Bizarre/Illegal things on motorways

Cookie_Monster

4-5 kids (15 or so I reckon) walking down the hard shoulder on the M50 southbound the other day.

JohnC.

Smcgie wrote: »

LOL! I'm a reckless maniac. Guess I picked the wrong forum to try and get my point across. I no its illegal but many have stopped for a wizz when its needed, for God's sake what are you supposed to do? It is an emergency.

It's not an emergency. An emergency is when your car breaks down. Going for a piss can wait at least until the next exit. They're never too far away. Stopping on a motorway is idiotic unless it is a real emergency. Stopping for a piss is laziness, not an emergency. If they can't hold it for about 15 minutes on that stretch of road, perhaps they should be using nappies.

Mr Magners

Smcgie wrote: »

Respectable and fair view, but you can imagine a group of lads not sure where the nearest parking is just stopping - Not "Parking".

Well then they get off the Motorway and do their slash at the top of an off ramp, easy peasy.

It's dangerous to do it where they did as it causes a distraction to other Motorway users.

I've only just read your post about H&S and wrapping things in cotton wool, but it's obeying the fairly straightforward ROTR that prevents accidents and loss of life. It's indicative of the ignorance of many Irish road users that the law is there "but sure I was busting for a pee so it's ok to break this one."

Smcgie

Kahless wrote: »

Stopping on a motorway is idiotic unless it is a real emergency.

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

Mr Magners

Smcgie wrote: »

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

And Irish roads today are full of idiots doing idiotic things, remember the video of the muppets from Nenagh?

Enough said methinks.

JohnC.

Smcgie wrote: »

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

Motorways are full of fast moving cars. The idiot who stops is also going to be an idiot who is joining a lane with 120kmh cars starting from a speed of 0. That is why slip roads work the way they do, so you don't have cars joining a motorway from a standing start. It's dangerous. But apparently saving lives is too PC for the likes of you.

Smcgie

Kahless wrote: »

Motorways are full of fast moving cars.

So are national roads.

The idiot who stops is also going to be an idiot who is joining a lane with 120km cars starting from a speed of 0

Same applies to national roads only 100km (well 110km;))

That is why slip roads work the way they do, so you don't have cars joining a motorway from a standing start.

I understand the purpose of a slip road.

It's dangerous.

I.Y.O - Not if you have a bit if cop on I.M.O

But apparently saving lives is too PC for the likes of you

I'm all for saving lives, but sometimes common sense has to come first instead of wrapping people up in cotton wool. If we were to abide by every law by the book then you'd be happy - that doesn't happen and wont happen.

The lads took a piss on the hard shoulder, its not bizarre. Im not disagreeing with what you say im only empashing other points based on a common scence approach. To call some idiotic for taking a wizz is a bit extreme.

Smcgie

Mr Magners wrote: »

And Irish roads today are full of idiots doing idiotic things, remember the video of the muppets from Nenagh?
Enough said methinks.

Yes buts its unfair to tar everyone with the same brush.

Mr Magners

Smcgie wrote: »

Yes buts its unfair to tar everyone with the same brush.

I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush as, thankfully, most people have a good sense of what's right and wrong on the road but it's the ones without this sense are the ones who'll do the damage.

Chances are that if 1,000 peolpe stop on the hard shoulder 999 of them will be fine but it's the one that isn't that will make the headlines and it's an easily preventable occurence.

maggy_thatcher

Smcgie wrote: »

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

It's not just crashing into you -- if a vehicle passes you by at ~120km/h (or a truck at 100km/h) while you're standing on the hard shoulder, they generate quite a lot of wind -- it's relatively easy to get blown over; potentially into oncoming traffic. When I see someone stopped on the hard shoulder, wherever possible, I'll pull out to the overtaking lane purely as a safety precaution (don't worry - I don't stay out there )...but (a) not everyone does this, and (b) it's not always possible.

Stopping on the hard shoulder is dangerous.

It's the same reason why bicycles aren't allowed onto Motorways.

zuroph

thread asks for "bizarre/illegal things on motorways". Someone reported seeing a car stopped on hard shoulder. Illegal.

"/" means "or".

Can we move on?

Smcgie

zuroph wrote: »

thread asks for "bizarre/illegal things on motorways". Can we move on?

Are you for real? Thats what we are discussing.

zuroph

Smcgie wrote: »

Are you for real? Thats what we are discussing.

yes, and the thing you're questioning is if it was bizarre/illegal.
it was.

KevR

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Spot the problem with AA Roadwatches update

*M6/GALWAY* Care is advised westbound on the M6 Dublin/Galway Rd at J18 Rathmorrissey due to debris partially blocking traffic.

I emailed AA Roadwatch pretty much as we were hitting the debris (I lift share and luckily wasn't driving that day so no damage to my car!). I said ".....debris on the M6 Westbound just after J17 (Athenry)....." and they somehow managed to derive my email into what you have above. When I saw their mistake I emailed again and explained, in detail, that J18 doesn't yet exist on the M6 and their information would cause confusion but they didn't bother correcting their error. :rolleyes:

marmurr1916

Smcgie wrote: »

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

Or they could be be having a heart attack, or have swerved to avoid a pedestrian on the motorway.

