Legally skipping traffic queues

AugustusMaximus

Does anyone here have time for these people.

Two examples, both from Cork I'm afraid.

Example 1: Travelling west on the South Ring Road. Often enough the traffic is backed up to Rochestown. However, you can easily go up the left hand lane, easily all the way to the next exist at Mahon point. Turn right on the bridge, go into Jacobs Island, around the roundabout, back out and left down the sliproad. Massive time saving in heavy traffic.

Example 2: Travelling south on the N8 approaching the Dunkettle Interchange. Take the left hand lane for Carrigtowhill, Tunnel Maintenance and Little Island. Go into little island and take a left at the next roundabout. This takes you back onto the roundabout and easily into the tunnel, skipping the traffic backing up onto the N8.

Just wondering does anyone actually do this. I've been thinking over in my mind other places where this sort of stuff is possible Don't do it myself btw.

Del2005

Thats not really skipping a queue it's driving around it and I've nothing against this.

What really annoys me is when you are queuing in traffic on a dual lane road where the lanes have different turns. I'm sitting in a long queue to go straight on and people fly up the outside lane and then cut in right at the end. Or people queuing to turn and people going up the straight on lane and cutting in.

_Kaiser_

Coming into Navan (Dublin side) I usually manage to skip the line of traffic at the lights at the Ardboyne Hotel by simply taking the right-hand lane (clearly marked as turn right OR go straight ahead).

Always bemused at the filthy looks this gets me. It's the same with using the bus lanes in town (Dublin obviously ) on the quays between 10am and 12 noon ... not my fault people can't read!

rotinaj

I alway do example 1.

I dont understand how example 2 works

DaMonk

If its legal then I'm all for it. You'll find these are the same people using their heads on the road and being alert that do these legal moves.

gingerGiant

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Coming into Navan (Dublin side) I usually manage to skip the line of traffic at the lights at the Ardboyne Hotel by simply taking the right-hand lane (clearly marked as turn right OR go straight ahead).

Always bemused at the filthy looks this gets me. It's the same with using the bus lanes in town (Dublin obviously ) on the quays between 10am and 12 noon ... not my fault people can't read!

Do both of these myself regularly, great little time savers, I don't consider it skipping the queue either as I'm doing nothing wrong. It's the drivers sitting in the queue that are not being observant and using the road and lanes as they are meant to be used.

Berty

Sssshhh keep them to yourself. The more that find it the worse it will become.

Heroditas

Del2005 wrote: »

What really annoys me is when you are queuing in traffic on a dual lane road where the lanes have different turns. I'm sitting in a long queue to go straight on and people fly up the outside lane and then cut in right at the end. Or people queuing to turn and people going up the straight on lane and cutting in.

What also annoys me about that is the dopes who then let them in! If they weren't allowed do it, they may think twice about doing it constantly. :mad:

Guy:Incognito

Del2005 wrote: »

Thats not really skipping a queue it's driving around it and I've nothing against this.

What really annoys me is when you are queuing in traffic on a dual lane road where the lanes have different turns. I'm sitting in a long queue to go straight on and people fly up the outside lane and then cut in right at the end. Or people queuing to turn and people going up the straight on lane and cutting in.

I blame the stupid **** that let them in more.

EDIT. Boo urns, heroditas got there first.

adamski8

Heroditas wrote: »

What also annoys me about that is the dopes who then let them in! If they weren't allowed do it, they may think twice about doing it constantly. :mad:

except they are always the jerks that force their way back in and start cursing at you if you dont let them and youll probably hit their car. worst is after the M50 toll going north

Bobeagleburger

if it means saving time and its legal, why not. More power to them

Berty

Judging by the title I now do no think there is any way of "legally" skipping. You are either allowed to do it or you are not.

RE: The M50. Just after the toll its a joke with the traffic build up but hell yeah I will drive in the second lane from the left and indicate in further up. Why not? Its a broken white line.

If I come up to a roundabout and there are piles of cars turning left then I will take the lane on the right and navigate the roundabout and "legally" take the exit I wanted in the first place.

