Drivers blowing horns at roundabouts

KStaford

Using the major roundabouts in Galway, I usually approach in the right hand lane. You have to get out on the roundabout as soon as there is a window of opportunity in traffic coming from your right. The roundabouts are very busy and it can be hard to be aware of all th etraffic around your own vehicle.
But then some tosser blows a horn and I for one jump.
I wonder is it intended for me?
Am I about to impact with some car I did not manage to see?
I think blowing your horn on busy roundabouts makes a lot of motorists jittery like me.

Whoever you are, for god sakes have a bit of patience. Just because you have been kept waiting for more than 20 miliseconds is no excuse.

BeardyGit

To be honest, if you're experiencing enough people blowing horns at you on roundabouts to write a post to complain about it, you're obviously doing something wrong....

KStaford

Gil_Dub wrote: »

To be honest, if you're experiencing enough people blowing horns at you on roundabouts to write a post to complain about it, you're obviously doing something wrong....

tbh, I experience this once or twice a fortnight and the horn blowing is not usually intended for me afaict, the sound is sometimes from behind but often from left, right or undetermined. The point is that the sound of a horn when navigating a busy roundabout makes me jumpy and I wonder does it make others the same.

PopeBuckfastXVI

KStaford wrote: »

The point is that the sound of a horn when navigating a busy roundabout makes me jumpy and I wonder does it make others the same.

Not me, but then whenever I hear a horn on a roundabout I'm the one hitting it, usually at some idiot in the wrong lane, lane jumping or not using their indicators.

Could that be you?

MarkR

I drive through those quite often, and hadn't noticed any odd amount of people beeping. To be honest, if someone is beeping you, you should really know about it. Are your observation skills up to it? Are you one of those "I'll make it" people, who are destined to make the papers as another statistic (either road rage or as a fatality)

mandysmithers

KStaford wrote: »

Using the major roundabouts in Galway, I usually approach in the right hand lane. You have to get out on the roundabout as soon as there is a window of opportunity in traffic coming from your right. The roundabouts are very busy and it can be hard to be aware of all th etraffic around your own vehicle.
But then some tosser blows a horn and I for one jump.
I wonder is it intended for me?
Am I about to impact with some car I did not manage to see?
I think blowing your horn on busy roundabouts makes a lot of motorists jittery like me.

Whoever you are, for god sakes have a bit of patience. Just because you have been kept waiting for more than 20 miliseconds is no excuse.

You should only use the right hand lane if you're taking the 3rd/4th exit (or past 12, if using the 'clock rule'...not 100% sure which is correct!) Either way, you shouldn't be using the right hand lane if exiting from, at least, the 1st or 2nd exit. By saying you 'usually' approach the roundabout in the right hand lane, you give the impression that you mostly use that lanem and sometimes it might be wrong. In that case, no wonder people are beeping at you so much.

View Profile

Are you new to driving or a nervous driver?

A horn beep from a few cars back shouldnt be something that bothers/upsets a driver.
You should move to France/Spain/Italy, that'll desensitise you fairly quickly.

KStaford

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

Not me, but then whenever I hear a horn on a roundabout I'm the one hitting it, usually at some idiot in the wrong lane, lane jumping or not using their indicators.

Could that be you?

Oh god, this thread is going against me. Guys, I promise you I am a reasonable driver. I commute daily, I know my route, I am not too old nor too young, I drive assertively, I dont mess with lanes, (I know ppl think they are good drivers, I just reckon I am a reasonable driver for the sake of making this point)

The point I am making is that some of the roundabouts in Galway are so busy and so tight. You have to be so aware when navigating them. You have to monitor so much, from behind, infront, to the right, lanes, what's yer-one gonna do now etc. Then some loud horn just adds to the cognitive load. I reckon it might make roundabouts even more dangerous. Thats the point I'm trying to make.

I've learned to be a little more patient in my 22 years thus far of driving. People who blow their horns if the car infront of them has not responded to a green light within 0.3 seconds are probably the culprits I refer to in this post. There are so many impatient drivers, angry drivers, piss poor drivers. Jesus all you had to do was look at them this morning, speeding, tailgating, cutting up when there was snow and frost all over the ground.

