Drivers Indicating a Gardai Speedcheck

TheNog

D_murph wrote: »

and in the name of safety as well ..sigh... :rolleyes:.

uncle Gaybos dept of the nanny state is doing well on the propaganda front but im glad that some people have a mind of their own because they do know better

You obviously haven't had someone close to you killed by a fella going too fast for the road conditions then.

A fella I know was caught doing 135kph in a 60kph zone. He should the book thrown at him and he very well may have it thrown at him too.

bbability

TheNog wrote: »

A fella I know was caught doing 135kph in a 60kph zone. He should the book thrown at him and he very well may have it thrown at him too.

Well there's no excuse for that at all. He should lose his licence an be made resit his test.

dsane1

I used to flash a warning but i feel theres so much bad driving out there its better if a few more of the bad ones get caught ,so i dont anymore.

bman

Bit of a hijack here but not worth starting a thread to get this answered. If the guards are checking speed and you're over the limit will they always stop you there and then? Or can it be sent through in the post? The odd time I see them I'm not sure if I slow down to below the limit in time and it'd be good to know that I won't be getting a surprise through the post in a few weeks!

D_murph

TheNog wrote: »

You obviously haven't had someone close to you killed by a fella going too fast for the road conditions then.

A fella I know was caught doing 135kph in a 60kph zone. He should the book thrown at him and he very well may have it thrown at him too.

well he was taking the pi$$ in fairness. i meant much smaller infractions that IMO are a joke

Swinging Looney

Just to p**s everyone off....

I hate people who knowingly and deliberately speed. We all know the potential for death and carnage caused by excessive speed. All the talk of better technology cars and all that c**p means nothing to the pedestrian who meets you by accident. And while there are no pedestrians on motorways, even the biggest egomaniac with the most wonderful opinion of his own driving skills and his cars abilities can not seriously tell me that a blowout in his car at +100 mph just as he happens to be passing me in the overtaking lane will not end up badly for me and my car. Why should I be put at risk just becuase you want to drive like a lunatic. To those who think that speed limits do not apply to them or their cars, grow up and go hire an hour on a track to get it out of your system.

I believe that anyone who kills someone else while speeding should be found guilty of murder. Manslaughter at least. You knew what the risks were but you did it anyway. You knew people could die but you did it anyway. Throw the book at them. Just like people who let their kids stand up in the back seat. If you crash and your kid dies - murder. No question. It's just like throwing them off a roof.

So, I can't stand when people flash other people to warn them of a speed trap. The people who do the flashing are exactly the people who would give out and complain when some twat passes them doing 150k on a motorway, or doing 80k passing a school. Yet they somehow get a feeling of satisfaction when they flash others to warn them. As though they are good samaritans helping their fellow drivers. Well that guy you just warned and who slowed down and just managed to avoid a speeding ticket, actually might go on to kill some kid outside your local school tomorrow. Yet if he got a slap on a wrist today maybe he would think twice. If people speed they run the risk of getting caught. Tough s**t. I know the risks and therefore I don't speed.

Let other drivers find out the hard way about speeding. Let them get fines and penalty points. That is the only proven way (so far) of slowing them down. You warning them in advance will do nothing and only grow the feeling of contempt most of us have for the Guards and make people feel that they are too good for speeding fines and penalties. After you warn them, and as soon as they're past the speedtrap, they'll be gunning it back up to stupid, dangerous speeds and putting the rest of us at risk. Why should we thank you for that?

(Can you tell I feel strongly about this???? :mad::mad:)

lightening

Are you Ray D'Arcy?

Swinging Looney

No, but I do have a face for radio!

lightening

Swinging Looney wrote: »

No, but I do have a face for radio!

randombar

Ùsed to warn drivers when I was younger, thinking I was great helping road users etc, but then I realized I could be giving people who aren't insured a chance to get away with it or drink drivers a chance to get away with it. So now I think sod it, I obey the law and pass those speed checks / insurance checks without warning, so should everyone else!

Longrangedriver

I haven't done it since I got caught on the Greenhills Road a few years ago, an unmarked motor done a u-turn and pulled me. I said that the car in front had rear fog on and tried to get his attention to turn it off, it worked, they just said let it be a warning. Anyway they should let me use my speed camera detector in peace, and stop this silly nonsence of banning anything remotely useful.

bbability

Swinging Looney wrote: »

No, but I do have a face for radio!

It must be Jenny Kelly so;) or do you work for Uncle Gaybo?

dessierb

You can be prosecuted for the offence of "obstruction". Max fine is €1500 and or 6 months in jail. Depending on the judge of course. Some take great exception and whack you with a huge fine.

