Go slow on Tramore Road

looksee

Has anyone else noticed how many very slow drivers there are recently on the country section of the Tramore Road? I don't mean people sticking to the speed limit, I am talking about drivers doing 50 or 60 kph in the 80 stretch. There are only a couple of places where you can safely overtake, especially when there is a trail of cars behind the dawdler. I followed one person doing very variable speeds but down to 40 at times, then he got onto the 60 kph city section and 'zipped in' at 70.

I have been driving this road regularly for years and it is definitely worse than usual recently. If its the Gatso vans, and I suspect it could be, well they are not doing anyone any favours slowing traffic to that extent, it will lead to dangerous overtaking.

ex_infantry man

looksee wrote: »

Has anyone else noticed how many very slow drivers there are recently on the country section of the Tramore Road? I don't mean people sticking to the speed limit, I am talking about drivers doing 50 or 60 kph in the 80 stretch. There are only a couple of places where you can safely overtake, especially when there is a trail of cars behind the dawdler. I followed one person doing very variable speeds but down to 40 at times, then he got onto the 60 kph city section and 'zipped in' at 70.

I have been driving this road regularly for years and it is definitely worse than usual recently. If its the Gatso vans, and I suspect it could be, well they are not doing anyone any favours slowing traffic to that extent, it will lead to dangerous overtaking.

ya can say that again, it annoys the fcuk outta me, create's road rage in me in fact, so i take the back road as its quicker

Faq

very samething happen to me guy in frount of me going very slow like 50-60 then just before the first round about in Tramore he floored it didn't make much sence i think if you want to drive that slow pull in enough for others to over take

ex_infantry man

Faq wrote: »

very samething happen to me guy in frount of me going very slow like 50-60 then just before the first round about in Tramore he floored it didn't make much sence i think if you want to drive that slow pull in enough for others to over take

well said, i think they should be done for impeding the flow of traffic

Professey Chin

Id say a lot is down to the Gatso vans alright (besides the usual old person/micra combination -_-)
So many places for them to hide along that road.

Sashiee

the back road is usually a lot safer, less traffic, and being from there i can tell you the speed vans are only on the road on a sat night from 6pm - 6am.

Guramoogah

The main Tramore to Waterford road used to be one of the fastest roads in Ireland. Seriously, it used to be like a goddamn racetrack. Golf GTi drivers racing side-by-side, overtaking other traffic at every available space. The main straight at Katie Reilly's was usually taken at full trottle. As for the downhill straight at Robin Hill (when heading towards Tramore), that used to be mental. I've seen cars racing each other where one guy would overtake a slower "normal" car and his pursuer would pass the same car at the same time on the inside.

These days, the main Waterford to Tramore road is probably one of the slowest and boring drives in Ireland. Safer? Nah, the frustration of driving behind some of those Micras would probably make your blood boil.

allthedoyles

There are at least 11 headstones on that stretch and here they are :

http://www.irishroadside.com/tramore.htm

Sully

Sashiee wrote: »

the back road is usually a lot safer, less traffic, and being from there i can tell you the speed vans are only on the road on a sat night from 6pm - 6am.

Iv never seen a speed van on the back road at all and iv seen them on the main road outside of those hours in various locations.

Sully

allthedoyles wrote: »

There are at least 11 headstones on that stretch and here they are :

http://www.irishroadside.com/tramore.htm

I assumed always that was down to the poor road tbh, there have been great investments since the 90s tbh. Only a couple than after that, 2001 being the latest

honeybadger

its all too easy to rack up points on your licence over these new speed vans unless you know there particular where about spots they tend to haunt and will catch you first time unless ya know about them ,the people who are driving slow probally have a good reason too cause of this ,,,totally unfair system , fine the people ok thats fair but dont fook up or take there licence off them for something so minor as 56 in a 50 zone like with the points system,its pure misery on people who are under enough pressure as it is at the moment :mad:

Creamsoda

allthedoyles wrote: »

There are at least 11 headstones on that stretch and here they are :

http://www.irishroadside.com/tramore.htm

Its scary when you look at the ages of the majority of them is teens and early twenties.

200motels

I think a lot of people are missing the point of speed limits, just because it's 80 kph it doesn't mean you have to try and reach that speed, if someone is doing 60 kph on that road it's because that's the speed they feel comfortable doing, the speed limit on any road is not a goal to aim for and the sooner people get that the safer our roads will be.

hardybuck

200motels wrote: »

I think a lot of people are missing the point of speed limits, just because it's 80 kph it doesn't mean you have to try and reach that speed, if someone is doing 60 kph on that road it's because that's the speed they feel comfortable doing, the speed limit on any road is not a goal to aim for and the sooner people get that the safer our roads will be.

Going too slow on a road can be equally dangerous as going moderatly over the speed limit. I've known people who've been pulled over by the Gardai for doing so, and it will also see you docked points in your Driving Test.

Benimar

I have to say, this road is doing my head in. I travel it every day and there is always someone on it slowing everyone down. It's those doing 50-55kph that really get me. As the OP says, they drive at this speed regardless of the limit, so when they hit the city they are actually 'speeding' but don't slow down.

It's ok to say they are within their rights to go this slow, but I see driving at the same speed regardless of limit/quality of road as pure bad driving. There is often a string of traffic behind them (10-15 cars) but they just meander along with no regard to the backlog they are creating.

Also, the limit on the majority of the Tramore Road is 80kph..just because you see the Gatso van doesn't mean you have to slow down to 50kph, you are entitled to keep your speed once you don't exceed 80kph!! (Why do people doing 60 feel the need to brake when the see the Van??)

