M3 Parkway/Dunboyne roundabout

PauloMN

What's the story with this roundabout? Is it subject to a whole different set of rules than every other roundabout in the country? Have I missed a new rule that says you can enter this roundabout in the left lane even when taking the 3rd exit off it?

I always expect the odd clown when approaching roundabouts in Ireland. However it seems that 50% of people taking the 3rd exit off this roundabout approach from the left lane.

Either that, or I just happen to be driving beside the same eejits every time I use this roundabout!

Hammer Archer

This is the big roundabout you're talking about? I've noticed this and I've just given up complaining about it. I even began to question whether I was actually in the wrong given the amount of people that do ti.
I cannot understand what it is about this roundabout but it is easily the worst when it comes to people in the wrong lane. It is infuriating when a line of cars all take the left lane to take the third exit and you have to squeeze in between them. I've regularly had said idiots blare their horns at me oblivious to the fact that they were clearly in the wrong lane to begin with.
It also extends to a lesser extent to the small roundabout on the old N3 when coming from Ratoath/Dunshaughlin. I'd regularly see people trundle around the roundabout in the left lane despite turning right onto the larger roundabout.

Dubh Geannain

My wife uses this road most days and while she knows the correct way to use a roundabout it seems she has succumbed to the majority who use it the wrong way because she was finding it hard to cross into the outside lane.

It becomes self-fulfilling after a while. Funnilty enough, I lived in Galway for a while and each roundabout had it's own set of rules. Not very convenient for someone using them for the first time. I've never seen or heard of anyone getting reprimanded for incorrect roundabout use.

PauloMN

Hammer Archer wrote: »

This is the big roundabout you're talking about? I've noticed this and I've just given up complaining about it. I even began to question whether I was actually in the wrong given the amount of people that do ti.

Yes, the big roundabout. I was thinking the same.... "am I in the wrong here? Is there something I don't know?". Was thinking I missed a big sign saying something like "FOR TRIM, KEEP LEFT, EVEN THOUGH IT GOES AGAINST THE VERY BEING OF YOUR BODY".

Hammer Archer wrote: »

I cannot understand what it is about this roundabout but it is easily the worst when it comes to people in the wrong lane. It is infuriating when a line of cars all take the left lane to take the third exit and you have to squeeze in between them. I've regularly had said idiots blare their horns at me oblivious to the fact that they were clearly in the wrong lane to begin with.

Ditto, people beeping/flashing me when I try to move to the left (with my indicator on) before my exit.

Dubh Geannain wrote: »

My wife uses this road most days and while she knows the correct way to use a roundabout it seems she has succumbed to the majority who use it the wrong way because she was finding it hard to cross into the outside lane.

I've been tempted to, but I'd be afraid of getting creamed by someone going straight on who is in the right-hand lane. It's unlikely, but someone could take the Dunboyne exit, realise they should have stayed on the M3, position themselves in the right-hand lane, and take the 2nd exit (i.e. back onto the M3) - and wallop someone who should not be in the left lane at that point. Being in the left lane and going all the way around the roundabout is very dangerous.

Dubh Geannain wrote: »

It becomes self-fulfilling after a while. Funnilty enough, I lived in Galway for a while and each roundabout had it's own set of rules. Not very convenient for someone using them for the first time. I've never seen or heard of anyone getting reprimanded for incorrect roundabout use.

Yeah I know, we can't reprimand rapists, murderers and child-abusers in this country, so not much hope of the left-hand laners being reprimanded!

Bruthal

PauloMN wrote: »

What's the story with this roundabout? Is it subject to a whole different set of rules than every other roundabout in the country? Have I missed a new rule that says you can enter this roundabout in the left lane even when taking the 3rd exit off it?

I always expect the odd clown when approaching roundabouts in Ireland. However it seems that 50% of people taking the 3rd exit off this roundabout approach from the left lane.

Either that, or I just happen to be driving beside the same eejits every time I use this roundabout!

Its just irish drivers. Every aspect of proper driving seems to be mystery to many of them.

bladespin

The amount of eegits that cut you up crossing lanes for the second exit is ridiculous there, not naming names but CN cars seem to prefer the right side of the road even when they're going straight on

bitemybanger

Aw, don't get me started on that roundabout and the left lane antics and when you get around to the 3rd exit, the people in the left lane even have the cheek to beep or try and block you from exiting. Even talking about it gets me going:mad:
Someone please find the RSA video about how to navagate a roundabout and embed it in here, I'm posting from my phone.

bitemybanger

Found it

PauloMN

They should get a big screen as you approach the roundabout and run that video on loop 24 hours a day!

dixiefly

Anybody else notice that there is a lot of speeding on the M3 northbound before getting to that roundabout?

bladespin

dixiefly wrote: »

Anybody else notice that there is a lot of speeding on the M3 northbound before getting to that roundabout?

