New penalty points

S

shnaek

Registered User
Messages
599
When I was driving home on Friday I got stuck behind a truck and about 40 cars. The truck was driving at 30mph. It wouldn't pull into the hard shoulder. I was behind this truck from Limerick to Nenagh. Talk about frustrating.

Then reading about the new penalty points got me thinking - will people get points for pulling into the hard shoulder to let others pass? I would like to believe that this is not the case, surely to God, but I amn't so sure with an _______(insert phrase of choice) like M Cullen at the helm. Does anyone know what the situation is with the hard-shoulder penalty points?


On a side note - I heard this morning on the radio that road deaths in the North are way down, and they attribute this to education and widening of the road at accident black spots. Do you think the ______ M Cullen will take any lessons from this?
 
I think it only refers to the hard shoulder on a motorway, not a regular road.
 
Well the rules of the road would prohibit you from driving in the hard shoulder so a truck driver is not supposed to go into the hard shoulder to let slow traffic pass as if they was a car broken down in the hard shoulder or someone needed to pull in where would the truck go?
 
Where would the truck go????

It'd either not pull into the hard shoulder because theres a vehicle already in it ahead of them or it would come back out onto the road as is currently the case. Something very similar happens when the hard shoulder is coming to an end.

Please let this be on motorways only and be aimed at those ignorant fools who use them to jump through a tailback as their journey is so much more important than yours or mine.
 
Someone mentioned to me that any vehicle driving on the hard shoulder is not insured should anything happen.
Can anyone confirm or deny this?

As regards the new penalty points offences, isn't crossing white lines also included? What happens in similar situation to the one mentioned in the original post above, e.g. trying to pass a very slow moving vehicle like a tractor, etc? Or are you supposed to stay behind going at 10/15 mph for miles and contribute to the hazard of a virtual rolling road block?
 
Ash said:
What happens in similar situation to the one mentioned in the original post above, e.g. trying to pass a very slow moving vehicle like a tractor, etc? Or are you supposed to stay behind going at 10/15 mph for miles and contribute to the hazard of a virtual rolling road block?
Click to expand...
Long before the introduction of penalty points, I got summonsed and fined for doing precisely this on a stretch of the N7 between Portlaoise and Monasterevin. The road ahead was clear for miles of oncoming traffic, but there was a continuous white line... :rolleyes:
 
the americans have some funny laws but one we could copy is the rule that if you are holding up traffic you must pull over and let others pass. I think the number of vehicles behind is the decider in the us but not absolutely clear on this. whilest I don't altogether disagree with the first poster on the minister for tailbacks I would also think that the lorry driver in question was deliberately causing an obstruction and should have moved over. 'course if the road was up to scratch he wouldn't have to move over but sin sceal eile.
 
Fair points, cuchulainn. I believe they have the same law in France. I think it applies if 10 cars are tailing you. It is only sensible. Between this and the tolling of the m50 I think that the levels of incompentance shown by Cullen grow greater each passing day.
 
cuchulainn said:
the americans have some funny laws .
Click to expand...


Another rule in America is that you are allowed turn right on a red traffic light, unlesss there is a sign specifically prohibiting it (major junction). You have to be careful but it works very well. I would like them to introduce a similar rule here ( for a left turn obviously).

Another unusual rule that I liked over there was a 4 Way Stop. All cars approaching a crossroads had to stop as they would for a normal stop sign. The first car at the crossroads had the right of way and took off first, then the 2n'd car to arrive moved off next etc. If you break the law, and go out of turn, it's the same as running a red light.

The 4 Way Stop leads to traffic flowing more freely, and means that you don't have traffic lights at relatively mickey mouse junctions in housing estates etc.

What I disliked about America was the one dollar note. It's worth about 80c and is filthy. Give me one and two euro coins any day.

Murt
 
Murt10 said:
Another rule in America is that you are allowed turn right on a red traffic light, unlesss there is a sign specifically prohibiting it (major junction). You have to be careful but it works very well. I would like them to introduce a similar rule here ( for a left turn obviously).

Another unusual rule that I liked over there was a 4 Way Stop. All cars approaching a crossroads had to stop as they would for a normal stop sign. The first car at the crossroads had the right of way and took off first, then the 2n'd car to arrive moved off next etc. If you break the law, and go out of turn, it's the same as running a red light.

