M8 motorway (general thread)

Our man in Havana · 26-06-2010 3:46pm

Saw my first tractor on the new M8 yesterday heading north from J3 towards Portlaoise. I wonder what toll they charged him?

Aidan1 · 28-06-2010 2:35pm

It wasn't a Case MXM 140* towing a triaxle low loader by any chance? Passed him on the M8 last evening, north of Fermoy. He was driving on the hard shoulder, but his right hand wheels over the line (in the driving lane).

Clearly he was trying to maximise the number of offences committed at one time.

*These never came with 50k boxes btw, so can't even use the 50k fig leaf.

Our man in Havana · 28-06-2010 3:03pm

This was a silage special. He was on the hard shoulder straddling lane one.

will3001 · 02-07-2010 9:26am

Folks,

Just wondering if anyone knows whats the best way to get off the new M8 as close to Mountrath as possible. I'm lookng at where it flys over the R430 but dont think I can come off there.

I'm heading for mullingar and have always gone cross country from abbeyleix as its the quickest and least busy route..My thoughts are that the M8 gets a lot closer to mountrath but not sure I can get off.

Ta
Will.

Jomcc · 02-07-2010 9:45am

will3001 wrote: »

Folks,

Just wondering if anyone knows whats the best way to get off the new M8 as close to Mountrath as possible. I'm lookng at where it flys over the R430 but dont think I can come off there.

I'm heading for mullingar and have always gone cross country from abbeyleix as its the quickest and least busy route..My thoughts are that the M8 gets a lot closer to mountrath but not sure I can get off.

Ta
Will.

Presume your coming from South. Your only options are to get off at Junction 3, Grantstown and go back roads via Ballacolla or into Abbeyleix.
Other option is go on to Portlaoise and get off at Junction 18 but this will mean you have to go through toll.

will3001 · 02-07-2010 1:26pm

Hmmm...strikes me they dont really have enough on/off sections to cater for these things

Jomcc · 02-07-2010 3:36pm

will3001 wrote: »

Hmmm...strikes me they dont really have enough on/off sections to cater for these things

I agree...........

Carawaystick · 02-07-2010 11:36pm

will3001 wrote: »

Hmmm...strikes me they dont really have enough on/off sections to cater for these things

Where are you going to Mullingar from?
How many other vehicles go from there to Mulingar per year?

will3001 · 05-07-2010 11:53am

Was actually going to Delvin, from Cork and I dont know how many vehicles go there but I do know that your not really encouraged to use the motorway to go to the likes of moutrath etc...why not set it up that you pay by distance like it is in most other countries!

Hogzy · 05-07-2010 11:55am

will3001 wrote: »

Was actually going to Delvin, from Cork and I dont know how many vehicles go there but I do know that your not really encouraged to use the motorway to go to the likes of moutrath etc...why not set it up that you pay by distance like it is in most other countries!

Because in most other countries the tolls are much higher and the motorways are much longer so it makes sense to divide it into distances. Its €1.90 ffs

Amtmann · 10-07-2010 12:32pm

I think the commemorative plaque for the Cashel-Mitchelstown scheme has been put in place beside an overbridge between junction 10 and 11. Also, has anyone noticed the roadside art beside the northbound carriageway just at the beginning of the junction 10 off-ramp? It looks like a roofless cottage with some sort of a plaque on it.

Our man in Havana · 10-07-2010 12:40pm

I noticed the other day when travelling the new M7 at the M8 diverge there is no crash barrier to prevent traffic on the M7 mainline from falling down the embankment on to the M8. Was this simply an oversight?

Quaver · 16-07-2010 4:35pm

I regularly drive the Cork-Dublin route, usually Friday evenings and late Sunday/early Monday. I miss my coffee stop in Abbeyleix! Has anyone any suggestions of somewhere that's not too far off the motorway where there's a garage I can stop at?

Stopped at the Horse and Jockey at 7:30am a few weeks ago, but the café only opens 9-6...can't wait for them to build a service station.

Thanks,

Q

-Corkie- · 16-07-2010 4:37pm

Quaver wrote: »

I regularly drive the Cork-Dublin route, usually Friday evenings and late Sunday/early Monday. I miss my coffee stop in Abbeyleix! Has anyone any suggestions of somewhere that's not too far off the motorway where there's a garage I can stop at?

Stopped at the Horse and Jockey at 7:30am a few weeks ago, but the café only opens 9-6...can't wait for them to build a service station.

Thanks,

Q

Thermos...:)

Stark · 16-07-2010 4:38pm

Urlingford's not too far from the motorway. Further up, there's the Portlaoise "Midway" food court. No petrol station there though.

Quaver · 16-07-2010 4:50pm

SARASON wrote: »

Thermos...:)

haha I think I'll have to start!

Never thought of Urlingford, I'll try that this evening thanks.

Our man in Havana · 16-07-2010 4:50pm

If you continue in towards the town there is a petrol station about 1/4 mile from the foodcourt.

-Corkie- · 16-07-2010 4:58pm

Quaver wrote: »

haha I think I'll have to start!

