Going Metric in January

Sleipnir

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has set January 20th as the target date for the changeover of speed limits and road signs from miles to kilometres.
The move is designed to bring Ireland into line with the metric system used in continental Europe.

Mr Brennan said today that, from January 20th, all speed limits and journey distances would be displayed in kilometres, while all cars imported into Ireland would also have to have metric speedometers.

He also announced that random breath testing for motorists would be introduced before Christmas.

Tommy Vercetti

Didn't say what year did he?

sceptre

Tommy Vercetti wrote:

Didn't say what year did he?

I'd really appreciate it if you didn't do that any more while I'm drinking coffee

mike65

I'll belive it when I see it, good to see random breath test being introduced.

Mike.

Seth Brundle

there is nothing on Brennan's website about it except where he said it was going to cost an absolute bloody fortune -
www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=4993&lang=ENG&loc=1712

can he announce random breath testing? He doesn't have jurisdiction over this area (the gardai) - that would be Herr Flick's dept.

Sleipnir

kbannon wrote:

there is nothing on Brennan's website about it except where he said it was going to cost an absolute bloody fortune -
www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=4993&lang=ENG&loc=1712

can he announce random breath testing? He doesn't have jurisdiction over this area (the gardai) - that would be Herr Flick's dept.

it's not going to cost 1.227 billlion, it says the cost will come out of the 1.227 billion allocated to the NRIP.


"The cost of implementing the recommendations of the Working Group on the Review of Speed Limits in relation to the metrication of signs on the national road network will be met from the 2004 allocation of €1.227bn for the national roads improvement programme."

Seth Brundle

oops - so I see (never did learn to read good!)
still though, my point was that there was no announcement about the Jan 20th 2xxx date on their website.

unkel

At long last! Maybe one day we will be driving on the correct side of the road as well

Thats my 1s 2p and 3 farts anyway

Capt'n Midnight

On the radio they reported that people would not be able to use confusion about the limits as a defense for speeding when the new lower limits come in on certain roads. Would this mean they will finally start monitoring speeds on back roads instead of just talking about it ?

Amazing - all new cars will have to have metric speedos - when was the last time there were cars without metric speedos imported by a distributor ?

Captain Trips

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

On the radio they reported that people would not be able to use confusion about the limits as a defense for speeding when the new lower limits come in on certain roads. Would this mean they will finally start monitoring speeds on back roads instead of just talking about it ?

Amazing - all new cars will have to have metric speedos - when was the last time there were cars without metric speedos imported by a distributor ?

I think it means metric only. My own car was in the shop recently and I got an 04 Polo for a few days. It was in metric only, which was great fun as being ultra lazey I also use a speed limiter/cruise control to set my speed to 30/40/60/70 so I can forget about breaking the limit. Such fun then trying to do this again with the accelerator and in KPH!

It's a good idea though.....next up is the ROsslare - Paris tunnel....

Stark

A speed limiter? That sounds cool.

Our family car has both mph and kph on the speedometer but the kph numbers are nearly impossible to see.

The changeover is right before I do my driving test too, that's going to be a bit of a balls

woosaysdan

i think thats on most cars stark but i can barely see mine aswell in goin to be some pain in the hole!!! how do you change mph to kmh by the way?

byte

I think there are stickers available that you stick on speedo display that swaps the Km/Miles display. Not sure how practical it woudl be to insert though.

mike65

I'm going to take the cheap easy way and simply put bits of white tape
at 40/50/80/100/120 kph.

Mike.

Borzoi

woosaysdan wrote:

i think thats on most cars stark but i can barely see mine aswell in goin to be some pain in the hole!!! how do you change mph to kmh by the way?

Multiply by 8, divide by 5 (or just multiply by 1.6 in one move)

100mph = 160kph

Interceptor

If you've driven a Japanese import for any period you will know that you either become very paranoid and keep well below the 50/80kmh limits or you ignore them all, convinced that you will explain it as 'too hard to work out' to the cop who stops you doing a ton-ten on the Athlone bypass.

Seamus Brennan is away with the fairies - the chance was missed back in the early seventies when there were twenty three cars in Ireland and everyone was at least trying to convert to metric - you can still buy pounds of butter in LIDL for Gds sake!!! And what about eggs - is he going to make them be sold in tens next???

'ceptr

Capt'n Midnight

Borzoi wrote:

Multiply by 8, divide by 5 (or just multiply by 1.6 in one move)

100mph = 160kph

1.609 to the nearest yard/metre
You could also use tippex too.

Stark

Has he confirmed what the roundings are?

I assume 30 mph goes to 50kph (would 48kph exactly)
40mph goes to 65kph. (would be 64kph exactly).
50mph goes to 80kph (exactly)
60mph goes to 95kph (would be 96kph exactly).