Seth Brundle

Longrangedriver wrote: »

Anyway they should let me use my speed camera detector in peace, and stop this silly nonsence of banning anything remotely useful.

I think the reasoning is that there shouldn't be a need to use one!

brayblue24

Most people here are taking a very simplistic view. Checkpoints are set up for a lot of reasons other than the Road Traffic Act. They are set up after major incidents such as rape, robbery or murder too. You may be unknowingly abetting serious criminals with your naivety by alerting them to checkpoints.

And another thing - If somebody is driving too fast, tough! Let them get caught.

And also - If somebody is driving uninsured let them get caught too. It's because of the very people you are warning that you pay what you pay for your insurance premiums.

Gardai performing checkpoints are not on commission and are not interested in what revenue they generate. Any revenue that is generated is done so by fools who disobey the laws. There are no arguments - it's just rank stupidity.

BM_318i

Swinging Looney wrote: »

Just to p**s everyone off....

I hate people who knowingly and deliberately speed. We all know the potential for death and carnage caused by excessive speed. All the talk of better technology cars and all that c**p means nothing to the pedestrian who meets you by accident. And while there are no pedestrians on motorways, even the biggest egomaniac with the most wonderful opinion of his own driving skills and his cars abilities can not seriously tell me that a blowout in his car at +100 mph just as he happens to be passing me in the overtaking lane will not end up badly for me and my car. Why should I be put at risk just becuase you want to drive like a lunatic. To those who think that speed limits do not apply to them or their cars, grow up and go hire an hour on a track to get it out of your system.

I believe that anyone who kills someone else while speeding should be found guilty of murder. Manslaughter at least. You knew what the risks were but you did it anyway. You knew people could die but you did it anyway. Throw the book at them. Just like people who let their kids stand up in the back seat. If you crash and your kid dies - murder. No question. It's just like throwing them off a roof.

For god sake, the second you go over the speed limit you don't instantly become dangerous! If I have a blow out beside you on a motorway at 70mph it'll probably have much the same result as at 60mph. Obviously 100mph plus is a different story but your rant seems to be at anybody who even hits 5mph over the limit.

Is it ok though if I kill someone when I'm not speeding??? Even though I may have been driving too fast for the current road conditions??? If the conditions allow 70-80 mph then whats the major problem? not that those conditions are present very often mind.

Its people who cause accidents, not speeding.

javaboy

BM_318i wrote: »

For god sake, the second you go over the speed limit you don't instantly become dangerous! If I have a blow out beside you on a motorway at 70mph it'll probably have much the same result as at 60mph. Obviously 100mph plus is a different story but your rant seems to be at anybody who even hits 5mph over the limit.

Is it ok though if I kill someone when I'm not speeding??? Even though I may have been driving too fast for the current road conditions??? If the conditions allow 70-80 mph then whats the major problem? not that those conditions are present very often mind.

Its people who cause accidents, not speeding.

It's PEOPLE who are SPEEDING.

Haven't you seen the recent ad campaigns about the difference between even 30 and 40 mph?

The braking distance increases greatly even from 70mph to 80 mph.


"Is it ok though if I kill someone when I'm not speeding??? Even though I may have been driving too fast for the current road conditions???"

That's just stupid. Nobody is suggesting that.

ROTR say you should drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions within the law.

Niall1234

javaboy wrote: »

It's PEOPLE who are SPEEDING.

Haven't you seen the recent ad campaigns about the difference between even 30 and 40 mph?

The braking distance increases greatly even from 70mph to 80 mph.


"Is it ok though if I kill someone when I'm not speeding??? Even though I may have been driving too fast for the current road conditions???"

That's just stupid. Nobody is suggesting that.

ROTR say you should drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions within the law.

I hate to keep pulling this out but I feel like I must.

A recent survey in Germany shows that autobahn with speed limits and those without, have the same crash and death rate.

Another survey shows that only 7% of road accidents are CAUSED by speeding.


Do you take the same prudish view as Gay (i've never taken or passed the driving test) Byrne who thinks everything will be alright if everyone just slowed down ?

L1011

And the Autobahn's with speed limits generally only have them due to being known as unsuitable for speeds higher than the posted limits - something councils here can't grasp (hence terrible backroads posted at 80kmh, etc).

javaboy

Niall1234 wrote: »

I hate to keep pulling this out but I feel like I must.

A recent survey in Germany shows that autobahn with speed limits and those without, have the same crash and death rate.

Another survey shows that only 7% of road accidents are CAUSED by speeding.


Do you take the same prudish view as Gay (i've never taken or passed the driving test) Byrne who thinks everything will be alright if everyone just slowed down ?

Ireland's best roads don't compare with an average road in Germany.

