I hate the M50 [Warning post #222]

duffman3833

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

Actually, yes. Essentially what you are saying is that everyone else was doing it, so I had to.

Maybe if one person at a time just started to observe the rules of the road and pull in, these tailbacks would eventually subside. It has to start somewhere.

The fact that you automatically think of it as a "fast lane" says a lot though.

So your judging my driving on words i use to describe the lane im in, am i not allowed to use it to over take people doing less than 100kmh? Its the only reason i use it. I never speed on m50 due to so many undercover (May not be using correct term for these) Guards always on it. Seen one pulling over a car on way home that day. But i was in the Overtaking lane or whatever you wish to refer it as, when traffic started to slow down and stop and i couldn't move back in so i was stuck in it

deathtocaptcha

forget the M50... people complaining about the M50 clearly never have to drive out the Naas Road... guaranteed standstill at peak times in only 2 lanes of traffic...

OldMrBrennan83

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zl1whqvjs75cdy

I think a relatively easy fix to make the M50 a bit safer would be to put in cones/barriers at some of the more popular exists to stop people trying to exit at the last minute. You could start at the N7 exit and the N4 exit. Put plastic bollards between the leftmost lane and the neighboring lane for a mile or two back from the exit. It'd stop gob****es doing the old three lane shuffle at the last minute.

Ally Dick

I refuse to use that hell road unless I have to. I used it every day for 8 years until I lost my job. I'm looking for work at the minute and determined that whatever I get won't involve that road. It's cursed, and has become untenable for me to use. A crash a day at least and queuing all the time because of the sheer volume. To hell with that. And having to pay to queue for hours too. That sticks in my gut

Keyzer

beauf wrote: »

Don't agree. The standard of driving is at an all time low all over Dublin but its especially bad on the M50. I've never seen, heard of so many accidents on it ever before. Its gone from one major hold up a week to one a day and now a few a day. The N3 at Blanch is similar.

Its everywhere to be honest. The level of aggression on the roads is terrible. Even driving on normals roads people are driving up your @rse. I'm becoming more nervous on roundabouts because most of the time it looks like drivers coming up to join the roundabout aren't even going to stop and then jam on the brakes at the last minute.

Worst experience I had on the M50 in this regard was a couple of years back driving home from Sandyford on a winters night in torrential rain. I ended up getting stuck in the right hand lane and was trying to get out. Not good enough for johnny big balls behind me who flashed his lights, drove up my hole and beeped me constantly. Absolutely unnecessary given the weather conditions and due to the fact that the furthest he would get ahead would be a car's length as it was back to back.

beauf

True.

Lack of enforcement and convictions I assume.

An accident as a big impact on the M50 in terms of delays though. As there is no way off. They also seem very slow at clearing accidents. Which compounds it.

ohnonotgmail

Maybe somebody can clear something up for me regarding motorways. If two cars tip off each other and cause minor or no damage should they not be pulling to the hard shoulder to sort it out? why do people insist on stopping in a driving lane and obstruct the traffic coming behind them? I'm on the M50 every day and the number of clowns who do this is ridiculous. Major tailbacks caused by the most minor of tips.

duffman3833

I think you should be charged for the distance you travel on it, if you use the full length of m50 pay the 6.20 or if you use half of it pay 3.10 or something along those lines but then again how could you implement this? Have the camera system at entrance and exit of motorway and each exit in between?? may be a costly expense at first but would be paid back in no time, this means they are getting some money from every car. But when you go and pay, how do you know how much to pay. I think the m50 needs to be thought through a bit more, there are options, but what are the best options?

Muahahaha

Keyzer wrote: »

Its everywhere to be honest. The level of aggression on the roads is terrible. Even driving on normals roads people are driving up your @rse. I'm becoming more nervous on roundabouts because most of the time it looks like drivers coming up to join the roundabout aren't even going to stop and then jam on the brakes at the last minute.

