Accident at Superquinn

Dawn-Dusk

The amount of silly driving in the city is really getting bad, and i have decided to report such driving to Gardai. Last evening a prominent driving school car which i assume was being used privately pulled into the inside lane on the Quay from the outer lane in front of me and proceeded to park on the footpath near the bridge hotel,not only was it a sudden movement but no indication was given until he got up on footpath. He also had two children in the back seat one of which was unsecured sitting between the two front seats and this guy is supposed to be professional.
I have contacted the company with details as i believe this guy has an obligation to road safety while he is driving a training car at least.
This evening a guy with an L plate drove through the Passage Rd roundabout and only for i braking hard he would have hit me. I called the cops and got him to pull in and wait for them as i felt his manner of driving was a danger to other road users as well as himself.

CantGetNoSleep

Sully wrote: »

A lot of Irish people dont know how to use roundabouts. I suppose a lot of our drivers are not competent/qualfied and really shouldnt on the road as they cause accidents. Then we have full drivers who are just as bad if not worse!

I assume the rules book was supposed to mean something. Was the driver on a Learner Permit? Maybe they did it to point that out, or they think they had the right of way and got it wrong?

You really wouldnt know wtf they were playing at. If it was me, id follow them and report them once I got the reg. That kinda ****e needs to be stopped and we need people reporting these ****ers on our road.

(Sorry for the rant :P)

I don't think you can really blame everything on non-full licenced drivers

You see people who have probably had a licence for over 20 years doing things equally as stupid

Mossy Monk

He also mentioned full licensed drivers

JohnC.

I was stopped at the lights on the quay, going to turn onto the bridge yesterday. I was in the left lane and I had a suspicion that the car in the right lane also intended to be in the left lane by the time they got onto the bridge. It happens a lot and my feelings about who does and doesn't intend to do it tends to be right. So I made sure not to delay in pulling away so as not to be in an accident. Sure enough, I saw in my rear view mirror that the car behind me and the other car had to do an emergency stop to avoid a collision. There was only a whisker between them.

Sully

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

I don't think you can really blame everything on non-full licenced drivers

You see people who have probably had a licence for over 20 years doing things equally as stupid

Re-read my post. I laid the blame on both.

Sully

Kahless wrote: »

I was stopped at the lights on the quay, going to turn onto the bridge yesterday. I was in the left lane and I had a suspicion that the car in the right lane also intended to be in the left lane by the time they got onto the bridge. It happens a lot and my feelings about who does and doesn't intend to do it tends to be right. So I made sure not to delay in pulling away so as not to be in an accident. Sure enough, I saw in my rear view mirror that the car behind me and the other car had to do an emergency stop to avoid a collision. There was only a whisker between them.

Happens all the time. Terrible driving. I think its just lanes - Roundabouts people do the same thing. Do a lot of people freak when they see two lanes?!

Jor

Hopefully when the new CCTV system is in place at many of the major junctions in the city, this will improve the policing of driving standards and as a consequence the quality of driving. I walk a good bit and it is nearly impossible to go 15 minutes without seeing some prat talking on his/her mobile. Even worse are the idiots that text while driving. Many peoples driving is bad enough without such added distractions.

There are plenty of driving laws and penalties, but unless people are afraid of being caught and punished, they will not change until it is too late. People who text while driving should be charged with wreckless driving,not just given a few penalty points. There should be a charge of automotive homicide for a driver who is deemed responsible for a death in a car accident. Drink drivers above say 120mg should get an automatic jail term ( Even a week in chokie will be a shock to many).

I read in last weeks paper that 2 people had their licences restored by a judge after only serving half their ban. Shows what a smart-talking lawyer can do.

Cabaal

I'd have to agree, they can have all the laws in the world but there worth **** if there not enforced, on a daily basis I see atleast 6-7 people on mobiles while driving, I see people break red lights...I won't even get started on people speeding

Sully

The cameras are not for traffic tho. IIRC.

CantGetNoSleep

Sully wrote: »

The cameras are not for traffic tho. IIRC.

Yeah I always thought they would only be there to watch gowl-bags

Mini

fricatus wrote: »

However, on a dual carriageway such as the ORR, interrupted by a roundabout, if there are two exit lanes, then both entrance lanes can be used for travelling straight on, as long as you stay left or right on exit, just as you entered.

I checked our own Rules of the Road and it seems to be a bit vague... the right-hand lane can be used where situations allow, or where the left exit lane is blocked, or that wonderful catch-all "when directed by a Garda".

