Bodkin / Headford Road roundabout replacement [Lights are on!]

dastardly00

zarquon wrote: »

There was only ever one filter lane and one left turning lane off the roundabout. The problem was that a lot of drivers made illegal left turns from the outermost approach lane to the first exit.

There was the filter lane, and two lanes that permitted taking the 1st exit.
Have a look here.

spurscormac

zarquon wrote: »

There was only ever one filter lane and one left turning lane off the roundabout. The problem was that a lot of drivers made illegal left turns from the outermost approach lane to the first exit. This is the issue with Galway drivers, too many roundabouts and not enough knowledge of the rules regarding roundabouts. Same thing happens at Kirwin with people approaching in the right lane along the N6 and then proceeding to go left at the 9' O Clock exit to terryland!

Correction:-
There were 3 lanes at the roundabout, leftmost was left only, middle was left or straight, rightmost was straight or right towards the shopping centre, town or back over the bridge.
Add to that the option of the left slip/filter or whatever you want to call it (I avoided it like the plague due to potential neck injuries.

Anyway, the overall effect of that, was more space to contain left turning cars than is currently there with the new junction. This is causing a buildup in the left lane back along the bridge.

To also correct you on the Kirwin issue you state - that's the second exit, by the rules of the road, you can use either lane of a two lane approach for the second exit. What is incorrect however, is those using the left lane coming out from town to then continue on to the N6 towards the Tuam road (as that's the 3rd exit), but it happens all the time.

Its nothing to do with 3,6,9 o'clock, nor any other o'clock for that matter, its the number of the exit on the roundabout.

kippy

zarquon wrote: »

...

Galway drivers get a fair bit of stick and rightly so, but in this instance there were two lanes that could go left off the RAB as well as the filter lane.
But that was probably a mistake on your behalf, which is fair enough.

All this talk of AGS doing some enforcement is pie in the sky stuff. If the rules/laws of the road were enforced around this town I'd be shocked. Even if they WERE I can imagine the absolute chaos as cops stopped traffic near junctions. Piles ups and a half.

El_Dangeroso

spurscormac wrote: »

Its nothing to do with 3,6,9 o'clock, nor any other o'clock for that matter, its the number of the exit on the roundabout.

As an aside on this point, wasn't there a thread a while back where they directly asked the road safety authority about the kirwan roundabout particularly and they were unable to give a straight answer on the number of exits vs. degrees debate?

Can't find the thread in question but did find this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70800690

"If turning left(that is any point from 0 and less than 180 degrees or from 6 o’clock to before 12 o’clock on the clock face regardless of the number of exits), the driver should signal left, and stay in the left hand lane when on the approach, when on the roundabout, and when leaving the roundabout."

Bobeagleburger

Drove through it yesterday at 3.30pm and 7pm, sailed through both times. Very impressed.

snubbleste

If I'm on the cycle lane at Dunnes Terryland and wish to cross the bridge, how do I do that
Do I go to the front of the straight ahead lane and proceed in turning right?
The bike lanes only go left or straight. Are cyclists not supposed to go right at all?

antoobrien

snubbleste wrote: »

If I'm on the cycle lane at Dunnes Terryland and wish to cross the bridge, how do I do that
Do I go to the front of the straight ahead lane and proceed in turning right?
The bike lanes only go left or straight. Are cyclists not supposed to go right at all?

Use the hook turn boxes, there's supposed to be one before each entrance to the junction (not sure if they've been painted yet though).

Or just do what the cyclists do at Briarhill: ignore them, cycle up the left of the left most right turn lane and cycle inside the turning traffic (my guess is most cyclists will do this).

ballinadog

snubbleste wrote: »

If I'm on the cycle lane at Dunnes Terryland and wish to cross the bridge, how do I do that
Do I go to the front of the straight ahead lane and proceed in turning right?
The bike lanes only go left or straight. Are cyclists not supposed to go right at all?

