A 30 KPH limit for Dublin

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

The road traffic act does not apply to cyclists to my knowledge.

Most of it does. Certain parts of it only apply to certain vehicles though.

There are regulations that apply to bikes which don't apply to vehicles, and vice-versa.

Speed limits are one of these regulations, however a cyclist can still be charged with an offence if they pose a danger by going faster than is appropriate.

Hamsterchops wrote: »

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. I've been driving since the early 1980s so I'm a very experienced driver, and I can safely say that's it is very difficult to drive a a very slow speed for any length of time!

The natural inclination is to go up through the gears and maintain the limit, but if the limit is just 30km/h (just 18 MPH) then you've just got to keep hovering between 2nd & 3rd gear, constantly clocking the Speedo in case you accidentally creep up.

You can do 30km/h in fourth gear.

The argument about "having to constantly watch the speedo" is nonsense. There's no reason why you need to watch it any more at 30km/h than you do at 50km/h.

The entire argument is basically, "I'm used to doing it this way and I'm not willing to change". Same as the aul lads who still refuse to use a seat belt because they claim they can't move.

HartsHat wrote: »

Are you trying to tell me 100% of sober motorists (that are not 90) break the 30kph speed limits when they can?

No wonder so many pedestrians are killed by cars.

100% is too absolute. I'm pretty sure there are some who are 80 that might not break it but vast majority of people do. And as for speed cameras sooner or later everyone figures where they are.

Anyway this is all just to create the impression that they are actyally doing something. It's one thing to set up the limit but completely different to actually prosecute large part of your electorate for breaking the law.

seamus wrote: »

"I have no decent argument for why cars should be given primacy over everything else, so I'll just invoke some dinosaur notions about vitality and masculinity to signal to others that I'm a real man™ who has no truck with poofter nonsense like the environment or saving lives. You're not a man unless you have a loud engine and a pretty woman in your passenger seat, and that's that".

You have me there- and I suspect a lot of other "real men".

Real women too. I remember well when I was younger and poorer (but very beautiful) the pretty women would not consider even for a second anyone without a car. Anyway keep on keeping on and think of me when the girl you actually want drives past your rainy bus stop giving you the pitying look.

Read the original post again The "decent argument" you couldn't find is at paragraph 2

double jobbing wrote: »

I'm actually staggered reading this. 30km limits on ****ing dual carriageways like Malahide Rd.


https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2020/0602/1145036-dublin-speed-limit/

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/coronavirus-speed-limits-to-be-cut-to-30km-h-across-dublin-city-council-roads-1.4268992

RTE intimates it is temporary and related t COVID19 (which with any luck will be gone by new year) I.T seems to think more permanent.

Has anyone stopped to think that a person getting the first bus on some routes will effectively have to leave their cross town employment if a bus that used to maintain a 50kph is now put on a 30? Do they care this will now nearly double the commutes of people who use off peak services and who drive on same?

Do these people realise that with people glancing at the speedometer more often they are far more likely to have a collision? The increase in commuting times it will cause?

What are the end results of these public consultations, do a strong rebuke from the public actually make a difference?

I'm actually struggling to think how anybody can think 30kph on the Clontarf Rd is an acceptable scenario.


Surely they won't find enough concillors willing to pass this outside of the Green loopers. Do the Greens realise that in order to avoid these limits people will take to the M50 and burn more petrol doing longer journey's they normally would take through town?

I'm speechless.

Saying it is related or due to COVID 19 after the protest at the weekend is laughable!

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

The city has been designed around cars for long enough, it's about time the rest of us got a look in, walking around most of the city centre is an unpleasant experience because of private cars.

How will that change with lower speed limit? You don't seriously expect there will be less car traffic once restriction ease considering the public transport limits at the moment?

Dublin council had since March to look at how to improve situation and they came up with implementing 30 kph speed limit by the end of the year. Berlin was widening cycling lanes at least a month ago and Dublin is planing a speed limit change nobody will stick to in 6 months times.

And you are not irritating motorists, you are irritating people who live or work in Dublin and who between very poor transport options spend half a day commuting. Maybe some people are happy laughing at other people's misery but what does it matter if they are just as miserable themselves.

HartsHat wrote: »

You're moving at speed in a ton metal box.

It's all unnatural.

Ah the usual genius reply - killer cars.

spurious wrote: »

It's cretinous.

'Proposal' like all the other whacko proposals.
Major shooting in foot by Greens going on.

It's not just Greens. The problem is councilors and TD's get elected filling planning objections. They won't stand for any major change in the way city is organized so they tweak minor bs.

magicbastarder wrote: »

again - and i guess i'll say it again and again - a change in limits from 50 to 30 for someone who 'spends half a day commuting' will have shag all effect on their commute times.
long commutes in dublin city are a result of heavy traffic, not of speed limits.
as mentioned, the *maximum* difference it can make on the 4km on the malahide road is *3 minutes*. THREE.

Of course it won't have effect, people will drive exactly as they did before traffic allowing (it depends how many people will continue working from home but it could be traffic will actually increase because of limited public transport).

Genuine question does anyone actually think this is good enough from Dublin city council? In three months that's what they came up with...

magicbastarder wrote: »

again - and i guess i'll say it again and again - a change in limits from 50 to 30 for someone who 'spends half a day commuting' will have shag all effect on their commute times.
long commutes in dublin city are a result of heavy traffic, not of speed limits.
as mentioned, the *maximum* difference it can make on the 4km on the malahide road is *3 minutes*. THREE.

So a 20km, 30km, 40Km or 50km commute is only long because of heavy traffic?

What will happen now is that areas where a 30km/h limit is currently in place and makes sense will not be obeyed. Eg the quays, o,connell, dame Street etc.

Usual s**t from dcc. As someone who doesn't cycle why the f**k does it take them 4 years to build a cycle lane along the quays? Other cities would nearly build a metro in that time.

Our public transport is crap, and until the likes of metrolink, bus connects and dart underground are complete it will remain this way and look we all know these projects are going to get postponed again!

Putting a blanket 30km/h speed limit in place wont make people slow down (myself included and I am a safe driver). In several areas where 30km/h limits are put in place you have bikes overtaking you, now that doesn't make the speed limit wrong per say but the idea of just changing a few signs and hoping to save lives is a bit far fetched...we could go to extremes on everything in this case eg we could put people who attempt suicide into institutions forever.
If we want to save lives on roads then why not make seat belts on public transport mandatory, fix roads in bad condition, set up more drink driving checkpoints (in 6 years of driving I've not been breathalysed once) so many things that could be done but realistically are roads deaths are already quite low compared to Eu average, granted one death is one death to many my point is everything has to be weighed up and sensible changes made

meeeeh wrote: »

And you are not irritating motorists, you are irritating people who live or work in Dublin and who between very poor transport options spend half a day commuting. Maybe some people are happy laughing at other people's misery but what does it matter if they are just as miserable themselves.

It's the people driving in Dublin holding up the rest of us who cycle or walk or take the bus. We need to crack down on private car journeys into the city centre as much as possible.

magicbastarder wrote: »

they're not talking about imposing a 30km/h limit on the entire length of that 50km commute, you know.

Your post suggests that it is the traffic density at the heart of it, it's not really. A long commute and long commuting time are not the same thing.