No, if anything it's very slow.

ibarelycare

Oh GOD I drive this roundabout everyday and I've actually been meaning to start a thread in here with exactly the same grievance. It infuriates me how people stay in the left hand lane, and then when you try and get into the correct lane for taking the exit they speed up and won't let you in. Complete ignorance. Some days the left lane is so busy with people taking the third exit, that I've actually had to stop at the exit and wait for someone to let me through. I've also had people beeping and flashing at me for cutting into the left lane WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO! A few weeks ago a guy did this and kept his full heads on me driving up my arse halfway up to the Fairyhouse roundabout. If there hadn't been a bus lane I would have slowed down and tried to force him to pull over just so I could tell him that he was the bad driver! :mad::mad:

Not

I totally agree with the frustrations and infuriations of not being able to get into the left lane for that exit because of the amount of traffic that has chugged around it wrongly using the left lane from the start, as I have experienced it a number of times myself, however rather than risking an accident by forcing into the left lane if the traffic is not cooperative, or stopping on the roundabout (or exiting from the right lane hoping the traffic in the left lane is also going left and not straight through you), it might be safer to just loop around the roundabout again for a second try.

Not

dixiefly wrote: »

Anybody else notice that there is a lot of speeding on the M3 northbound before getting to that roundabout?

Most people who use that stretch of motorway seem to think the speed limit there is 100km/h. It's not, it's 120km/h. Although like any stretch of motorway in the country it has its fair share of spaceships going to warp.

marketty

I'm on this roundabout every day and it's just ridiculous.
The problem i have is if you come off the northbound carriage way and are going for the third exit (dunshaughlin). So you should obviously be in the right lane until you are on the bridge across the motorway, but people are in the left all the way round, or staying in the right hand lane right up to the exit which isn't correct either. You should move to the left after the second exit to avoid 'cutting in' at the exit which pisses off the left lane hoggers and ends up with you getting blocked out.
Basically despite you doubting yourself, it really is everyone else that's wrong ;-)

bitemybanger

The roundabout at the top of the Fairyhouse road bugs me too.
The left lane is for going on the Trim road and straight thru towards Dunshaughlin but you always get the gobsh!te in the right lane wanting to go straight. Some people do it blatantly trying to get the jump on you which are the ones I don't give an inch to, the others are people who genuinely don't know how to use a roundabout, it's easy to tell the difference I think.

Hammer Archer

bitemybanger wrote: »

The roundabout at the top of the Fairyhouse road bugs me too.
The left lane is for going on the Trim road and straight thru towards Dunshaughlin but you always get the gobsh!te in the right lane wanting to go straight. Some people do it blatantly trying to get the jump on you which are the ones I don't give an inch to, the others are people who genuinely don't know how to use a roundabout, it's easy to tell the difference I think.

I'd be turning right at that roundabout and even the people in the left lane are seriously annoying in that a lot of them don't stay in the left lane and veer into the right lane while I'm nearly beside them.

bitemybanger

Hammer Archer wrote: »

I'd be turning right at that roundabout and even the people in the left lane are seriously annoying in that a lot of them don't stay in the left lane and veer into the right lane while I'm nearly beside them.

Its a free for all I tell ya, everybody's gone bonkers.
I'm retro fitting rocket launchers and other James Bondy stuff to my car:D

highdef

If you think that roundabout is bad, try the west bound exit from the M4 at junction 8, Kilcock. There is also a 4th exit (about 300 degrees around the roundabout) at this roundabout and people will regularly take the left lane to take this exit. The same problem also exists with people in the left lane taking the 3rd exit, which is my exit.

http://g.co/maps/9wxf4

PauloMN

highdef wrote: »

If you think that roundabout is bad, try the west bound exit from the M4 at junction 8, Kilcock. There is also a 4th exit (about 300 degrees around the roundabout) at this roundabout and people will regularly take the left lane to take this exit. The same problem also exists with people in the left lane taking the 3rd exit, which is my exit.

http://g.co/maps/9wxf4

Yep, well aware of that one also. I use it often when travelling between Trim and south Dublin. The problem there is compounded even further by the fact that the 3rd exit (Enfield I think) is very close to the 4th exit (Kilcock/Trim), meaning that if you have the left-lane hogger taking the 4th exit, you only know at the very last minute, and have to very quickly allow for said eejit by braking hard and pulling in behind them. :mad:

I find also that people enter the roundabout as you approach them. They seem to think that because you are in the right-hand lane, they can slip into the left-hand land and you won't notice. Then of course they are usually taking up the space that you need to move into the left-hand lane before taking your exit. :rolleyes:

highdef

Couldn't have put it better, PauloMN!!! Completely agree with you on all your points. Also agree that the left laners who are taking the 4th exit make it very difficult for 4th exit people who are correctly using the right lane until after the 3rd exit.

