Go safe camera van - Do you flash other road users as a warning?

[mcwhirter]

Yes, they are out to gain tax revenue, nothing about safety.

 

[Leo]

We all know it's a money game now, and they are catching people for a small amount over, and coming through 60 or 50 km signs, why should we not play their game?

But they also have a quota to hit. So the more people you warn, the more time they will spend manning checkpoints and the higher your own chances of being caught (albeit only marginally higher).

 

[RonanC]

But they also have a quota to hit. So the more people you warn, the more time they will spend manning checkpoints and the higher your own chances of being caught (albeit only marginally higher).

Leo, there is no quota. They get paid per hour, and not per offence.

Back to the OP's point. Why would you flash at someone, warning them on a Go-Safe van up ahead, or a Garda speed check, or checkpoint? The whole point of the Go-Safe campaign is to make people slow down. What business is it of yours to be warning someone who is committing an offence that there is a camera ahead? Let them get caught, let them get the fine and the points, and then maybe they will learn their lesson and slow down !

Typical Irish attitude, ah they are out to get us... Slow down, think of what you could be doing, you are in control of a lethal weapon, so act responsibly.

 

[Mpsox]

Why would this be illegal? The intention of flashing someone is to get them to slow down, isn't? So by doing this, you are preventing an offence.

I would have thought such an action should be commended.

It's been deemed in the UK to be obstructing the police and people have been fined over it

 

[One]

If people are speeding, they are putting lives at risk. Why on earth wouldn't you want such people caught? We all hear about deaths on Irish roads, about how nobody does anything about it, and then when something like this is done, people here seem to be suggesting that they don't want the speeders caught, and that it is a money racket! There aren't enough speed vans on the roads as far as I am concerned.

 

[T McGibney]

There is a general belief out there that many of the speed limits that are in place are ridiculous, either too strict (eg 80km/hr on the bypassed former national primary roads such as the N4 Kinnegad-Enfield road and the Navan-Dunshaughlin-Dublin road, which contains some 60km/hr stretches) or too lenient (100 km/hr on the bendy road from Killarney up through the National Park towards Kenmare).

In addition there is a suspicion that at least some of the speed camera locations have been selected on very dubious grounds, and that the 'these are the places where people have died' mantra is selective and economical with the truth.

These anomalies have bred an unfortunate scepticism amongst the public towards the speed cameras, and speed limit observance in general. Practically every time I meet a speed camera, another driver flashes beforehand to warn me.

 

[SparkRite]

There is a general belief out there that many of the speed limits that are in place are ridiculous, either too strict (eg 80km/hr on former primary roadsd such as the N4 Kinnegad-Enfield road and the Navan-Dunshaughlin-Dublin road, which contains some 60km/hr stretches) or too lenient (100 km/hr on the bendy road from Killarney up through the National Park towards Kenmare).

In addition there is a suspicion that at least some of the speed camera locations have been selected on very dubious grounds, and that the 'these are the places where people have died' mantra is selective and economical with the truth.

These anomalies have bred an unfortunate scepticism amongst the public towards the speed cameras, and speed limit observance in general.

Couldn't agree more!

Just back from Kerry and have driven on roads, some no wider than 3-4 metres, some with grass growing up the middle and with a limit of 100Kph!!!

Did I see any "Go safe" vans or Gardai speed traps on these roads, not one, but as soon as I come off the M50 onto the Tallaght bypass there is a speed trap on a duel carriageway where the limit is 60Kph.
No wonder people are sceptical towards the placement of some checkpoints, "fish in a barrel" springs to mind.

 

[Guns N Roses]

There is a general belief out there that many of the speed limits that are in place are ridiculous, either too strict (eg 80km/hr on the bypassed former national primary roads such as the N4 Kinnegad-Enfield road and the Navan-Dunshaughlin-Dublin road, which contains some 60km/hr stretches) or too lenient (100 km/hr on the bendy road from Killarney up through the National Park towards Kenmare).

Most speed limits (except those in towns & cities) are determined by the class of road. 120 km/hr on Motorways, 100 km/hr on National Primary & National Secondary roads and 80 km/hr on Regional & Local Roads. This explains the 80 km/hr speed limits on former National Roads (such as the old N4) which have been downgraded to Regional & Local roads.

 

[T McGibney]

Most speed limits (except those in towns & cities) are determined by the class of road. 120 km/hr on Motorways, 100 km/hr on National Primary & National Secondary roads and 80 km/hr on Regional & Local Roads. This explains the 80 km/hr speed limits on former National Roads (such as the old N4) which have been downgraded to Regional & Local roads.

This is the official line, but it doesn't alter the fact that the practical effect in many cases is a nonsense.

 

[Optimistic]

on another note. I was driving today and was on the phone, something I almost never do now, (before I did). Just wondering do the speed vans prosecute for mobile phone usage or only speed? Hoping not :-(

 

[Guns N Roses]

In addition there is a suspicion that at least some of the speed camera locations have been selected on very dubious grounds, and that the 'these are the places where people have died' mantra is selective and economical with the truth.

