Ok, that's it. Just take out all the roundabouts.

KevR

spender.j wrote: »

Except in cases where other drivers get in the way! As is illustrated here, only 3 cars maximum (in any one lane) can be waiting at the lights to exit toward Dunnes! I have been pushed over and witnessed numerous close calls of other people swerving into the left lane to exit onto Quincentennial Bridge when coming from Tescos and Bohermore...

That's another thing that happens. Really if there is a queue of more than 3 cars at the lights and the right-hand lane for exiting onto the bridge is blocked you shouldn't just keep on going at the same speed, swerve quickly into the left lane partially and then swerve back into the right lane. You should stop in the right lane behind where it is blocked and wait for the blockage to move off or wait for the left lane to beside you to be clear before signalling and carefully changing into the left lane fully and continuing on.

When I'm approaching the Galway SC roundabout and I want to go over the bridge I always try to be in the appropriate lane so that I can take the left lane on the bridge exit. By doing this I avoid getting stuck in the right lane behind a queue at the lights just before the Dunnes exit. I rarely end up using the right lane for the bridge exit; really only if the road I'm approaching the SC roundabout on has a much bigger queue for the lane which corresponds to the left lane when taking the bridge exit.

The sooner the Shopping Centre exit gets closed and the roundabout is removed the better in my opinion. Traffic lights on their own will be much better. However in the meantime, I do wish people would educate themselves on how to properly use this roundabout. This roundabout can, and should be, a lot safer and more effecient. Galway based people have no excuses for not knowing how to use it; I can understand why someone who is visiting Galway for the first time might have difficulty.

KevR

Bob_Harris wrote: »

When you are approaching that "bump", it fells very un-natural to be redirected into the centre of the road.

Agree, it does feel sort of unnatural to be redirected outwards; most roundabouts you follow a steady circle but on the SC roundabout you have to move out into a wider circle when the extra lane starts.

But, for me personally, it feels more natural to follow the lane markings exactly rather than to ignore them and follow a steady circle (which involves drifting across lanes).

swe_fi

Who thought there would be so much to say about roundabouts? I seriously think the roundabouts in Galway were purposely designed to be topics of conversations, and I think the government is using the Galway road network for some sort of behavioral experiment. The people you see blocking the right lane on the motorway - paid by the government.

Xiney

And another thing!

That multi-storey car park at the spanish arch, the one next to jury's? It's the most poorly designed car park I've ever seen.

Svalbard

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

...there's also some appallingly badly designed roundabouts in Galway city I think.

There's a couple (at least) on the N6 coming in to the city where the 2nd exit is about the 2 o'clock position - is this a right turn or a straight ahead ?

Agreed. The roundabout at the town side of the ballybrit dualler is confusing - It needs arrows pronto. Coming from Ballybrit to take the 2nd exit I always use the left lane BUT the 2nd exit is way over to the right so, naturally, others use the right lane also. Its no biggy as there are 2 lanes on the road that comes off it (though technically we are all supposed to exit in the left hand lane!) but it still makes me nervous as I wait for an accidnet every time I use it.

Had the same problem with the Clayton RB at the other end of that dualler but those helpful arrows are there now to tell us right lane for 2nd exit. Still I have yet to be able to exit in the correct lane as some knob will still use the left lane!

rubensni wrote: »

You lot think it's bad in cars? Try it in a motorbike. The roundabouts in Galway actually scare the sh*t out of me as no matter how properly I take them, some ignorant twit is guaranteed to cut me off, or worse.
My top 5 circles of death:

5. The mini-roundabout in Salthill that intersects with the Threadneedle Rd. Walls around it are too high.

Not just a problem for motorbikes. Also I reckon many people going straight at that RB think they dont have to bother yielding to Threadneedle Rd traffic - like the pup in the puegeot I nearly smashed into not 30 mins ago because he kept going, even though I had entered it!!

Another roundabout in Salthill that bothers me is the one right in town near the aquarium/lohans. OK I know the aquarium road is only the second exit when coming from the prom but could people please use the right lane anyway (contrary to the rules of the road, I know). I mean no one else will use that lane unless doing a u-turn and it reduces traffic backing up from the salthill village exit, as often happens.

Bob_Harris wrote: »

The creation of a lane mid roundabout is very unusual. For people who have not used that roundabout multiple times it is very confusing.

When you are approaching that "bump", it fells very un-natural to be redirected into the centre of the road.

Even if you follow it and trust it, it doesn't guarantee it will work perfectly. The majority of the time the person to the right of you just doesn't give you enough room. They seem to want to take the straightest path through the roundabout.

Reminds me of the yellow brick road a bit

rarnes1 wrote: »

I actually don't mind roundabouts or maybe I'm just used to them !