Stay in straight ahead bike lane until your opposite the corresponding straight ahead bike lane coming from Sean Mulvoy rd and halt until you get the green light and proceed from there... There is no need to shuffle across the head of the straight ahead lanes. Shortly when the red anti skid is placed on the cycle lanes it will become clearer as there will bike stops to indicate what I'm talking about... Anti skid is weather permitting and men are on standby in case your wondering!

huggs2

There were indeed 2 exits and i filter lane and i agree with most of what has been said in the forum.The main priority was to carry the major traffic on the dual carriageway from east to west.That is still the case and when they get the sequencing right things should flow much better at peak times.Safety is very important to all road users and this junction provides that.People should observe the road markings as well as the signs and get more familiar with the layout.

snubbleste

antoobrien wrote: »

Use the hook turn boxes, there's supposed to be one before each entrance to the junction (not sure if they've been painted yet though).
Or just do what the cyclists do at Briarhill: ignore them, cycle up the left of the left most right turn lane and cycle inside the turning traffic (my guess is most cyclists will do this)

The hook boxes are not there..yet

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

If I'm on the cycle lane at Dunnes Terryland and wish to cross the bridge, how do I do that
Do I go to the front of the straight ahead lane and proceed in turning right?
The bike lanes only go left or straight. Are cyclists not supposed to go right at all?

You pull into the cyclist turning box in front of the traffic waiting to come off the Sean Mulvoy Rd. Then when that traffic gets the green light, proceed straight over to the bridge.



From looking at the plans I don't see why you'd sit in the box though rather than moving directly into the cycle lane. Will be cycling this route tonight and will check it out.

?Cee?view

spurscormac wrote: »

Its nothing to do with 3,6,9 o'clock, nor any other o'clock for that matter, its the number of the exit on the roundabout.

Oh God. Not this again!

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

The hook boxes are not there..yet

You can still use the maneuver without the hook boxes anyway;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOzKhQyboZw (embedding disabled)

antoobrien

J o e wrote: »

You pull into the cyclist turning box in front of the traffic waiting to come off the Sean Mulvoy Rd. Then when that traffic gets the green light, proceed straight over to the bridge.

http://omg.wthax.org/725zHn.png

From looking at the plans I don't see why you'd sit in the box though rather than moving directly into the cycle lane. Will be cycling this route tonight and will check it out.

Very simple, straight on traffic will be to your right as the cycle lane is the leftmost lane on the road. It'll be hard to cross it unless you hit the line while traffic is stationary (much easier to get around them).

WallyGUFC

Mahogany Gaspipe wrote: »

FFS has it occurred to you that being a new layout, drivers may find themselves in the incorrect lane?

Regardless, how is this blockade of yours going to work? No changing of lanes 200 metres from the junction whatsoever on penalty of a €60 fine and a couple of points on the licence: or will you by rolling down the window looking for legitimate excuses?

You can turn left, go straight or turn right. How hard is it for people to show a basic level of spacial awareness and make up their minds well in advance of these junctions?

snubbleste

J o e wrote: »

You can still use the maneuver without the hook boxes anyway;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOzKhQyboZw (embedding disabled)

I'm in the bike lane approaching the junction and the light is green. I wait till the light turns red, move to the hook box, stop for x minutes, then proceed when the light is green again?

joeKel73

antoobrien wrote: »

Very simple, straight on traffic will be to your right as the cycle lane is the leftmost lane on the road. It'll be hard to cross it unless you hit the line while traffic is stationary (much easier to get around them).

The cycle lane for going over the bridge isn't the leftmost lane, there's a left turning lane + left turning cycle lane to the left of it. Not 100% what you mean but the traffic from Sean Mulvoy -> Bridge will be on a red light if traffic coming from Dunnes is green.

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

I'm in the bike lane approaching the junction and the light is green. I wait till the light turns red, move to the hook box, stop for x minutes, then proceed when the light is green again?

