Exit off the M50 to Blanch/City/N3

Johnnio13

Hi Folks,
Quick question for you all. I was driving home last night and went up the off-ramp after the toll. At the lights at the top of the ramp is three lanes onto the roundabout.

Now, in the normal course of driving - if I wanted to go left - ie the first exit at the roundabout, I would go into the inside/left lane or the centre. I was driving back towards town (exit 3) and wanted to be in the lefthand lane as I came around the roundabout so I positioned myself in the centre lane of the ramp at the lights - indicating right.

A young female driver came up the ramp in the right hand lane. As the lights went green the car in front of me started driving, and indicated left. In my mirror I noticed the female driver getting closer to me so I slowed and she cut straight across the front of me so I blew her out of it, only to be beeped at by a driver trying a similiar manouver behind me to the right.

My question is: Why can't so many people in this country use roundabouts!!!!

And if you are blonde ponytailed young one who got severely beeped last night at 9pm - learn how to use a roundabout!!!!!

Its a very simple concept!!

Saruman

I post about this myself... its beyond me... My favourite is the auburn roundabout coming from the auburn road. Two lanes at the traffic lights. Clearly signed both on the road and a sign. Left hand lane is for M50 right hand lane is for the City. The road markings are also plain. Left hand lane is left and straight through roundabout (to go straight for river road). Right hand lane is fot straight ahead (river road again) or right for the city.

So many people though are in the right hand lane indicating and going left which is all kinds of fun when someone in the left hand lane is going straight for river road or elmgreen golf club. It boggles the mind.

NinjaTruncs

Johnnio13 wrote: »

Now, in the normal course of driving - if I wanted to go left - ie the first exit at the roundabout, I would go into the inside/left lane or the centre. I was driving back towards town (exit 3) and wanted to be in the lefthand lane as I came around the roundabout so I positioned myself in the centre lane of the ramp at the lights - indicating right.

you were in the incorrect lane for going to the right. for going back into dublin you should be right hand lane and only that lane. the left lane would only be for going left, and the center lane would be for left or straight on.

Depending on the road markings the right lane could also be used for straigth on, but as far as i remember the exit road back onto the M50 is a single lane so this wouldn't be correct.

Saruman

Have to disagree there Ninja, sounds to me he was correct. The roundabout would not have been designed for someone coming off the ramp and then going back down to the M50.

Even if he should not have been in the middle to turn right, thats not the point... the other driver was in the far right lane and going LEFT! So even if he was going straight through she would still have been making a lethal and illegal turn and cutting him off. Same goes for the other muppet behind her.

daveharnett

Don't know the roundabout in question, so I can't say who's in the right. Given the forum jonnio is posting in, I'd be inclined to give the benefit of the doubt. In my experience, learners are much more likely to use roundabouts correctly.
For many more experienced users, the 'correct lane' seems to be the one with the shortest queue.

Johnnio13

Alright folks,
Saruman, I feel your pain on that roundabout also!

Ninja, I think I am in the right from the layout of the lanes. The right hand lane would be used for going all the way around the roundabout and back down onto the M50 from whence you came, and also for taking the 3rd exit back to the city(as this is dual carriageway) while the centre lane would be to go back onto the M50 and also to head back towards the city

Dave, it seems to be the case everywhere!!

NinjaTruncs

I think one main problem is that roundabouts in Ireland has no consistency, While i feel you should have been in the right hand lane, i also feel that the person in the right should not have been going left.

Saruman said the roundabout would not have been designed for traffic to go straight on but, but then it also would not have been designed for car to do a 180 to get back onto the M50, obviously people get lost and from time to time both these routes will be used.

the fact is that the exit towards Blanch opens onto a three laned road, so it would be assumed that the left and middle lane would be used for cars to go this way. the rules of the road don't mention a three laned roundabout as far as i know but for a two laned rounabout it does state to be in the right hand lane approaching so the same logic should be used here.

This is only my belief but i do not think the roundabout was designed to allow the middle lane to be used as a go anyway lane. but then stranger things have happened with the layout of irish roads.

Saruman

You are right about no consistency. One problem i have are small roundabouts that either have 2 lanes painted on the approaches or one lane but wide enough for two cars, and in Ireland... if you can fit two cars you will always have someone move all the way to the left or right and so other cars turn single lanes into 2 lanes when the roundabout itself is only big enough for 1 lane.

And one of the biggest problems is the roundabouts themselves have no lane markings on them so some muppets cut straight through... at least if there was a lane marking around the roundabout it would be more obvious to stick to it.

I think every roundabout in Ireland should have arrows in the lanes indicating which way you are allowed to go. People might still ignore them but at least they are there for people who like to follow signs.

Meathlass

I hate this roundabout. I'm usually coming up off the M50 and turning left for the N3. I always position myself in the centre lane as the left hand lane once you actually turn left quickly turns into a bus lane/left hand turn only so you have lots of people trying to indicate back out again into the centre lane so they can continue straight down the roundabout. If I was going right though (into city or back down m50) I would go into the right hand lane - centre lane is only for straight through or left in the classic roundabout system. But your blonde girl was definately wrong.

dodgyme

Meathlass wrote: »

I hate this roundabout. I'm usually coming up off the M50 and turning left for the N3. I always position myself in the centre lane as the left hand lane once you actually turn left quickly turns into a bus lane/left hand turn only so you have lots of people trying to indicate back out again into the centre lane .

Well here is the point of the argument really. In Ireland you nearly have to know the road ahead to make a decision. This really shouldnt have to be the case. e.g. at the top of that slipway if you look to your right you will see the traffic coming from the city. The lane goes from 2 to 3 lanes for them without any warning and inevitably a few beeps happen each time. Then there is the wonderful roundabout at dunsink/river road roundabout. If you are taking a right here to the park/castleknock coming from the N3 Blanch, there is a little blimp roundabout and there is always problems with laning etc because of the design

Saruman

saw a nice accident on a roundabout today.

It was the one at the Texaco in Ballycoolin that leads onto a narrow road before emerging at the newer road and roundabout at the back of northwest business park and where Dolly Heffernans is. Anyway i came from texaco so obviously since im taking the next exit i stayed in the left hand lane. I looked in my rear view mirror for some reason (intuition) and 2 cars back at a black car which was also in the left hand lane. The reason i was intriged was a truck that was in the right (wrong lane) pushed in to the exit and looked very close to the back of the black car..... sure enough the next moment the black car is hit and spins around at 90 degrees completely in front of the truck and blocking the entire lane. Either the truck driver did not see the car or did not care.

Reminds me of a few years back when i was on the North Quays turning right onto O'Connell bridge. There are three lanes. the left hand one is to turn left onto O'Connell street and the middle and right are to go straight ahead, the right also is for turning right. Anyway the car in front of me went straight, the truck to her left instead of moving over to the left to stay in the left hand lane, drive arrow straight (ending up in the right hand lane) and pushed this car for a good 10 feet before the car spun away into the bus lane (facing the wrong way) and the truck just kept going as if nothing happened. the woman in the car did not know what to do, she drove behind the truck and beeped but then just pulled over for a second and then drove towards Busaras.

I came across a Garda later so i gave him a statement in case there was a complaint and the woman wanted a witness. Madness!!

Stark

Yeah that "taking first exit from the right-hand lane" thing bugs the life out of me. Especially when people start beeping you out of it for going straight on.