Yet (another) Swords roundabout question

dutopia

I know this roundabout keeps coming up, but it's just so awful and I want to figure out if I'm doing this right.

I'm coming from 1 (marked on the image) and I want to go out the Pavilions exit. I know there are two lanes here heading towards the Pavilions, but I prefer being in the left hand side lane as I will be turning left into the Pavilions when I exit out. As far as I can tell, being in the left side lane means I can exit out the next first exit OR indicate right to show I am continuing around to the next exit (the Pavilions exit).

Alternatively if I follow 2 (marked on the image) I could either take the third exit towards the Pavilions (and be in the right hand lane) or turn into the further right lane and continue around the roundabout.

Is this correct?

The fact the lanes go from 2 to 3 at this point causes a lot of problems for drivers, and then you have drivers coming around trying to exit out the before the Pavilions exit and nearly crashing with cars coming out from 1 or 2.

moonship

Have you done driving test in Ireland?

There is nothing confusing on this roundabout! Unless you bought your licence on car boot sale.

You are wrong, on 1 you only go first exit left or straight ahead through roundabout.
On 2 - middle lane you go straight ahead or right but only as far as third exit (to Pavillions)
On 2 - inner lane you go right third exit to Pavillions or around the roundabout!

No Pants

If I'm reading this right, you're coming from the Malahide direction. To exit towards the Pavilions/Swords village, I would enter on two and use my indicators along with mirrors and plenty of looking over my shoulder before moving into the desired exit lane.

dutopia

moonship wrote: »

Have you done driving test in Ireland?

There is nothing confusing on this roundabout! Unless you bought your licence on car boot sale.

You are wrong, on 1 you only go first exit left or straight ahead through roundabout.
On 2 - middle lane you go straight ahead or right but only as far as third exit (to Pavillions)
On 2 - inner lane you go right third exit to Pavillions or around the roundabout!

Thanks for your input although it would have been nice without the insult. This roundabout is one of the worst in Dublin IMO and I've seen many people do exactly this, that's why I was checking.

dutopia

No Pants wrote: »

If I'm reading this right, you're coming from the Malahide direction. To exit towards the Pavilions/Swords village, I would enter on two and use my indicators along with mirrors and plenty of looking over my shoulder before moving into the desired exit lane.

Thanks, will do from now on!

TBi

dutopia wrote: »

As far as I can tell, being in the left side lane means I can exit out the next first exit OR indicate right to show I am continuing around to the next exit (the Pavilions exit).

Not a full answer but you should only indicate right entering a roundabout if you are taking the third or subsequent exit.

No Pants

TBi wrote: »

Not a full answer but you should only indicate right entering a roundabout if you are taking the third or subsequent exit.

I was told by my instructor that it was once you were passing the 12 o'clock point from your entrance.

TBi

No Pants wrote: »

I was told by my instructor that it was once you were passing the 12 o'clock point from your entrance.

I've always wondered that, but the written rules are third or subsequent. Doesn't matter where they are on the roundabout. Would be better if instructors would teach proper rules.

dutopia

TBi wrote: »

I've always wondered that, but the written rules are third or subsequent. Doesn't matter where they are on the roundabout. Would be better if instructors would teach proper rules.

So technically this exit from where I am is not passing the 12 o' clock point but it is the third exit. I always indicated in case cars from the roundabout caught up to where I was and expected me to exit out the airport exit.

So the left hand side lane heading towards the pavilions, is this lane solely used for people entering the roundabout from the Feltrim road?

Zubeneschamali

TBi wrote: »

Not a full answer but you should only indicate right entering a roundabout if you are taking the third or subsequent exit.

You should reread the Rules of the Road - they've fixed this error.

I learned before that error was put into the Rules.

The actual law doesn't say anything special about roundabouts except that you must go left around them, so indications are the same as at any junction: indicate right if you are turning right.

TBi

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

You should reread the Rules of the Road - they've fixed this error.

I learned before that error was put into the Rules.

The actual law doesn't say anything special about roundabouts except that you must go left around them, so indications are the same as at any junction: indicate right if you are turning right.

Big changes since i learned it. Thanks for the info!

Scottie99

dutopia wrote: »

I know this roundabout keeps coming up, but it's just so awful and I want to figure out if I'm doing 2

What's so bad about it? From here it looks like a standard roundabout

Jesus.

That roundabout can be mad at times, OP. Those that don't use it wouldn't know what it can be like at rush hour by just looking at an empty picture. Of course on this Board the first reply you get is abuse from one of the HHB. An occupational hazard when using this Forum I'm afraid.

When coming from Malahide I enter from the right hand lane and then move over one when I'm between the first and second exits. I know what you're saying regarding entering in the left lane because technically you're doing nothing wrong but there's always a risk of someone coming from the Belfast side and smacking you in the side. The fact that it goes from two lanes to three in the blink of an eye is what causes confusion.

The amount of times I've seen and heard of tips (and worse) on that roundabout over the years is phenomenal.

Jesus.

Scottie99 wrote: »

What's so bad about it? From here it looks like a standard roundabout

That's the problem with pictures like that. They do no justice at all to the actual real World situations that can occur on that Roundabout. It can become a bit of a mess at times and I don't blame the OP for looking for clarification on this.

dutopia

Jesus. wrote: »

That roundabout can be mad at times, OP. Those that don't use it wouldn't know what it can be like at rush hour by just looking at an empty picture. Of course on this Board the first reply you get is abuse from one of the HHB. An occupational hazard when using this Forum I'm afraid.

