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Tuam Road Traffic Light Junction - Straight on.

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  • 16-12-2013 3:48pm
    #1
    cannibalix
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Am I missing something regarding this junction when approaching from the tuam road and going straight on?

    There are 2 lanes for straight on, that merge back into a single lane on the far side of the junction (at Flemings garage), yet I NEVER see a single car in the left-hand straight on lane (other than myself).

    This is such a pain for traffic trying to take the right turn lane at this junction as they have to queue to get into the right turn lane and everything would move so much faster if both straight on lanes were filled.

    I'm beginning to doubt my sanity when using this lane as I'm the only car i've ever seen in it. Am I missing something??


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    #2
    WallyGUFC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,053 ✭✭✭WallyGUFC


    There shouldn't be two lanes there, or it shouldn't merge together right outside a busy petrol station. Shocking design.


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    #3
    irisheddie85
    Registered Users Posts: 762 ✭✭✭irisheddie85


    cannibalix wrote: »
    Am I missing something regarding this junction when approaching from the tuam road and going straight on?

    There are 2 lanes for straight on, that merge back into a single lane on the far side of the junction (at Flemings garage), yet I NEVER see a single car in the left-hand straight on lane (other than myself).

    This is such a pain for traffic trying to take the right turn lane at this junction as they have to queue to get into the right turn lane and everything would move so much faster if both straight on lanes were filled.

    I'm beginning to doubt my sanity when using this lane as I'm the only car i've ever seen in it. Am I missing something??

    You aren't doing anything wrong just very poor design


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    #4
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    WallyGUFC wrote: »
    There shouldn't be two lanes there, or it shouldn't merge together right outside a busy petrol station. Shocking design.

    ya its fierce ignorant to be jumping pass cars to only try and push your way back in to traffic again.


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    #5
    cannibalix
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭cannibalix


    gordongekko wrote: »
    ya its fierce ignorant to be jumping pass cars to only try and push your way back in to traffic again.

    what's ignorant about it? I'm not jumping 'pass' any cars. It's a driving lane. Its clearly marked. On the far side, I indicate and merge lane when its safe to do so. I just can't fathom why more drivers don't do it.

    If there's ignorance involved, it probably comes from other drivers blocking up a single lane at a junction where there are two lanes.


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    #6
    galah
    Registered Users Posts: 2,215 ✭✭✭galah


    it's because at Flemings, you'd then have to stop and queue to be let into the flow of traffic again when the lanes merge - better to stay in the right hand straight lane and continue on...Stupid design though.

    They still haven't switched the light sequence back to the way it was before the races (yet they insist they haven't done anything to the sequence - I beg to differ, as previously, all the right turning lanes across the junction went at the same time, then the straight ones. Now any one side of the junction goes at the same time, leading to more delays (in my view, anyway)...meh.


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    #7
    MaxFlower
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭MaxFlower


    galah wrote: »
    it's because at Flemings, you'd then have to stop and queue to be let into the flow of traffic again when the lanes merge

    Why do you have to stop? It should be simple enough to filter back in, every second car goes. It just requires a bit of maturity from drivers in the right hand lane.
    gordongekko wrote: »
    ya its fierce ignorant to be jumping pass cars to only try and push your way back in to traffic again.

    I guess this is the reason some many have an issue when others use this lane. There almost collide with them as they do what they can to make sure anyone using the inside lane stays there!


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    #8
    Eeden
    Registered Users Posts: 17,912 ✭✭✭✭Eeden


    MaxFlower wrote: »
    It just requires a bit of maturity from drivers in the right hand lane.

    :D

    Can't see this happening... most drivers seem to have a terrible fear that every other driver is trying to pull a fast one on them. "What if the other guy gets home ten seconds before I do?" :eek:


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    #9
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    gordongekko wrote: »
    ya its fierce ignorant to be jumping pass cars to only try and push your way back in to traffic again.

    Sorry gordon but there's nothing ignorant about using the junction as designed.


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    #10
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,960 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    MaxFlower wrote: »
    Why do you have to stop? It should be simple enough to filter back in, every second car goes. It just requires a bit of maturity from drivers in the right hand lane.

