BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS of motoring, pioneering drivers were subject to some fairly draconian rules and regulations. Not least of these were the 'Red Flag Laws', which required them to have somebody walk in front of their vehicle, waving that sort of banner to alert other pedestrians to the presence of the oncoming machine.

It seems the cough-splutter-bang of the early internal combustion engine wasn't sufficient for them to notice there was one approaching. Perhaps they had their iPods turned up too loud or were too engrossed in their PSP games to hear what must have been quite a racket.

But bad as that must have been, at least they didn't have fines and penalty points to worry about when still doing low speeds compared to what their cars were capable of – not like what we're faced with today in Dublin city centre, following the introduction of the ludicrous 30 km/h limit at the start of the month.

Yours truly experienced the limits at first hand at the weekend, after overnighting in the city with Mrs Yours Truly following the rugby international in Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. A shopping trip to Dundrum was the pay-off for being allowed to enjoy copious pints and a gut-busting burger on match day, and so we found ourselves motoring down O'Connell Street and along the quays at about 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, with barely another car or pedestrian in sight. The roads were clear and the lights ahead were green – and yet I was running the risk of being fined and 'pointed' if I allowed my trusty Mondeo to reach even 20 miles per hour.

Trouble is, my car – like any other of its size – can tick over by itself at more than 20 miles per hour without the accelerator even being touched. And so, with nothing ahead to hit even if I wanted to, I had to slow the steed down as though it were a hell-for-leather killing machine ploughing through a crowded street, for fear some sneaky copper would hop out from behind a lamp-post with a radar gun showing 21 mph. I've already got two points on my licence for doing 48 mph in a 40 zone in a non-residential area on a clear bright Summer's evening with no other road user in sight at the time. I don't need two more.

This crackdown on speed is really gone too far this time. The Nazis who favour the new rule say it's to increase road safety for cyclists and pedestrians, but in truth, those people would be far safer if they'd just obey the appropriate existing laws themselves. I speak as someone who both cycled and walked his way around Dublin for eight years before ever owning a car. I therefore know the extent to which cyclists do things like ignore red lights and weave dangerously through traffic lanes and go the wrong way up oneway streets. I used to do the same myself after seeing so many others do the same first.

And as for pedestrians, well, Dublin must be the worst capital city in the entire developed world for walkers not waiting for the little green man before crossing the road, or for crossing one lane at a time across a four-or even six-lane street, pausing on imaginary traffic islands while cars, lorries and buses swerve around them. But when was the last time you heard of a clampdown on jaywalking or dangerous cycling? Not in this lifetime. Not as long as motorists are handy targets and on-the-spot fines are so easy to hand out.

There's some hope for we motorists though, as one Dublin City Councillor has vowed he'll have the stupid new rules overturned in just a few weeks.

Fine Gael's Bill Thormley has been advised by Council management that if he brings a motion to their next meeting that is signed by twelve councillors and then supported by a majority when it comes to a vote, then the 30 km/h limit will be binned.

He is confident of being able to do so. 'This new limit is barmy,' he told the papers last week. 'The sock and sandals brigade has got to be stopped, and the anti-car fetish has to be put to bed. I will have no trouble getting the signatures I need and will have this new limit overturned by St. Patrick's Day.'

We should all hope he succeeds – because if he doesn't, it could be only a matter of time before the barmy brigade declare the new limits 'an overwhelming success', and your own local speed Nazis bring in the same limit somewhere near you.

Best of luck, Bill.

- COLM lambert