I'm nearly involved in an RTA 2-3 times a week.

Alun

stevec wrote: »

If that was the Bray south exit (roundabout near the statoil) then the left lane is marked left turn only. The right lane is for all other exits.

True, but if traffic is busy and backed up to the off-ramp, and you don't know the roundabout in question, you'll never actually see the road markings telling you this, and putting up a simple small sign showing what lane to be in well before the junction that reflect what the road markings say seems to be a foreign concept here. Not only that, but it's "common usage" when coming onto this roundabout to form two lanes well before there are actually two lanes, making it even more difficult.

Steve

Alun wrote: »

True, but if traffic is busy and backed up to the off-ramp, and you don't know the roundabout in question, you'll never actually see the road markings telling you this, and putting up a simple small sign showing what lane to be in well before the junction that reflect what the road markings say seems to be a foreign concept here. Not only that, but it's "common usage" when coming onto this roundabout to form two lanes well before there are actually two lanes, making it even more difficult.

Agree, it's ridiculous.
It can also get pretty manic there in rush hour especially when traffic backs up past the start of the slip lane so people are queueing on the hard shoulder.
This then causes the right lane hoggers who want to take the exit to suddenly dive across two lanes when they see the end of the queue.

:mad:

HJL

Alun wrote: »

roundabout in question, you'll never actually see the road markings telling you this, and putting up a simple small sign showing what lane to be in well before the junction that reflect what the road markings say seems to be a foreign concept here.

I have often wondered about these left only lane (first exit) on some roundabouts, fair enough if its got 3 lanes as some do, then its left most lane is for traffic taking the first exit.
But like the one you are talking about, the ones with the left point arrow, instead of the usual left and straight arrow [on the left lane on a two lane], on the edge of the roundabout, thats the first you see of it, and its too late then to get into the right lane!
There is one roundabout i use occasionally that is like that, usually i forget about the arrow but even if i did remember in time and happen to be taking the second exit id still go by what i was taught when learning, and use the left one for first and second exit. And id give any Garda a good debate who tried to tell me i was wrong in doing so!

cyclopath2001

While it's no harm assuming all other drivers are idiots, there are also plenty of psychos out there who are quite competent drivers (in pure machine handling skills) but just don't respect other people and the rules laid down to help us get along.

Whether it's jumping orange lights, driving up to 20kph over the limit, oppressive overtaking, stopping on box junctions/pedestrian crossings, tailgating elderly drivers, parking on the wrong side of the road or taking shortcuts on roundabouts, these are not stupid people, they know full-well what they're doing and that others will yield to their bullying.

Steve

HJL wrote: »

I have often wondered about these left only lane (first exit) on some roundabouts, fair enough if its got 3 lanes as some do, then its left most lane is for traffic taking the first exit.
But like the one you are talking about, the ones with the left point arrow, instead of the usual left and straight arrow [on the left lane on a two lane], on the edge of the roundabout, thats the first you see of it, and its too late then to get into the right lane!
There is one roundabout i use occasionally that is like that, usually i forget about the arrow but even if i did remember in time and happen to be taking the second exit id still go by what i was taught when learning, and use the left one for first and second exit. And id give any Garda a good debate who tried to tell me i was wrong in doing so!

On the roundabout I was talking about, there isn't enough room for 2 cars to get past the first exit in paralell. (i.e. someone going straight and someone turning right).

In theory, everyone should queue in one lane (that becomes the right lane) and filter into the left turn lane when it starts.

In practice, it's mayhem because of the lack of signage.

Alun

stevec wrote: »

In theory, everyone should queue in one lane (that becomes the right lane) and filter into the left turn lane when it starts.

In practice, it's mayhem because of the lack of signage.

Agreed ... what we need are signs like this well in advance of every junction that has marked lanes with directional arrows ...


It'll never happen, of course.

oriain

I was pulled by a Garda once for using the left lane to take the second exit at a roundabout when I was learning to drive. When he said it to me, he didn't realise that my driving instructor was in the passenger seat who promptly corrected his mistake.

The Garda was not one bit happy. Anyway, after a lengthy debate (using up my time in the lesson!!!) he conceded and let us on our way.

E92

Alun wrote: »

Agreed ... what we need are signs like this well in advance of every junction that has marked lanes with directional arrows ...


It'll never happen, of course.

+1.

It would make a massive difference to road safety, road rage and peoples' stress levels if these things were there and clearly signposted well in advance of the junction.

But no, speed cameras are far too alluring to our politicians to "improve":rolleyes: road safety.