Never thought of Urlingford, I'll try that this evening thanks.

Try kavanaghs. Its at the top of the town on the dublin side. The crowd in that apple green place would walk across ya.

DWCommuter · 18-07-2010 12:58am

Trip from Cork to Kildare tonight. Left Kinsale at 7pm (reluctantly:D). My planned journey time to Naas was 2.5 hours. On reaching the M8 I realised that I needed fuel, takeaway beers and a sambo. Such is the set up and lack of services that I wasted an hour and a half as follows.

First offline stop at Watergrasshill - No sambo, fuel or takeaway beers available. Got hula hoops.:D

Second offline stop at Cashel for fuel. (Tesco station near the southern junction.) No sambos or beer!

Third offline stop at Kildare for takeaway beer! I gave up on the sambo!

Arrival in Naas at 10.30pm.

Next time I buy the beers before hand and pack a cooler bag with grub.:D

The lack of MSAs is a real pity to a driving experience that is nearly worth the tolls. Did Naas - Kinsale in 2.5 hours this morning after breakie, a decent sup of diesel and no desire for beer.;)

Amtmann · 18-07-2010 10:31am

DWCommuter wrote: »

Trip from Cork to Kildare tonight. Left Kinsale at 7pm (reluctantly:D). My planned journey time to Naas was 2.5 hours. On reaching the M8 I realised that I needed fuel, takeaway beers and a sambo. Such is the set up and lack of services that I wasted an hour and a half as follows.

First offline stop at Watergrasshill - No sambo, fuel or takeaway beers available. Got hula hoops.:D

Second offline stop at Cashel for fuel. (Tesco station near the southern junction.) No sambos or beer!

Third offline stop at Kildare for takeaway beer! I gave up on the sambo!

Arrival in Naas at 10.30pm.

Next time I buy the beers before hand and pack a cooler bag with grub.:D

The lack of MSAs is a real pity to a driving experience that is nearly worth the tolls. Did Naas - Kinsale in 2.5 hours this morning after breakie, a decent sup of diesel and no desire for beer.;)

A perfect example of why MSA's are necessary, and why their omission was stupid. That tesco filling station is the one I use most; but as a shop, it's spartan to say the least. I also made the mistake of stopping at Watergrasshill once, too. It baffles me why some people think the MSA's aren't essential. Clearly they don't drive the entire length of the interurbans (M4/6 and M7/M8 as of now) very frequently.

BTW: www.midlink.ie has updated its website and included a photo gallery.

Amtmann · 18-07-2010 11:20am

As an aside, DW, I presume the beer you desired was for your passengers and not you?

L1011 · 18-07-2010 1:25pm

Also, you'd have not found your beer in a UK MSA either

DWCommuter · 18-07-2010 1:35pm

Furet wrote: »

As an aside, DW, I presume the beer you desired was for your passengers and not you?

It was to bring home in case I didn't make the stricter 10pm off license closing times on home turf.

DWCommuter · 18-07-2010 1:36pm

MYOB wrote: »

Also, you'd have not found your beer in a UK MSA either

I'm too used to Spain.:D

veryangryman · 19-07-2010 9:58pm

http://www.independent.ie/travel/inside-ireland/life-off-the-fast-lane-the-m8-2264416.html

Not quite service stations, but a number of alternatives to getting tunnel vision from driving too long on the M7/M8

Carawaystick · 20-07-2010 12:10am

DWCommuter wrote: »

Trip from Cork to Kildare tonight. Left Kinsale at 7pm (reluctantly:D). My planned journey time to Naas was 2.5 hours. On reaching the M8 I realised that I needed fuel, takeaway beers and a sambo. Such is the set up and lack of services that I wasted an hour and a half as follows.

....

The lack of MSAs is a real pity to a driving experience that is nearly worth the tolls. Did Naas - Kinsale in 2.5 hours this morning after breakie, a decent sup of diesel and no desire for beer.;)

You would have passed a fuel station at the bottom of the Airport hill in Cork which sold fuel, beer sandwiches and had a leithreas also.

Are people really getting tunnel vision on a 2.25hour drive on the M8/7?

Stark · 20-07-2010 12:21am

I got a sense of passing through a tunnel sometime after junction 3 while heading back to Dublin. Freaky ****.

L1011 · 20-07-2010 6:54pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

You would have passed a fuel station at the bottom of the Airport hill in Cork which sold fuel, beer sandwiches and had a leithreas also.

Are people really getting tunnel vision on a 2.25hour drive on the M8/7?

Have you ever tried to get in to it coming from the Kinsale direction at rush hour? :eek:

But yes, its massive and obvious.

The Word Is Bor · 20-07-2010 10:46pm

MYOB wrote: »

Have you ever tried to get in to it coming from the Kinsale direction at rush hour? :eek:

But yes, its massive and obvious.

No right turn at the bottom of the Airport Hill. You have to go on a tour of the Magic Roundabout to get to that Topaz station.

DWCommuter · 21-07-2010 5:46pm

It wasn't until I was on the M8 that I realised time could go against me.

M8 motorway (general thread)

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