No - you're in the lane approaching the junction. Keep in the bike lane as if continuing to Woodquay. Pull in to the left when you come to the bike lane coming from Sean Mulvoy Rd onto the bridge (this traffic will be waiting at a red light). Then wait here for the green light from Sean Mulvoy Rd to the bridge.

snubbleste

J o e wrote: »

No - you're in the lane approaching the junction. Keep in the bike lane as if continuing to Woodquay. Pull in to the left when you come to the bike lane coming from Sean Mulvoy Rd onto the bridge (this traffic will be waiting at a red light). Then wait here for the green light from Sean Mulvoy Rd to the bridge.

So, the cyclist is less important than the motorist?

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

So, the cyclist is less important than the motorist?

You're also entitled to get into the main right-turning lane when approaching from Dunnes, so no.

snubbleste

J o e wrote: »

You're also entitled to get into the main right-turning lane when approaching from Dunnes, so no.

But then I have to cross the straight ahead lane to get to the right turning lane, which is dangerous

ballinadog

snubbleste wrote: »

I'm in the bike lane approaching the junction and the light is green. I wait till the light turns red, move to the hook box, stop for x minutes, then proceed when the light is green again?

No you proceed with the initial green light as far as the hook box then you stop and wait for Sean Mulvoy green

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

But then I have to cross the straight ahead lane to get to the right turning lane, which is dangerous

... and that's why there is (or will be) provision to turn right via the box turn. Without the box turn it's still a recognised safe cycling maneuver.

How else would you suggest it could be arranged for cyclists to cross the bridge coming from Dunnes? We'll have to get across that straight ahead lane somehow...

snubbleste

J o e wrote: »

... and that's why there is (or will be) provision to turn right via the box turn.
How else would you suggest it could be arranged for cyclists to cross the bridge coming from Dunnes? We'll have to get across that straight ahead lane somehow...

a lane for right turning cyclists :cool: filtering from the main cycle lane diagonally across the straight lane for motorists :cool:

dastardly00

snubbleste wrote: »

a lane for right turning cyclists :cool: filtering from the main cycle lane diagonally across the straight lane for motorists :cool:

haha

In all seriousness though, if that was there it would probably make the situation more dangerous. You could have some cyclists think that they would have automatic right of way and that they wouldn't need to put out their right arm in order to signal their intention to go diagonally

joeKel73

snubbleste wrote: »

a lane for right turning cyclists :cool: filtering from the main cycle lane diagonally across the straight lane for motorists :cool:

Or a cyclist flyover perhaps? :cool:

aaronosiochain

rarnes1 wrote: »

Drove through it yesterday at 3.30pm and 7pm, sailed through both times. Very impressed.

hmmm, i never considered sailing home:pac:

joeKel73

aaronosiochain wrote: »

hmmm, i never considered sailing home:pac:

ballinadog

snubbleste wrote: »

a lane for right turning cyclists :cool: filtering from the main cycle lane diagonally across the straight lane for motorists :cool:

That'd be sound if there was an infinite amount of road space, unfortunately there ain't. They have provided a bike lane for people turning left which is isn't held up any longer than the motorists, they have provided a straight ahead bike lane which also isn't held up any longer than the motorists and they have provided the means for a cyclist to safely turn right via the use of two cycle lanes which requires the cyclist to pause for a minute. IMO the cyclist has done very well out of this new arrangement. Goin back to your comment about cyclists being less important than motorists, with this design the opposite would hold true. considering that 40,000 vehicles cross this junction every day compared to I'd say 1000 cyclists (not sure on that fig but I'd be willing to bet it covers the actual figure), the cyclist has far more than his fair share of road space...

antoobrien

J o e wrote: »

The cycle lane for going over the bridge isn't the leftmost lane, there's a left turning lane + left turning cycle lane to the left of it.

Not quite true, the left turn lane crosses the cycle lane, then there's a traffic Island to the cyclists left (at this point they are in the bus/cycle lane). So there's no traffic left of the cyclist for them to interact with.

It would be true if we were talking about coming from woodquay (which is not the question I answered).

J o e wrote: »

Not 100% what you mean but the traffic from Sean Mulvoy -> Bridge will be on a red light if traffic coming from Dunnes is green.

I would have thought that goes without saying.