Bizarre/Illegal things on motorways

L1011

The gates often open on to a small laneway nowhere near the old N6 - the motorway is heavily offline.

antoobrien

flazio wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there 'Emergency Services Only' gates on both sides of the M6 plaza? Wouldn't it help things durin that accident clearance to close the motorway at the exit before (Ballinasloe for West bound, Loughrea(ish) for East bound), and let the traffic already there out the gates to the old N6?

Those gates are to allow the emergency services to avoid having to get off at Loughrea or Ballinasloe to get to places like Cappatagle that are roughly half way between, and also allow access in cases like this where the road may have been blocked. They open up onto local roads, which like most local roads around the country are not suited to large scale traffic (for any period of time).

Robbo

Interesting judgment in the High Court recently in relation to an incident on the M6 near Rochfortbridge.

TL;DR Version: Party hire a bus to take them to a GAA match, drink ensues, they pressgang the driver into stopping on the hard shoulder for a slash, one gets left behind, wanders into the overtaking lane and gets collected by a car. Judge rules in favour of common sense.

Another thing touched upon was the issue of full beams where there's a concrete median barrier.

hmmm

Robbo wrote: »

Another thing touched upon was the issue of full beams where there's a concrete median barrier.

That's an interesting read. The lady who hit the man had to justify to the judge why she was driving on dipped headlamps which sounds extraordinary. Poor misfortunate lady must have got a terrible shock when he appeared in the middle of the motorway.

MadsL

Looks like he was looking out for anyone to sue - suprised he didn't cite the NRA for failing to provide services.

While I'm here; Almera in front of me starts weaving in the middle lane of the M50, I get round it by overtaking in Lane 3. As I pass I see the woman driving has something in her lap, I pull back in left and move to Lane 1 and slow down so that I can take another look as she passes me. I'm gobsmacked - it is a new-born baby she is cradling whilst driving.

I pull up behind her and get the numberplate, then pull off to call the guards. They eventually show up at her house and call to ask me would I like to proceed with a prosecution; I decline at that stage (I'm suprised that they want to prosecute not having caught her themselves) and say "Just tell her to cop the f*** on".

zuroph

judge refers to it as a "fast lane"


what was she doing in the overtaking lane though, with no traffic ahead of her?

Robbo

zuroph wrote: »

judge refers to it as a "fast lane"


what was she doing in the overtaking lane though, with no traffic ahead of her?

He also refers to it as the N6 motorway, was the accident (Nov 11th 2007) during the period when that stretch was very new and hadn't attained motorway status?

dubhthach

That's so good I forward it on to my old man who had to deal with similiar ****e back in the day.

that road didn't become a motorway until July 2008 from a legal status point of view. Probably why ye wan was stressing that she was driving at 90-100km/h at the time.

L1011

Robbo wrote: »

Interesting judgment in the High Court recently in relation to an incident on the M6 near Rochfortbridge.

That judge may have set a very interesting legal precedent for potential dangerous driving cases, namely that the expectation to 'drive at a speed that allows you to stop within a distance you can see' isn't reasonable as negligent driving on a motorway...

In this case its because said speed would be about 50km/h but the argument could hold for higher speeds.

However, common sense definitely did prevail on a lot of matters there. Yer man's case was soundly deconstructed.

pigtown

On my three minute journey from J29 Ballysimon to J28 Annacotty on the M7 I passed a minibus and two cars pulled in (seperately) at the side of the road as well as a cyclist. Found myself hoping they would all be hit and then feeling bad for thinking like that.

transylman

On the N/M18 between Shannon and Limerick, your first indication that works are going on will be the sudden appearance of traffic cones blocking off one of the lanes. No warning signs, no flashing lights, nothing. Happened a couple of times recently, and if they keep doing it it will only be a matter of time before there is an accident.

Wild Bill

MYOB wrote: »

That judge may have set a very interesting legal precedent for potential dangerous driving cases, namely that the expectation to 'drive at a speed that allows you to stop within a distance you can see' isn't reasonable as negligent driving on a motorway...

In this case its because said speed would be about 50km/h but the argument could hold for higher speeds.

However, common sense definitely did prevail on a lot of matters there. Yer man's case was soundly deconstructed.

Shows what an ass the law is! (Even according to the judge)

If all the rules were to be obeyed, then on wet nights, cars on motorways might have to travel at walking speed.

On dry nights they could speed up to a near jog :cool:

marmurr1916

dubhthach wrote: »

That's so good I forward it on to my old man who had to deal with similiar ****e back in the day.

that road didn't become a motorway until July 2008 from a legal status point of view. Probably why ye wan was stressing that she was driving at 90-100km/h at the time.

If it wasn't a motorway, then there was no breach of the law when the bus pulled over.

cargo

zuroph wrote: »

judge refers to it as a "fast lane"


what was she doing in the overtaking lane though, with no traffic ahead of her?