If 7% of people died from toe cancer would it not still be worth doing something about it? Believe me I'm not a big fan of Gaybo since I was on the 2nd provisional up until recently but AFAIK he passed a driving test and an advanced driving test not too long ago.

Of course everything won't be alright if everyone slows down but it helps.

BM_318i

javaboy wrote: »

It's PEOPLE who are SPEEDING.

Haven't you seen the recent ad campaigns about the difference between even 30 and 40 mph?

Yes, there is a big difference, but anticipation of hazzards etc. can be the reason you were doing 30 when somebody steped out infront of you instead of 40. I will admit thats a bad point and 30 is too high a limit in a lot of built up areas.

javaboy wrote: »

The braking distance increases greatly even from 70mph to 80 mph.

Yes, but on that perfect stretch of main road, no traffic, no junctions, no people children dogs or cats, a big hard shoulder and a clear view of anything that could be in a grass verge. Is 70mph really that much of a crime there??? Obviously if you get caught its against the law so tough but at least I wouldn't feel I had been endangering peoples lives. As I said though, these situations don't arise the whole time.

javaboy wrote: »

ROTR say you should drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions within the law.

But people don't, thats the problem, next time its lashing rain watch all these law abiding citizens do the legal 100kph and then wonder why they end up stuck in the back of somebody else. Same thing applies to fog, still the do 100kph and can't see 30m in front of them. But they weren't breaking the speed limits!

This has gone far enough off topic now but the last thing I'll say is that people need to be better educated about driving rather than being told speeding is the sole problem on our roads.

On the origional subject, if your speeding and you get caught, tough, you knew you were doing it, get over it. I don't flash people, not worth the hassle, and we've also cleared up that you can be done for it.

Niall1234

javaboy wrote: »

Ireland's best roads don't compare with an average road in Germany.

If 7% of people died from toe cancer would it not still be worth doing something about it? Believe me I'm not a big fan of Gaybo since I was on the 2nd provisional up until recently but AFAIK he passed a driving test and an advanced driving test not too long ago.

Of course everything won't be alright if everyone slows down but it helps.

Our best motorways are off a similar standard to those in Germany. Our Motorways and HQDCs are designed for a 160 kph max speed limit. Even I think that is too high. 130 kph or 80 mph is a sensible speed on motorways which a lot of European countries run with.

Indeed, 7% is a statistic which should be reduced. But shouldn't some effort be shown towards the 93% of accidents which aren't caused by speed. The RSA shows scant regard towards these accidents from what I can tell.

In their mind, speeding is easily shown up and can be easily combatted, so they go straight for it. Add in the fact that speeding is usually done by young males (the demographic with quite possibley the least political clout) and you have the perfect scapegoat.

In my mind, its not just speeding, but careless driving which should be rectified in this country. I've seen some awful things. Men who like to change lane without looking in their rear view mirror. Women who have their rear view mirrors pointed at them so they can do their makeup. Clowns who take blind corners on country roads, on half of the other side of the road. And the new idiots of the road, the growing populace of red light runners.


By the way, you are completely right about 30mph zones. No one should condone speeding in built up areas. It is potentially lethal, especially when young children are envolved.

Swinging Looney

Of course you don't become dangerous the second you go 1mph over the limit. You became dangerous the second you started moving. You're right in saying that it's not SPEEDING that causes accidents or deaths. It's simply speed itself.

People seem to inherently forget that driving is dangerous. It always was and always will be. There is no guarantee that you will arrive at your destination with yourself intact or without having caused a disaster for someone else. I am acutely aware of that fact and so I don't pretend that I am above the law, know better than a cumulative total of 100 years of industry wide driving experience, have anything other than average driving skills or am somehow able to justify 'a little bit of speeding' on the basis that if 40mph is allowed then sure how can 45 be that bad.

The whole argument that Speeding does not cause accidents is completely off the mark. Speed kills. Not Speeding. Many need to get that into their heads.

As for it being OK if you kill someone when not speeding. You seem to imply that you should be exonerated if you were actually under the speed limit. Although you have hinted at the fact that it is actually the road conditions that should dictate how you drive. If you are driving unsafely for the conditions then you are as much to blame as the guy doing 120mph on the motorway. Doing 30 on black ice can kill people too.

The argument about Germany and Autobahns shows just how close up people are to the argument they have formulated. You can't see just how ridiculous it is. Just because no limits works in Germany, doesn't mean that anyone should get away or justify driving at stupid speeds in Ireland. Half the problems I've had in this country have been on motorways when I think about pulling into the fast lane to overtake only to realise that the very distant car in my rearview mirror is actually some utter t**ser doing 120 and who will be passing me out in the next 5 seconds. If I pulled out I would have been creamed. And you think he is driving at a safe speed just because he is on a motorway? Get a grip!