If some eejit hadn't parked their car on the hard shoulder to have a piss, then there wouldn't be any car to crash into.

If you want to risk your life, that's fine. But don't risk other people's lives just because you're too stupid and too lazy to drive an extra few kilometres to go for a piss.

zuroph

if a car gets a blow out is another reason. crash barriers are designed to bring the car to a safe stop and to limit the chance of further collisions. a big lump of metal in the hard shoulder would negate all that.

who_am_I?

Smcgie wrote: »

Why? Because someone could crash into you, there could be an accident? Cotton wool carry on. If a driver crashes into a stationary car on the side of the motorway then its he/she that is idiotic.

People loose concentration or fall asleep at the wheel all the time.
One evening I lost concentration on a long drive after a long days work, Cruise control was set, I was in the left lane just after Cashel heading north, Slow moving car ahead (80kph), Idiot on my right Boxing me in, going about 1kph faster than me, He had a convoy behind him.

I went to touch the brakes to slow down and overtake Granny at the back of the convoy, But I hit the clutch instead.
Confused & believing I had lost brakes swerved onto the hard-shoulder to miss the car in front of me.
BTW, The Passat I drive has the stupid electric handbrake, that was not an option to use.

Luckly there was no-one taking a piss on the hard-shoulder. They would have made a mess on my bumper.

marmurr1916

zuroph wrote: »

if a car gets a blow out is another reason. crash barriers are designed to bring the car to a safe stop and to limit the chance of further collisions. a big lump of metal in the hard shoulder would negate all that.

Imagine if that big lump of metal had children in it, and the vehicle suffering the blow out was a truck, an even bigger lump of metal.

who_am_I?

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Imagine if that big lump of metal had children in it, and the vehicle suffering the blow out was a truck, an even bigger lump of metal.

Happens a lot, you cannot drive 10 k without seeing a shredded tyre at the side of the motorway.

corktina

Can I just point out how distasteful and unnecessary stopping for a P at the side of the road is anywhere...(In some countries, it's a Public Order Offence with a fine attached.) Its not the 1980s, theres loads of places with Loos avaialble now within 15 minutes of the need becoming apparent.

senordingdong

Agreed.

If someone can't figure out to go to the toilet before they leave, then they shouldn't be driving on a motorway.

veryangryman

senordingdong wrote: »

Agreed.

If someone can't figure out to go to the toilet before they leave, then they shouldn't be driving on a motorway.

+1000

Use the old roads if your bladder cant handle the heat

Mr Magners

Bit of a story here.

M7 yesterday evening southbound. 07 C Landcruiser in the overtaking lane @ 110kph, driver on the phone (I could see him in his side mirror), gave a flash of the lights and no move, gave a second flash still no move. At this stage a woman in a Focus passed both of us on the inside. I don't do that unless absolutley essential (I could count on one hand the number of times I've done it)

Anyway, waited till there was a gap in the driving lane and gave one more flash for him to move which he didn't so I moved to pass on the inside and of course he accelerated not letting me pass so I was stuck and had to move behind him again.

Waited my time until there was a lot of free space in the driving lane and went to pass on the inside again and got past him. I moved back in to the overtaking lane and, of course, he passes me on the inside, stares out the window at me, gives me the finger and pulls in front of me and slows down again.

I let him away from me (which I probably should have done earlier) and took my phone out of my pocket to phone Trafficwatch(which I can do when phoning the guards).

Next thing I see the rear seat passenger turning with a mobile in his hand and taking video of me:eek:. I can only assume he thought that's what I was doing when he saw me with my phone in my hand (which I absolutley wasn't)

Reported to Trafficwatch with reg and details of location etc and I've heard nothing since.

Now a few points

I know I shouldn't heave engaged with him
I know I shouldn't have tried to undertake

I don't get intimidated easily but I was quite shaken after this, particularly as there was 3 of them in the LC:eek:

What should I have done, any advice in a case like this? Anyone have any other incidents like this.

This may warrant a new thread on road rage incidents but as it happened on a motorway I figured this was the place to put it. Mods can move if necessary.

Zubeneschamali

Mr Magners wrote: »

What should I have done

I have been known to do most of what you did, life's too short to sit behind these guys forever, but:

You shouldn't have pulled back out into the overtaking lane in front of him. That's just asking for trouble.

If you are going to undertake a guy, get past and keep going at a decent pace in the driving lane. If you get 100 meters past him before slowing to a cruise, he'll usually give up. If you muck about pulling back into the overtaking lane in front of him while the driving lane is empty, you are definitely going to aggravate him.

Mr Magners

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

I have been known to do most of what you did, life's too short to sit behind these guys forever, but:

You shouldn't have pulled back out into the overtaking lane in front of him. That's just asking for trouble.

If you are going to undertake a guy, get past and keep going at a decent pace in the driving lane. If you get 100 meters past him before slowing to a cruise, he'll usually give up. If you muck about pulling back into the overtaking lane in front of him while the driving lane is empty, you are definitely going to aggravate him.

