The introduction of “Safety Cameras” on 16th November (finally) is good news. Anything that will help to reduce the number of deaths on our roads every year is to be welcomed and of course there is the added bonus of lower carbon emissions from the reduced speeds.
There is one small problem, it is impossible for motorists, even very experienced ones, to decide on an appropriate speed limit for a given type of road, unless they see a speed limit sign, because of the completely ridiculous method of setting of these speed limits. There is no logic applied and it seems that speed limits are at the whim of various local interests and completely separated from what is appropriate for the type and condition of any given road.
On a trip back from Roscommon recently I decided to photograph some of the sped limits we encountered.
Starting with an 80 Kph on a road with grass growing down the middle and barely wide enough for my car.
Coming from this road onto a bigger road we see
And then there was this beauty
I finally figured this one out……………………The 80kph is the overtaking speed !!!!
We then turned onto the N4 Dual Carriageway and 100 Kph
This speed limit changed to 120kph when the road became the M4 a two lane dual carriageway with no discernable difference in either road width, access or condition to the N4.
On getting closer to Dublin the road becomes what is known in the States as a 6/8 lane blacktop, with three/ four lanes on either side, continuous walled median with motorway style access ramps and the speed limit drops to 80 Kph
Moving from the N4 to the M50, three lanes each way and a seriously busier road the speed limit increases to 100Kph
Until that is the M50 reduces down to two lanes and then we get…………
This is only a small sample of the lunacy that is Irish Speed limits. The “National Road” speed limit (100 Kph) is posted on many secondary roads which are so dangerous that a horse and cart would be travelling too fast
I suppose in reality this is just another manifestation of the appalling management ability of those who are supposed to be running the place
As I said at the beginning, Safety Cameras are to be welcomed but unless something is done about the ridiculous speed limit system, the Courts will be clogged with challenges and they will be inefective