basic Rules of The Road many People dont know.

Tobias Greeshman

Fey! wrote:

Young lad goes for driving lessons, and as he approcahes the first set of traffic lights, the light turns amber. He drops a gear and floors it, flying through the lights.

"Why'd ya do that?" asks the instructor.
"Da brudders a taxi droiver, 'n 'e tole me dat wen da lites go oranje, it means speed upp" comes the reply.

Next set of lights go red just as they reach them, so the youngster again drops a gear and floors it through.

"Why the hell did ya do that????"
"Da broider tole me dat wen da lites go red, nuttin'll be cummin for a few sekonds, so ya can still get thru"

Next set of light go green just as they reach them, and the young lad hits the anchors with all of his might.

"What the f^*k did you do THAT for?" roars the insructor.

"Jaysus, boss, d'ya tink oim mad; da broider mite be cummin da udder way!!!"

ROFL!!
Damn how I laughed at that, should post it on the Humour forum.

nialler

East link roundabout, both north and south. South (Sean Moore Road) is particularly viscious, Eastlink is actually the 2nd exit so you have the feckers indicating left (I'm sat on Pigeon House Road) assuming they're turning down PHR about to pull into the flow and off they zoom through, it is a yield they'll lose approx 3 secs letting the people out from PHR but NOOOOOOOO.

Now even more dangerous than that is the truck drivers coming out of the docks on that side, yes they're driving 40 tonnes of killing machine and they know it, absolutely no consideration for the cars on the roundabout, I've nearly driven under a few of them and another note is that my father in law reckons most of them had alcohol on them when driving (he worked down there for many years loading the trucks). Absolute lunacy.

Saruman

Yup everything you said is correct unless as people said.. here are signs to say otherwise.
I posted about the roundabout one a few weeks back.

Here is one a lot of people do not know... Yield signs.. mean YIELD!!! Give way to other traffic as they have right of way.

Also when on a roundabout NEVER EVER EVER cut across lanes!! Some stupid woman in a 4x4 last night almost creamed me. It was at coming off M4 to Maynooth. there are 2 lanes and a roundabout. Ledt lane is marked for left and straight through for Naas/Straffan which is where she was going. I was in the right going to 4rd exit for Maynooth (needed fuel). We both go she goes straight through and only notices im there when i blast the horn at her inches from the side of my car.

I have experienced all the muppetry you mention and more Everyone in this country should be made to take an advanced motoring course or loose their license.

Its crazy! Few weeks back.. again another roundabout incident im heading straight through the Ballycoolin roundabout (by ebay) heading towards Blanch and as im half way through this female taxi driver comes tearing from my left (2nd exit) without even looking to see if there are any cars... only notices when i blast my horn there are about 3 cars or so on the roundabout!! And i swear im positive the same woman did the same thing the previous month.. im positive.. some woman, same car and same roundabout!!

Another VERY dangerous place i notice is the Auburn roundabout. If coming from the castleknock side there are 2 lanes.. and the stupid thing is they are CLEARLY MARKED!!!! Left hand lane is for LEFT or STRAIGHT!! In other words left to M50 or straight to go around the roundabout or straight on to the 2nd exit which is Dunsink lane. The Right hand lane is marked Straight ahead or Right. The ammount of idiots in the right hand lane who try to go Left to the M50 is idiotic!!! Today i was in the left hand lane and i was going straight to Dunsink (2nd Exit). Some idiot in front and to the right cut across to go left. She was before me and did not cause me any difficulty but i still blasted the horn to let her know she was doing something illegal and dangerous.

Another black spot is heading down from Ballyfermot under the overpass to Chapelizod. Two lanes clearly marked. left is for going LEFT for local access and the hotel. Right is obviously for right.. So many idiots think its fun to bypass the Q turning right, fly down the left and try and undertake them on a turn!!! Its so dangerous!! There is only 1 lane for feck sake!!!!! One asshole almost ran me off the road trying to do that.

Saruman

Vegeta wrote:

i think it might be one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't situations. Its been driving me nuts not knowing exactly what to do in a test situation :mad:

Since the law states you can stop in a yellow box if you are turning right then i think you might fail if you did not do so. And If the lights go red and you CANT go because of a pedestrian right of way (i have yet to see this scenario anywhere) then i would myself start moving slowly and wait for the pedestrian light to change then proceed as otherwise i would be blocking the traffic in the other direction.

mike65

Which lane would you use for the Carrick-on-Suir exit?