The huge exception is the Terryland one Hate it.

I hate the people who can't use it even more though.

Its actually an OK roundabout, provided you dont want to get into the shopping centre or enter it from town side! Its the idiots who cant use it that worry me. Lane weaving and cars from the town side who try to tear off in front of you as you try to exit onto the quincentennial bridge!

Xiney wrote: »

And another thing!

That multi-storey car park at the spanish arch, the one next to jury's? It's the most poorly designed car park I've ever seen.

Well any car park that has multicoloured streaks of paint on the walls of the ramps from the cars who scraped off them because the turns are too narrow is best avoided/knocked down IMHO. Its bloody ridiculous and for mini coopers only.

Xiney

I drive a Yaris, and tbh I don't have any REAL problems with it. It takes me a bit longer than usual to back into a space (and I'm pretty good at backing into spaces if I do say so myself) but apart from that I'm good. Tight spaces, need to be careful on the turns but I know all this so I can handle it.

Thing is, a Yaris is well amongst the smallest cars on the road. Trying anything larger would be something of a nightmare.

Svalbard

Still, it probably the worst multistory I have ever seen. Its not even a few small scratches - its loads of massive swathes of paint! I'd hate to see the cars after.

Xiney

No kidding - the fact that I have to be quite careful in my positioning in there in my TEENY car is a massive black mark against that car park. It should be knocked and built again - chancers trying to fit in more spaces to make more money.

patrickk

Roundabouts work if people follow rules ye could have had gobs****s in corpo here in Kilkenny made hames of one way system and kept lights on it was nuts ,back to original now but still no solution take a bow my friends

swe_fi

Xiney wrote: »

No kidding - the fact that I have to be quite careful in my positioning in there in my TEENY car is a massive black mark against that car park. It should be knocked and built again - chancers trying to fit in more spaces to make more money.

...knocked and built again with a roundabout on each level. A roundabout with traffic lights actually, each one designed differently.

And on the topic of parking garages what on earth is the story with right hand traffic in the parking garages? I have heard a story that the one down the docks was imported from a Nordic country? Might be a load of boll**** but...I would not be surprised.

Mars Bar

patrickk wrote: »

Roundabouts work if people follow rules ye could have had gobs****s in corpo here in Kilkenny made hames of one way system and kept lights on it was nuts ,back to original now but still no solution take a bow my friends

They did that in my town here in Galway too only they haven't changed it back. Beat that.

Ye have yer hurlers, we have our crappy roundabouts and corporation. Let us win for once please!

Head The Wall

biko wrote: »

I've seen your posts so far. More helpfulness and less funneh is appreciated.

Funneh is funny

KevR wrote: »

What you're supposed to do:

Approaching this roundabout In a Tractor unit and trailer from the menlo park hotel and going onto the bridge you have to take the middle lane at Dunnes and then follow the blue line around. As has been said it's easy when it's done correct. If you don't know a junction/roundabout then look at the signs and road markings. I come across loads of junction/roundabouts driving an arctic that I don't know and manage to navigate them by studying the lanes, signs and markings.

Webbs wrote: »

The 2 arrows are there to indicate that its the end of the bus lane and 2 lanes are available. The arrows are too far back from the roundabout for them to indicate that both lanes are for straight ahead at roundabout.

I'll beg to differ, why would there be a sign on the right lane. Nothing has changed in relation to that. The broken white line indicates that you can now move into what was the bus lane. If you can show me otherwise in the ROTR or somewhere else legit I will stand corrected

Xiney wrote: »

And another thing!

That multi-storey car park at the spanish arch, the one next to jury's? It's the most poorly designed car park I've ever seen.

It's a disaster, I can't go near that place in my car. Has a quick steering rack (2.2 turns) i.e turning circle same size as a truck

Svalbard wrote: »

The roundabout at the town side of the ballybrit dualler is confusing - It needs arrows pronto. Coming from Ballybrit to take the 2nd exit I always use the left lane BUT the 2nd exit is way over to the right so, naturally, others use the right lane also. Its no biggy as there are 2 lanes on the road that comes off it (though technically we are all supposed to exit in the left hand lane!)

Thats not the case actually.



If you go to page 65 of the rules of the road you will see some excellent diagrams showing how to manoeuvre Galway roundabouts :D

Department Of Transport - ROTR

snubbleste

Traffic is insane in Galway today. The amount of drivers hugging a portable telephone to their ears with their one hand that is not on the wheel is just astounding. I'm half hoping they crash and realise how dangerous it is.
There is some construction happening on a private building on Lough Atalia Road and for some reason the eejits who are there seem to think it is their god given right to obstruct the footpath all day long with vans.