Can't read it again at the minute but if I remember correctly she wad in the correct lane I.e. driving lane because the judge pointed out you would never expect someone to run into your path from the "fast lane" indicating that she was in the driving lane

cargo

zuroph wrote: »

judge refers to it as a "fast lane"


what was she doing in the overtaking lane though, with no traffic ahead of her?

Can't read it again at the minute but if I remember correctly she wad in the correct lane I.e. driving lane because the judge pointed out you would never expect someone to run into your path from the "fast lane" indicating that she was in the driving lane

Victor

Robbo wrote: »

He also refers to it as the N6 motorway, was the accident (Nov 11th 2007) during the period when that stretch was very new and hadn't attained motorway status?

Legally it is still the N6, just signed M6.

Irish and Proud

Victor wrote: »

Legally it is still the N6, just signed M6.

I'd say it's the N6(M) in legal terms - just like the A1(M) sections in England (not to be confused with the M1 London to Leeds Motorway). I remember seeing a reference to the Portlaoise Bypass as the N7(M) on a map shortly before it opened.

Regards!

etchyed

Irish and Proud wrote: »

I'd say it's the N6(M) in legal terms

You can say that all you like, but you'd be wrong. It's a nice way of explaining it but no such "legal terms" as N6(M) exist in Irish law.

Wild Bill

etchyed wrote: »

You can say that all you like, but you'd be wrong.

hmmmm.....

That's a bit sweeping!

MarkR

I met some fool driving the wrong way on the N18 yesterday evening during rush hour. Pitch black and I see head lights coming towards me. Luckily I'd just come out of the overtaking lane.

Around here.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.701744,-8.83275&spn=0.007528,0.021136&hnear=Ballycasey+Manor,+Shannon,+County+Clare,+Ireland&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.702325,-8.833058&panoid=brxeG-1PqTMEdXZ1YCgVqw&cbp=12,0,,0,0

etchyed

Wild Bill wrote: »

hmmmm.....

That's a bit sweeping!

How so?

donal.hunt

Encountered an idiot on foot in the middle of lane 1 of the M4 last night trying to flag down a car (pretty much at the slip for exit 9 eastbound).

At first we thought he was drunk but as we got closer to where he was it looked like he had crashed his car and there could be someone injured.

Anyway, had to slow down dramatically (it is 120kph along there) and jink left to avoid him. Decided to pull in and find out what the issue was...

And what do you think this issue was?
His car had died while driving, his phone had died and he needed help to push his car in attempt to get it going again (he thought it was a dead battery)...

* sigh *

I refused to push his car considering the location and called the local garda station as he was being a danger to himself and then managed to track down who he was insured with and called their breakdown assistance folk who came and towed him. He spoke next to no english so trying to help him was hard.

According to the roadside assistance folk, it looks like his alternator or starter motor was gone...



Big thanks to the Enfield-based garda who drove all the way to Kinnigad and back again to check on the situation and the agent (think it was 123.ie or RSA Breakdown) who organised the tow truck for the idiot.

His car had died while driving, his phone had died and he needed help to push his car in attempt to get it going again (he thought it was a dead battery)...

What was wrong with the emergency phones, they're placed every mile along there!

donal.hunt

Deleted User wrote: »

What was wrong with the emergency phones, they're placed every mile along there!

He wasn't aware of their existence and didn't understand when I suggested he use them.

One thing I realised from the experience is that very few people keep information about their road side assistance in their car and a specific information sheet about what to do in the case of a breakdown could be provided when people take out breakdown cover / renew their insurance (for placement in their glove box). There's good info on the various insurer's website but that may not be accessible if your phone is dead / you have no 2g/3g coverage. Providing the information in the language of the insured's choice would also be advantageous.

miller50841

liammur wrote: »

These guys shouldn't be allowed on any road imo. Very dangerous and there must be an element of cruelty involved. I'm not sure however if it's a good idea to put his photo up on the internet if you didn't receive permission.

Anybody can take photo in a public place nothing you can do about it.
It only works that way for criminals that want their face blocked.

JupiterKid

Detective Garda in court hearing over crashing an unmarked Garda car on the M50 and leaving the scene after watching a rugby match with colleagues in a pub.

The passenger of the other vehicle in the collision testified that the Garda has a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.

Article here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0201/breaking52.html?via=mr

L1011

JOGGERS on the "cyclist" section of the M8 yesterday. Jogging southbound in the northbound hard shoulder.

Phoned in to Glanmire...

Wild Bill

MYOB wrote: »

the "cyclist" section of the M8

celticbest

11 LH Reg E220 Coupe doing 90Km/h in lane 3 for the whole length of the M50..... :mad:

Stuck behind him the whole way as it is illegal to undertake, that's twice this week I seen the same driver doing this, I will take a picture next week if I get the chance.......

Robbo

Woman remanded over M50 begging