It probably isn't quite correct driving procedure to the letter of the law, but it's common practice absolutely everywhere, especially on older dual carriageways in the Dublin area (I would be particularly familiar with the N3 in Blanchardstown and the old N1 near Swords - the one with all the roundabouts). I wouldn't consider it dangerous at all... as long as drivers follow their lane around the roundabout it's fine, there's plenty of space. The problem arises when someone on the left decides to follow the "racing line" and cut into the right-hand lane on the way across. Now that's careless.

But we must remember that there are clear road markings that say it is right only and as said above, we don't want it used as racing lane which it normally does do.

Sully

fricatus wrote: »

I learned to drive in the UK, and my driving instructor was quite clear that when there was only one exit off a roundabout, the left lane was for left and straight on, and the right lane was for right only.

However, on a dual carriageway such as the ORR, interrupted by a roundabout, if there are two exit lanes, then both entrance lanes can be used for travelling straight on, as long as you stay left or right on exit, just as you entered.

I checked our own Rules of the Road and it seems to be a bit vague... the right-hand lane can be used where situations allow, or where the left exit lane is blocked, or that wonderful catch-all "when directed by a Garda".

It probably isn't quite correct driving procedure to the letter of the law, but it's common practice absolutely everywhere, especially on older dual carriageways in the Dublin area (I would be particularly familiar with the N3 in Blanchardstown and the old N1 near Swords - the one with all the roundabouts). I wouldn't consider it dangerous at all... as long as drivers follow their lane around the roundabout it's fine, there's plenty of space. The problem arises when someone on the left decides to follow the "racing line" and cut into the right-hand lane on the way across. Now that's careless.

I always thought there was a catch on if the road was marked, as it is now?

fricatus

Sully wrote: »

I always thought there was a catch on if the road was marked, as it is now?

Quite true; but it's only been marked like that for a month or so, and I really think there's no sense in the way it's marked now. There are two perfectly good lanes for going straight on, it's normal practice everywhere I know (UK, Dublin, Spain) - why suddenly do things differently in Waterford?

Sully

fricatus wrote: »

Quite true; but it's only been marked like that for a month or so, and I really think there's no sense in the way it's marked now. There are two perfectly good lanes for going straight on, it's normal practice everywhere I know (UK, Dublin, Spain) - why suddenly do things differently in Waterford?

No idea. I think there was a lot of people racing in the lanes (in general). I used to use the right lane and the car in the left can get pretty close for comfort when using the roundabout.

*shrrugs*

hanton12

Sully wrote: »

No idea. I think there was a lot of people racing in the lanes (in general). I used to use the right lane and the car in the left can get pretty close for comfort when using the roundabout.

*shrrugs*

that problem still happens tho when you really are turning right and using the right hand lane. Happened me on the Faronshonen (sp) roundabout and I was turning right, car on my left going straight, and the stupid aul bag just took the racing line and cut me up. I honestly dont know how the cars didnt clip. I slammed on the brakes, and the horn, and the stupid woman just looked at me as if to say,'what the hell do you think you are doing'.

Too many people in this country dont know proceedure for roundabouts. Only a week or 2 ago on Ray Darcy someone asked what lane do you go in if its a 2 lane entry and one lane exit when you are going straight. The girl asking the question said the right lane, as did Jenny Kelly. When its the left lane you should be in. that summed it up for me. And we complain about roads and the governement etc. Its drivers that are at fault for the majority of accidents.

fricatus

Sully wrote: »

I used to use the right lane and the car in the left can get pretty close for comfort when using the roundabout.

*shrrugs*

Yes indeed, but there's a nice broken white line divinding the roundabout into not one, but two, separate lanes, so even an idiot can tell where they're supposed to be... :rolleyes: (See my earlier comment about the racing line...)

But anyway... *also shrugs*

Sully

hanton12 wrote: »

that problem still happens tho when you really are turning right and using the right hand lane. Happened me on the Faronshonen (sp) roundabout and I was turning right, car on my left going straight, and the stupid aul bag just took the racing line and cut me up. I honestly dont know how the cars didnt clip. I slammed on the brakes, and the horn, and the stupid woman just looked at me as if to say,'what the hell do you think you are doing'.

Probably didn't realise you could do what you were doing. On some roundabouts you cant, and I assume she thought this was one of them. I always keep a close eye on the car beside on the roundabout just in case.

Too many people in this country dont know proceedure for roundabouts. Only a week or 2 ago on Ray Darcy someone asked what lane do you go in if its a 2 lane entry and one lane exit when you are going straight. The girl asking the question said the right lane, as did Jenny Kelly. When its the left lane you should be in. that summed it up for me. And we complain about roads and the governement etc. Its drivers that are at fault for the majority of accidents.

Yup. But the government is to blame for letting the problem go on so long. When it looks like something is finally being done about it, they delay the law until June. My guess is he will put it of again or the guards wont be bothered to enforce it.