Omcd

+1

Del2005

HJL wrote: »

What did the Garda say? And what did your friend say back? Rules state that you should only use the right lane for a second exit if the left lane is congested and the right lane is free moving, however i dont think the average Garda would like being told that he doesnt know the rules of the road. I bet he still insisted that he was right.

She did, but he thought he was right. Now it appears he was correct:(

stevec wrote: »

If that was the Bray south exit (roundabout near the statoil) then the left lane is marked left turn only. The right lane is for all other exits.

That marking must be worn away, I've driven there several times at night and have never seen it. And I was looking out for it the 1st few times.

Or is it right at the junction so if you are obeying the rules you end up in the wrong lane at the last moment and have to go anyway?

astraboy

E92 wrote: »

+1.

It would make a massive difference to road safety, road rage and peoples' stress levels if these things were there and clearly signposted well in advance of the junction.

But no, speed cameras are far too alluring to our politicians to "improve":rolleyes: road safety.

If anyone has ever driver abroad it really makes our Sign's and road side information absolutely appalling. In the US the signs are large, clear and frequent, making getting to your destination and choosing your exit off the highway easy(Never mind the great roads). Of course signs are but one aspect of our roads that are terrible compared to other countries. Driving around Cork city last night it was like helter sceltor trying to avoid huge potholes and rough patches of road.:mad: Of course none of this causes accidents, its speeding:rolleyes:. Roll on the speed cameras to solve all our road deaths.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Jumpy

ballooba wrote: »

Number One rule of driving: Assume the other car is being driven by an idiot.

Correction: Number One rule of Driving in Ireland

Gegerty

I find the difference between driving in Ireland and abroad is that people are courteous abroad (with exception of Italy). For example in the U.S if you need to change lane at the last minute (something you'll do a lot as a tourist) you'll be given the space to do so. This makes the situation a minor incident. Someone doesn't know where they're going, big deal. Put the same situation on Irish roads and you will be blocked and blasted out of it forcing you to have to do something stupid and dangerous in order to get in the right lane or in order to make the turn you need.

The idiots on Irish roads are the ones who have no cop on or courtesy.

Steve

Del2005 wrote: »

That marking must be worn away, I've driven there several times at night and have never seen it. And I was looking out for it the 1st few times.

Or is it right at the junction so if you are obeying the rules you end up in the wrong lane at the last moment and have to go anyway?

It's there and visible, I drive by it every morning.

The part where there are two lanes marked is short and right at the roundabout.

The problem is that there is 'officially' only one lane leading up to the roundabout until just before the junction.

The 'regulars' know this and queue on the right, left turners and some 'chancers' are then free to use the space on the left to skip down the inside as it's nearly always empty.

TBH if the queue is out to as far as the N11, I'll go down the inside, turn left and then U-turn via the garage as it's always quicker.

To answer your question, yes it would be impossible in that situation following the rules of the road to get where you wanted to go.

The solution is to turn left anyway and then backtrack, you're not breaking any rules by doing this.

250882

Signage at roundabouts is desperate, there is absolutely no point in painting the arrow on the road because if there are 2 cars ahead of you its not going to be visable. It also seems daft that there is one rule for most roundabouts but the most congested ones have this completely different one.
Its the same with junctions, the lane splits into 2 coming up to a junction, if theres any traffic theres a 50/50 chance of being in the wrong one because the arrows are painted on the road less than 1 car lenght behind the white line. left lane could be straight ahead and turn left or turn left only , same with the right lane.

Omcd

And what about the best road planners trick to confuse everybody, the straight on lane beside the bus lane suddenly turns into a right turn only lane without warning - in heavy traffic you need to know it well in advance otherwise you'll be stuck blocked into the totally inadequate right turn lane by the traffic that switched into the bus lane halfway back up the road..you cant get out of it, then the lights go red for straight on traffic - and then the right turn filter arrow comes out, but you ain't going right and therefore neither is anyone behind you whether they want to or not (or more usually they take off past you on the wrong side and nearly RTA with joining traffic on a left turn arrow). There a lot of this idiology out near the airport.

Del2005

stevec wrote: »

It's there and visible, I drive by it every morning.

The part where there are two lanes marked is short and right at the roundabout.

The problem is that there is 'officially' only one lane leading up to the roundabout until just before the junction.

The 'regulars' know this and queue on the right, left turners and some 'chancers' are then free to use the space on the left to skip down the inside as it's nearly always empty.

TBH if the queue is out to as far as the N11, I'll go down the inside, turn left and then U-turn via the garage as it's always quicker.

To answer your question, yes it would be impossible in that situation following the rules of the road to get where you wanted to go.

