Roundabout lane markings

smileygal

Hi,

If you're on a traffic light controlled segmented multi-lane roundabout whose markings direct you into a lane which turns out not to be the one you need to get off the roundabout,

if in a collision with another vehicle

are you legally in the right to choose the correct exit lane, reached via a different but safer and more straightforward lane to that you are supposed to choose to enter that exit lane? (Hope that makes sense reading it)

Also because of these ridiculous misleading markings, i often encounter the different situation of me being in the correct lane as guided but running the risk of cars driving into my car on the driver's side because they are trying to cross through my lane to exit the roundabout before my exit,

or further up, to cut in front of me to exit the roundabout at the same exit as me, because they realise they have been guided into a lane without an exit there - presumably once doing the correct speed,I have the law on my side because I am in the correct lane, or I am legally bound to jam on the brakes and let the other person in , signalling or not?

hullaballoo

You should be in control of your vehicle at all times, and the test they use is a "who hit who" test. In other words, you have to jam on if otherwise you would run into them, and vice versa.

Eru

Smiley,
My head hurts after reading that post but I think I know what you mean.

Are you talking about the roundabouts along the old Belfast road such as the airport roundabout and the Malahide/Swords roundabout? I know on the Malahide/Swords one Im always in the wrong lane trying to take the Malahide exit and have to cut acorss a lane.

I have always wondered about this myself, as per Hull I think you are in the wrong as you are changing lanes and the onus is always on you to ensure its safe to do so.

Ireland and the Celtic Tiger, we have so much money we can have traffic lights ON our roundabouts but we cant feed the hungry or house the homeless! :mad:

Idleater

My non legal opinions on this would be that
1) You should not "cause" an "avoidable" accident. i.e. If some hero in the wrong lane drives in front of you into your lane, you should do everything in your power to avoid an accident*.
2) Conversely, when you are in control of a vehicle you should at all times be in control of that vehicle, and also be aware of your surroundings. i.e. you should be in the correct lane**.

* You can use observation to determine which vehicles are more likely to perform odd manouvres on the road, thereby you are more prepared when someone decides for example to swerve into your lane.

** There are now penalty points for offences such as this, so this may indicate somewhat where the greater proportion of blame would lie:
> Failure to obey requirements at junctions, e.g. not being in the correct lane when turning onto another road
> Failure to leave appropriate distance between you and the vehicle in front
> Driving without reasonable consideration
> Failure to yield


L.

smileygal

thanks guys

didn't want to hurt any heads (was imagining people screaming at their computers and shaking heads) but tried to describe it accurately without having to draw it out!!

they are roundabouts in Cork (changed to make them safer..)

while I always drive extra carefully around them, not everyone goes slowly and indicates, hence the reason why you don't see them coming, even in the mirrors!

the whole confusion could be remedied with a bit of paint and a few arrows

Trojan911

smileygal wrote:

they are roundabouts in Cork (changed to make them safer..)

I take it you are on about the Magic Roundabout... Still trying to figure that one out myself, thankfully I do not use it that much but it is a bugger to use... I would safely say "Who Dares Wins" would be an accurate name for that particular roundabout.....


TJ911...

maidhc

Trojan911 wrote:

I take it you are on about the Magic Roundabout... Still trying to figure that one out myself, thankfully I do not use it that much but it is a bugger to use...

The Kinsale Rd. roundabout is fineish; just once you are in the right lane. All the others on the south link now have 4 lanes, which makes them very silly places to be indeed.

smileygal

Magic roundabout = Sarsfield Rd Roundabout?? they're all pretty much from a different planet !! Kinsale Rd one is relatively civilised now, I'm referring to Sarsfield and Bandon (Dunnes Stores one )

Who dares wins is an excellent name for them, council might be up for that!!

jhegarty

smileygal wrote:

Magic roundabout = Sarsfield Rd Roundabout?? they're all pretty much from a different planet !! Kinsale Rd one is relatively civilised now, I'm referring to Sarsfield and Bandon (Dunnes Stores one )

Who dares wins is an excellent name for them, council might be up for that!!

if get get on the inside lane of the bandon road one you may never leave.....

smileygal

exactly - roundabout limbo!

grand at night though when empty

Skyuser

I hate them stupid roundabouts with traffic lights. So many dumb twats don't know what lane the should be using.

maidhc

Skyuser wrote:

I hate them stupid roundabouts with traffic lights. So many dumb twats don't know what lane the should be using.

They definately help though, otherwise the aforementioned dumb twats won't pull out until there nothing is nothing coming for miles and miles. Then they can slowly and carefully edge out onto the roundabout, slamming on the brakes at least twice to avoid imaginary cars that are not there. :rolleyes:

daymobrew

smileygal wrote:

Magic roundabout = Sarsfield Rd Roundabout?? they're all pretty much from a different planet !! Kinsale Rd one is relatively civilised now, I'm referring to Sarsfield and Bandon (Dunnes Stores one )

Write to the Transportation Department of the Council to give your suggestions. They are the only ones that can fix it. If a few people complain then something might change.

marcphisto

smileygal wrote:

Magic roundabout = Sarsfield Rd Roundabout?? they're all pretty much from a different planet !! Kinsale Rd one is relatively civilised now, I'm referring to Sarsfield and Bandon (Dunnes Stores one )

Who dares wins is an excellent name for them, council might be up for that!!

Yeah the Bandon one is particularly chaotic if you are heading up from West Cork and wish to head towards the city. It's impossible to be in the right lane at the entry and exit without crossing lanes :mad:

jd

marcphisto wrote:

Yeah the Bandon one is particularly chaotic if you are heading up from West Cork and wish to head towards the city. It's impossible to be in the right lane at the entry and exit without crossing lanes :mad:

I don't know anything about that particular roundabout, but to make a general point-if you are turning right at a roundabout, you **will** have to cross lanes at some point