Penalty Point just pointless now?

stevejazzx

[CENTER[/CENTER]Got a call from the wife, letter out this morning, i'm on 4 points now, been driving a year. Commute from dublin(kcr,terenure) to naas mon-fri. This takes about 30 mins. OK its 50/60km from kcr to red cow, then 80km to newlands cross, then it's 100km after newlands cross for about 2 mins and then its 60! all the way to naas, apart from one bit of 80 then back to 60 although with the ongoing roadworks, it changes.
I was done first time for speeding on the naas dublin bound on the bit leading to the longmile turn off where the speed limit was 50km at the time(has since gone up to 60km) it was almost impossible to drive at 50km on this section(a wide smooth 3 lane road), and coming around it in the evenings everyone goes about 70/80 which is normal.
Now this time I have been done travelling naas bound(rathcoole) at a speed of 81km (limit 60 apparently) and now have to pay a 80 euro fine.
What is the point of this? I drive this section every day and there is about a 5percent compliance with the speed limit. People just drive what they want which is usually around 80/90 for about 80/ 90 percent of the drivers.
it's known where the serious accidents happen, back roads, at night, poor roads etc.
I hate to be a cynic but this 'shooting fish in a barrel' approach is really pissing me off and although i hate to say it, its looking a bit like a money racket and a numbers racket (i.e the gardai can say 'oh we caught x amount last year so that proves we're doing our job') which is bollix!

The inside lanes that have been created on the naas road during these roadworks are too tight especially considering the numbers of huge vehicles on this road constantly weaving in and out of lanes because some poor fella with 10 penalty points is driving 'legally' in the left lane.

The guards and govenrment are doing very little on our seriuos road deaths.This would involve heavy organisation and investment and commitment on behalf of our govenment which just isn't happening. So in the meantime lets get ready for this new thing of 30 more punishable offences leading to penalty points. I'll be driving probably more dangerously in the slow lanes from now on. brillaint, pointless Ireland!

dbnavan

You got caught 21kmph over the limit, u got fined and points live with it. "Everyone else was doing it" seriously what age are you, that wouldnt wash if a child said it.

stevejazzx

dbnavan wrote:

You got caught 21kmph over the limit, u got fined and points live with it. "Everyone else was doing it" seriously what age are you, that wouldnt wash if a child said it.

Oh what a mature and responsible person you are, well done, never broke the speed limit i suppose?
ok ignore the point i was trying to make and a point that is generally accepted i.e the guards aren't tackling the areas(those areas that have huge roads death figures , blaclspots etc) properly,
I in no way think i was 'right' to speed, I was just saying that with the obvious failings of the authorities on isloating the more crucial causes of road deaths that the 'shooting fish in a barrell approach that is clearly inoperation in parts of the country is a resource that could better used elsewhere.

dbnavan wrote:

seriously what age are you

btw I'm 29 years old, married, one kid, and am a responsible citizen(to a point of normalcy anyway)

dbnavan

stevejazzx wrote:

Oh what a mature and responsible person you are, well done, never broke the speed limit i suppose?
ok ignore the point i was trying to make and a point that is generally accepted i.e the guards aren't tackling the areas(those areas that have huge roads death figures , blaclspots etc) properly,
I in no way think i was 'right' to speed, I was just saying that with the obvious failings of the authorities on isloating the more crucial causes of road deaths that the 'shooting fish in a barrell approach that is clearly inoperation in parts of the country is a resource that could better used elsewhere.



btw I'm 29 years old, married, one kid, and am a responsible citizen(to a point of normalcy anyway)

I dont drive actually however that does provent me commenting I have plenty of knowledge of whats right and wrong, have I ever been in a speeding car sure i have, been caught, yes was with my dad. Did he complain.... no he new the chance he took when he went over the limit.

true the guards dont guard the back or most dangerous roads, the gardai are vastly under resourced and cant be everywhere the dogs on the street know that, My mother was caught doing 42 in a coupe in a 35 zone. I said jesus if ur gonna get caught speeding in a coupe do it in style!! LOL

BTW being married with kids doesnt make you mature. Before you start I amnt saying ur not just pointing something out

Anyway aside from all that, if the gardai catch u speeding on the a road weather it be the M50 or a backroad or in the arse end of listowel, it will make you think the next time u decide to burn rubber.