Yeah I agree, but he was accelerating all the time and he had a lot more power than I did, think I caught him on the hop to get past him. If I'd stayed in the driving lane he would have passed me again and back to square one.

But yeah it did aggravate him, he just had a serious power advantage over me.

marmurr1916

Mr Magners wrote: »

Bit of a story here.

M7 yesterday evening southbound. 07 C Landcruiser in the overtaking lane @ 110kph, driver on the phone (I could see him in his side mirror), gave a flash of the lights and no move, gave a second flash still no move. At this stage a woman in a Focus passed both of us on the inside. I don't do that unless absolutley essential (I could count on one hand the number of times I've done it)

I don't see a problem with moving into that lane and driving at the speed limit.

Does driving at the speed limit count as undertaking?

Mr Magners wrote: »

Anyway, waited till there was a gap in the driving lane and gave one more flash for him to move which he didn't so I moved to pass on the inside and of course he accelerated not letting me pass so I was stuck and had to move behind him again.

Waited my time until there was a lot of free space in the driving lane and went to pass on the inside again and got past him. I moved back in to the overtaking lane and, of course, he passes me on the inside, stares out the window at me, gives me the finger and pulls in front of me and slows down again.

So basically he illegally undertook you, then illegally impeded your progress (and the progress of anyone behind you), while at the same time concentrating on annoying you rather than on driving, which clearly means he was driving carelessly.

Mr Magners wrote: »

I let him away from me (which I probably should have done earlier) and took my phone out of my pocket to phone Trafficwatch(which I can do when phoning the guards).

Next thing I see the rear seat passenger turning with a mobile in his hand and taking video of me:eek:. I can only assume he thought that's what I was doing when he saw me with my phone in my hand (which I absolutley wasn't)

I wouldn't worry about any video footage. The driver and his mates are quite clearly ignorant gob****es who'll eventually get their just desserts.

Mr Magners wrote: »

I know I shouldn't have tried to undertake

Moving into the left lane and driving at the speed limit is not undertaking.

Mr Magners wrote: »

What should I have done, any advice in a case like this? Anyone have any other incidents like this.

Nothing you can do. Just wait till the asshole is gone, and hope that he tries the same stunt with an unmarked garda car one day...

kiwipower

kiwipower wrote: »

I am sick to my back TEETH!!! More tractors and now a digger on the M7!!!!
I saw one yesterday morning driving from the M20 exit to the Foynes/Dock road exit!
Coming home last night there was one driving in the opposite direction up from the Foynes/Dock Rd towards the M20 exit!
Then this morning I was stuck, ina major Hail shower trying to get on to the M7 East bound, behind a Tractor and a Digger driving up the slip road, on to the M7! Then in poor visibility crossing over the slip lane from Roxborro on to the M7 North bound!

Why are they getting away with this??????

A person I was just talking to was claiming that newer Tractors that can do higher speeds are actually allowed on the motorways!!!??? Cause the can travel almost as fast as a car?????????

limklad wrote: »

M20 does not reach the Foynes road/Dock road N69 as it stops at the Rosbrien Interchange. It is the N18 national 100kph road that intersect with the N69 and it meets M20/M7 at Rosbrien Interchange. As you stated the Tractor and a Digger enter the N18 from Roxborro and head North to the Dock road had a legal right to as it not a Motorway. If you see the colour of the signs of that stretch is all National route Green and not Motorway blue. You need to re read the Rules of the road for correct sign usage.
http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/understanding-traffic-signs/index.html

Hi,
Appologies, my earlier rant/post appears to have caused confusion. The tractor and digger acceced the M7 eastbound at the Rosbrien interchange from the M20 not the Roxborro slip road, there by driving on two motorways.
I have actually attempted to access the rules of the road website since the 11.11.10 but the site appears down. As such I have just emailed the RSA asking for clarification about tractors on the motorway.
What I dont understand is Why would drivers of agricultural and construction vehicles want to drive on the motorways?

aniascor

I was thinking of this thread on my way home this evening when I saw a girl cycling on the m1 between the m50 and airport junctions. Talk about taking her life in her hands!! What an idiot!

To make matters worse, although she did have a light on her bike she didn't seem to have any reflective gear on. It was very difficult to see her in the fading light.

mackerski

marmurr1916 wrote: »

Does driving at the speed limit count as undertaking?

Find a good driving school and pay them some money to teach you the answer to that question. Then and only then have you any business complaining about the driving of others.

V480

corktina wrote: »

Can I just point out how distasteful and unnecessary stopping for a P at the side of the road is anywhere...(In some countries, it's a Public Order Offence with a fine attached.) Its not the 1980s, theres loads of places with Loos avaialble now within 15 minutes of the need becoming apparent.

Nonsense. We must be the worst country in Europe when it comes to providing that kind of thing. The whole way from Cork to Dublin on the motorway and there is not one place to stop for a p!ss, and I dont mean pulling in to some bloody filling station or McDonalds in a town off the motorway I mean proper toilet faciliities meant for drivers using the motorways. If you go to France you will see these everywhere and they are kept impeccably clean too.