In the same, snow and ice this morning, I was followed all the way in from Athenry by a blond in her silver Golf, she made phone calls, did her make up and kept to a max of about 10 feet from my bumper. I was never as glad to get away from anyone as I was when she and I went our seperate ways at Briarhill.

Xiney

The clock rule is correct.

This explains things rather well.

I have to agree with PPs, if you "usually approach in the right hand lane" and you're not supposed to - then you're doing it wrong and people have every right to let you know with their horns.

KStaford

Xiney wrote: »

The clock rule is correct.

This explains things rather well.

I have to agree with PPs, if you "usually approach in the right hand lane" and you're not supposed to - then you're doing it wrong and people have every right to let you know with their horns.

I'm talking about ppl blowing horns on roundabouts. Not necessarily at me!!!!!!!!!!!
The point is that the sharp sound of the horn makes me jump. Therefore there may be a possibility it makes others jump also and if so, could this be dangerous.

Jesus I was never as sorry that I started a thread. If I start a row with someone, use slander or bad language, I might be able to get the thread locked by the admins perhaps:D

MarkR

I will say in defence of op, most of those roundabouts the second exit is past 12 o'clock, so I would also choose the right hand lane.

scottledeuce

I hope that wasn't me that blew at you .
I was queuing in the right hand lane on the headford road roundabout at about 4.30 and accidentally hit the horn as the person in front pulled onto the roundabout.

Someone followed behind had a go then after so maybe I was right and didn't even realise

dafunk

On numerous occasions I've nearly fallen off my bike with the shock of a horn being blown as a car whizzes past me, usually being blown at another motorist as opposed to the cyclist, me, but it scares the **** out of you. D1ckwads. They're noisy to people on the outside that aren't protected by metal and glass. Just thought I'd take this opportunity to say it's dangerous to honk your horn aggressively when there's cyclists about.

LowOdour

Think this link will give a good insite into galway drivers
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055414087

I think driving in galway is shocking an can understand if a somebodyy blowing a horn (sounds dirty ) on the roundabout would make someone jump.

I have beebed at 2 cars already this week, just for not indicating when they came of the round about over at the Quincentennial bridge....tis where all the madness happens at 6pm each day!

ronnie3585

I think things could be improved at roundabouts if some very simple 'Ann and Barry' type signs were erected, showing what lane you should be in going left, right or straight on. I appears that the reason roundabouts cause so much agro is that a lot of people lack a basic understanding of how to use them - that a stupid people.

Caliden

I think people have derailed this from what it intentionally was.

The OP didnt even say what roundabout it was yet people started replying as if he was immediately wrong.

OP, why dont you mention what roundabout you got beeped at?

Normally for me, its idiots at the menlo and magic roundabout that blow their horn yet they are completely wrong. It always brings a smile to my face and then I beep back

Tawny

The magic roundabout? The one at Tesco?

Why do people call this a magic roundabout?

KStaford

Caliden wrote: »

I think people have derailed this from what it intentionally was.

The OP didnt even say what roundabout it was yet people started replying as if he was immediately wrong.

OP, why dont you mention what roundabout you got beeped at?

Normally for me, its idiots at the menlo and magic roundabout that blow their horn yet they are completely wrong. It always brings a smile to my face and then I beep back

It happens at the font roundabout (N17) but also in particular at the Headford road roundabout (Terryland) and at the Galway Shopping Centre roundabout.

Actually the Galway Shopping Centre roundabout has a crazy lane system prior to turning off for the Quincentennial bridge. As you are turning right around the roundabut, the righthand lane suddenly bulges out to the left, very few motorists ever get it right and end up cutting across lanes. You have to be careful and watch for these idiots.

Mrs OBumble

Tawny wrote: »

The magic roundabout? The one at Tesco?

Why do people call this a magic roundabout?

That's the one.

Possibly 'cos it's a fe*king miracle every time a day goes by and no one gets injured there. Possibly 'cos it must have been designed by someone who'd been consuming mushrooms just beforehand. Possibly "just because".