    It's not about stopping, it's about the time taken to filter back in. A straight line of traffic moves faster than a filtering-back-in one. And that's even with drivers exercising maturity and letting every 2nd car in. (Good luck with that).


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    #11
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    cannibalix wrote: »
    On the far side, I indicate and merge lane when its safe to do so. I just can't fathom why more drivers don't do it.



    Do you find that method to be quicker?


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    #12
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    antoobrien wrote: »
    Sorry gordon but there's nothing ignorant about using the junction as designed.

    its not designed correctly hence why most people have the cop on not to use it.


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    #13
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    gordongekko wrote: »
    its not designed correctly hence why most people have the cop on not to use it.

    On the contrary it is designed correctly, however it's designed with a concept that is alien to most Irish motorists: zip merging. That makes the people with the "cop on" not to use it ignorant at best. As pointed out it requires a bit of maturity, something lacking from most road users (no, not just motorists) in this country.


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    #14
    MaxFlower
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭MaxFlower


    I would rather be moving slowly through the junction and have to merge on the other side of the lights than to be stuck in a single file outside the mail sorting office.

    I would also love to see the inside lane used to its maximum and observe what effect that has on the tailback.

    As it stands at the moment we would probably be better off with 2 lanes turning right because there is effectively only one straight ahead lane anyway.


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    #15
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,584 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    antoobrien wrote: »
    On the contrary it is designed correctly, however it's designed with a concept that is alien to most Irish motorists: zip merging. That makes the people with the "cop on" not to use it ignorant at best. As pointed out it requires a bit of maturity, something lacking from most road users (no, not just motorists) in this country.

    I think people know what "zip merging" is.
    Its completely pointless at that junction however as the lanes simply cannot take the volume of traffic at rush hours due to lights further in the road....
    2 into 1 does not go when the traffic in 1 barely moves.


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    #16
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    kippy wrote: »
    I think people know what "zip merging" is.

    The evidence pointed to by this thread indicates that a good many don't know what it is and how it's done.


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    #17
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,584 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    antoobrien wrote: »
    The evidence pointed to by this thread indicates that a good many don't know what it is and how it's done.
    Its pointless if the end result is more backed up traffi
    The evidence I am seeing here is that people think it's a daft setup at that location, particularly at peak times.
    Zip merging isn't any new fangled piece of rocket science. It's a "normal" way of behaving when driving however to implement the lanes as they are in that location is just silly in my opinion, particularily when the merge is forced so early on AND there is ANOTHER lane filtering in from the left after you cross the junction.


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    #18
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    kippy wrote: »
    Its pointless if the end result is more backed up traffi
    The evidence I am seeing here is that people think it's a daft setup at that location, particularly at peak times.
    Zip merging isn't any new fangled piece of rocket science. It's a "normal" way of behaving when driving however to implement the lanes as they are in that location is just silly in my opinion, particularily when the merge is forced so early on

    The junction isn't the problem, the behaviour of (in this case) the motorists is. It can work given a chance, but people don't/won't.
    kippy wrote: »
    there is ANOTHER lane filtering in from the left after you cross the junction.
    The left filter from the N6 has somewhere between little & nothing to do with the problem with straight on traffic using the Tuam Rd.


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    #19
    WallyGUFC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,053 ✭✭✭WallyGUFC


    The fact that it is so close to the petrol station is an obvious flaw in design. I've seen people trying to turn left into the petrol station almost get side swiped by people using the filter lane (although some of these are probably coming from the Ballybane junction and turning left.) I also think 2 right-turn lanes would be a better idea, considering the number of people who consistently go the whole way up the island to the junction from outside the Monaghans.


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    #20
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,584 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    antoobrien wrote: »
    The junction isn't the problem, the behaviour of (in this case) the motorists is. It can work given a chance, but people don't/won't.

    The left filter from the N6 has somewhere between little & nothing to do with the problem with straight on traffic using the Tuam Rd.

