May I be the first of the Christmas Period to say...

[Macy]

Might be more off topic than current affairs, but may I be the first of the Christmas Period to say...... Operation Free Flow, what a load of arse. My normal under an hour journey turned it nearly two hours by a load of snotty nosed kids pretending to be cops perfecting standing around doing nothing but scratching their balls.

Thanks, I feel better that's off my chest.

[OneRedArmy]

I know where I'd shove their luminous wands....

I have a dream some day I will actually witness a guards arm falling right off at the socket due to over-excessive traffic signalling (most probably the "go straight on" gesture, which is often done at extreme speed).

Not entirely sure why we need 500 guards to tell us to stay out of yellow boxes and stop running red lights. Other developed countries have cameras that fulfill this role.

[Macy]

Not entirely sure why we need 500 guards to tell us to stay out of yellow boxes and stop running red lights. Other developed countries have cameras that fulfill this role.
Sure, speeding is the only thing that they're arsed about. It may have changed now, but the few junctions that do have "red light" camera's only used to do you for speeding (if you were), not for the actual running of the red light!

[dcfcsteve]

Not entirely sure why we need 500 guards to tell us to stay out of yellow boxes and stop running red lights. Other developed countries have cameras that fulfill this role.

It is always 2nd or 3rd world countries that seem to rely on traffic cops - e.g. Mexico, Thailand, Africa, Spain in the old days, Italy when they fcuk something up.

You only ever see traffic cops in England when the lights at a busy junction break down and/or are under repair, and even then it's usually civilian Community Wardens you see instead.

So what is it with Ireland and traffic cops ? Whilst i'm at it - what is it with Irish people and thinking the first couple of seconds of red lights don't count ?

Like you said - simple solution is cameras and fines for the feckers who don't get road traffic rules. Hey presto - free flowing traffic.

[kingdom hoop]

Hee hee, ye'll be happy to hear I ****ed off one such arm-waving Garda yesterday when I asked her, I was on my bike, if we'd be next to go after the current crop, but when she said no and was just about to wave the next crowd on, I brazenly took off through the crossroads before the path would be blocked, leading her to excitedly exclaim 'STOP'. But was I going to stop? Nah. :cool:

(Hopefully that won't make her stop me when I break a red light in future!)

[Macy]

Was she not there today, or did you take a different route Kingdom Hoop?

Jumping of lights and blocking junctions are big problems, but a proper review of the timing and sequences of lights would also go a long way, and the number of lights as well. Several points on my route you're quicker getting off the main road and getting back on later than just driving straight - just doesn't make sense that you're quicker that way than going down a dual carriageway and it's purely down to too long for side roads, not long enough for the main road. Also it really beggars belief the number of new streches of roads that have pedestrian lights rather than foot bridges. There's sections that have 4 sets of lights within a 100 yards of each other - surely some of them could be combined?

[kingdom hoop]

Was she not there today, or did you take a different route Kingdom Hoop?



Oh no, I didn't have to resort to any such evasive tactics. I just had to be in town yesterday morning, usually I'm cocooned away out in Clonskeagh/UCD.

On traffic lights, I agree that they have serious faults. Not enough of them have detection capabilities to change sequence quicker, especially apparent at night when you're waiting like a fool with not a sole around. Funnily enough, one set in Tralee do for some quirky reason or other. You'd imagine it wouldn't be that hard to install a smart system on the lights. Do a survey of flows over a period and then configure in turn. Given they are so integral to traffic flow one would think that would be high priority. :(

Personally, I'm car-less so just tend to break them all the time on my bike anyway. As a result I can make the 3 mile cycle to town in about 15-17 mins when it would take on average 15-40 in a car. I can't understand why more people don't cycle. I suppose the city centre might be seen as a bit dangerous for cyclists, but frankly I find whizzing past cars invigorating. :D

[monutdfc]

I think Operation No Flow just gets everybody to the pinch points faster, so that more people end up being stuck in traffic, whereas with out it traffic flow to the pinch points is staggered so you don;t get stuck in traffic for as long.
Not that I care when I'm on my bike!
Not that all those cops about pay any attention to cnuts parking in and driving inthe cycle lanes.

[stojkovic]

So what is it with Ireland and traffic cops ? Whilst i'm at it - what is it with Irish people and thinking the first couple of seconds of red lights don't count ?

Did you not know that its the National pastime to see how many cars can 'get out' after the lights go red.

The most Ive counted is six.

[anto1208]

I left my house to drive the two miles to work this mornign and traffic was a discrace it took me nearly ten minutes .

Ah i love living in limerick :D

[beautifulrock]

Did you not know that its the National pastime to see how many cars can 'get out' after the lights go red.

The most Ive counted is six.

And there you are chaps the reason why Ireland needs traffic cops, when people start to obey some bsic roadrules then perhaps the need will vanish. Steve you are rigt about no cops at lights or junction in England but that is becuase there are millions of camera's, red light, yellow box nd speed cms everywhere. 4 in a two mile stretch beside me, imagine could lose my license on just that alone.

[onceahoop]

And there you are chaps the reason why Ireland needs traffic cops, when people start to obey some bsic roadrules then perhaps the need will vanish. Steve you are rigt about no cops at lights or junction in England but that is becuase there are millions of camera's, red light, yellow box nd speed cms everywhere. 4 in a two mile stretch beside me, imagine could lose my license on just that alone.

I was in Nottingham last year and I think there were more traffic cameras in a few miles than in the whole of Ireland.

[pete]

Working in the city centre but did not notice any difference tonight although I think the guards gone home by the time I was leaving.

The number of cars brazenly going through red lights is worse every year especially in Dublin. No one seems to even bother making it look like they are slowing down through the lights.

Blocking yellow boxes is a common offence. My simple solution would be 6 month driving ban - easy!

Operation No Go seems to be a pointless exercise - if lights were sequenced properly there would be no need for guards. I have lost count of the number of junctions where stuck on red while cars driving towards me on green - stopping me does not assist other traffic or pedestrians.

[Macy]

Congrats to the numpty with the glow in the dark dildo who thought he knows better than the lights for turning half seven traffic into half 8 traffic on Nutley Lane. Managed to tail it back to UCD on a Friday, god knows what it'll be like if he does the same trick mid-week.