Also, FWIW, I don't exceed 80kph, but was always informed when learning to drive (by qualified instructors) that your speed should 'keep up with the flow of traffic' and not hinder it.

wellboytoo

200motels wrote: »

I think a lot of people are missing the point of speed limits, just because it's 80 kph it doesn't mean you have to try and reach that speed, if someone is doing 60 kph on that road it's because that's the speed they feel comfortable doing, the speed limit on any road is not a goal to aim for and the sooner people get that the safer our roads will be.

Correct to a point but only to a point, you can be a danger to traffic if you are travelling too slow and charged with an offence accordingly,if I am driving a truck fully loaded at say 80kph along a road coming to a blind corner and you are driving at 40 kph in tha same direction , because "you are comfortable with it" we are going to possibly meet by accident because you are driving too slow!

wellboytoo

As a by the way, I travel that road several times a day and have never seen a gatso van on the City end of the road which is a ridiculous 60 kph, which is so low a speed on a perfectly good road as to bring speed limits into disrepute and make the breaking of them acceptable.
Which is counter productive in the first place, my point being speed limits have to be seen as sensible for them to be enforceable.

200motels

wellboytoo wrote: »

200motels wrote: »

I think a lot of people are missing the point of speed limits, just because it's 80 kph it doesn't mean you have to try and reach that speed, if someone is doing 60 kph on that road it's because that's the speed they feel comfortable doing, the speed limit on any road is not a goal to aim for and the sooner people get that the safer our roads will be.

Correct to a point but only to a point, you can be a danger to traffic if you are travelling too slow and charged with an offence accordingly,if I am driving a truck fully loaded at say 80kph along a road coming to a blind corner and you are driving at 40 kph in tha same direction , because "you are comfortable with it" we are going to possibly meet by accident because you are driving too slow!

If you notice I did not say 40 kph I said 60, I agree 40 would be too slow and could cause an accident.

Odats

Travel the road every week for doctors visit and the Gatso van or the Gardai are always on it. They pulled a fella over on the way back into town today and last week when I went out they were checking seat belts and T&I.

I think a combination of all this leads to people being extra cautious on the road.

Sully

I don't mind people traveling at their own pace, but if you start to see a backlog of cars behind you, people trying to overtake you or indeed several cars actually passing you out - than move into the hard shoulder, or at least more to the shoulder rather than the far right of the road.

Professey Chin

200motels wrote: »

I think a lot of people are missing the point of speed limits, just because it's 80 kph it doesn't mean you have to try and reach that speed, if someone is doing 60 kph on that road it's because that's the speed they feel comfortable doing, the speed limit on any road is not a goal to aim for and the sooner people get that the safer our roads will be.

Every instructor and responsible driver will tell you to aim for the limit when conditions allow. If you can't control your car at around 80kph on a good main road in good conditions then frankly you shouldnt be driving.

rasper

Sully wrote: »

I don't mind people traveling at their own pace, but if you start to see a backlog of cars behind you, people trying to overtake you or indeed several cars actually passing you out - than move into the hard shoulder, or at least more to the shoulder rather than the far right of the road.

don't believe its legal to move into and drive on the hard shoulder

looksee

It is a requirement of the rules of the road to 'make reasonable progress'.

Sully

rasper wrote: »

don't believe its legal to move into and drive on the hard shoulder

Don't think there is any law against that. It applies to trucks on motorways afaik.

http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/answers.html Q7 suggests its okay as long as the line is broken.

Ellie1984

I consider it arrogance borderline patronising going considerably slower than the speed limit. While I accept that someone might not be feeling comfortable going at the limit, they should at least try and facilitate the other cars attempts to overtake.
Slowing down when spotting a speed camera if you're already 20k/h below the limit is definitely not gonna get you a medal, as when the speed is 80, doing 50 or 79 is equally not gonna get you a fine.
Having said that people that are complaining about the Tramore road should try the Clonmel road for a week. It will change their whole perspective on the matter.

Sully

With all the talk about speed checks and garda checks on the road - im just back and got the usual flashing of car lights. Didn't see a GoSafe van but there in the petrol station as you enter Tramore, in the car wash, was an unmarked squad car. Been a while since I saw them there!

Professey Chin

Sully wrote: »

With all the talk about speed checks and garda checks on the road - im just back and got the usual flashing of car lights. Didn't see a GoSafe van but there in the petrol station as you enter Tramore, in the car wash, was an unmarked squad car. Been a while since I saw them there!

Seen them there a good few times recently. Nice place to be around where the limit changes

deisemum

The Great Chinholio wrote: »

Seen them there a good few times recently. Nice place to be around where the limit changes

Most times that I've seen the gatso vans they were usually parked up where the speed limit changes and not just on the Tramore Road.

There was a farmer prosecuted in Mayo a while back for driving his tractor too slow and failing to pull in when he had a number of opportunities to do so. Judge called it arrogance and he was disqualified for driving his tractor for a year.

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6475&Itemid=38

Cabaal

deisemum wrote: »

There was a farmer prosecuted in Mayo a while back for driving his tractor too slow and failing to pull in when he had a number of opportunities to do so. Judge called it arrogance and he was disqualified for driving his tractor for a year.

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6475&Itemid=38

Indeed there was, he was driving 20km/hour with a 20foot trailer and about 20 cars behind in him narrow roads (people can't overtake due to road and length of trailer etc),

Its not really the same thing as 60 or 50km/hour on a wide road that has a number of opportunity's to overtake, so in all honestly I can't see the Gardai pursuing it to court.