When coming from Malahide I enter from the right hand lane and then move over one when I'm between the first and second exits. I know what you're saying regarding entering in the left lane because technically you're doing nothing wrong but there's always a risk of someone coming from the Belfast side and smacking you in the side. The fact that it goes from two lanes to three in the blink of an eye is what causes confusion.

The amount of times I've seen and heard of tips (and worse) on that roundabout over the years is phenomenal.

I don't normally say this but, thank you Jesus!

From now on I will do as you mention and enter in the right hand lane and then move over. You're right, the risk is someone coming from the Belfast entrance and coming into your side.

dutopia

Scottie99 wrote: »

What's so bad about it? From here it looks like a standard roundabout

As Jesus mentioned, this roundabout is a lot more chaotic than it looks in the picture. As there are lights at various points around the roundabout that change quickly combined with heavy traffic and a number of yellow boxes... it can cause a lot of problems for drivers.

whomitconcerns

moonship wrote: »

Have you done driving test in Ireland?

There is nothing confusing on this roundabout! Unless you bought your licence on car boot sale.

You are wrong, on 1 you only go first exit left or straight ahead through roundabout.
On 2 - middle lane you go straight ahead or right but only as far as third exit (to Pavillions)
On 2 - inner lane you go right third exit to Pavillions or around the roundabout!

Go drive around that roundabout when its very busy...see how straight forward it is.

If you are going from airside to malahide the right lane becomes 3 lanes when you get to the belfast exit. 1 to Malahide only and 2 going round.

If you are going from Airside to kinsealy...good luck...right hand lane becomes 3 lanes at belfast exit. You take rightmost lane it becomes 3 (more) lanes at malahide exit and you have to then try get across to kinsealy exit before it becomes 3 lanes again....

If you are going from Malahide to Pavillions right lane becomes 3 lanes again, 2 lanes to pavillions and one lane to Belfast.

Not the most straight forward and that pic certainly doesnt do it justice...

Oh and all the above is before you deal with the yellow boxs and 3 sets of traffic lights that are on it!

R.O.R

I just try to avoid that roundabout. North Street / Main Street to access the Pavilions, Estuary to Malahide.

Only ever use it for heading to Airside (damn no S/B off ramp from the M1), or a customer on Drynam Road.

No Pants

dutopia wrote: »

So technically this exit from where I am is not passing the 12 o' clock point but it is the third exit.

It could just be my eyes playing tricks, but it looks like it's past twelve when I look at it. It's a complete mess of a roundabout with multiple sets of traffic lights added. Try cycling it, with the added complication of a pedestrian or two trying to cross.

whomitconcerns

the sign on the roundabout coming from malahide shows pavillions exit as 12. Thereby indicating you could stay on left lane also :P

Jesus.

moonship wrote: »

Have you done driving test in Ireland?

There is nothing confusing on this roundabout! Unless you bought your licence on car boot sale.

You are wrong, on 1 you only go first exit left or straight ahead through roundabout.
On 2 - middle lane you go straight ahead or right but only as far as third exit (to Pavillions)
On 2 - inner lane you go right third exit to Pavillions or around the roundabout!

Seems like its you who's not quite clear on what you're talking about.

On the first point, you appear to suggest that there is no lane to take if you're taking the second exit.

On the second point, "straight ahead" or "right but only as far as the third exit" both mean exactly the same thing.

On the third point, you are not "going right" if you're exiting for the Pavillions, you're going straight ahead.

There is nothing confusing on this roundabout! Unless you bought your licence on car boot sale.

That's good because everything is confusing about your instructions!

Did you get that licence in a car boot sale by any chance?

No Pants

dutopia wrote: »

thank you Jesus!

:pac:

The Muppet

dutopia wrote: »

As Jesus mentioned, this roundabout is a lot more chaotic than it looks in the picture. As there are lights at various points around the roundabout that change quickly combined with heavy traffic and a number of yellow boxes... it can cause a lot of problems for drivers.

Drivers cause a lot of the problems on it by crashing the amber/red lights onto the roundabout from the pavillions towards malahide then having to stop at the red on the actual roundabout blocking up the lanes for cars on a green travelling north.

ProudDUB

Scottie99 wrote: »

What's so bad about it? From here it looks like a standard roundabout

It is not your standard roundabout. For starters, it has 5 exits. Most of them only have four.

It beside one of the biggest shopping centres on the north side of Dublin. Its exit would probably account for the bulk of cars entering/exiting the roundabout. Naturally, this being Ireland, the signage telling you which lanes you need to be in, to exit at the Pavilions, is piss poor.

It is on the old Dublin/Belfast Rd. The M1 motorway has taken a lot of the traffic away from it, but it is still a very busy main road it. It would have a lot more traffic than the average road.

The traffic lights and yellow boxes on it (that most people ignore) further complicate things.

It is beside Dublin airport and has a lot of business parks, retail parks, hotels etc nearby. So you have drivers & delivery & commercial vechicles on the road, who would not be 100% familiar with it.

For all those reasons and others, it can be a very tricky roundabout to navigate. Fair play to the OP for taking the time to try and figure it out. It's the people who think they know it all and plough on regardless, or the ones who were clueless from the get go, who cause most of the accidents imo.