Worst experience I had on the M50 in this regard was a couple of years back driving home from Sandyford on a winters night in torrential rain. I ended up getting stuck in the right hand lane and was trying to get out. Not good enough for johnny big balls behind me who flashed his lights, drove up my hole and beeped me constantly. Absolutely unnecessary given the weather conditions and due to the fact that the furthest he would get ahead would be a car's length as it was back to back.

Agree with this, especially with the amount of people approaching roundabouts and slamming their brakes at the last minute and then usually over shooting the line. I'm on a motorbike and this type of aggressive driving is one of my pet hates because when you're on a bike the natural instinct is to take evasive action if you think you're about to be hit.

Also when theres torrential rain on the m50 I'd say only about half of drivers slow down and adjust their driving style to suit the conditions. The amount of spray that gets thrown up in heavy rain often means you can't see that far ahead up the road yet you still get dickheads tailgating and determined to do at least 120kph

eeguy

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

I think a relatively easy fix to make the M50 a bit safer would be to put in cones/barriers at some of the more popular exists to stop people trying to exit at the last minute.

But what about the poor dipsh*ts who skip the row of traffic waiting to exit and instead block the left hand lane trying to bully their way past the queue?

ohnonotgmail

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

I think a relatively easy fix to make the M50 a bit safer would be to put in cones/barriers at some of the more popular exists to stop people trying to exit at the last minute. You could start at the N7 exit and the N4 exit. Put plastic bollards between the leftmost lane and the neighboring lane for a mile or two back from the exit. It'd stop gob****es doing the old three lane shuffle at the last minute.

They finally put up a line of poles at the last exit northbound towards the R139. It stops the idiots in the middle lane who suddenly remembered where they live from cutting across cars in the right lane

Thinkingaboutit

Muahahaha wrote: »

Agree with this, especially with the amount of people approaching roundabouts and slamming their brakes at the last minute and then usually over shooting the line. I'm on a motorbike and this type of aggressive driving is one of my pet hates because when you're on a bike the natural instinct is to take evasive action if you think you're about to be hit.

Also when theres torrential rain on the m50 I'd say only about half of drivers slow down and adjust their driving style to suit the conditions. The amount of spray that gets thrown up in heavy rain often means you can't see that far ahead up the road yet you still get dickheads tailgating and determined to do at least 120kph

Some people seem to speed up when it rains. Maybe rain panics them. An old style tow hitch keeps tailgaters at a distance, usually.

magicbastarder

recently spotted on the M50 - a golf towing a 3 series BMW. spotted northbound as the road passes under the canal at blanchardstown, and making very heavy weather of climbing up past dunsink. I got the reg and called into ballymun garda station, but the garda there said he didn't think there was CCTV footage of that stretch of the motorway.

i'd say the damage they may have done to the golf in the process was punishment enough.

beauf

Why do you think it would have done damage.

magicbastarder

it may have done so given the amount of black smoke the golf was belching; he had to floor it while going uphill to cut across two lanes of traffic (the lanes merging from the N3) to get back to the hard shoulder.

beauf

Isn't that normal lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52oLVXcdBBk

Skrynesaver

You do have to wonder why Irish drivers don't know how to drive in wet conditions, I mean it's not like we're living in the bloody Sahara! Yet if I leave a safe stopping distance it's inevitably interpreted as an invitation to do a close overtake and them jam on in front of me...

beauf

Time for a dash cam

mickoneill31

Skrynesaver wrote: »

Yet if I leave a safe stopping distance it's inevitably interpreted as an invitation to do a close overtake and them jam on in front of me...

That annoys the hell out of me too.
Apparently
safe stopping distance = room for one or two more cars in there at 100Kph.

Superhorse

Love the M50. Irish drivers are some of the best in the world imo. If you want bad driving in abundance take a trip to Vietnam.

MonkieSocks

Superhorse wrote: »

Love the M50. Irish drivers are some of the best in the world imo. If you want bad driving in abundance take a trip to Vietnam.

Yeah Man, heavy drivers In The Nam.


There drive everywhere, in the trees, in the elephant grass and even tunnels under the ground.



Just Blows You're fookin Mind...Man

oppenheimer1

beauf wrote: »

Don't agree. The standard of driving is at an all time low all over Dublin but its especially bad on the M50. I've never seen, heard of so many accidents on it ever before. Its gone from one major hold up a week to one a day and now a few a day. The N3 at Blanch is similar.

