New Speed Limit Sign for Minor Local Roads
A Speed Limit is the maximum legal speed, but not necessarily the safe speed at which a vehicle should be driven. It is the responsibility of a driver to obey a Speed Limit and to ensure that the vehicle speed is appropriate for the prevailing circumstances, even if that speed is lower than the Speed Limit applying.
Ireland’s road network is extensive and inconsistent, which means that a ‘one size fits all’ solution for Speed Limits for the 99,100km of road network is not possible. Additionally, Local Authorities (in conjunction with the National Roads Authority in respect of National Roads) are able to amend and set Speed Limits as appropriate and in accordance with Guidelines on Special Speed Limits for different sections of the road network as required.
Arising from the recent Speed Limit Review the Working Group recommended the introduction of a new ‘Rural Speed Limit’ sign for Local Roads, a generic sign that does not display a numeral value, to replace the 80 km/h signs on minor local roads (boreens). This new sign is a ‘black circle with diagonal which is in use internationally under the Vienna signage convention and which was used in Ireland prior to 2004. The new sign means that drivers must use their own judgement but must never exceed 80km/h in any case.
In my opinion the decision to introduce this sign was a dereliction of duty by The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD, who launched the new sign on 19 March 2015.
It is in itself a misdemeanour, especially when one considers that most towns have an inner speed limit of 30km/h.
This could easily have been made common for all local roads which in a lot of instances are very narrow with blind bends and are frequented by pedestrians and farmers moving animals.
The speed limits on the edges of some towns are bad enough already, when on leaving a town's outskirts with a 50km/H limit and on approaching a roundabout the speed limit goes up to 60km/h!
If common sense were applied it would stay the same or even go down.
Once again we shall be made a laughing stock by the rest of the world for the lack of professional comprehension by our political leaders!
I have to tell you we found driving in Ireland scary and we actually had to get auto insurance on our rental car. Usually our credit card covers it, but they won't for Ireland. So I'd say the slower the better, but if we're relying on common sense we may be in trouble, there's definitely a shortage of it here.
ReplyDeleteThank you for comment Janet. Might it be that the lack of common sense is because of the worldwide fraternity of politicians ?
DeleteLudicrous sums it up Heron. Rural roads should have lower speed limits and pedestrians, farm animals, wild animals (senseless road-kill) use them at all times of the day and night. We can't walk our rural roads from August to April at night because there are no pavements or street lights and cars hurry passed at 80K per hour.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comprehension of the problem Dave. When we walk the roads we always wear a reflective vest and if at night then we carry a torch.
DeleteI enjoy looking at the night sky and observing the stars, so street lights would be to me 'light pollution' likewise pavements are not needed.
Can you explain to this Yank what "Mall Slow" is?
ReplyDeleteCertainly Carol: Our signage is in Irish and English 'Go Mall' is Irish for SLOW
Deleteand Slow means slow ;)
Thanks Heron!!
DeleteYou are very welcome Carol and I do understand why you asked the question.
DeleteHow confusing how is one meant to know that the limit is 80kmh or under if the number is not actually displayed! Although i totally agree the limit should be way lower & would hope commonsense would prevail?? You certainly wouldn't drive that speed on the roads by you!
ReplyDeleteThe sign is used here too (national speed limit) & i've always thought the same ...how would visitors from abroad know what these national speed limits are?! Clarity & simplification woukd be better :)
Thank you Snapdragon. Common sense certainly does appear to be lacking within the authorities. You would be surprised/horrified if you saw how fast some people drive along our narrow road, displaying a complete lack of
Deleteroad sense and awareness, most likely powered by testosterone and adrenaline fuelled drivers.
I think they believe that's the minimum speed limit down our lane, that's why they 'floor it,' whilst talking on a mobile phone and throwing rubbish out the window and if they're on the right side of the road you're lucky!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get me started on roundabouts! :-)
There was a piece in the old Rules of the Road that cracked me up every time tI read it. - "On narrow roads where there is no white centre line, imagine that there is and keep to the left of it" Well, our road is so narrow in places that all you can do is drive up the middle anyway. :)
DeleteIt is the same here on our narrow resedential street with a school & nursery at one end .... Cars fly down the road & around the blind bend halfway down with no thought to the area..... Idiots .... I often suffer from pavement rage while walking the fledgling to nursery!
ReplyDeleteI just hope that you are not teaching my grandchild any bad words, when having your Pavement Rage ?
DeleteHa ha ha no but he does shout slow down at cars now ...... Oooppssss!
ReplyDeleteIt is all too complicated for me so all I can say is thank goodness I don't live there.
ReplyDeleteYes, perhaps that is just as well because I am a bit mystified at times however, it makes for good humour!
DeleteMy last experience of Irish country roads was in about 1997. Potholes infested the place and driving was a nightmare. I trust things have improved since then?
ReplyDeleteYes they did improve quite remarkably, since the recession a few appear now and then which are dealt with after a few weeks.
DeleteWhat amazed me though was when I visited Leamington Spa in 2011 that they had seemed to have imported Irish potholes :) !
What amazed me were the vast number of bungalows along the arterial roads between towns, with no evidence of what the people did for work. Some of them were magnificent - perhaps Irish Americans coming there in retirement?
DeleteVery few Irish -American retirees return home to stay except for a holiday CB. Those wonderful bungalows are built by the Irish themselves.
DeleteA bit bonkers, I agree! I mean people's perceptions of what is reasonable vary considerably. I remember when I was in Ireland, new to the twisty winding roads, I was too unsure of the conditions to do more than 50kms/h, but I was constantly being harried by people impatient with me for going so slowly. I thought 50 was quite fast enough for the conditions!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments Val. Am sure that going fast causes a lot of the fatal accidents, plus of course people on mobile phones - which can bring a €1000 fine if caught, there are still some folk who take a chance.
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