03-2011 09:35PM

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Its 30 kmh which is around 18mph wich is dangerously too slow on any free flowing stretch of road especially on an incline with a bend . Have you driven that section from the N3 onto the M50 ?

yes regularly and i think it's a dangerous bend to be taking at even 50km/h so a lower limit is needed. do you not think that the fact that there is the incline and the bend that is the reason the limit is so low, i doubt they just put it there for the craic. I'd say that the limit is too slow after the bend and should go back to 80 sooner than it does, and to 100 sooner than it does also, but i'd agree with the lower limit on the actual bend itself.

and seriously, if people's cars can't drive at that speed they should get them checked out, as for an automatic, it's my understanding that they automatically shift down in gear? hence the name. It's not as steep an incline as those on strawberry beds and would you say you're not able to drive them at 30?

BostonB · 21-03-2011 10:34PM

Some crack on those with frost and ice.

spooky donkey · 22-03-2011 09:54AM

Twigster wrote: »

yes regularly and i think it's a dangerous bend to be taking at even 50km/h so a lower limit is needed. do ?

I dont think I have ever seen a car take this at less than 60K. Never seen trucks use it though....

Victor · 22-03-2011 10:07AM

Murt10 wrote: »

I actually spend so much time looking down at the speedo, I am more dangerous that I would be at 50kph.

Then stop staring at your speedometer.

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Its 30 kmh which is around 18mph wich is dangerously too slow on any free flowing stretch of road especially on an incline with a bend .

So, you would like to read-end someone who has broken down around the corner?

Pineapple stu · 22-03-2011 05:00PM

Twigster wrote: »

yes regularly and i think it's a dangerous bend to be taking at even 50km/h so a lower limit is needed. do you not think that the fact that there is the incline and the bend that is the reason the limit is so low, i doubt they just put it there for the craic. I'd say that the limit is too slow after the bend and should go back to 80 sooner than it does, and to 100 sooner than it does also, but i'd agree with the lower limit on the actual bend itself.

and seriously, if people's cars can't drive at that speed they should get them checked out, as for an automatic, it's my understanding that they automatically shift down in gear? hence the name. It's not as steep an incline as those on strawberry beds and would you say you're not able to drive them at 30?

I drove it last night from the N3 onto the M50 south and i dropped down to 50 and then to 30 and it is dangerously too slow, it was walking pace . Fair enough if it was 30mph but 30 kph is just plain stupid. There is a same bend leading from the M50 to Naas road outbound and its double the limit so is it just Fingal co co that came up with the limit or the NRA.?

30 KPH spped limit on the M50 roundabout and the N3

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