M50 speed limit at the toll bridge- 70

egan007

As i merged onto the M50 from the lucan exit heading north towards the toll bridge i noticed a speed limit of 70. I tought that was strange....70. approaching a stop?
On closer inspection the sign was in KM/h
The next sign at the toll bridge is 30Mph .....

I can see the fun starting as these signs change...
I wonder if nice Guarda will accept the 'I forgot it was km/h' when they change over.

Bri

I think this mighta been brought up a while back?

Edit: http://muppet.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=192792&highlight=toll

Victor

egan007 wrote:

I wonder if nice Guarda will accept the 'I forgot it was km/h' when they change over.

No they won't accept it. Would they accept "Oh, I didn't realise armed robbery was illegal"?

BrianD3

I wonder if nice Guarda will accept the 'I forgot it was km/h' when they change over.

No. However I wonder what's the legal situation with km/h speed limits (such as the ones that have recently appeared on the toll bridge) *before* the changeover. Surely all speed limits have to be posted in units of mph until the changeover. I would imagine that a km/h limit before the changeover would be invalid.

BrianD3

mackerski

BrianD3 wrote:

No. However I wonder what's the legal situation with km/h speed limits (such as the ones that have recently appeared on the toll bridge) *before* the changeover. Surely all speed limits have to be posted in units of mph until the changeover. I would imagine that a km/h limit before the changeover would be invalid.

BrianD3

I'd say you could make an interesting argument on this one. Consider the facts:

1. These new signs are round, white with a red border and carry a number
2. The existing laws describe such signs as "speed limits" and define the speed limit as being the stated number of miles per hour.
3. (Unless the transitional legislation has made provision for this already) The old statutes probably doesn't have anything to say about the bit that says "km/h".

So either these new signs are non-standard and therefore non-binding, or they _are_ binding and can be interpreted as miles per hour.

However, none of this matters much, because AFAIK our laws are at odds with much of Europe on this. Speed limits here are set by bye-law and this alone makes them enforceable. A posted sign with no supporting bye-law has no teeth. Similarly, and worryingly, a missing sign woudn't excuse you from prosecution, though I'd say the judge would dismiss the charge in most cases.

Dermot

BrianD

Interesting, as the N11 stretch at Belfield (that famous speed trap zone) only has only badly positioned 40mph sign as you travel towards the city.

This is very poor considering that DCC turned down an application to increase the speed limit citing weaving and merging traffic movements and it would be detrimental to safety. If this is the case why not have a more prominently displayed speed limit sign?

Victor

Similarly, and worryingly, a missing sign woudn't excuse you from prosecution, though I'd say the judge would dismiss the charge in most cases.

Unfortutately, missing signs can be arranged in this country.