The solution is to turn left anyway and then backtrack, you're not breaking any rules by doing this.

My mistake it's the Bray North exit I'm talking about not the South exit, the first exit when coming from the M50.

There are no arrows there as I would have spotted them as the 1st few times I drive a new road I pay attention for road markings. Hopefully nobody will prove me wrong:)

Steve

Omcd wrote: »

And what about the best road planners trick to confuse everybody, the straight on lane beside the bus lane suddenly turns into a right turn only lane without warning - in heavy traffic you need to know it well in advance otherwise you'll be stuck blocked into the totally inadequate right turn lane by the traffic that switched into the bus lane halfway back up the road..you cant get out of it, then the lights go red for straight on traffic - and then the right turn filter arrow comes out, but you ain't going right and therefore neither is anyone behind you whether they want to or not (or more usually they take off past you on the wrong side and nearly RTA with joining traffic on a left turn arrow). There a lot of this idiology out near the airport.

There's a notable one of these heading from Rathfarnham / Dodder park into Terenure.

I'm surprised there aren't regular punch-ups given the mayhem it causes.

Are these classed as RTA's or only when cars collide?

Steve

Del2005 wrote: »

My mistake it's the Bray North exit I'm talking about not the South exit, the first exit when coming from the M50.

There are no arrows there as I would have spotted them as the 1st few times I drive a new road I pay attention for road markings. Hopefully nobody will prove me wrong:)

Don't use that exit much but I can't recall seeing any arrows on it.:)

S.I.R

connundrum wrote: »

Hi,

So I've been driving for 5 odd years now, and for the last year I've had a company car and have had reason to be on the road far more than usual. For the first couple of months I was just driving along normally, and dealing with the every day trials and tribulations of Dublin City traffic.

Over the recent few months (Since end December actually) I've been keeping a small record of the amount of near collisions I've been involved in. The reason for keeping the record was because of the huge amount of near collisions I'd experienced - I got the feeling that there was a lot - but decided to write them down just for the laugh, and to see if the results showed up anything scary.

So on average, I nearly get crashed into 2.4 times a week. And by near crash I mean where another vehicle is within 1 - 2 feet of my car, and it is only my actions that prevent a crash.

There have been near misses where trucks pull out in front of me, where cars are driving down the wrong side of the road towards me, where a van nearly hit me by going the wrong way around a round-about, where cars drift randomly from lane to lane without a thought.

The count would have been far lower if it weren't for my journey home. I've to drive past Santry Stadium, and head up toward the Swiss Cottage Pub (for anyone who knows it). The road goes from one to two lanes, with the right lane leading to a right hand turn for Ballymun. Nearly every day sees a car drift from the right hand lane into the left hand lane, without indicators, and without a thought for who is beside them. This particular road is the cause for the weekly near crash count to be as high as it is imo.

I'm just thinking that had a fraction of those near hits actually happened, I'd surely be brown bread by now

Oh and I write this not from a soap box, as I realise that I'm not a perfect driver myself. I've done a few silly things too i.e. forgetting to indicate etc. But luckily it hasn't ended in tears or anything like it. The stats above just kinda scared me, and I was looking to see if others experienced anything similar. The roads are deffo not a safe place.

If you dont like driving or feel its unsafe... take the bus/train/luas to work , Ofcourse other drivers are dangerous because most of them dont have an i.q over 20.

as for the safe ones, theres many thing you must concider - where they in a rush , road conditions , car conditions , driver visablity etc

dont count the times you Nearly get hit , just count your lucky star's and pray dotn Actually get hit !

ART6

JimmyCrackCorn! wrote: »

Isnt this normal?

there is a reason i keep 4-6+ car lengths up front as much as possible and more as speed increases.

The best rule of thumb by far is the two second rule -- stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front at all speeds, three in bad weather. That means at 120k being 67 to 100 metres behind the other guy, and 33 to 50 metres at 60k. The rule fails in towns unfortunately, since there isn't enough road space for all the vehicles to do that, which is why one sees so many lines of cars with noses firmly rammed into tails.

Gegerty

ART6 wrote: »

The best rule of thumb by far is the two second rule -- stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front at all speeds, three in bad weather. That means at 120k being 67 to 100 metres behind the other guy, and 33 to 50 metres at 60k. The rule fails in towns unfortunately, since there isn't enough road space for all the vehicles to do that, which is why one sees so many lines of cars with noses firmly rammed into tails.

And because you have to be moving in order to have a breaking distance

ninty9er

kceire wrote: »

i agree, the amount of times i see cars in the left lane indicating right and going striaght

I saw a Garda car do this yesterday:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: