Malahide roundabout (at pavilions)

mgsrocks

I hope someone can help me here because I'v been confused about this for a while now and worries i might cause an accident.

The malahide roundabout at the pavilions has three lanes and 5 exits. Im coming from malahide and want to go straigt on to the pavilions, which is the third exit. I'v always just gone on to the middle lane and kept in it. There are lights before the exit. This way always worked for me untill today where some guy nearly hit the side of my car.

I was at the lights with cars on my left and right. When the lights went green all the cars on the left exited on the left lane so I exited on the right lane and the car to my right had to slam on the breaks not to hit me since he was also exiting to pavilions.

What did i do wrong here. My instrucor said he should'nt have been on the inside lane at the lights if he was exiting there but im not sure thats true? Should i have merged into the left lane when exiting?

Can anyone help?

Alanstrainor

I'm no expert on this but i dont think you were in the wrong at all. I Just had a quick look at the junction on google earth and i would have done the same as you.

Wishbone Ash

Yes, you were correct but that roundabout is 'messy' at the best of times. I always exercise extra caution there and be prepared to concede when necessary - it's better than the hassle of an accident regardless of who is right or wrong.

mgsrocks

So just to clarify, the guy on the right was wrong and he should not have been in that lane at all if he wanted to exit? Because his horn and middle fingure seem to think he had right of way.

Saruman

You Never EVER go in the right lane to go straight through a roundabout unless the lane continues on (this would require a 3 lane exit to Pavilions) Or unless road markings indicate.

You were right, he was in the wron lane and had there been an accident... he would have been at fault.

To be honest though, you are probably better off in the left hand lane. Then you only have to worry about someone in the middle lane deciding to head towards the airport.. they would be in the wrong obviously but some people....

[edit]ignore my last bit, just realised i forgot about the feltrim road.. middle lane is best.

mgsrocks

Saruman wrote: »

You Never EVER go in the right lane to go straight through a roundabout unless the lane continues on (this would require a 3 lane exit to Pavilions) Or unless road markings indicate.

You were right, he was in the wron lane and had there been an accident... he would have been at fault.

To be honest though, you are probably better off in the left hand lane. Then you only have to worry about someone in the middle lane deciding to head towards the airport.. they would be in the wrong obviously but some people....

[edit]ignore my last bit, just realised i forgot about the feltrim road.. middle lane is best.

But i dont know what lane the man on the right entered on. I was going straight on when i entered the roundabout, but was taking the third exit so obviously i wouldnt use the left lane, so i used the middle. But i dont know what lane the other guy entered on. Take a look at wishbone ash's pic, what if the guy entered from the north and wanted to exit at pavilions. He would have to use the inside lane on the roundabout, right? So when he is coming to his exit should he merge with the lane on his left or stay in the inside lane. (which would mean three lanes of traffic all taking the same two lane exit)

Saruman

If he came from the north, then yes he would be in the right hand lane but he should have changed lanes as he was going around the roundabout. I can only think about it this way under normal conditions... if the traffic however was stopped on the roundabout, then he could not do this.. Or if you entered, while he was already on it and blocked him...

Were you all stopped at traffic lights while ON the roundabout? If so it explains it, he must not have been able to get in the left lanes. Its still his fault though, he should have been very careful and seen if someone would let him go. Otherwise, just go around the roundabout again and try it a second time.

Lights and roundabouts are a stpid combination though. If you have to put lights at a roundabout, then only put them at the exits for traffic BEFORE entering and not on the roundabout itself as it only blocks up lanes on the roundabouts.

mgsrocks

The traffic was pretty light on the roundabout, he would have had no problems changing lane. We were at the front of the que when stopped at the lights before our exit. Maybe he just nover noticed it was a three lane roundabout and thought it was just a two lane, which would explain when he thought he had right of way.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Wishbone Ash

mgsrocks wrote: »

Take a look at wishbone ash's pic, what if the guy entered from the north and wanted to exit at pavilions.