I abhore people who purposely skip queues to get there quicker. The red cow was worst for it just after they started the roadworks.

I dont skip queues illegaly but if there is a way to legally avoid queueing for any time longer than I need to then I will take it.

M50 as well. I sometimes take the Blanch exit, navigate the roundabout and re-enter the M50 at the other side. Skips around 50 or so people but there is nothing illegal about it.

Using bus lanes and hardshoulders is crazy.

Oh to have spikes strips and a morning off to spend the time throwing it out on the road. Joy

L1011

quirke_folder wrote: »

RE: The M50. Just after the toll its a joke with the traffic build up but hell yeah I will drive in the second lane from the left and indicate in further up. Why not? Its a broken white line.

This is WHY there are traffic buildups there...

Wishbone Ash

quirke_folder wrote: »

If I come up to a roundabout and there are piles of cars turning left then I will take the lane on the right and navigate the roundabout and "legally" take the exit I wanted in the first place

quirke_folder wrote:

I abhore people who purposely skip queues to get there quicker.

Contradiction?

Isn't that what you do on the roundabout? If you aren't doing it to get somewhere more quickly, why do you do it?

quirke_folder wrote:

M50 as well. I sometimes take the Blanch exit, navigate the roundabout and re-enter the M50 at the other side. Skips around 50 or so people but there is nothing illegal about it.

While it may not be illegal, it displays poor road manners and lack of consideration to other road users.

The slip roads on a motorway are there for a purpose and it isn't for skipping queues.

Berty

MYOB wrote: »

This is WHY there are traffic buildups there...

Well its more likely that its 4 lanes rushing up the M50 to be squeezed into two lanes because the rest of the motorway is not open.

trishasaffron

MYOB wrote: »

This is WHY there are traffic buildups there...

well exactly. another spot is the right turn down Nutley in the morning about 7.45. I can watch with a degree of objectivity since I'm going straight on. But right lane is chockers from under the bridge at Belfield - some really "smart" drivers shoot ahead and then nip in to the right lane just before the lights. Well "hello" that's why the lane is so long - not just annoying but dangerous too :mad::mad:

Berty

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Contradiction?

Isn't that what you do on the roundabout? If you aren't doing it to get somewhere more quickly, why do you do it?

While it may not be illegal, it displays poor road manners and lack of consideration to other road users.

The slip roads on a motorway are there for a purpose and it isn't for skipping queues.

There is nothing illegal about what I do or have done. Its not illegal and its not skipping anything. Its finding a way around the delay.

Regards to the Blanch exit. When you get to the top of the exit, there is a roundabout, navigating that roundabout brings to to the onramp back onto the M50. It does not display lack of manners. I displays better manners not trying to push in on the people in the two queues, rather legally taking the exit to reapproach the M50.

Using the slip road brings you to a roundabout where I can make a number of manouvers. The one I choose brings me past a lenghtly queue.

Its not wrong or illegal and only by your, and possibly others, opinion is it morally wrong.

c-note

well heres my take:
if theres 2 ways of getting to somewhere, then the smallest standard deiation in queueing time will occour when both routes take the same time.... also maximum throughput of traffic will be achieved (provided the routes dont merge) so really its fairer on everyone if more people take the shortcut!!


as for the m50 north after the old toll bridge, i've been caught out there once or twice:
i dont use the m50 much but i remember going past the bridge heading north, the right lanes were slow or stopped, i was in a jeep and trailer, so as normal, stayed left in the slow lane" its only about a kilometer later that i see a sign saying the TWO leftmost lanes are exit lanes, not the normal ONE exit lane, and so i had to cut in! sorry!! it should be signed further back

Berty

Just to illustrate for those who do not know the M50 exit I refer to



The red line illustrates what I would do at this exit instead of queuing unecessarily on the M50. It cicrumvents the queue but is perfectly legal. Once it has actually proven a costly mistake though.

Here is another location where I have twice navigated the roundabout to avoid a delay. Legal in every sense. The red line is the queue which is not moving at all. The blue line is the direction I take. Instead of taking the right lane and bullying my way onto the exit I go around the rounadbout a join the shorter queue on the roundabout wishing to take the exit.