I'm all for rants, but BS remarks like that really annoy me. Driver training and vehicle quality is at an all time high in Ireland. Least we forget, there are many drivers out there (and maybe some that are even commenting on this thread) that never passed the test, but Mr Haughey gave a full license to.

Yes, driver training could be improved but it won't make a blind bit of difference to the situation on the M50. The problem with that road is that it is at capacity and there is no further room for expansion. The road was a victim of its own success and generated far more journeys than were anticipated at the time of its design some 25 years ago.

The second issue with the M50 is that most people know the rules but ignore them, either for selfish reasons (like queue skipping), or an easier life (middle lane hogging). It would take a concerted campaign of education and enforcement to stamp this driver behaviour out and even then it wouldn't increase the capacity of the road all that much.

The only weapons the NRA have left are variable speed limits and tolling of the entire road.

magicbastarder

also, traffic volumes have gone up considerably on the m50; which makes it far more susceptible to traffic jams.

Road bosses have revealed that almost 120,000 motorists a day are now paying the toll on Dublin's M50 motorway - a 29pc increase since the road was upgraded.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/traffic-tops-boomtime-levels-as-120000-motorists-a-day-use-m50-30640715.html

that was a year ago. they've probably increased since.

First Up

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I'm all for rants, but BS remarks like that really annoy me. Driver training and vehicle quality is at an all time high in Ireland. Least we forget, there are many drivers out there (and maybe some that are even commenting on this thread) that never passed the test, but Mr Haughey gave a full license to.

Yes, driver training could be improved but it won't make a blind bit of difference to the situation on the M50. The problem with that road is that it is at capacity and there is no further room for expansion. The road was a victim of its own success and generated far more journeys than were anticipated at the time of its design some 25 years ago.

The second issue with the M50 is that most people know the rules but ignore them, either for selfish reasons (like queue skipping), or an easier life (middle lane hogging). It would take a concerted campaign of education and enforcement to stamp this driver behaviour out and even then it wouldn't increase the capacity of the road all that much.

The only weapons the NRA have left are variable speed limits and tolling of the entire road.

Sure there are capacity problems ar times but the real disasters are the shunts and these are overwhelmingly caused by driver behaviour. Middle lane hogging causes people to change lanes and thats the single biggest problem. Queue skipping also causes shunts.
Enforcement is essential but young drivers - espevlcially women - haven't a clue how to use a motorway.

LeinsterDub

magicbastarder wrote: »

also, traffic volumes have gone up considerably on the m50; which makes it far more susceptible to traffic jams.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/traffic-tops-boomtime-levels-as-120000-motorists-a-day-use-m50-30640715.html

that was a year ago. they've probably increased since.

These figures indicate for sure Dublin doesn't need du or mn

OldMrBrennan83

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Muahahaha

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

The second issue with the M50 is that most people know the rules but ignore them, either for selfish reasons (like queue skipping), or an easier life (middle lane hogging). It would take a concerted campaign of education and enforcement to stamp this driver behaviour out and even then it wouldn't increase the capacity of the road all that much.

The only weapons the NRA have left are variable speed limits and tolling of the entire road.

Good point but I don't think it would be all that hard to rectify the problems on the m50. It really is all down to enforcement and part of the problem right now is you can drive the entire length of it and not see a single Garda car. When you do see them they're in an emergency of their own and have to go whizzing by dangerous driving.

What is needed is a RSA TV/Radio campaign on lane hogging making motorway drivers aware of the problem. Leaflets on motorway driving should be posted to all customers of the toll companies. Then that needs to be backed up with 3-4 patrol cars going up and down the length of the motorway pulling people. Once hundreds of passing motorists see someone has been pulled by the Gardai and the policy is backed up by a Tv/Radio information campaign then the message quickly goes out that driving selfishly won't be tolerated.

