Network of privately run Speed Safety Cameras Nov 2010: Locations & Effectiveness

Cameras probably aren't good enough.

Personally I can think of plenty of better ways of spending the money, particularly now. If you actually want to spend the money on death-prevention as it relates to cars though - despite the already low numbers in Ireland - you could hand the money over to mental health in general and suicide prevention in particular. That'll take a good chunk of "single vehicle collisions" out of the figures, which of course shouldn't have been in there in the first place.
 
I thought that the vans were to be marked -
"It is intended that in general the camera vans will be marked and will operate overtly" this was in the ministers statement about them. But when I watched the news this evening about the one which was burned out, they showed another one with didn't have any markings? Marked - or Unmarked? I know it shouldn't make a difference I'm just wondering.
 
[broken link removed]

Gardai are treating the attack on the marked mobile speed van near Dundalk at 4.45am today as arson.


The sole occupant of the van was in the back of the vehicle carrying out a survey of a stretch of the Dundalk to Carrickmacross Road near the Kilkerley Junction at the time.
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missdaisy said:
+1 to Firefly. I think this is a good initiative, one that is needed and one that from what I can see is not a money making exercise. Everybody can be very clear on where the speed cameras may be and I think will slow down as a result. This is the aim - safer driving.
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there's been a van parked 3 mornings in the past 5 weeks at Mount Argus on the lower Kimmage Rd.....now if thats not a money making excercise I don't know what is. Plus I thought they were to have some sort of warning out so drivers knew a van was about the area....but nothing to be seen. The van is even half hidden in the parking area
doubt anyone has ever crashed either on that stretch of road
 
Have to admit I was originally optimistic that this was finally an attempt to help reduce road deaths rather than a money making exercise but so far I've only seen evidence of the latter. There are road works (long since finished I might add, only roadmarkings left to complete which seem to be taking an age to finish out, wonder why!) between Abbeyleix and Portlaoise and a temporary 60km speed limit along this stretch - and there slap bang in the middle of it is one of these cameras! Shysters.
 
Money making exercise? How? Only those who drive above the limit get fined i.e. only those who break the law! I drive that Mount Angus route nearly every day and have seen several accidents in that short stretch between Mount Angus and the park at Harolds Cross in the last few months. Location of the vans is public knowledge and they are clearly marked with big camera signs! If they make drivers think more about the speed they are doing they are doing a good job IMO. Too many drivers think they know best what speed to do irrespective of the road conditions, etc.;)
 
tinkerbell said:
Money making exercise? How? Only those who drive above the limit get fined i.e. only those who break the law!
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I do tend to agree and that if you stick to the speed limit you have nothing to worry about. However, my current issue on the couple of vans I've seen is that initially it was stated that they would be at accident blackspots. In the couple of locations I've seen them, they are not accident blackspots.

The current frequent one is on the Malahide Road at the junction with the Feltrim Road. I've lived in the area for nearly 10 years and in that time have never observed any accident or heard of or been aware of any accident, even a small tip at that junction. The lights slow the traffic significantly, so much so that at peak times there can be fairly long tailbacks (they changed the sequencing a few years ago and immediately caused the tailbacks).

The only time where people may be able to go above the speed limit is before 7:00 am where you have relatively few cars and the lights give priority to the Malahide Road. Even then, even as a cyclist, it is extremely rare that anyone is signficantly over the limit that they would even be pulled in by the Gardai. And yet they have the van parked there. Why? It isn't contributing a thing to safety. It isn't a dangerous junction, it doesn't have huge pedestrian activity and it certainly isn't an area of concern for accidents.

It's there to catch out the early motorist who's crept slightly over while the road is clear and traffic free.
 
tinkerbell said:
Money making exercise? How? Only those who drive above the limit get fined i.e. only those who break the law! I drive that Mount Angus route nearly every day and have seen several accidents in that short stretch between Mount Angus and the park at Harolds Cross in the last few months. Location of the vans is public knowledge and they are clearly marked with big camera signs! If they make drivers think more about the speed they are doing they are doing a good job IMO. Too many drivers think they know best what speed to do irrespective of the road conditions, etc.;)
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I walk that stretch every morning and evening, and have done so for the past 7 years. And I have never seen any sort of accident there. As for the location been public knowledge...unless you log-on every day or so, you won't know where they are. And who does that?
Plus....where are those camera signs??? Maybe I'm walking too fast and missed them!
 
