Garda Speed Trap Alert - Quincentenial Bridge

GerardKeating

KevR wrote: »

It's definitely a trap, rather than a visible presence. No doubt about it, they're out to make an easy few bob.

How is this not visible presence, the car was in plain sight.

Robbo

GerardKeating wrote: »

How is this not visible presence, the car was in plain sight.

An unmarked car, in the dark, parked on a traffic island. From a distance this could be taken for a broken down/abandoned ve-hick-le.

Captain Darling

kayos wrote: »

I was gonna post that but did not know if it was just rumor or fact so didnt. But any way thats what I had heard also.

Yeah, its a fact alright. My boss was at the inquest court hearing for another case the same day as that one. It was very sad, for all people involved. It was truly horrible.

bazjnr

KevR wrote: »

Sorry, but I honestly think they are taking the piss (for many different reasons) by having a speed trap on the Bridge - it's probably the safest road in the city for a start (with the high level of traffic and virtually no accidents).

I could make a list as long as my arm of other far less safe roads which they should be doing speed traps on instead of the bridge.

They need to cop on to themselves (no pun intended).

i can recall at least 3 fatal and serious injury collisions on the bridge in the last 2 years but i can't recall any on the circular road

KevR wrote: »

It's definitely a trap, rather than a visible presence. No doubt about it, they're out to make an easy few bob.

Have seen them doing speed checks on the bridge a few times in the last few weeks. But have never (not in the last few weeks or ever if I'm honest) seen them do any on the more dangerous roads in Galway

As for "they're out to make an easy few bob" you would swear that the guard was getting a percentage of the money for every speeder s/he detects. this is obviously not the case and i don't think any guard goes out thinking 'hmmm, i think i'll make a few quid for the central exchequer today'.

admittedly the Gardai are still a reactive rather proactive force when doing anything. and it is because of this you see them on the bridge- because people speed there and other people make complaints to the gardai about it.

regarding smaller roads it is meant to be part of the government's road safety strategy to have fixed camera sites in locations where a guard can simply not stand out safely to carry out a speed check or where it is impossible to stop a car safely without causing a collision. but the government have backtracked on this as they have on so many things.

bottom line is that if a motorist has a propensity to speed on the bridge they have the propensity to speed elsewhere. if they speed they are committing an offence. guards do not set the limits they enforce them

JohnCleary

There was another speed trap at the back entrance to Windsor Motors (on the dual carrageway) last week. Car was unmarked so you'd think it's just a car parked up/broken down

In fairness it's a 100kmph zone though, as opposed to the bridge which is only 50

KevR

cornbb wrote: »

I must completely disagree, there was a fatal accident on that bridge last year, and another fatal crash on a similarly designed stretch, and I think that road (along with all of the other 4 lane single carriageway roads in Galway) is very dangerous by design. People drive at too-high speeds because they have a false sense of security, being given 2 lanes in each direction, but there is no median to protect against crashes. This, along with the fact that there is no hard shoulder, gives zero margin for error. I have seen people do very stupid things on that bridge, including drivers who actually cross the central white line to overtake even though there are 2 lanes provided for them already :eek:

I do hate when the Gardai are out patrolling safe dual carriageways, its like shooting fish in a barrel, but I think that stretch of road is pretty dodgy.

I have always been of the opinion that the 4 lane single carriageways are not the safest of roads but I still think 80kmh would be a suitable speed limit (when you think of the millions of journeys made on our 4 lane single carriageway roads every year with the vast majority not keeping to the 50kmh limit and accidents are few and far between).

Ideally, when they were building these roads, they would have put in a central crash barrier and crash barriers on the edges (beside the road) of the footpaths on both sides.

Can't see them putting a central barrier on the bridge or any other 4 lane single carriageway where the 2 different directions are only separated by a white line because it would be extremely difficult to put in now. They could put in crash barriers on the footpaths which would prevent any cars mounting the footpath.

Could easily put in a central crash barrier on the Sean Mulvoy Rd and the Headford Rd along by Dunnes Terryland.