For instance, I reported a car for dangerous driving yesterday. 4 lads in a small Toyota racing around the place, beeping horn and shouting at any female they saw in sight, taking bends far to sharp and quickly, driving into big puddles of Water etc. Got the reg, Garda on the phone looked it up and confirmed type of car. Said I wont make a complaint but to warn the driver.

Gardai came after a while and just watched the car as it parked. Said or did nothing. They drove of and so did the offending car, Gardai came back and spotted it twice but never once pulled it over.

I felt like I wasted my time reporting the driving when he was putting other people at risk by his stupid driving.

fricatus wrote: »

Yes indeed, but there's a nice broken white line divinding the roundabout into not one, but two, separate lanes, so even an idiot can tell where they're supposed to be... :rolleyes: (See my earlier comment about the racing line...)

But anyway... *also shrugs*

Welcome to Ireland. We don't have to be trained to drive, we can hop into a car and do what we want with no experience.

Maharet

I'm surprised someone hasn't had a really bad accident at the superquinn roundabout, I used to use it everyday to get home from work but gave up because I got sick of idiots pulling out in front of me when I was on the roundabout clearly indicating where I was going and had right of way, what is so difficult to understand about 'yield to the right'! :mad::rolleyes:

I hate when people do that thing at the lights going onto the bridge, I'm always in the left lane going out home and idiots try and cut into my lane because they were too stupid to get into the right lane further back down the quay. Although I think if the guards/traffic wardens bothered their holes doing anything about the illegal parking in the inside lane it would probably improve, the left lane going toward the bridge is unusable until you get past dooley's hotel and even then you'll have idiots parked in the clearway outside The Bridge Hotel. :rolleyes:

Bards

What is even worse are the queue jumpers comming in from Sallypark who use the Bridge Street ony lane and then try to get into the N25 (Cork/City)lane when on the Roundabout.:D

The amount of times I nearly had collisions there becuase of impatient jerks is unbelievable. I reported a Car transporter once who came within 2 inches of crushing me and do you think the guards did anything - No

And they wonder why there are so many accidetnts on our roads - Bad Driving, Pure and Simple.

Typhoon.

yeah whats with the outer ring road.....the rules of the road say you may use both lanes for going straight on onnce you leave the roundabout in the same lane you entered it in....you may noth use both lanes if road markings say differently....which is the case on the ORR...all the right hand lanes are marked with a right hand turn arrow.

now you have the situation of cars booting up the right lane and cutting in and braking hard before the roundabout....

Maharet

Bards wrote: »

What is even worse are the queue jumpers comming in from Sallypark who use the Bridge Street ony lane and then try to get into the N25 (Cork/City)lane when on the Roundabout.:D

The amount of times I nearly had collisions there becuase of impatient jerks is unbelievable. I reported a Car transporter once who came within 2 inches of crushing me and do you think the guards did anything - No

And they wonder why there are so many accidetnts on our roads - Bad Driving, Pure and Simple.

Yeah, they're even worse, you have to watch from two areas on that roundabout, the idiots you mentioned and the other idiots coming from the ferrybank side who cut out in front, the amount of times I've had to brake hard and blow people out of it is unbelievable!

Sully

The parking along the Quay is pathetic. The inner lane is used as parking spaces and nobody does anything about it. It obstructs the flow of traffic and puts other drivers at risk.

Yet if we park in a space without paying, we get a ticket - which is fair enough. I just think that time should be spent handing out tickets to the drivers who use the quay as illegal spaces!

Bards

Sully wrote: »

The parking along the Quay is pathetic. The inner lane is used as parking spaces and nobody does anything about it. It obstructs the flow of traffic and puts other drivers at risk.

Yet if we park in a space without paying, we get a ticket - which is fair enough. I just think that time should be spent handing out tickets to the drivers who use the quay as illegal spaces!

forget tickets.. do what they do in London and other cities - tow them away if they are blocking traffic.

JohnC.

Do they have any towing in Waterford at all? The only time I can recall seeing a towing vehicle was during the Tall Ships event.

Mini

I have never seen any one being towed or clamped in this town which is disgraceful.

Agree about the quay, it is a night mare you are better off to stay inthe outer lane right until you need to change lanes as the parking of people in Waterford along the quay is a disgrace.

Cabaal

Kahless wrote: »

Do they have any towing in Waterford at all? The only time I can recall seeing a towing vehicle was during the Tall Ships event.

I don't believe they do, I've certainly never seen one,
I've seen clamping alright but only up in the IDA....its something they should consider in the town though

deisemum

The daughter of a friend of mine had her car towed from the Apple market a few years back.

Sully

deisemum wrote: »

The daughter of a friend of mine had her car towed from the Apple market a few years back.

She must have really pissed someone of, or blocked them beyond clamping.