Everybody's doing it...

corblimey

I was driving into town yesterday (Cork) and on my way in, there's the Lower Glanmire road, a fine straight road with a speed limit of 50. No bother, and since it's a favourite haunt of the gardai, it's pretty much adhered to. But yesterday, there was about 3 or 4 cars ahead of me that were doing closer to 60, or more. They pulled away from me, while I stuck to the limit. My passenger thought that I should have sped up and just stuck in behind the last car, and continued that way. If we were all speeding, only the first car would be stopped.

I really don't see the point of speeding, but I assume that the last 2 cars in the convoy were thinking the same thing. Does anybody know if 3 cars were all speeding in a row like that, would the first one only be stopped? That area is normally just a cop with a hair dryer, no unmarked cameras or anything.

Stark

corblimey wrote:

Does anybody know if 3 cars were all speeding in a row like that, would the first one only be stopped?

No, but I generally find that the first driver often panicks and jams on the brakes. If you were keeping a safe distance, then that gives you a chance to slow down to the speed limit. If you weren't keeping a safe distance, then you go into the back of him.

I notice the braking effect always causes traffic jams and tailbacks on the M50 if there's a speed check there.

It BeeMee

I have seen situations where the guard stopoed all the cars and issued tickets to them all individually.

If you wanted to be pedantic, you could argue that the cars behind are more guilty, as they might go faster if there was nothing in fron of them.....

galah

In those situations, I always think about what's more important to me:

sticking (within reason) to the limit, and running the risk of other drivers thinking I'm lame and boring, and tailgaiting me, or

speeding like everyone else, and getting a nasty fine (or lose my license) should there ever be a guard hiding in those bushes.

No-brainer, really...

dudara

That's a well know spot for speed checks, yet driving out the lower Glanmire road every morning in the 50 kph zone I am regularly passed out by cars doing 70+kph.

It's not worth taking the chance.

Wickedcat

just let them pass you by. you'll get to your destination in time without any worries.:cool: :cool: :cool:

Hobbes

I also find a lot of times people nearly kill themselves for speeding you end up meeting them again or in some cases over taking them.

For example the N32 is 60kph, speeding doesn't really help on the road, as long as the car behind you can see you they will catch up with you by the time you get to the traffic lights and would of used less petrol doing so and wouldn't have to keep start/brake/start/brake that you normally see with speeders.

mike65

Why is the Lower Glanmire road 50 km/h its nuts! I have to admit to following the herd and usually find myself doing 60 odd. Which on a road with no side exits is safe enough.

Mike.

dudara

I have no idea why that is the case. It's 50 kph until just after Silversprings, then 60 kph for a short stretch and then you're up to 100 kph until the roundabout. There are a lot of residential exits etc on the side leaving the city so maybe that's the reason.

Once I get past the skew bridge, I always move into the left hand lane and continue on at 50 kph (plus a little more) and I'm blown past, every day without fail. If ever a Garda wanted to fill his ticket quota in 5 easy minutes, that's the spot.

mike65

Speaking of that road, who has nearly got crashed into due to that ridiculous exit from the North Ring on the left side at the Silverspings Hotel? The merging area is er 10 metres long!

I because of that exit I tend to stick with the right lane at the speed limit even if people want me to get left. The number of trucks that just barge thier way onto the left lane at the exit is crazy.

Mike.

dudara

It's a hazard alright. Coming up the road into the city in the evening is also fun with two lanes of traffic. One for the flyover and one heading into town.

Stark

mike65 wrote:

Speaking of that road, who has nearly got crashed into due to that ridiculous exit from the North Ring on the left side at the Silverspings Hotel? The merging area is er 10 metres long!

I usually stop and wait at the junction until the left lane is clear before I head onto it. Like you said, the merging area is too short to safely consider it a sliproad junction.

I think the 50kph speed limit might be due to the skew bridge being an accident black spot in the past. They probably couldn't be arsed sticking in a 60kph section between the town limits and the piece coming up to the skew bridge. 50kph makes sense after the skew bridge as you've all the little junctions and petrol stations etc. before you pass the flyover and get back to 60kph (and then 100kph just before the roundabout ).

tensecyclist

i have had couple of experiences on almost colliding caused by careless and selfish drivers.:mad: i always thank God for those escapes (though i'd utter curses to those id***s!) may He forgive me!:D