Though it wouldn't suprise me if he rounded them down everytime - 30mph to 45kph and so on. 90kph is the national speed limit in some European countries for example, so it would be tempting for him to do so.

enda1

About time this came about alright. Now will we ever drive on the right (in both senses) side of the road..........

Krusty_Clown

Stark wrote:

Has he confirmed what the roundings are?

I assume 30 mph goes to 50kph (would 48kph exactly)
40mph goes to 65kph. (would be 64kph exactly).
50mph goes to 80kph (exactly)
60mph goes to 95kph (would be 96kph exactly).

Though it wouldn't suprise me if he rounded them down everytime - 30mph to 45kph and so on. 90kph is the national speed limit in some European countries for example, so it would be tempting for him to do so.

If I recall correctly, the plan was to round down for some roads, and round up others. So 30mph becomes 45kph (or ~28mph). 60mph would become 100kph (62mph), and 70mph would become 120kph (75mph). Although, given recent negative press about road accidents and emphasis on country roads, this may be re-visited with all limits rounded down.

Hagar

[Smart Arsedness] A sizeable number of drivers ignore the current speed limits, will there be a handy converter so that they can then ignore them in kilometres? [/Smart Arsedness]

Stark

I think cars should be fitted with rear bumper spikes that can be dispatched when some **** behind you starts beeping his horn at you and riding your ass for driving at the speed limit

seamus

Hagar wrote:

[Smart Arsedness] A sizeable number of drivers ignore the current speed limits, will there be a handy converter so that they can then ignore them in kilometres? [/Smart Arsedness]

Yes, there will be a speed limit changeover board to deal with these education dealies.

How do you get onto one of these boards? I'd love to get paid loads of money to come up with ridiculously obvious ideas!

Boggle

Stark wrote:

I think cars should be fitted with rear bumper spikes that can be dispatched when some **** behind you starts beeping his horn at you and riding your ass for driving at the speed limit

Yes, but they should also have forward mounted rocket launchers for moving those ignorant pr1cks I come across doing 40mph in a 60 while driving on the white line and refusing to use the space to let you pass safely!!!

I give it about a year before they finally realise that boredom and frustration are killing more people than speed!1

unkel

Krusty_Clown wrote:

So 30mph becomes 45kph (or ~28mph). 60mph would become 100kph (62mph), and 70mph would become 120kph (75mph)

Iirc 50 (urban), 80 (non-national), 100 (national) and 120 (motorway)

PBC_1966

seamus wrote:

How do you get onto one of these boards? I'd love to get paid loads of money to come up with ridiculously obvious ideas!

Sounds like the Decimal Currency Board that was set up in Britain. "It may take you a little while to get used to the new money...." :rolleyes:

Anyody have any idea just how many buckets loads of euros this changeover exercise is costing the Irish taxpayer?

Kaskade

Krusty_Clown wrote:

30mph becomes 45kph (or ~28mph). 60mph would become 100kph (62mph), and 70mph would become 120kph (75mph).

I cant believe 30 is going to 28. I drive a Jap and always go by 50km. Hopefullly 40mph will go up to 70kmph but I doubt it. Heard that there is going to be a reduction to 30km/h around schools which is 18mph. Its a good idea as long as it just at school changeover times.

Maybe one day we will be driving on the correct side of the road as well

We DO drive on the correct side of the road. I have a french guy living in my house and he reckons that the left makes more sense than driving on the right because most people are right handed and most people cruise around with one hand on the wheel and one on the gear know and you have much more control holding with your stronger right hand than your left!!

Stark

We DO drive on the correct side of the road. I have a french guy living in my house and he reckons that the left makes more sense than driving on the right because most people are right handed and most people cruise around with one hand on the wheel and one on the gear know and you have much more control holding with your stronger right hand than your left!!

Ah, finally something that differentiate them Now to send all the lefties to France

For Ireland to switch from driving on the left to driving on the right would be an impossible undertaking anyway, it's just not going to happen

PBC_1966

I don't think either side is "best," it's just a case of convention.

Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1967. If countries such as Ireland and the U.K. were going to drive on the right, it would have been better to have made the changeover years ago. It will only become harder and more expensive as time goes on.

The only plus side is that it just might give us a chance to sort out the horrendously stupid one-way systems found in many towns.

Kaskade

If we changed we would be able to import european cars - great!!

Give me jap imports anyday over euro stuff.

unkel

PBC_1966 wrote:

Sweden switched from driving on the left to driving on the right in 1967. If countries such as Ireland and the U.K. were going to drive on the right, it would have been better to have made the changeover years ago. It will only become harder and more expensive as time goes on

Sweden did it overnight and things worked out ok. Good point PBC_1966, the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be. I believe on average a couple of people (tourists) die over here every year because they forget that we drive on the incorrect side of the road, although some signs have been put up like "links fahren" etc

An EU standard would be nice here...