As for capacity, I often see the middle and outer lanes packed full but the inside lane running at 50%. Granted some of this is due to motorists shifting to the middle at on ramps to allow drivers space to merge but I still think if middle lane hogging could be enforced upon then we might get another 10-15% on top of what is there now.

As for tolling the entire thing its a great way to dampen demand but that demand has to go somewhere and that'll be the suburbs which create problems of its own.

beauf

Put some camera on it. Outsource the fines. Fish in a barrel.

Seth Brundle

beauf wrote: »

Put some camera on it. Outsource the fines. Fish in a barrel.

How does a camera record bad driving?

beauf

kbannon wrote: »

How does a camera record bad driving?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tailgaters-face-court-after-crackdown-on-toll-dodging-26737630.html

paddydriver

Muahahaha wrote: »

Once hundreds of passing motorists see someone has been pulled by the Gardai

That'll be another few hundred hold ups as rubberneckers take a look at the blue flashing lights.

Seth Brundle

The tailgaiting offenders are not being caught using the fixed cameras.
Anyhow, there are many other instances of bad driving on the M50 e.g. late lane changes when exiting, using a phone or doing make up whilst driving which the cameras won't catch.

Nichard Dixon

kbannon wrote: »

How does a camera record bad driving?

It is not beyond rocket science to program a camera to flag cars going from the outside lane to the offramp in less than 100m or vice versa. Then have someone review the flagged footage only.

It is not beyond rocket science to identify someone tailgating.

It is not beyond rocket science to identify someone in one lane with 500m free in the lane to their left.

The problem is the will, not the way.

Seth Brundle

Nichard Dixon wrote: »

It is not beyond rocket science to program a camera to flag cars going from the outside lane to the offramp in less than 100m or vice versa. Then have someone review the flagged footage only.

"I was unable to move left towards the slip road safely due to drivers to my left not allowing me to change lane until it was quite late. The other driver was the dangerous one judge"

Nichard Dixon wrote: »

It is not beyond rocket science to identify someone tailgating.

I wasn't tailgaiting. the car in front stopped just before the camera and I was literally just about to brake. The other driver was the dangerous one judge"

Nichard Dixon wrote: »

It is not beyond rocket science to identify someone in one lane with 500m free in the lane to their left.

"I had just overtaken a car who must have pulled over to answer their phone or broke down or something. I thought they were still in my blindspot"

Nichard Dixon wrote: »

The problem is the will, not the way.

The problem is that a photo does not display the context of the offence and it could be explained by other reasons or factors.
As an example, I was on a bus many years ago that broke a red light on the N7 when following an artic lorry (who also broke the light).
The reason was that the brakes on the bus had failed and in fact the bus driver's actions by beeping the horn and somehow signalling to the trucker to keep going that the driver and front passengers weren't killed (there were big long girders on the artic trailer). How would a camera have picked that one up?

andekwarhola

Started driving it again a year ago to a new office after a few years using Luas and am quite shocked by the increased volumes. The amount of moron driving - erratic or sudden lane changing, tailgating, braking, and dawdling or rubber necking you see every day is astonishing and every time there's a gridlock you know one of these daft cnuts has more than likely caused it.

If we had half decent cross city public transport (as opposed to your normal radial city centre routes) I'd be back to public transport in a heartbeat.

Nichard Dixon

kbannon wrote: »

"I was unable to move left towards the slip road safely due to drivers to my left not allowing me to change lane until it was quite late. The other driver was the dangerous one judge"

You should have gone to the next junction. 3 points and €100.

I wasn't tailgaiting. the car in front stopped just before the camera and I was literally just about to brake. The other driver was the dangerous one judge"

Set up enough cameras to show what happened. Cameras are cheap enough nowadays, every phone has one.

"I had just overtaken a car who must have pulled over to answer their phone or broke down or something. I thought they were still in my blindspot"

See previous point. Also if people commit perjury in court by reference to imaginary cars, ban them for 3 years.

The problem is that a photo does not display the context of the offence and it could be explained by other reasons or factors.
As an example, I was on a bus many years ago that broke a red light on the N7 when following an artic lorry (who also broke the light).
The reason was that the brakes on the bus had failed and in fact the bus driver's actions by beeping the horn and somehow signalling to the trucker to keep going that the driver and front passengers weren't killed (there were big long girders on the artic trailer). How would a camera have picked that one up?