Another thing I have noticed, and not just at this roundabout), is that a very large number of people indicate left as they approach the roundabout whilst on the slip but once they are on teh roundabout, they cancel the indicator because they actually have no intention of taking the 1st exit as they have initailly indicated! It's like they are indicating that they are going to turn left onto the roundabout from the slip......as if turing right was an option

eddiej

On the M3 r about why not just take exit 3 and do a quick loop around the small r/about and head for Dunshaughlin. I know it aint perfect and does not solve the others using the r/about wrong but it does solve the whole not being let in horn bloin fiasco. Also bear in mind those coming from the Dunboyne side on the large r/about (M3) are in the left hand lane for going straight on and this often backs up the r/about so those coming from town hit the queue even when they are in the right hand lane for 3rd exit.

davyd07

bitemybanger wrote: »

The roundabout at the top of the Fairyhouse road bugs me too.
The left lane is for going on the Trim road and straight thru towards Dunshaughlin but you always get the gobsh!te in the right lane wanting to go straight. Some people do it blatantly trying to get the jump on you which are the ones I don't give an inch to, the others are people who genuinely don't know how to use a roundabout, it's easy to tell the difference I think.

I wish people who think like you would have a look at the road markings on the approach to this roundabout. The right hand lane is marked with an arrow for straight on leaving the left hand lane for 1st exit only. It is infuriating when people do not read road signs and road markings.

bladespin

davyd07 wrote: »

I wish people who think like you would have a look at the road markings on the approach to this roundabout. The right hand lane is marked with an arrow for straight on leaving the left hand lane for 1st exit only. It is infuriating when people do not read road signs and road markings.

From which direction? From Dublin there are no such markings.

Hammer Archer

davyd07 wrote: »

I wish people who think like you would have a look at the road markings on the approach to this roundabout. The right hand lane is marked with an arrow for straight on leaving the left hand lane for 1st exit only. It is infuriating when people do not read road signs and road markings.

It is even more infuriating when people just make up road markings that don't exist.

bitemybanger

davyd07 wrote: »

I wish people who think like you would have a look at the road markings on the approach to this roundabout. The right hand lane is marked with an arrow for straight on leaving the left hand lane for 1st exit only. It is infuriating when people do not read road signs and road markings.

Wanna check again and get back to us?
Also check out the video further up the page.

davyd07

Approaching from the Dublin side there is an arrow on the road directly before the roundabout indicating that the right hand lane is for traffic going straight on. It couldn't be clearer really.

I agree that the rules of the road state that the left hand lane is for the first and second exits and the right hand lane is for third and subsequent exits, unless the signage and road markings indicate otherwise. In this case, the arrow on the road indicates otherwise.

ibarelycare

davyd07 wrote: »

Approaching from the Dublin side there is an arrow on the road directly before the roundabout indicating that the right hand lane is for traffic going straight on. It couldn't be clearer really.

I agree that the rules of the road state that the left hand lane is for the first and second exits and the right hand lane is for third and subsequent exits, unless the signage and road markings indicate otherwise. In this case, the arrow on the road indicates otherwise.

The Fairyhouse roundabout? I drive that roundabout every day and there is no such marking.

davyd07

ibarelycare wrote: »

The Fairyhouse roundabout? I drive that roundabout every day and there is no such marking.

Have a look this evening and you will see it! Even have a look at it on Google Map Street View and you will see it. I've tried to insert a screen shot here but I can't manage it!

ibarelycare

davyd07 wrote: »

ibarelycare wrote: »

The Fairyhouse roundabout? I drive that roundabout every day and there is no such marking.

Have a look this evening and you will see it! Even have a look at it on Google Map Street View and you will see it. I've tried to insert a screen shot here but I can't manage it!

Will do!

Hammer Archer

davyd07 wrote: »

Have a look this evening and you will see it! Even have a look at it on Google Map Street View and you will see it. I've tried to insert a screen shot here but I can't manage it!

I think you're confused. That arrow simply indicates that one lane splits into two lanes. It doesn't indicate that the right lane is for taking the second exit on the roundabout. There are no markings of this kind which means the left lane must be used for the first and second exit.
http://g.co/maps/68rk4

If there were markings on the road before the roundabout they'd look like this.


I'd suggest you begin driving around the roundabout in question correctly before you cause an accident.