Mike.

Vegeta

here's something i see everyday and have to wonder about it, it kind of follows on from Sarumans post

If on a dual carraigeway and you approach a roundabout from the clock position of 6 o clock, no road markings other than broken white line in the centre.

This roundabout has 3 exits, one at 9 o clock, one at 3 o clock and the one you are entering from i.e. 6 o clock (which would be a u turn effectively)

Ok as i was saying you approach the roundabout from 6 o clock there are 2 lanes in and the exit at 9 o clock (the first exit) has 2 lanes out.

I see people constantly pull into the right hand lane beside me and then take the first exit in the right hand lane. Cutting across the left hand lane to take the first exit

My question is how do they know I am not in the left hand lane wishing to take the second exit, in which case they are cutting me off?

Fair enough the second exit is at 3 o clock which is over 180 degress but i am entitled to take the second exit if in the left hand lane am i not?

Vegeta

Saruman wrote:

Since the law states you can stop in a yellow box if you are turning right then i think you might fail if you did not do so. And If the lights go red and you CANT go because of a pedestrian right of way (i have yet to see this scenario anywhere) then i would myself start moving slowly and wait for the pedestrian light to change then proceed as otherwise i would be blocking the traffic in the other direction.

my housemates brother failed his driving test for exactly this he, was in the middle of the road wanting to go right but didn't get a chance and then the lights went red

Vegeta

mike65 wrote:

Which lane would you use for the Carrick-on-Suir exit?



Mike.

if there are no road markings

legally you can use the left hand lane A.

In practice B makes more sense, there should be road markings on this round about.

andrea

You should probably use B? But if you do then you're assuming that anybody in A is going to leave at the first exit!

My favourite is when people indicate on roundabouts on the M50, half of them are indicating which exit they're going to leave at, the other half are going to change lane in front of you and it's pot luck which they are going to do!

At the Tallaght exit people use the wrong lane on the roundabout then cut in in front of you at the last minute to get off for Tallaght. Taxis are the worst for this and cut it more tightly too. And if you use your horn you're letting yourself in for a load of abuse all the way down the N81!

prospect

mike65 wrote:

Which lane would you use for the Carrick-on-Suir exit?



Mike.

Nice picture.

NeMiSiS

andrea wrote:

You should probably use B? But if you do then you're assuming that anybody in A is going to leave at the first exit!

My favourite is when people indicate on roundabouts on the M50, half of them are indicating which exit they're going to leave at, the other half are going to change lane in front of you and it's pot luck which they are going to do!

At the Tallaght exit people use the wrong lane on the roundabout then cut in in front of you at the last minute to get off for Tallaght. Taxis are the worst for this and cut it more tightly too. And if you use your horn you're letting yourself in for a load of abuse all the way down the N81!

You mean they stay in the inside lane right until the last minute and then belt across in front of you right at the exit of the n81? Through the hatched markings ?

TK

Saruman

mike65 wrote:

Which lane would you use for the Carrick-on-Suir exit?



Mike.

A I would NOT use B at all as there is only one lane on second exit (that i can see) on that picture. Unless you just did not draw in the lines. If there are 2 lanes on the second exit then B is also fine as long as you stay in the right hand lane when you exit and not assume the left hand lane is free and just cut across!!

Another thing i have seen is coming off N32 on the M50 roundabout there. There are 3 lanes that are CLEARLY marked. Left and middle lanes are for straight ahead (middle also for going right around roundabout taking next exit for Belfast/airport. Then a 3rd right lane that is clearly marked RIGHT!!! in other words Belfast turn or back around the way you came.
So many people go into the right hand lane either from the N32 or from the M1 side going on the M50 and take the far right lane then at last minute cut across cars in the middle lane... likewise people in the middle lane cut across into the left hand lane in front of cars in the left lane heading on the M50. One woman almost ran me off the road doing that a few years back.

Also notice heading inbound on N4 as you approach the M50 roundabout there are 3 lanes which were recently changed. The layout and road markings are actually CLEAR but people do not get it.
LEft hand lane is for LEFT onto M50 North ONLY!!! You cant go straight on towards town. Middle is for straight ONLY but the line painting brings you in to the left hand lane on the bridge.
Right lane is for straight ahead or Right on the M50 southbound. Once you enter the roundabout the lane splits into middle for straight ahead ONLY or Right for straight ahead or more likely right to M50.
I see so many people in the middle lane cut straight through cutting off cars in the right lane and leaving the left hand lane empty.

andrea

NeMiSiS wrote:

You mean they stay in the inside lane right until the last minute and then belt across in front of you right at the exit of the n81? Through the hatched markings ?