    Disagree but not willing to tease it out any further tbh.
    Incidentally, Galway/Irish motorists get a pretty unfair rap from people like yourself for not knowing how to drive "correctly" - zip merging, motorway driving, roundabouts etv etc but it's not just an inherently Irish thing as shown in this and many other threads on the internet:
    http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Motoring/Road-rules/Question427723.html

    Ultimatly in the vast majority of cases and times, 2 lanes into 1 at a junction such as this provide absolutely no benefit to anyone using the junction.


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    #21
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    kippy wrote: »
    Disagree but not willing to tease it out any further tbh

    My last contribution is that attitude has a lot more to do with the problem at Flemmings than the design.


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    #22
    cannibalix
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭cannibalix


    WallyGUFC wrote: »
    The fact that it is so close to the petrol station is an obvious flaw in design. I've seen people trying to turn left into the petrol station almost get side swiped by people using the filter lane (although some of these are probably coming from the Ballybane junction and turning left.) I also think 2 right-turn lanes would be a better idea, considering the number of people who consistently go the whole way up the island to the junction from outside the Monaghans.

    I don't think 2 right lanes is a valid option as in peak morning traffic there is 1.5x times the traffic travelling straight on versus traffic turning right. But if both straight-on lanes were filled it would give more opportunity for right- and left-turning traffic to get in lane.

    Here's a link to a document I found from the engineers involved in designing this junction, it gives traffic flow figures, design considerations etc. But I imagine the traffic simulations discussed were based on all lanes being filled and the zip-merging happening. Anyway, it gives a bit more meat than the "shocking design" arguments with no evidential reasoning behind them.


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    #23
    MaxFlower
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭MaxFlower


    cannibalix wrote: »
    .....

    Here's a link to a document I found from the engineers involved in designing this junction, it gives traffic flow figures, design considerations etc. ........

    At the bottom of page 2 'The N17 typically displays long tailbacks as a consequence of the bottleneck at Font.' This fundamentally has not been solved.


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    #24
    WallyGUFC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,053 ✭✭✭WallyGUFC


    The petrol station being so close to the junction is an obvious problem also, just like the one at the cemetery roundabout. Going to be interesting to see what effect the new building beside Fleming's (car showroom I assume) will have on the whole situation.


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    #25
    Patrickheg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 225 ✭✭Patrickheg


    WallyGUFC wrote: »
    There shouldn't be two lanes there, or it shouldn't merge together right outside a busy petrol station. Shocking design.


    Think about it. It moves the cars that are going straight and queuing around corrib oil entrance out of the way of the cars turning right and left at the lights. Therefore these cars reach the junction quicker and I'm the process everyone wins

    Only problem with it is that it causes aggression with Galway drives who don't understand the concept of filter in turn lanes as they only see the cars on the inside lane as skippers


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    #26
    WallyGUFC
    Registered Users Posts: 2,053 ✭✭✭WallyGUFC


    Patrickheg wrote: »
    Think about it. It moves the cars that are going straight and queuing around corrib oil entrance out of the way of the cars turning right and left at the lights. Therefore these cars reach the junction quicker and I'm the process everyone wins

    Only problem with it is that it causes aggression with Galway drives who don't understand the concept of filter in turn lanes as they only see the cars on the inside lane as skippers
    Aggression will always be an issue I'd say :pac: It's not warranted there tbh but somewhere like the QB turning left onto the Headford Road, where people use the right lane the whole way and try to jump in at the end is obviously going to cause problems. In my experience, it is mostly Audi/BMW/Merc/4x4 drivers who attempt this. Obviously to cause less of a tailback they should be allowed in, but it's annoying all the same. I still think 2 lanes merging into one after such a short distance after the junction is mad.


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    #27
    zarquon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,734 ✭✭✭zarquon


    WallyGUFC wrote: »
    In my experience, it is mostly Audi/BMW/Merc/4x4 drivers who attempt this. .

    Micra and Yaris drivers don't usually have the confidence to cut in through 3 lanes of traffics. :P


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    #28
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    Patrickheg wrote: »
    Only problem with it is that it causes aggression with Galway drives who don't understand the concept of filter in turn lanes as they only see the cars on the inside lane as skippers



    That had crossed my mind. I don't know the specific situation described by the OP, but I wonder whether it's an example of the late merging issue?


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