Guy throwing traffic cones on the M50 (do I hit the cone?)

errlloyd · 21-01-2012 12:57PM #1

Anyone see this guy by the Southbound Sandyford exit last night around 00:03.

I saw a guy around the middle of the road on foot, which I thought was a bit strange, anyone familiar with that stretch of road will know its possibly the least pedestrian friendly stretch. He threw something over the middle barrier, I thought it might be a bag that he was going to climb over afterwards. Turned out it was a traffic cone.

He was throwing them all over the road. The car in front of me breaked hard (almost to a standstill) and moved into the middle of the road, I had to react pretty quickly to break and get around it. (At the time also trying to avoid plowing into the dude standing near the middle of the road).

Simple question, presumably if that happens again I should just hit the cone right? Like they're designed for that?

Victor · 21-01-2012 01:22PM

errlloyd wrote: »

Simple question, presumably if that happens again I should just hit the cone right? Like they're designed for that?

Depending on speed, both cone and vehicle may be damaged. However, the cone is bottom heavy, so they are designed to minimise damage to the vehicle.

650Ginge · 21-01-2012 01:37PM

Victor wrote: »

errlloyd wrote: »

Simple question, presumably if that happens again I should just hit the cone right? Like they're designed for that?

Depending on speed, both cone and vehicle may be damaged. However, the cone is bottom heavy, so they are designed to minimise damage to the vehicle.

You shouldnt be taking tea breaks on the m50. Even hard ones.

MugMugs · 21-01-2012 01:44PM

I find traffic cones less litigous when hit with a car than people.

So yes, hit the cone

corktina · 21-01-2012 02:49PM

hit the cone at just the right angle so it flies off and creams the guy.

keithclancy · 21-01-2012 02:52PM

The cone may be designed for impacts.

Your car is not.

mickdw · 21-01-2012 03:53PM

Hitting a cone at speed in a modern car will cause alot of damage.

JADMIX · 21-01-2012 04:02PM

plough the gob****e out of it, he shouldn't be on the road.

barura · 21-01-2012 04:10PM

How about you report it to the Gardai? You know, that's illegal to obstruct traffic in that way. Hitting him(or her) with the cone, as others have suggested, will mean YOU did the damage to them so I hope you'd have a realllly justifiable reason for that.

Jimdagym · 21-01-2012 04:29PM

barura wrote: »

How about you report it to the Gardai? You know, that's illegal to obstruct traffic in that way. Hitting him(or her) with the cone, as others have suggested, will mean YOU did the damage to them so I hope you'd have a realllly justifiable reason for that.

In fairness to the op, he is asking how to react in future at the time of the incident, not how to proceed afterwards.

barura · 21-01-2012 04:34PM

Well it still applies though. Driving into anything like that will just wreck your car, I thought that would be obvious. You're still liable for driving into something that is blatantly in front of you. I can't see the difference between a traffic cone and a stopped car in that sense.

Jimdagym · 21-01-2012 04:36PM

barura wrote: »

Well it still applies though. Driving into anything like that will just wreck your car, I thought that would be obvious. You're still liable for driving into something that is blatantly in front of you. I can't see the difference between a traffic cone and a stopped car in that sense.

:eek:

Big difference. Aim for the cone.

Del2005 · 21-01-2012 05:16PM

errlloyd wrote: »

Anyone see this guy by the Southbound Sandyford exit last night around 00:03.

I saw a guy around the middle of the road on foot, which I thought was a bit strange, anyone familiar with that stretch of road will know its possibly the least pedestrian friendly stretch. He threw something over the middle barrier, I thought it might be a bag that he was going to climb over afterwards. Turned out it was a traffic cone.

He was throwing them all over the road. The car in front of me breaked hard (almost to a standstill) and moved into the middle of the road, I had to react pretty quickly to break and get around it. (At the time also trying to avoid plowing into the dude standing near the middle of the road).

Maybe he was trying to get you to drive in the correct lane.

errlloyd wrote: »

Simple question, presumably if that happens again I should just hit the cone right? Like they're designed for that?

If in doubt always hit the inanimate object, a car can be fixed or replaced.

Squirrel · 21-01-2012 11:13PM

I must've driven by right after you. There was a cone in the middle of all three lanes. And one of them was missing its reflective strip too which didn't help matters at all.

Tropheus · 22-01-2012 12:48AM

I was wondering what was going on. I came on to the M50 at the Dundrum exit just after midnight and there were three or four cones in the middle of the M50. There was small car stopped in the outside hard shoulder and a guy seemed to be running in to the middle of the road. He was either putting them there or trying to move them. I didn't wait around to see.

