Dangerous Junctions, DCN.

martinn123

Here's two, which I use regularly

New Lights at Murray's Corner, Lusk.

O.K so we have had a few weeks to get used to this junction, with the lights.
The reason for installing the lights was in part to encourage drivers to use the bye-pass, this seems to have worked.
However I have noticed drivers travelling South, past the Top Shop, and coming to the lights, if Green, some assume they have a right of way, to travel towards the Garda Station, actually they are turning Right.
This is confirmed by the ''wait Box'' painted on the road, and at the end of the light sequence a Filter Right, green, allows this traffic to turn right.

Recently, and regularly as I have approached the lights from Super-valu and on green, I have had to take evasive action to avoid drivers going down the side of Murrays.
It's especially dangerous if they are turning on ''Orange''.

we all know Orange means''Hurry, Hurry, there's time for three more cars'' and these drivers are crossing the junction with no regard for what is oncoming traffic.

My second is the Junction of Dun Emer and Chapel Farm, at the Centra Shop.

Traffic exiting Dun Emer, crossing Kilhedge Lane, and entering Chapel Farm, ( and visa-versa ), do not have Right of Way.
This is confirmed by a STOP Sign, and Stop written on the road, with a White line.
Continually I encounter drivers crossing this junction, with no intention of giving way, or even slowing down.
It's worse at weekends, when more traffic is around during the day, cars cross over assuming they can continue on their merry way, sadly many cars have children in the back.

So what can be done, do I write to Fingal Co Co, will they take any notice.
Do the local Councillors have any say in how these junctions are planned, will someone be hurt or worse before anyone takes action.

What's your favourite Junction, and why??

CorsendonkX

martinn123 wrote: »

Here's two, which I use regularly

New Lights at Murray's Corner, Lusk.

O.K so we have had a few weeks to get used to this junction, with the lights.
The reason for installing the lights was in part to encourage drivers to use the bye-pass, this seems to have worked.
However I have noticed drivers travelling South, past the Top Shop, and coming to the lights, if Green, some assume they have a right of way, to travel towards the Garda Station, actually they are turning Right.
This is confirmed by the ''wait Box'' painted on the road, and at the end of the light sequence a Filter Right, green, allows this traffic to turn right.

Recently, and regularly as I have approached the lights from Super-valu and on green, I have had to take evasive action to avoid drivers going down the side of Murrays.
It's especially dangerous if they are turning on ''Orange''.

we all know Orange means''Hurry, Hurry, there's time for three more cars'' and these drivers are crossing the junction with no regard for what is oncoming traffic.

My second is the Junction of Dun Emer and Chapel Farm, at the Centra Shop.

Traffic exiting Dun Emer, crossing Kilhedge Lane, and entering Chapel Farm, ( and visa-versa ), do not have Right of Way.
This is confirmed by a STOP Sign, and Stop written on the road, with a White line.
Continually I encounter drivers crossing this junction, with no intention of giving way, or even slowing down.
It's worse at weekends, when more traffic is around during the day, cars cross over assuming they can continue on their merry way, sadly many cars have children in the back.

So what can be done, do I write to Fingal Co Co, will they take any notice.
Do the local Councillors have any say in how these junctions are planned, will someone be hurt or worse before anyone takes action.

What's your favourite Junction, and why??

Hopefully i am not going off topic too much. I don't blame FCC, your two examples have issues because drivers don't know the rules of the road or broke them intentionally. If drivers obeyed and actually knew the rules of the road(don't get me started on roundabouts) these junctions would function correctly and safely. Perhaps you should be lobbying the Dept of the Environment to bring in a 10 year license whereby all road drivers have to retake the driving test. We still have drivers out there that have never done a driving test yet were handed a license and drivers that have done a very basic driving test without all these new type junctions.

Stheno

I still can't get over the pavilions roundabout with it's three lanes becoming two, becoming three, some exits of two lanes merging into three.

I'm amazed there are not more accidents at it

Grolschevik

Probably not that dangerous in reality, but the visibility is a pain when joining Moyne Rd from Drumnigh (?) Rd:

https://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.411374,-6.15994&spn=0.003159,0.013797&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.4109,-6.160575&panoid=ZjSdvxmteRtQpGsPyEW1qg&cbp=11,196.37,,0,0

Beasty

Worst junction in my view is the filter lane onto the R132 at Blakes Cross. Any cyclist heading south on the R132 has to get across that lane which can be hairy at the best of times. I know the filter lane is a big benefit for motorists, but it is an example of very poor planning. In fact many motorists using it then head straight into the overtaking lane for absolutely no reason

BalbrigganGirl

There is a terrible junction at the top of Moylaragh Road in Balbriggan just opposite the Educate Together School.
Traffic coming from the left ( From Dunnes ) have to yield to traffic turning right from the other side of the road even though the road is a slip road and veers down their side !