Dont worry, when I get my licence I am sure I will take my chances just like most others. whole point is though I know the consequence so I cant complain if i do get caught.

stevejazzx

dbnavan wrote:

BTW being married with kids doesnt make you mature. Before you start I amnt saying ur not just pointing something out

thats true!

dbnavan wrote:

Dont worry, when I get my licence I am sure I will take my chances just like most others. whole point is though I know the consequence so I cant complain if i do get caught.

yeah i shouldn't be moaning fair enough but the thread was inteneded as a debate over the validity of penalty points

murphaph

There is indeed an element of shooting fish in a barrel on these D2 and D3 roads. Nobody would question that. I haven't been caught YET but I too exceed the limit when it's 50km/h on a wide D3 road. However, if I got caught I think I'd just take my medicine.

dbnavan

stevejazzx wrote:

yeah i shouldn't be moaning fair enough but the thread was inteneded as a debate over the validity of penalty points

They are valid, they make people think, will you take the same chance, make the same mistake again?

Turner

The Gardai who carry out speed checks on that road are based in the Naas Traffic Unit.

It is probably the busiest roadway in their district where most accidents occur. Why wouldnt they carry out speed checks on that stretch.

Trust me, every day anything from 10-15 material damage accidents occur on that road.

Tiesto

i agree with you steve.
It does seem like an easy way to earn a bit of grade.
One Sunday night my mate and I were driving back to Galway when we got pulled for speeding..
We were doing around 5x mph...
I think the speed limit was 40 or something like that.
Yeah we were a fair bit over the speed limit but the worst part about it was that
about 200 meters up the road from where the gardai were stopped, is located a sign stating 60 mph.
I believe its understandable that you begin to speed up when you see a road sign in the near distance stating an increase in speed limit.
You dont wait until you get to the sign!

Calina

Tiesto wrote:

I believe its understandable that you begin to speed up when you see a road sign in the near distance stating an increase in speed limit.
You dont wait until you get to the sign!

Well I don't understand it actually. The idea of a speed limit of 60kph is that you do not drive faster than 60kph until you pass a sign telling you that you may drive faster than 60kph. I have absolutely no sympathy for people who whinge about getting caught for speeding, no matter what leniency they are looking for be it

1) "everybody else does it"
2) "200m up the road it would have been okay"
3) "more people get killed on xxxx other roads"
4) "the cops should be out looking for gangland shooters instead of..."

The limits are there. They apply to you. End Of Story. The problem with driving in this country is that a lot of drivers think they're above the rules. Threads like this one just prove that.

Tiesto

Calina wrote:

Well I don't understand it actually. The idea of a speed limit of 60kph is that you do not drive faster than 60kph until you pass a sign telling you that you may drive faster than 60kph. I have absolutely no sympathy for people who whinge about getting caught for speeding, no matter what leniency they are looking for be it

1) "everybody else does it"
2) "200m up the road it would have been okay"
3) "more people get killed on xxxx other roads"
4) "the cops should be out looking for gangland shooters instead of..."

The limits are there. They apply to you. End Of Story. The problem with driving in this country is that a lot of drivers think they're above the rules. Threads like this one just prove that.

didnt expect you to Calina

stevejazzx

Chief--- wrote:

The Gardai who carry out speed checks on that road are based in the Naas Traffic Unit.

It is probably the busiest roadway in their district where most accidents occur. Why wouldnt they carry out speed checks on that stretch.

Trust me, every day anything from 10-15 material damage accidents occur on that road.

your right, been driving on the naas road everyday for the last year and heres my thoughts,
I've seen a lot of rearending going on (particulary dublin bound) mainly down to carelessness, as far I know the Naas road isn't particularly a blackspot for road deaths, although the lights at kill (now not operational) were a blackspot for crashes I've been told
no guardi in early morning(8-9.30) or 4.30-6.30 time, otherwise traffic would be fu****, so they tend to be out there during the day at quiet times and I always see them on saturdays???
The ticket that I just got was sat at 11.am no cars on the road type thing and i was doing 80km, i know I know it's my fault, but anyone who drives the naas road will know what i'm talking about, about 95 percent of people are constanly breaking the speed limit(it was on RTE news a month or so ago) and I'm certainly not saying that because the majority do something then it's ok, but what I am saying is that cleary the speed limits especially considering the ones going from 100km to 60km suddenly over a strect of road with nio lights are absurd. If it's going to be 60km, then fine, review all the roads and adjust the limits so they make sense with vey adequate signage...