Are my choices popular? No, clearly not?

Are they illegal? No.

I do not see why I should queue if there is a way to avoid it.

Also, would I use car parks to avoid a traffic jam? No but people do this every morning at the Maldron hotel to avoid the lengtly queue at the childers road link up.

Berty

c-note wrote: »

i dont use the m50 much but i remember going past the bridge heading north, the right lanes were slow or stopped, i was in a jeep and trailer, so as normal, stayed left in the slow lane" its only about a kilometer later that i see a sign saying the TWO leftmost lanes are exit lanes, not the normal ONE exit lane, and so i had to cut in! sorry!! it should be signed further back

YES YES. Thats why I had to take the Blanch exit first. I dont know Dublin at all and my Sat Nav does not have lane positioning so as I passed under the M50 toll things I was in the second from the left. I could not get into the two right hand lanes so took the exit knowing(from going to Blanch before) there was a roundabout.

4 lanes to 2 in a blink of an eye. Awful.

L1011

While cutting in to the line of traffic at the 3->2 reduction is not illegal, it IS the main cause of the delay in the first place! People having to slow/stop to let mergers in causes the traffic to slow significantly, hence causing the delay.

Wishbone Ash

quirke_folder wrote: »

There is nothing illegal about what I do or have done. Its not illegal.........

........Its not wrong or illegal

No one said that it was illegal.

Suppose you are in your local supermarket. An elderly lady is approaching the checkout. She's several metres away from it but you run ahead to get served first. There's nothing illegal about that and you are also avoiding a delay but it not very nice and displays a lack of respect and courtesy.

It's always strange that those people who are normally well mannered suddenly become excessively self-centred when they get behind the wheel of a car.

Caliden

I do the same as quirke folder but on the quincentenary bridge in Galway.
However I will admit I am sometimes guilty of cutting into the left lane should the opportunity arise with people driving slowly and leaving a big gap or if there are cars waiting to get into the sliproad to the left that joins the first exit.

If you cant beat them, join them.

Berty

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

No one said that it was illegal.

I said illegal on account of the sheep mentality in this country.

Some people will follow the cars in front of them irregardless of the signage or road markings. Hence, people believe it the majority do it a certain way the other way must be wrong and possibly contravening the ROTR.



[/QUOTE]It's always strange that those people who are normally well mannered suddenly become excessively self-centred when they get behind the wheel of a car.[/QUOTE]

I WAS like that but of late I am driving upwards of 60 hours a week. I have learned to remind myself there are other human beings in those cars, people I would normally smile at and say good morning and today scream at them for "not driving like me". I know so many women like that(not woman bashing) who turn into nutcases in their cars. Its like an outlet. At least men are consistent at being rude. They do not need the car to magnify their arrogance. see disclaimer*

*Disclaimer - not in all cases.

Berty

Caliden wrote: »

I do the same as quirke folder but on the quincentenary bridge in Galway.
However I will admit I am sometimes guilty of cutting into the left lane should the opportunity arise with people driving slowly and leaving a big gap or if there are cars waiting to get into the sliproad to the left that joins the first exit.

If you cant beat them, join them.

I think I know what you mean. There is a slip road to avoid the roundabout at that crazy roundabout. So......all the people in the left lane take the slip road leaving the lane in front of them empty, the one that goes to the roundabout. You skip into this lane and when the light is green you turn left.

Hell, everybody does this and there is nothing wrong with that, so long as you are in the correct lane.

Caliden

quirke_folder wrote: »

I think I know what you mean. There is a slip road to avoid the roundabout at that crazy roundabout. So......all the people in the left lane take the slip road leaving the lane in front of them empty, the one that goes to the roundabout. You skip into this lane and when the light is green you turn left.

Hell, everybody does this and there is nothing wrong with that, so long as you are in the correct lane.

Yeah thats the one. What a roundabout, I remember reading an article in one of the galway papers which had a letter and in it the reader said there should be a bucket of medals at every exit to reward yourself for getting around it.