The 4 Way Stop leads to traffic flowing more freely, and means that you don't have traffic lights at relatively mickey mouse junctions in housing estates etc.

Murt
Click to expand...

I agree, we have left turn on reds here (drive on left) and 4 ways stops and they both work quite well when sited appropriately.
 
theres a junction in dundalk where you can proceed through a red and turn left if approaching traffic are not turning right. Other junctions have a flashing amber but this one does not. its only a three way junction so no 'straight through' traffic to contend with . works well though.
 
Why are there no penalty points for driving at 50KPH on a main road causing a tailback?
It is crap slow drivers who cause frustration, tailbacks and therefore more accidents in my view.
 
Bamhan said:
Why are there no penalty points for driving at 50KPH on a main road causing a tailback?
It is crap slow drivers who cause frustration, tailbacks and therefore more accidents in my view.
Click to expand...

I thought I heard there was something about if you are holding up more than 7 cars then you are supposed to pull over. Or maybe its just a myth.

I'd agree, slow drivers can be very frustrating although I dont really mind if its an old person.
 
Bamhan said:
Why are there no penalty points for driving at 50KPH on a main road causing a tailback?
It is crap slow drivers who cause frustration, tailbacks and therefore more accidents in my view.
Click to expand...

Because speed limits are just that, limits. Not targets.
 
ronan_d_john said:
Because speed limits are just that, limits. Not targets.
Click to expand...

Someone driving at 50 on a 80 zone are just holding others up unnecessarily.
 
SteelBlue05 said:
Someone driving at 50 on a 80 zone are just holding others up unnecessarily.
Click to expand...

There's nothing wrong, or illegal, with driving at 50 in an 80.

The only place where there is a minimum speed is on the motorway. Anywhere else, people can drive as fast as would be safe for themselves.

Would you rather someone go at 80kmph who's not comfortable driving at that speed on a particular road and for them to suddenly panic and then cause an accident?

Frustrating, yes. But there's nothing wrong with people doing it. It's the frustration of other people that's more likely to cause an accident by illegal or dangerous overtaking.

Just chill out and go with the flow.
 
I have no problem with some people driving at low speeds (elderly) but most people driving at low speeds and allow 10-20 cars to build up behind them usually turn out to be just driving along slow for no reason. They should look in their mirrors and see the big hold up behind and pull into a petrol station or something to let them off.

Its fine to say chill out and go with the flow but that doesnt really help on a 120 mile journey home on a friday evening.
 
There is currently nothing illegal about driving at 50 in an 80 zone, but there should be. That is the point. They can drive at whatever speed is comfortable for themselves and show due consideration for other motorists (now a penalty point offence) by pulling in to let other motorists who are driving at a safe speed as defined by the law (ie below 80 in this case - obeying the speedlimit in general) pass.

Also - I managed to clarify the question I asked regarding driving in the hard shoulder - it only applies to motorways.
 
ronan_d_john said:
There's nothing wrong, or illegal, with driving at 50 in an 80.

The only place where there is a minimum speed is on the motorway. Anywhere else, people can drive as fast as would be safe for themselves.

Would you rather someone go at 80kmph who's not comfortable driving at that speed on a particular road and for them to suddenly panic and then cause an accident?

Frustrating, yes. But there's nothing wrong with people doing it. It's the frustration of other people that's more likely to cause an accident by illegal or dangerous overtaking.

Just chill out and go with the flow.
Click to expand...

In my opinion it should be against the law to be drive on a main road when you are not competent to do so.
If you are liable to panic when driving close to the legal speed limit then you should not be on a main road.
The only exception is learner drivers who unfortunately do not have anywhere to practice or gain experience before driving on main roads. These should clearly display an L plate.

In my opinion there is something wrong with driving at half the legal speed limit on a main road.
Most people have lives to lead and should not have to factor an extra hour or two into their journey times to allow for incompetent drivers who cannot drive and are liable to panic at a moment's notice.
 
Driving at 50 in an 80 zone is an automatic failure in the driving test, why should it be acceptable afterwards?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top