Zzippy

Wish the bacon had been there tonight, was just coming over the bridge doing about 60kmh, 3 cars overtook me doing at least 120, started weaving in and out of traffic too. Fuckin rally muppets.... :rolleyes:

KStaford

I use the road and bridge every day. I come into Galway at Briarhill so I use the n6 dual carriageway up to the N17 roundabout, then onto the headford road roundabout and onto the bridge until I get to the University.

I find it impossible to drive at 50kph. If I ever try, I am beeped at, overtaken, undertaken, flashed lights at etc. And in way I can understand the frustrations of those motorists. So I choose to drive at the same speed as everyone else which is normally 80-100kph. It just seems and feels an appropriate speed for that type of road.

The entire dualcarriageway is very safe and the speed limit should be raised to a reasonable level (not necessarily 100kph, perhaps 80). Its roads like the road out to Monivea, Athenry etc that are lethal. Twisty country roads with high speed limits and large volumes of traffic.

Muzzy

They were out at the bridge again tonight, it was a normal squad car this time.

It's a rally weekend in Galway, there is always a big Garda presence during these weekends.

It'll be back to normal after the Rally!

Madame Razz

kippy wrote: »

While I dont disagree with the fact that they should be doing speed traps in more obvious locations, there have been at least 2 major accidents on that section of road last year, one of which was a fatality.......as well as the mentioned one on Sean Mulvoy road.
That said I believe posting a warning about them is a good thing and may get most of us slowing down on the bridge "Just in case"

Kippy

It's all very well saying that the Gardaí should have speed traps along these two stretches of road because there have been two fatal accidents on them in the past two years. But can we keep in mind how those accidents actually happened???

The Gardaí cannot legislate for accidents like these, when people take it upon themselves to drive drunk/commit suicide/have a race on an icy road. Speed traps or a Garda presence would not have made any difference to these incidences. Those accidents were not due to the nature of the road but the nature of the drivers.

Doing for speed on the bridge is nothing but a revenue collecting exercise, but I would imagine given that it is the rally weekend that they're reasoning is twofold in this case(There were a serious amount of Boyracers around last night).

And anyway, is it not the case that one of the judges has an issue with them doing for speed on these road stretches?? That he throws the cases of this nature that are presented to him out of court on the basis that the speed limit is ludicrous??

kippy

Madame Razz wrote: »

It's all very well saying that the Gardaí should have speed traps along these two stretches of road because there have been two fatal accidents on them in the past two years. But can we keep in mind how those accidents actually happened???

The Gardaí cannot legislate for accidents like these, when people take it upon themselves to drive drunk/commit suicide/have a race on an icy road. Speed traps or a Garda presence would not have made any difference to these incidences. Those accidents were not due to the nature of the road but the nature of the drivers.

Doing for speed on the bridge is nothing but a revenue collecting exercise, but I would imagine given that it is the rally weekend that they're reasoning is twofold in this case(There were a serious amount of Boyracers around last night).

And anyway, is it not the case that one of the judges has an issue with them doing for speed on these road stretches?? That he throws the cases of this nature that are presented to him out of court on the basis that the speed limit is ludicrous??

I had forgotten about the rally weekend.

Of course the guards cant legislate for every road incident, however everything the set up checkpoints for is in relation to driver behaviour. Outside of the alleged suicide, the other two items you mention COULD possibly have been avoided IF the people involved expected a posibility of speed traps. Its not really a good thing to be saying, sure theres no point in checkpoints, checkpoints dont stop accidents.....its not the checkpoints that stop the accidents, its the drivers expectation of the possibility of a check point and the possible repercussions of getting caught.
I dont recall any judges throwing out cases of this nature because the speed limit was ludricous....surely this would have made the national papers?
Again, I aint agreeing with any of the set speed limits on these roads but the bottom line is these are the posted limits....if you dont wanna be a revenue generator stick within them,
Kippy

JohnCleary

Won't be many speed traps today (regardless of rally) - sure it's too wet and windy for the poor oul' Gardai to be out :pac:

Madame Razz

kippy wrote: »

I had forgotten about the rally weekend.