I come from the terryland direction in the middle lane and every second day there's someone in the right lane wanting to go straight on or cut into the left lane of the third exit over the bridge.
Even coming onto the roundabout from the Dunnes side is mental, the lanes arent half wide enough and was almost smushed between 2 jeeps who seem to think their blindspot is an urban legend

Berty

getting from the currys side to anything other than the 1st exit is a nightmare. I used to drive a big rigid truck around Galway and between the line and the first lights in front of you if there is one car then there is no room for the truck unless you block the roundabout and when the lights go green you cannot move for the hundreds of cars coming from the right.

Madness. Its worse then because people in Galway cannot indicate properly more than any other county as far as Im concerned.

Caliden

quirke_folder wrote: »

getting from the currys side to anything other than the 1st exit is a nightmare. I used to drive a big rigid truck around Galway and between the line and the first lights in front of you if there is one car then there is no room for the truck unless you block the roundabout and when the lights go green you cannot move for the hundreds of cars coming from the right.

Madness. Its worse then because people in Galway cannot indicate properly more than any other county as far as Im concerned.

haha totally agree. Went to Killarney during the week and I didn't know what was going on when I saw indicators being used (I always make a habit of using them for everything, just nobody else seems to). Then when I came back to Galway thursday evening it felt like home.

Also sorry for the derail.

What annoys me though are cars that use the sliproad onto a dual caraigeway as an excuse to skip traffic until they feel like joining the rest of us in it

The tax man

While your "red line route" across the Blanchardstown junction maybe legal it just adds to the congestion around the junction. You and many others along the length of the M50 are deciding to add there own route along the motorway that it wasn't intended for. Natural traffic flow will go right or left at that junction,not straight back down the opposite ramp. Cars now coming from either direction on the N3 wishing to enter the M50 northbound are finding the slip more and more congested with cars that are doing what you do. As soon as the traffic volume builds the complete area and surrounding roads are grid locked.
I have to use the M50 everyday from the South to the North of the city and when,for example, Southbound towards Dundrum or past it has a tail back,why should that affect me I'm miles away from it,heading in the opposite direction. People start using the Firhouse slips to jump the queue and then the junction gets jammed and the whole area grinds to a halt.
This junction unlike Blanch is not controlled by lights so it's a free for all but the people ramp jumping are ALWAYS the ones that block the junction trying in vain to save those precious few seconds of their inconsiderate lives.Not saying you block junctions but you fill space on the slips. When this happens I've spent up to an hour trying to travel less then 1Km just to get onto the M50 Northbound,the delay Southbound shouldn't affect me but people dragging the delay across the ramps adds misery and annoyance to other motorists that otherwise shouldn't be affected.

During last years operation free flow this junction was manned by Gardaí and one morning while the M50 Southbound was backed up because of a crash,the guard on duty sent every single car that came up the slip and tried to go back down the other side away.Basically the only cars allowed onto the Southbound slip where coming some my direction,turning left, or coming over the bridge from Firhouse. This guard was on the ball and kept an eye on cars he turned away that went over the bridge and back again as if coming from Firhouse. His attitude was you shouldn't be here so find your way back onto the M50 but you ain't using this slip. Made my morning believe me.:D:D

B11gt00e

That's beautiful taxman... I read the whole thread and enjoyed the different perspectives on the different arguments, but have to say that I really enjoyed your take on things and was a nice finish on the whole debate...

Good rationalisation and a view of the bigger picture!

Anan1

The tax man wrote: »

During last years operation free flow this junction was manned by Gardaí and one morning while the M50 Southbound was backed up because of a crash,the guard on duty sent every single car that came up the slip and tried to go back down the other side away.Basically the only cars allowed onto the Southbound slip where coming some my direction,turning left, or coming over the bridge from Firhouse. This guard was on the ball and kept an eye on cars he turned away that went over the bridge and back again as if coming from Firhouse. His attitude was you shouldn't be here so find your way back onto the M50 but you ain't using this slip. Made my morning believe me.:D:D

Isn't that illegal, though?