Delboy said:
I walk that stretch every morning and evening, and have done so for the past 7 years. And I have never seen any sort of accident there. As for the location been public knowledge...unless you log-on every day or so, you won't know where they are. And who does that?
Plus....where are those camera signs??? Maybe I'm walking too fast and missed them!
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You only walk it morning and evening (weekdays only?) and for the past 7 yrs. Perhaps there are some collisions that you don't know about.
The conspiracy theories on this van are up there with the Census conspiracies... in my opinion...
 
These vans are on the Fairyhoouse Rd. at least three times every week. Again use this road every day and definetely would not consider it an accident blackspot.
 
The radar gun is not 100% accurate it has a tolerance, our car has a tolerance of 10% so I hope they are not going to nit pick over couple of km/hr.
Have you noticed that now that we are using km/ph which are smaller graduations than mph, how quickly the speed can rise and fall, which requires us to look at the speed more frequent, which means that we are looking at the road less.
 
I got "done" for doing 87km/h in an 80km/h zone at 9:00AM on a Saturday - Sun splitting the stones, I was in the ONLY car on the road - Dual Carriage way between The N3/M50 junction and the halfway house roundabout heading towards town.

I was bringing my son to Rugby practice in Coolmine. There were THREE garda at the side of the road just hidden from view, one car and a bike.

How is this behaviour not revenue generating?

By the way, I'd appreciate not hearing the same old line trotted out that I'm a law breaker and therefore deserve the punishment. I am a law abiding driver with years of accident free (thank god) driving experience. I maintain my car, pay my taxes (road tax and MASSIVELY inflated fuel duty) and I Insure and NCT my car religiously yet now, I have 2 points on my licence, a potential increase in my insurance premium next year and a chip on my shoulder about "Safety Cameras"...

I do not understand how fining me makes this country a safer place to drive in? I could have driven at 100km/h and it still wouldn't have endangered life on that beautiful straight stretch of road.
 
PS... I am not the type of driver to think I can dictate the speed that I should be driving at... I obey the speed limits in general. I drive from Westport to Dublin and back very regularly and the speed limits for the whole journey in my opinion are very suitable...
 
PaulyB63 said:
I could have driven at 100km/h and it still wouldn't have endangered life on that beautiful straight stretch of road.
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What a crazy post. You have stated that the Sun was splitting the stones. What might happen if you leaned across to drop the sun visor and for a single moment your concentration slipped. Then the car could easily flip or you might end up careering across the road into a bus and killing 8 or 9 people. But of course you said the road was empty. So you can see around corners as well !

Do you have any value on your own life or that of your son ??
 
"Just a little bit" over the limit!!! The Northern Ireland RSA (sorry dont remember the exact name) use that for their facts on speed and road deaths and injury. Just a little over the limit can cause considerably worse injuries in any accident besides getting points and fine? Agree with mercman - your son is your previous cargo as are my kids to me - its not worth the risk of speeding and causing possible destruction to so many lives.
 
Fair enough - Off topic a bit.

You are completely missing my point. I was referring to Garda "Shooting Fish in a Barrell"

Mercman the road is arrow straight and is a 3 lane dual carriageway seperated by a barrier from the opposite side. I was annoyed at myself for breaking the limit but I was in no way being reckless. I totally see your points by the way... I admit my comment re 100km/h was flippant... Having said that, flipping my car and carreening into bus stops etc is a little OTT.

The behaviour I see on a regular basis on my travels to and from Mayo would make your hair stand up.... Really crazy stuff, mad overtaking, reckless tailgating not to mention speeding and NEVER a garda in sight...
 
I am fully aware of the road you are referring to near the M50. Just think of others as well as your hurry. I also know the road to Mayo and the part you refer. Those that wish to carry on as you state will get caught....... whether dead or alive is the question.

I spoke to a friend who is an Inspector in the Gardai. The whole purpose of the Privately run speed cameras is to slow people down, nothing else. Their purpose is NOT to increase Revenue, but so be it if fools think they can beat the law.
 
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