Of course the guards cant legislate for every road incident, however everything the set up checkpoints for is in relation to driver behaviour. Outside of the alleged suicide, the other two items you mention COULD possibly have been avoided IF the people involved expected a posibility of speed traps. Its not really a good thing to be saying, sure theres no point in checkpoints, checkpoints dont stop accidents.....its not the checkpoints that stop the accidents, its the drivers expectation of the possibility of a check point and the possible repercussions of getting caught.
I dont recall any judges throwing out cases of this nature because the speed limit was ludricous....surely this would have made the national papers?
Again, I aint agreeing with any of the set speed limits on these roads but the bottom line is these are the posted limits....if you dont wanna be a revenue generator stick within them,
Kippy

I take your point, however, I do not think people who have the mentality to race one another on an icy road in the rush hour morning traffic, or indeed people who have the audacity to drive drunk are too bothered or indeed concerned by the possibility of a checkpoint or repercussions of ANY sort, not just for themselves. No amount of Gardaí presence or actions will stop these types, and currenly legislation to curb the likes of these boyracers is not stringent or proactive enough, or at least there is too much bureaucratic red tape to implement what exists.

As regards the judge I believe he informed the Gardaí NOT to put cases of speeding offences committed in certain areas of the city, one being the quincenntenial bridge, before him, as he would be certain to throw such cases out. I do believe it made the advertiser or one of the local papers at the time.

Personally I have issue with the Guards fish in a barrel appraoch to speeding in this country. It IS a revenue collecting exercise whereby they actually have set targets and measures on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Speed traps are supposed to be an endeavour to make our roads safer, they should not be treated as a sales exercise. Targets and sales belong in the business realm;m surely the approach should be prevention, as opposed to antagonising drivers by way of speed traps. How many people have been caught by the Guards doing somehting like 54kmph in a 50km zone??? Will catching people like this save lives??? I don't think so.

The approach in this country is entirely wrong, and you can't necessarily blame the Gardaí for this. A simple offence means a ludicrous amount of paperwork on the Guards behalf, even IF the case may NEVER go beyond the superintendents desk. And it won't go beyond the Supers desk because of the laws which are in place in this country, and becuase of how the legal system operates.

So yet again, the justice system is to blame in all of this.

But don't expect the government to do anything about it; afterall, the country's quickly going down the toilet and they seem happy to sit back and watch:rolleyes:

Canada ftw methinks....;)

Bass Cadet

sgthighway wrote: »

I don't think its right to warn people about speed traps. The Gardai are trying to do their job and have peoples saftey at mind.

Good one Would that be the same reason why they have a speed trap on the safest stretch of road in the county (N6 @ Tom Hogans)?

If the Gardai really wanted to do their job right, they'd police roads that need policing and that have actually claimed lives due to excessive speed not safe, urban routes. There's only one obviously reason why they target safe, urban, busy routes

KevR

They're there again. Unmarked patrol car on the same traffic island at the Galway Shopping Centre RAB with speed gun pointing towards the bridge.

Galwaaygirl

I think dead right for telling ppl the guards are out with their speed guns. Its roads with inappropriately high speed limits that they should be policing.

I saw them parked on the roundabout between ballybane road and dublin road exits on the corrib hotel roundabout last Sunday. In all seriousness, it would be virtually impossible to speed on that road!

They are only out and about to see who's around for the rally and if they know anyone who might be trouble IMO

B00MSTICK

There was one on the road that links the "monaghans" roundabout to the "menlow park" roundabout, just thrown up on the grass on the side of the road.

If anyone says going over 50kph on that road is dangerous is insane.

KevR

B00MSTICK wrote: »

There was one on the road that links the "monaghans" roundabout to the "menlow park" roundabout, just thrown up on the grass on the side of the road.