I take that route regularly. He should enter the roundabout (from north) in the right lane but be in the centre lane prior to the exit for the Pavilions.

j1979p

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I take that route regularly. He should enter the roundabout (from north) in the right lane but be in the centre lane prior to the exit for the Pavilions.

In this situation, is it reasonable to just indicate left and slow down looking for a gap to change lanes (while presumably holding up Northbound traffic for a while) or would it be better to go around again (and again)? I could imagine in heavy traffic spending a lot of the day going around this!!!

Saruman

Unfortunatly... he would have no choice but to hold up traffic behind him because of the traffic lights... same goes with the auburn roundabout, the one other one at Blanch before the M50, hell even the M50 (blanch) roundabout is the same. Also the one near the airport.

I used to use this road every day heading from swords towards the M50 (before the M1). When approaching these roundabouts i made sure i was always in the left as if i was in the right, i would probably get stuck.

j1979p

Saruman wrote: »

Unfortunatly... he would have no choice but to hold up traffic behind him because of the traffic lights... .

Yeah but I'm assuming the lights are green. Could he still hold people up while he is waiting for that gap to move into? I assume he would try this for about 20-30 seconds and then go around again.

Wishbone Ash

j1979p wrote: »

Yeah but I'm assuming the lights are green. Could he still hold people up while he is waiting for that gap to move into? I assume he would try this for about 20-30 seconds and then go around again.

Approaching in the right lane will automatically lead into the centre lane prior to the exit for the Pavilions as it goes from 2 lanes to 3. Drivers who are not concentrating tend to find themselves in the wrong lane when it divides into 3.

(In saying that, the traffic lane lines are badly worn there).

Scooby_Doo

You were in correct lane and so was the car on your left. The guy on the right should have been continuning around the roundabout for another exit .. so HE was in the wrong.

Same problem time and time again at the airport roundabout also with people in the right lane trying to merge onto me M1 instead of going around like they should do...:mad::mad:

Wishbone Ash

Scooby_Doo wrote: »

Same problem time and time again at the airport roundabout also with people in the right lane trying to merge onto me M1 instead of going around like they should do...:mad::mad:

Coming from which direction?

GGirl2010

mgsrocks wrote: »

I hope someone can help me here because I'v been confused about this for a while now and worries i might cause an accident.

The malahide roundabout at the pavilions has three lanes and 5 exits. Im coming from malahide and want to go straigt on to the pavilions, which is the third exit. I'v always just gone on to the middle lane and kept in it. There are lights before the exit. This way always worked for me untill today where some guy nearly hit the side of my car.

I was at the lights with cars on my left and right. When the lights went green all the cars on the left exited on the left lane so I exited on the right lane and the car to my right had to slam on the breaks not to hit me since he was also exiting to pavilions.

What did i do wrong here. My instrucor said he should'nt have been on the inside lane at the lights if he was exiting there but im not sure thats true? Should i have merged into the left lane when exiting?

Can anyone help?

The right lane of the outbound road id for going right as in inner third exit, left lane is for going straight on 1st second exits after that of the exit you extited from , LOL to that other car who had been in the laft lane. was he a learner or full liscence driver??.. sometimes fully liscnece drivers are v lazy!! and sometimes they need to be thought!!!

ADIDriving

The other driver was definately wrong. He should have gone into the middle lane to que at those lights. It is three lanes at the lights, but only two lanes comming on from the north and as you pass the Malahide and Kinsealy exits. He should definately not be exiting from the third lane.

Although what you did is not wrong, it could have been more correct.
You entered from the 'Swords/Malahide' road, you exited on the 'Swords/Malahide' road. Technically although you took the third exit, you went straight. Therefor with two lanes on the entry and two lanes on the exit, you could go left lane all the way into Pavillions.
The right lane on entry, middle lane at lights and right lane on exit would be better for going into Swords Village. ( Also consider that it is rare that anyone would come on from the Malahide road and take the first exit. As they could have turned at the previous roundabout. )
That said, this roundabout is very confusing and as you are probably aware you really, really need to pay attention to where everyone else is on it.