All accident reports attended by the Gardai are recorded by Road Authorites on a computer system which maps their exact location. Hence it is very easy to determined where the greatest number of accidents occur. Just because an individual doesn't see any accidents at a particular location doesn't mean that they are not happening.

 

[Guns N Roses]

This is the official line, but it doesn't alter the fact that the practical effect in many cases is a nonsense.

Well in some cases I would agree.

Regional roads such as the old N4 and bog roads with grass growing up the middle of them all have the same speed limit which obviously doesn't make sense.

The reality is there are too many regional and local roads to individually assess the correct speed limit that should be applied to them. Also the costs of providing individual speed limit signs for every local road in the country makes it unfeasible.

 

[T McGibney]

All accident reports attended by the Gardai are recorded by Road Authorites on a computer system which maps their exact location. Hence it is very easy to determined where the greatest number of accidents occur. Just because an individual doesn't see any accidents at a particular location doesn't mean that they are not happening.

But again, the statistics can lie. I know of one particular location on a national primary road where a straight stretch of modernised, safe road funnels into a narrow stretch of dangerous road that has barely been updated or improved for decades. Both the dangerous and the safer stretches of this road lie within the same townland. The townland has a high accident record, but practically all these relate to the dangerous stretch.

Both the safe stretch and the dangerous stretch have a 100 km/hr limit.

A speed camera van is regularly present on the safe stretch, but is never, ever on the dangerous stretch, for to do so would add to the hazard in the latter area. Drivers are presumably being penalised for exceeding 100 km/hr on the safe stretch but are immune from speed camera detection if they drive at 90 km/hr on the dangerous stretch, even if 90 km/hr is far too fast for that area of road.

 

[Mpsox]

Some of the limits are crazy. The main road out from my town had a limit of 100kmh. Once a new motorway bypass opened, the road was down-graded to 80kmh. It's not any more dangerous since the new bypass opened, if anything, with less traffic on it, it's safer. It's a main road with a good hard shoulder and now has the same speed-limit as another road with grass up the middle. Sheer lack of logic.

 

[T McGibney]

The reality is there are too many regional and local roads to individually assess the correct speed limit that should be applied to them.

I find this hard to believe. Any experienced road engineer should be well able to assess at least a few roads within a morning. He'd have a county well covered within a few weeks.

Also the costs of providing individual speed limit signs for every local road in the country makes it unfeasible.

Why so? The boreens and the bypassed national roads are all littered with 80 km/hr signs. Is is really impossible to move some of these to other locations?

 

[horusd]

I never flash warnings. I hope the Gardai nail the sods. If i was a traffic cop we wouldn't have a debt problem. I could work out all my anger issues on the nutjobs who think they were born with a right to a full licence.

 

[Guns N Roses]

But again, the statistics can lie. I know of one particular location on a national primary road where a straight stretch of modernised, safe road funnels into a narrow stretch of dangerous road that has barely been updated or improved for decades. Both the dangerous and the safer stretches of this road lie within the same townland. The townland has a high accident record, but practically all these relate to the dangerous stretch.

Both the safe stretch and the dangerous stretch have a 100 km/hr limit.

A speed camera van is regularly present on the safe stretch, but is never, ever on the dangerous stretch, for to do so would add to the hazard in the latter area. Drivers are presumably being penalised for exceeding 100 km/hr on the safe stretch but are immune from speed camera detection if they drive at 90 km/hr on the dangerous stretch, even if 90 km/hr is far too fast for that area of road.

Accident records are not located by townlands but by GPS co-ordinates which are more accurate and remove the problem you suggested.

As for the positioning of the van it means sense to have it before the motorists reach the accident spot and not right on top of it. It has been my experience that the kind of location you describe is a magnet for accidents as motorists tend to speed up so they can overtake slow drivers before entering the narrow section.

 

[Guns N Roses]

I find this hard to believe. Any experienced road engineer should be well able to assess at least a few roads within a morning. He'd have a county well covered within a few weeks

It's not just a matter of an engineer looking at a road and deciding an appropiate speed limit. In order to make it legel, it has to be adopted into each Local Authorities By-Laws. This means preparing detailed maps, advertising in the press, consultation with the public, consultation & approval by County Councillors, preparing tender documents for new signs & poles, awarding of contracts and supervision of the work.

This takes a hell of a lot longer than a few weeks!

 

[Guns N Roses]

Why so? The boreens and the bypassed national roads are all littered with 80 km/hr signs. Is is really impossible to move some of these to other locations?

In most cases 80 km/hr signs are positioned where motorists leave the National road network which means only 2-3 signs will be required to cover a number of local roads. If each road has a different speed limit then each road will need a minimum of 2 signs each. With the costs of steel & aluminium going through the roof this is obviously not feasible.

 

[Leo]

Leo, there is no quota. They get paid per hour, and not per offence.

As you say, they do not get paid per hour, not per offence, but the contract has a minimum performance clause that states the number of fixed penalty notices they must issue.