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Why do drivers in Ireland ignore temporary speed limits?

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  • 05-07-2020 2:21pm
    #1
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,013 ✭✭✭✭


    This has been bugging me for a while. It is not a rhetorical question.

    I tend to drive at around the speed limit where conditions allow. I don't really care much about other people speeding, this isn't an argument from a high horse, I'm just trying to understand the logic of other people's behaviour.

    From what I see, the vast majority of drivers (maybe 90%+) tend to keep it under 135kph indicated on the motorway, and under 110 on national roads. That's about 10% over the limit, at most.

    When there are roadworks, or e.g. on the N11 at Kilmacanogue where the limit is reduced to 60 or 80kph due to crap junctions, many people seem to completely ignore the posted limit and drive at the same 100-110 they do elsewhere, which is more than 50% over the limit.

    Why? Is there some loophole in the law I'm not aware of? Are these limits never enforced at all? Why don't they drive at 160 or 180kph (+40kph or +50%) on the motorway?

    I just don't get it. There must be some logic surely.


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    #2
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,889 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    For the same reason they ignore all the other traffic laws, no enforcement.


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    #3
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,013 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Del2005 wrote: »
    For the same reason they ignore all the other traffic laws, no enforcement.

    But is there less enforcement of temporary speed limits than regular speed limits?

    I'm trying to understand why they don't speed everywhere.


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    #4
    McCrack
    Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭McCrack


    Because sometimes speed limits temporary or otherwise are not realistic eg 80kph down a rural back road, 60kph on the dundrum bypass, 60kph temporary limit on a 100 kph road...

    Drive to the road and prevailing conditions within reason


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    #5
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,889 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Lumen wrote: »
    But is there less enforcement of temporary speed limits than regular speed limits?

    I'm trying to understand why they don't speed everywhere.

    There's no enforcement of temporary ones and little enforcement of permanent ones. I regularly get passed when I'm doing a true 50kph on 50 limit roads and 30 limits are nearly completely ignored. But they only do 80kph on national routes so they are safe,don't forget its speed that kills!, while not noticing that they have driven through a town/village at 70.

    There's also the issue that most of the time nobody is working on the road works so people ignore them or they close too much road.

    I was driving the M4 to M6 the other day. On the M4 they had about 5km of 60 limit before you get to the works vehicles all parked up at the side of the road,. I then got onto the M6 and there was a about 2km of cones with no speed restrictions and people working on the side of the road, all the cars slowed down.

    Have the limit only when workers are there and enforce them.


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