Rules of the road Q: Tara St. to Gardiner St.

netman

Hi folks,

I hope this is the right place to ask for advice, I've been through the rules of the road book but haven't found an answer to this (and similar) questions. They just don't seem to cover rules for roads with multiple lanes.

Here's my question:
I'm driving from city centre heading north, from Tara St. crossing the Butt Bridge, onto Beresford Pl., wanting to go up Gardiner St. I want to end up on the right hand lane on Gardiner St.

There are four lanes on the Butt Bridge, rightmost one has to turn right onto Custom House Quay, which leaves three lanes. On Beresford Pl. you have four lanes, two heading up to Gardiner St. and two swerving right on to Amiens St.

I want to be in the right lane, of the two that are heading up to Gardiner St.
(so second left on Beresford Pl)

Should I be in the leftmost lane on Butt Bridge, or the second left lane?

Thanks!

netman

A few more attachments added for clarity, from Myhome.ie maps.

jd

I would tend to be on the left lane there.

Bluetonic

Either of the two left lanes is fine as the two lanes on Lower Gardiner Street merge into one at Talbot Street junction anyhow, becasue of this I tend to be go for the second from the left so I have right of way when the traffic is merging.

netman

Me too, but there's quite a few cars from the second left lane on Butt Bridge coming into the second left lane on Beresford Pl, cutting me off.

This seems to be common practice as traffic is lighter heading to Amiens St, so they manage to get to the bridge faster and then "cut in", forcing me to go into the leftmost lane on Beresford Pl.

I'm just trying to find out if I'm doing something wrong, and where do I stand if there's an accident. I know the traffic is barely moving but with people not knowing which lane they're supposed to be and who to yield it's only a matter of time.

If there's an unfortunate event, I'd rather be in the right than in the wrong

gurramok

It was designed arseways, rules of the road wouldn't tell you what the solution is!
The 2 left lanes on Butt Bridge are supposed to lead you to the 2 left lanes on Beresford Pl. However the 2 left lanes on Butt bridge do not naturally lead to the 2 left lanes on Beresford Pl!
Only the left(1st) lane on Butt Br. leads naturally to both the 1st and 2nd from left lanes on Beresford hence the traffic in 2nd left lane on Butt Br have to cross over in front of traffic moving from left(1st) lane on Butt as the lights go green!
Hope that helps as I do drive on it all the time, regulars have foresight to jump into left(1st) lane on Butt (the one were buses are banned) to avoid problems further ahead and sneak ahead of the poor sods in 2nd left lane on Butt!

netman

Ahh, right.. but if someone from the 2nd lane on Butt decides to push their way into the 2nd lane on Beresford, they actually have the right of way?

I always thought they were cheeky, trying to beat the traffic at the lights and cut in Just want to make sure.

BrianD

netman wrote:

Hi folks,

I hope this is the right place to ask for advice, I've been through the rules of the road book but haven't found an answer to this (and similar) questions. They just don't seem to cover rules for roads with multiple lanes.

Here's my question:
I'm driving from city centre heading north, from Tara St. crossing the Butt Bridge, onto Beresford Pl., wanting to go up Gardiner St. I want to end up on the right hand lane on Gardiner St.

There are four lanes on the Butt Bridge, rightmost one has to turn right onto Custom House Quay, which leaves three lanes. On Beresford Pl. you have four lanes, two heading up to Gardiner St. and two swerving right on to Amiens St.

I want to be in the right lane, of the two that are heading up to Gardiner St.
(so second left on Beresford Pl)

Should I be in the leftmost lane on Butt Bridge, or the second left lane?

Thanks!

Either ... the second from the left would be better. It's not really a rules of a road issue, it's more a best lane positioning/thinking ahead situation! Once over the bridge, many people are afraid to drive on the tram track as it goes under the bridge. You can do this and it will position you neatly in the RH lane as you go up Gardiner St.

netman

I'm more afraid of people in the 2nd left lane on Butt Bridge pushing their way into the left lane immediately after the lights, just as you're coming onto Beresford place.

They don't really give you a chance to go straight, you either push your way in, or you move left, and then get stuck behind parked cars or a bus on Gardiner st.

shltter

Bluetonic wrote:

Either of the two left lanes is fine as the two lanes on Lower Gardiner Street merge into one at Talbot Street junction anyhow, becasue of this I tend to be go for the second from the left so I have right of way when the traffic is merging.

When traffic merges from two lanes to one lane being in the outside lane does not give you the right of way
Traffic should merge in turn so if the car is in front of you it goes first if it is behind it should allow you to go first.