Getting back on topic:

Where I come from, there have been some pretty well publicised incidents of road-rage: motorist (A) toots horn at someone (B) who deserves it, they both pull up at the next set of traffic lights, B hops out, pulls A out of their car and beats the living daylights out of 'em. It's never happened to me, but these days, just in case, I only ever use the horn as a safety warning device, or if someone really has been daydreaming at a green light for 5+ seconds (and the latter is the tiniest toot I can possibly do).

Yes, it unnerving how much beeping happens here. If you cannot get used to it (eg jump every time), seriously consider not driving. If it helps, when people beep, and it's not due to something you've done, smile quietly to yourself and think "ahh, poor thing, he must have a very small d*** to need to exert his manhood in that way".

Citizenpain

ronnie3585 wrote: »

I think things could be improved at roundabouts if some very simple 'Ann and Barry' type signs were erected, showing what lane you should be in going left, right or straight on. I appears that the reason roundabouts cause so much agro is that a lot of people lack a basic understanding of how to use them - that a stupid people.

The arrows on the road approaching the briarhill roundabout from the Tom Hogans side are invariably ignored!

ronnie3585

Citizenpain wrote: »

The arrows on the road approaching the briarhill roundabout from the Tom Hogans side are invariably ignored!

Yea, tell me about it! I was thinking more about the magic roundabout, big fu*k off signs with feckin bells on them might help!

doolox

The reason people blow horns in roundabouts is out of frustration. They are hardly likely to save someone from injury by their action and it ends up just being a nuisance.
In the heavy traffic volumes being encountered today people have to be patient and use common sense in roundabouts. For example if East-West traffic is slow or stopped and everyone bound in that direction crowds onto the roundabout all the North-South traffic, which might have a light, clear road ahead also gets blocked for no logical reason.
I have noticed here in Dublin when the traffic gets paralysed people are not as aggressive in roundabouts and politeness and give-and-take return to the scene in the face of a hopeless situation.
However in heavy, but fast moving traffic tempers can fray if one stream of traffic dominates the roundabout to the detriment of the other traffic streams trying to access the roundabout.
Roundabouts depend on a steady and equal flow of traffic entering and leaving the roundabout at different exits to allow other traffic to enter at the points 180 deg to them. they stop the traffic at 90 degrees from obstructing the cars on their left from entering.
If there is only traffic coming from straight ahead or on your right and no one coming around 270 deg from your left to block them, you will not get onto the roundabout.
This happens especially on arterial routes with dominant flows of traffic in one direction only( ie rush-hour).
A temporary solution is traffic lights on the roundabouts, a bad solution as roundabouts were originally designed to work without lights.
Fillet roads for left turning traffic can be used to get rid of some of the traffic contending for space on the roundabout but need space to implement. Overpasses are too expensive because of the need to accomodate trucks.
So you are stuck with half-assed traffic light controlled roundabouts, the worst of both worlds in traffic management and throughput maintenance at junctions.
The fact that Galway does not have a good public transport system or a culture of commuting to work, probably due to the very dispersed nature of its employment locations with no recogniseable centre apart from Eyre Square for a transport system to be centred on, makes this a difficult problem to solve. Also the inclement climate does not help.
I remember when the city council first put in the roundabouts and for a while things worked well. Then everyone got jobs and bought cars and now you cannot move in the city or park in it.
Its easier to move in Lucan and Blanchardstown than in Galway and they are seen as traffic blackspots in Dublin, only the Navan Road or South city compares in the sheer awfulness of its traffic.

Das Kitty

Lads, a horn does not mean "hurry up" or "hello there person I know!"

It's only to alert people of danger or to let them know you're there for safety reasons:

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice/using-a-horn.html

I have been guilty of giving the odd get a move on beep but jeepers, sometimes I wonder if people are creating a new form of language via their car horns.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Saw a learner driver sitting in an instructor car at a roundabout this morning. Lined up to take the third exit, and indeed did so, but no indication.

If the instructors aren't even teaching their students proper behaviour it's no wonder Galway drivers are so terrible at navigating roundabouts.