If anyone says going over 50kph on that road is dangerous is insane.

Saw that aswell this evening.

What really makes me laugh is that I have only ever seen them out late in the evening or very early in the morning when the roads are pretty quiet. I have never seen them doing speed checks during the day when it's busy. Surely it's more dangerous to speed in heavy-ish traffic than on an empty road?! The thing is they know it would be impossible to enforce/catch anyone during the day because everyone breaks the 50kmh speed limit on the bridge and the road between the Menlo Park RAB & Tuam Rd RAB.

KevR

There was an unmarked gatso van (the new mobile speed camera vans they have) hidden behind a bush on the road between the Tuam Rd RAB and the Menlo Park RAB earlier tonight. I was driving slow (almost sure I wasn't over the limit), as was the car in front of me and the car behind me. There were 2 cars in the right hand lane going slightly faster (they might have been a bit over the limit but they weren't speeding/a danger to themselves or others).

Anyway the camera in the gatso van flashed someone. Could have been anyone really (there were 5 of us passing it at the same time) - hope to god it wasn't me.

When the camera flashed everyone jammed on their brakes (a bit late in the day after it had already flashed :rolleyes:) and the flash almost caused a pile up. :mad:

I'll be raging if I get a ticket for that - I couldn't possibly go any slower on that road without it being dangerously slow..

PS - I think I might take a different route home from work anymore. They have been on the N6 in the City an aweful lot lately in the evenings. Only a matter of time until they do me for being slightly over the limit on one of those 4 lane roads which have the stupidly low speed limits (if they haven't already that is).

Caliden

Bit of a tangent but when they are out at night and having the hand-held 'guns', do they take a picture of your reg or do they have to stop you and give you a ticket with that type?

Also is that type of gun different from the ones they have on the tripod stand?
Never fully understood how those are accurate at night and how they can read your registration

KevR

Caliden wrote: »

Bit of a tangent but when they are out at night and having the hand-held 'guns', do they take a picture of your reg or do they have to stop you and give you a ticket with that type?

Also is that type of gun different from the ones they have on the tripod stand?
Never fully understood how those are accurate at night and how they can read your registration

The hand held guns they have don't take your picture, they have to pull you over.

I think the ones on tri-pods might take a picture of your face and registration but I'm not too sure.

The new gatso vans take a picture of your face and a picture of your registration.

deargas

Ok,

This hits a sore point with me. I have never been caught for speeding but it really pisses me off.

The bridge, and the bypass going from menlo to the tuam road round about are incorrectly speed limited in my opinion.

At the very least, they should be 80km per hour. Everyone, and I mean everyone breaks the rediculous speed limits on these roads. to the people who say, increasing the speed limit is a risk to killing people on these roads, get real. I have travelled on shanty roads all around ireland with national speed limits, which are nigh on impossible to break, such is the condition of those roads.

Take for example on the way to bearna. You've got a 50km speed limit on the main road. Turn off onto any of the one-car-wide side roads, and guess what; the speed limit is increased to 80km. What a farce.

Who makes the decision on the speed limits for these roads. Oh yea, numpties.

who do we need to contact to get the daft speed limits increased on the bridge and other 'bypass type' duar carriageways.

corribdude

galwayrush wrote: »

I think it's good to warn people, it slows people down. Much better than hiding behind bushes which seems more like a money collection type stealth tax.If there is a visible presence, it will slow down everybody:cool:

Yes warning people slows them down for the 20 seconds it takes to pass the gardai and then its business as usual. And it is not feasible to have a 'visible presence' on every single road in Ireland. Hiding in the bushes as you call it is actually the best long term solution as once people get done a few times for speeding and the penalty points start racking up they tend to keep within the limits rather than risk speeding and eventually forfeiting their licences.

A garda hiding behind a wall with a speed camera would not have prevented that accident, merely caught them speeding on camera(if they were.) However , if a garda was visibly on duty there at the time, it would probably have prevented it.