Photos are an instant in time. Store complete video, most of it isn't needed but it can be viewed if required. Indeed such video would support the defence for a genuine case and the full picture would be there. But in general very very unusual cases do not justify failing to stop people who are just acting the maggot and who cut across lanes every day, tailgate very day etc. Give a warning the first time if you like.

markpb

Great start to the day:

M50 Update: Now completely closed at Jct 7. Traffic coming from Jct 6 diverted onto N4. No access to M50 Sth from N4.

OldMrBrennan83

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Bulmers

Another day,another crash,another closure..seriously what's going on with this road?

Hit blanch on ramp at 6.35,not even paid my 2.10 yet.

Closed at lucan

Pinch Flat

Bulmers wrote: »

Another day,another crash,another closure..seriously what's going on with this road?

Hit blanch on ramp at 6.35,not even paid my 2.10 yet.

Closed at lucan

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/woman-rushed-to-hospital-following-collision-between-truck-and-car-on-m50-34189578.html

Reporting a Truck and car have collided. I use the m50 the odd time and I'm not surprised there's daily mayhem.

Heavy traffic is one thing, but it's complicated by a large majority who seem to have no idea how to drive responsibly and safely - undertaking, not merging properly, stuck in the middle / overtaking lane are behaviours I observe when I do use it

Superhorse

Bulmers wrote: »

Another day,another crash,another closure..seriously what's going on with this road?

Hit blanch on ramp at 6.35,not even paid my 2.10 yet.

Closed at lucan

Hope all involved are okay.

jd

I honestly think a lot of the tips and shunts are caused by drivers dicking around on their phones and not noticing slow downs etc until it is too late.

thierry14

Pinch Flat wrote: »

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/woman-rushed-to-hospital-following-collision-between-truck-and-car-on-m50-34189578.html

Reporting a Truck and car have collided. I use the m50 the odd time and I'm not surprised there's daily mayhem.

Heavy traffic is one thing, but it's complicated by a large majority who seem to have no idea how to drive responsibly and safely - undertaking, not merging properly, stuck in the middle / overtaking lane are behaviours I observe when I do use it

Really getting sick of these idiots crashing on The M50

How ****ing thick do you have to be to crash there.

How the **** can they not drive in a straight line without crashing.

Crashing into a truck, what the ****.

listermint

jd wrote: »

I honestly think a lot of the tips and shunts are caused by drivers dicking around on their phones and not noticing slow downs etc until it is too late.

Driving a motorbike recently and if I was a guard I would be issuing a ticket literally every 5 cars or so.

Smart Phones are the number one cause of shunts they single handedly are possibly costing the working economy millions a year via traffic delays .

We didn't have as many accidents in the boom when people just had Nokia phones that could only SMS . distractions distraction's Facebook what's app viber . having to look at the screen to type on the keyboard .


Opens your eyes when viewed from a bike

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Pinch Flat

listermint wrote: »

Driving a motorbike recently and if I was a guard I would be issuing a ticket literally every 5 cars or so.

Smart Phones are the number one cause of shunts they single handedly are possibly costing the working economy millions a year via traffic delays .

We didn't have as many accidents in the boom when people just had Nokia phones that could only SMS . distractions distraction's Facebook what's app viber . having to look at the screen to type on the keyboard .


Opens your eyes when viewed from a bike

I travelled back as a passenger from Galway to Dublin last weekend - missus was driving and it was dark when we started our journey. The amount of people you saw on phones - that tell tale white glow was a give away - was shocking. One guy we pulled up beside you could clearly see the Facebook app

listermint

Patww79 wrote: »

It'll be something like phones they'll hit and take the easy way out rather than hitting all the other problems as they are too much hassle.

The problem is phones and the idiots using them I see it everyday. Every single day

TheBigGreen

I was working up in Dublin at the start of the year for 3 month, I don't miss the M50 or Dublin!!!

OldMrBrennan83

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