Also

Das Kitty wrote: »

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice/using-a-horn.html

rules- doing what to a horn now!?

Zzippy

OP, if you're driving 22 years and a horn still makes you that jumpy maybe you should consider taking the train in from Athenry. From your post it appears you approach every roundabout in the right hand lane, no matter what exit you're taking, just cos its easier for you to get out onto the roundabout that way. No wonder you're hearing a few horns!

dafunk wrote: »

On numerous occasions I've nearly fallen off my bike with the shock of a horn being blown as a car whizzes past me, usually being blown at another motorist as opposed to the cyclist, me, but it scares the **** out of you. D1ckwads. They're noisy to people on the outside that aren't protected by metal and glass. Just thought I'd take this opportunity to say it's dangerous to honk your horn aggressively when there's cyclists about.

No, you mean its dangerous to honk your horn when you're about, don't generalise about all cyclists. As above, if a horn makes you so jumpy you nearly fall off your bike, maybe you should consider walking...

KStaford

Zzippy wrote: »

OP, if you're driving 22 years and a horn still makes you that jumpy maybe you should consider taking the train in from Athenry. From your post it appears you approach every roundabout in the right hand lane, no matter what exit you're taking, just cos its easier for you to get out onto the roundabout that way. No wonder you're hearing a few horns!




No, you mean its dangerous to honk your horn when you're about, don't generalise about all cyclists. As above, if a horn makes you so jumpy you nearly fall off your bike, maybe you should consider walking...

I give up

Sniipe

KStaford, don't give up, fight your corner. Most people are against you because they have a some stage beeped at someone on the headford road round a bout (either the traffic light one or the headford road one - I mention these are they are normally the 2 busiest)
People, I think beep for 3 reasons:

1) they are in a hurry (can't blame them tho, as people don't want to be stuck in traffic for ages)
2) Someone in front of them crosses lanes (This happens a lot on the traffic light round about for the following reasons:
a) going from dunnes area/sean mulvoy road/shopping center and wanting to get to the bridge can be painful if the people coming from town have their cars poking out over the line. If that happens then cars on the outside (of 3 lanes) can hit them, to avoid hitting them they swearve into the 2nd lane or stop and beep at the cars obstructing their view. By switching lane to avoid the car you will cause beeps, either from slowing down or trying to switch.
b) going from sean mulvoy road/shopping center/town and wanting to get past the bridge entrance is painful if the lights causes a bit of traffic. Cars coming from town SHOULD NOT move until they can cross over the bridge exit and either wait safely in line or the lights are green. This is almost impossible to judge if u are coming from sean mulvoy road/shopping center, because you cannot see if their is space... What happens at that point is that 2 lanes build into 3.
c) going from dunnes area to anywhere else. There are 3 lanes here. People coming out should be very careful to keep within the lines. Its difficult as the lines are not continuious. Veering too much to the left or right while you are in the middle lane will cause the driver at that side to become nervous and beep.
)

As for gaining entry onto the roundabout when their are no lights, it can be difficult to gauge when people incorrectly indicate. I guarantee that on every day I will see at least 2 or more people incorrectly indicate. Some indicate too early, and by doing this you can waist another persons time because they think you will take a different turn off.

My 2 cents...

Another point on the traffic round a bout is that is is very difficult to cross for pedestrians/cyclists especially going from one side of the bridge to the other during busy periods.

Final point; I was driving from one end of the bridge to the other and I was behind a slow driver. She was going about 40KPH when the limit on that road is 50KPH. I exited behind her and she was heading in the same direction as me. Unfortunately traffic was heavy but free flowing. I got caught behind her and cars behind me were passing us both out. I couldn't pass her out (even with my indicators on the whole time). I was soo annoyed, but I didn't beep because I could see she was old. I believe if I did beep I would fluster her and upset her. Maybe tho by beeping I would nudge her towards giving up the driving as perhaps it was her time... But cars are important to the elderly for independence...

KevR

To be fair, beeping isn't half as common in Galway as it is in other places.

They have signs up in New York forbidding people to honk because it's such a problem over there.

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