Strange

deandean · 22-01-2012 01:15AM

Hitting a cone can cause severe frontal and underbody damage to your car, there is probably a 500 excess on your insurance so it'll cost you. Hitting the cone thrower, will probably lead to a broken windscreen which probably has no excess so will cost you less - an important calculation in these recessionary times.

Mycroft H · 22-01-2012 01:28AM

I hit a traffic cone at around 60mph before the maynooth exit on the M4 several years ago. This one I saw with no time to spare. As Land Rover Defenders are big heavy boat handling machines I opted to go straight through it rather then try to swerve out of the way and loose control.

The upside of being heavy big things are that there was practically no damage apart from a cracked spotlamp lens on the A bar. Made me shudder to think if I hit something other then a traffic cone at that speed.

claiva · 22-01-2012 01:36AM

BX 19 wrote: »

I hit a traffic cone at around 60mph before the maynooth exit on the M4 several years ago. This one I saw with no time to spare. As Land Rover Defenders are big heavy boat handling machines I opted to go straight through it rather then try to swerve out of the way and loose control.

The upside of being heavy big things are that there was practically no damage apart from a cracked spotlamp lens on the A bar. Made me shudder to think if I hit something other then a traffic cone at that speed.

Its one thing to LOSE ones control but to LOOSE ones control must indeed be terrifying !!!

Mycroft H · 22-01-2012 01:38AM

claiva wrote: »

Its one thing to LOSE ones control but to LOOSE ones control must indeed be terrifying !!!

I've mild dyslexia, I sometimes mix up words. Thanks for picking up on that.

johnos1984 · 22-01-2012 02:53AM

claiva wrote: »

Its one thing to LOSE ones control but to LOOSE ones control must indeed be terrifying !!!

errlloyd · 22-01-2012 03:14AM

barura wrote: »

How about you report it to the Gardai? You know, that's illegal to obstruct traffic in that way. Hitting him(or her) with the cone, as others have suggested, will mean YOU did the damage to them so I hope you'd have a realllly justifiable reason for that.

I did ring the police actually. 112 didn't work initially (which was scary) so I tried 999, before googling the direct number of DD Garda station and ringing them. They had already sent a car. - Obviously I waited till I had pulled off at the Leapordstown exit, which is actually a fair whack down the motorway from the Sandyford exit.

I guess the question wasn't about "do I hit the cone, or do I hit the person, or do I hit the car"

Obviously I know if I have to hit something, I should hit the person, erm I mean cone.

The question should actually be more phrased about the car in front of me. He swerved into open road and braked hard, thus obstructing me. I was going faster then him because he had been in the sliproad leaving the motorway and had swerved back on. (I should have made this clear).

In his position, should I have hit the cone and not pulled a dangerous move. What level of danger is acceptable risk when dodging something relatively minor like a cone. (One more attempt to phrase this) Which is more dangerous, hitting the cone, or swerving and braking?

Victor · 22-01-2012 06:34AM

errlloyd wrote: »

Which is more dangerous, hitting the cone, or swerving and braking?

That is a little bit subjective and it might depend on the speed you are each doing, the amount of free road available and the amount of traffic.

In icy or foggy conditions or rush hour traffic, doing a radical manoeuvre might be ill advised. On a wide dual carriageway with little traffic, the situation is going to be much more forgiving.

I suppose it is taking the 'if X happens, where is my escape route' scenario to a higher level.

doctorchopper · 22-01-2012 10:43AM

the overhead signs say to expect delays as major road works going on m50 at night. So i'd say they were just getting ready to close off a lane, still shouldn't be throwing cones they should be placed

Cuddlesworth · 22-01-2012 11:32AM

doctorchopper wrote: »

the overhead signs say to expect delays as major road works going on m50 at night. So i'd say they were just getting ready to close off a lane, still shouldn't be throwing cones they should be placed

They place cones for roadworks on the m50 with two vehicles. One with a huge signboard on the back with a arrow pointing towards the correct lane lit up brighter then Vegas. Then another truck 50-100 yards in-front placing the cones mechanically. All people wearing nearly full high vis gear.

The Guvnor · 22-01-2012 11:35AM

corktina wrote: »

hit the cone at just the right angle so it flies off and creams the guy.

Perfect answer! Ideal if you could do it!:D

moodrater · 22-01-2012 05:35PM

The correct answer is:
c) get him with the door

JMJR · 23-01-2012 07:53PM

errlloyd wrote: »

I did ring the police actually. 112 didn't work initially (which was scary) so I tried 999, before googling the direct number of DD Garda station and ringing them. ..........

Could you not get the message through on 112 or 999? Or why did you have to contact DD garda station at all?

Guy throwing traffic cones on the M50 (do I hit the cone?)

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