Finally, if you get caught for doing 100 in a 60 zone, tough sh**. If you get caught doing 65 in a 60 zone, tough sh**. It's a f**king limit for Christ's sake. NOT A TARGET. Why is it so difficult to do 55? Besides, if you want a buffer on speeding tickets, how big do you suggest it be? 5%? 10%? If we say 10% then every areshole who thinks he's the Stig will be driving at 55 in a 50 zone, 66 in a 60 zone, 132 on the motorway..... And then when they get caught doing 135, they say "But I was only 3kph over the buffer for God's sake!". There is no argument for that IMHO.

The only thing more dangerous than speed and speeding and ignorant driving is drivers who think they know better than everyone else. Those who feel they should be personally allowed to go faster than the law or common sense says because of the skills or the car they drive or whatever else. So, don't flash these areses and please let them get caught. It may be me one day if I momentarily forget to check my speedo, and you know what? I'll f**king deserve it if I couldn't pay attention long enough.

Jrad

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

If you are basing speed limits on safety, we should be going A LOT faster than we did 50 years ago, but the truth is: we aren't, and it's a crying shame.

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Its a crying shame that we are not driving faster? What????

Swinging Looney

Niall1234 wrote: »

Our Motorways and HQDCs are designed for a 160 kph max speed limit.

Sorry, I don't mean to pick on anyone in particular. But in fairness, and I have no reason to doubt that you are telling the truth, try doing 160kph in the slow lane Southbound over the first bridge over the estuary after the Donabate exit on the M1. Then tell me our roads are of a decent standard. And that's a new road......

L1011

Swinging Looney wrote: »

Sorry, I don't mean to pick on anyone in particular. But in fairness, and I have no reason to doubt that you are telling the truth, try doing 160kph in the slow lane Southbound over the first bridge over the estuary after the Donabate exit on the M1. Then tell me our roads are of a decent standard. And that's a new road......

The design specification speeds require your car to be in proper condition, decent tyres, proper road holding etc. I've no intention of going out there to test that just in case the traffic corps are around... But having been in vehicles doing said speeds, the M4, M7/N7 and N11 HQDCs are percetly capable of 160k. The M8 isn't...

Senna

Niall1234 wrote: »

Our best motorways are off a similar standard to those in Germany.

But unfortunately our driving mentality is not.

The whole argument that 'germany has auto-bans with no speed limit, why cant we' is just rubbish,
A German driver’s license costs around €1500, they are require to to get a minimum of 25-45 hours of professional instruction plus 12 hours of theory.
They keep their cars to a much higher standard and their NCT is stricter.
German drivers changer their tyres well before it reaches the ware indicator, then the tyres that aren't good enough for german drivers are shipped over here and sold to Irish muppets.

We have a long way to go before we can match their driving attitude.


Just to keep OT, my cousin was done for 'Obstructing Justice' after he flashed on-coming cars about a check-point.

Niall1234

Senna wrote: »

But unfortunately our driving mentality is not.

The whole argument that 'germany has auto-bans with no speed limit, why cant we' is just rubbish,
A German driver’s license costs around €1500, they are require to to get a minimum of 25-45 hours of professional instruction plus 12 hours of theory.
They keep their cars to a much higher standard and their NCT is stricter.
German drivers changer their tyres well before it reaches the ware indicator, then the tyres that aren't good enough for german drivers are shipped over here and sold to Irish muppets.

We have a long way to go before we can match their driving attitude.


Just to keep OT, my cousin was done for 'Obstructing Justice' after he flashed on-coming cars about a check-point.

I agree. The people doing 100+ mph on the Autobahn in Germany are driving high powered cars which are designed to be safe at those speeds.

Whereas here, the people driving Punto's like to attempt 100+ with the chance of a Catastrophic engine blow up very likely after 30 miles.

Again though, shouldn't the RSA be doing something about educating our drivers better instead of treating us like fools regarding the speed line.

Senna

Niall1234 wrote: »

Again though, shouldn't the RSA be doing something about educating our drivers better instead of treating us like fools regarding the speed line.

without a doubt, what happened to the plan for driving lessons while at school, if 16-18yrs got into good practices at that age, i think you would see great improvement on our roads after a few years.

LuckyStar

Niall1234 wrote: »

Whereas here, the people driving Punto's like to attempt 100+ with the chance of a Catastrophic engine blow up very likely after 30 miles.

Don't be saying things like that, I have a Punto and have done 100km/h in it a few times!

I hope you were talkin in miles...

Swinging Looney- very well said.