Even though there are line markings and a yield sign NO ONE pays heed to it so better to just wait and let them go.

I had the right of way there some weeks ago and a woman coming from the direction who should have stopped followed me to the petrol station and abused me to high heaven for going in front of her - she wouldn't accept even though it is a silly junction she was totally in the wring.

No. 4

Junction of chapel green, Mill Bank (the one way street) and Whitestown road in Rush.
Mill Bank has the right of way to the junction at Whitestown road, traffic on chapel green must yield to Mill Bank on their left before merging onto Mill Bank and then onto Whitestown road.
Many drivers on Chapel Green fly up looking over their right shoulder down towards the main street and ignore Mill Bank. I've seen a few accidents here.

The confusion lies with the positioning of the stop sign for Mill Bank onto Whitestown and the No Entry line as it is a one way street. The stop sign for Whitestown road is beside the no entry line and people assume that this is where Mill Bank traffic should stop but this is incorrect.
Thankfully during schools hours the area is congested and drivers go one by one from each road.

I have had the operation of this junction confirmed by the council, they have informed me that the junction is to be repainted but they seem to have repainted other junctions but not this one.

buttercups88

Stheno wrote: »

I still can't get over the pavilions roundabout with it's three lanes becoming two, becoming three, some exits of two lanes merging into three.

I'm amazed there are not more accidents at it

That roundabout is madness.

The lights at Tesco in rush ate terrible if you're heading from main street towards lusk, if the car at the front is turning left, mote often then not it will be the only car to get through. Surely it would make more sense to put the filter first

sNarah

Stheno wrote: »

I still can't get over the pavilions roundabout with it's three lanes becoming two, becoming three, some exits of two lanes merging into three.

I'm amazed there are not more accidents at it

I actually crashed on that roundabout
My fault entirely as I stayed in the outer lane coming from the M1 and towards Pavillons, car crashed into my right side. I was new in Ireland then, only about 3 months living here and had no flipping idea on how to use roundabouts correctly...

Wishbone Ash

Beasty wrote: »

Worst junction in my view is the filter lane onto the R132 at Blakes Cross. Any cyclist heading south on the R132 has to get across that lane which can be hairy at the best of times. I know the filter lane is a big benefit for motorists, but it is an example of very poor planning. In fact many motorists using it then head straight into the overtaking lane for absolutely no reason

+1 on that Beasty. It's also difficult when driving agri machinery. You indicate your intention to move to the left lane but the traffic exiting from Lusk continue to pass on the inside. The same motorists will then complain about a tractor being in the right hand lane. Most motorists appear to have their brain set on energy saving mode with no ability to 'read' the road ahead.

I think the tendency for traffic to move across to the overtaking lane may be a leftover habit from the time when it was first made into two lanes. The left lane was constructed in a hap-hazard manner by utilising the hard shoulder and taking away some of the ditch but it was very poorly surfaced for a few years and most people avoided using it.

Another junction which requires maximum alertness (especially for a cyclist) is where Spout Road meets the R128 (in Rush). Many motorists exiting from Spout Road seem to think they are not requires to yield to a bike coming from Rush. Other motorists (coming from Rush) seem to think it's an ideal opportunity to overtake despite a continuous white line, a descent, a blind bend and a junction ahead. Then then have the audacity to sound their horn at the cyclist when, in mid manoeuvre, they meet the 33 bus.

I agree with CorsendonkX that it is generally motorists who are dangerous, not the junctions.

Stheno

sNarah wrote: »

I actually crashed on that roundabout
My fault entirely as I stayed in the outer lane coming from the M1 and towards Pavillons, car crashed into my right side. I was new in Ireland then, only about 3 months living here and had no flipping idea on how to use roundabouts correctly...

Out of curiousity I googled it, there have been 57 collisions since 2009 on that roundabout.

It was raised in a council meeting as being "the most dangerous roundabout in Ireland"

Beasty

Stheno wrote: »

Out of curiousity I googled it, there have been 57 collisions since 2009 on that roundabout.

It was raised in a council meeting as being "the most dangerous roundabout in Ireland"

If you know the roundabout it's generally OK, although the number of people I see taking the left hand lane and cutting across the R132 exits when other vehicles can take those exits from the 2nd lane surprises me. Very few motorists seem to pay much attention to the yellow boxes either

It's another that's not in any way "cyclist-friendly" also

martinn123

Beasty wrote: »

If you know the roundabout it's generally OK, although the number of people I see taking the left hand lane and cutting across the R132 exits when other vehicles can take those exits from the 2nd lane surprises me. Very few motorists seem to pay much attention to the yellow boxes either

It's another that's not in any way "cyclist-friendly" also

Yellow box, that's just a place to park, while you wait for the road to clear.