The point of the gardai hiding behind a wall with a speed camera is not to prevent imminent accidents it is to bring down the overall death toll in the long term by hitting people in the pocket and giving them penalty points thereby reducing their speed all the time. I dont know why you keep talking about if the gardai had a visible presence it would prevent accidents, it is a pointless remark as it is completely impossible to have a visible presence on every single stretch of every single road which is what you would need if that was the method you were going to use bring down the death toll.

That said, I hate speed traps as much as anyone, the gardai, if they were prioritising reductions in road deaths over making money, should really be targetting the more dangerous smaller roads rather than the big safe ones with the unreasonably low speed limits.

deargas

So what are you saying then. Speed cameras = good or bad. You make an argument for both sides.

Personally, I can't stand the twat who is always ahead of me from athlone to galway doing 40mph. Can we give them slowness points.

Combine it with a 'running man' type scenario where if more than 10 cars are lined up behind someone and they don't yield, the car blows up and people can get back up to speed.

tonyhiggins

deargas wrote: »

Take for example on the way to bearna. You've got a 50km speed limit on the main road. Turn off onto any of the one-car-wide side roads, and guess what; the speed limit is increased to 80km. What a farce.

There's one on the road from Parkmore to Carnmore on the left-hand side that I always find hilarious too...

Malice

deargas wrote: »

Take for example on the way to bearna. You've got a 50km speed limit on the main road. Turn off onto any of the one-car-wide side roads, and guess what; the speed limit is increased to 80km.

This is so true! With the conversion from miles per hour to kilometres per hour I thought the opportunity would be taken to adjust the limits but no, they're still there.

Caliden

Has anyone noticed the stupid signs on the doughiska road near the service entrance into dunnes briarhill where the speed limit goes from 50km to 80km and then 100 yards down the road it goes back to 50km.

I had to laugh when I was getting driving lessons and it was pointed out to me.

Also the road from briarhill school to carnmore cross marked 60km is so retarded. That was the speed of the old road that used to be there that was an absolute deathtrap and it was never changed

Sconsey

malice_ wrote: »

This is so true! With the conversion from miles per hour to kilometres per hour I thought the opportunity would be taken to adjust the limits but no, they're still there.

I could be wrong here but I seem to remember there was a bit of politics played with assigning the new speed limits....I think if a back road is 80Km/h then it is deemed to be a 'major' route (or something like that) and different planning laws are applicable....means that people will/won't get planning permission for new houses. Or something like that, I could be way off of course but I wouldn't be surprised if that's why some old goat-track is 100Km/h.

snubbleste

Sconsey wrote: »

I could be wrong here but I seem to remember there was a bit of politics played with assigning the new speed limits....I think if a back road is 80Km/h then it is deemed to be a 'major' route (or something like that) and different planning laws are applicable....means that people will/won't get planning permission for new houses. Or something like that, I could be way off of course but I wouldn't be surprised if that's why some old goat-track is 100Km/h.

yeah, this is the reason why the coast road west to Carraroe is in the main 60kph. As a result it's one of the worst examples of ribbon development in the country.

Also i agree with speed checks everywhere. Sure if you're not exceeding the maximum permitted limit, you've nothing to worry about.

kayos

malice_ wrote: »

This is so true! With the conversion from miles per hour to kilometres per hour I thought the opportunity would be taken to adjust the limits but no, they're still there.

There was and it was left up to the local authorities to decide if they should apply for an increase. There was some explanation about the road from the Tuam Rd roundabout to the Headford one not getting increased given ages after but I forget the exact details. I think it was the fact there is footpaths there and residential area’s. Of course there was also the case where the woman was killed in an accident on that road also.

Caliden wrote: »

Also the road from briarhill school to carnmore cross marked 60km is so retarded. That was the speed of the old road that used to be there that was an absolute deathtrap and it was never changed

The residents along that road were looking for a decrease not so long ago. There are side roads off that road with an 80KPH limit which are a hell of a lot worse. Heck even the far side of Carnmore cross is worse and has an 80KPH limit.