TK

That's exactly what I mean. Dangerous doesn't quite cover it.

Fey!

Mike - I'd use B, as the exit is well over 180 degrees to the entry road.

NeMiSiS

andrea wrote:

That's exactly what I mean. Dangerous doesn't quite cover it.

I'd bet the next thing they do is pull into the inside lane on the dual carraige way. That road is a ****ing nightmare, it's grand if people actully drive at the posted limit, but more often than not you will find yourself doing about 25MPH and hitting every red light until you get to Citywest, and then sure you will get stuck behind a truck or some asshole driving about 30mph the whole way to Blessington... that's if you don't meet the cows at Hempstown, and have to stop alltogether.

I was stuck behind a tractor for 3 miles yesterday because the learner driver behind it would not overtake it, even though there was safe and clear places to do so, and the driver behind the learner did not not want to over take both the learner and tractor... N81 also.

Sunday I was behind a woman in a puegot van/people carrier type thing. She was traveling at 70MPH, when she came to a bend she would brake hard, reduce her speed to 25 - 30 MPH (and less), riding the brake the whole way round and then.. accelerate up to 70 again.. I counted 16 cars trawling behind her before I got to overtake her.. she was sat up on her steering wheel as if she was riding a horse. N81 again. On the way back.. same deal except a driver travelling at about 30 - 40 MPH reducing their speed to half that for a bend, I was six cars back from here.. and best I could figure she caused a convey of about twenty two cars to build up behind her all domino braking for every bend.

Coming into Naas saturday going up by Brennans hardware, there was a lady in a Micra travelling at and this is not a conservative estimate 7MPH, she stopped dead at a cross roads and sat there for at least 20 seconds waiting to turn left.. where she had right of way (there was also no traffic .. at this point.. except cars _behind_ her), she eventully continued left.. at this snails pace.. and pulled into a car park. She had no L plates displayed or anything that would suggest she was a learner.

Next heading towards Newbridge/M7 out of Naas, where you come down the hill and meet the newish roundabout and the next round about would be the one that leads to M7 Biz Park, Newbridge, and the M7.

At the first round about (the Woodies one), there is a clear view all round the roundabout, and you can see traffic coming onto it from a considerable distance away. She slammed on her brakes, stops dead on the round about.. looked left.. looked right..looked left looked right.. turned on her right indicator.. and went straight through the roundabout. At the next roundabout, she entered in the left hand lane, turned on her left indicator, same thing .. stopped dead.. looked left, right.. left, right.. then took the M7 Biz Park exit.. indicating left the whole way round the round about in the inside lane.. and finally indiacting right as she left the round about..


I don't know what kinda lessons these people have had, or what kind of grasp on reality they have. Also I have nothing against female drivers, I am just pointing out they were female.. and all this in the past two days. I could tell you as many stories about male drivers

TK

andrea

I have no problem with criticisms of female drivers, they do as much wrong as male drivers! In general women tend to do less aggressively stupid things though, although obviously there are plenty of exceptions to that!

What's funny is that I still have my L plates on the car (waiting times suck!) and I have to watch people who have presumably passed a test at some point doing this kind of ridiculous stunt. And they obviously fully believe that they are in the right.

Vegeta

Fey! wrote:

Mike - I'd use B, as the exit is well over 180 degrees to the entry road.

well as its past 12 o clock i'd nearly agree but its others who use the left hand lane for the second exit you'd have to watch, they don't have to cross lanes either which makes it easier for them

Vegeta

andrea wrote:

What's funny is that I still have my L plates on the car (waiting times suck!) and I have to watch people who have presumably passed a test at some point doing this kind of ridiculous stunt. And they obviously fully believe that they are in the right.

Never a truer post made.

mike65

In the roundabout 'what I drew' traffic overwhelmingly uses the B right hand lane for Carrick, last week some guy on the "A" left lane undertook me on it, I could hear a sudden rise in revs by the passenger window and knew what was coming so I tucked right a bit. I was indicating right on the approach which the guy behind clearly should have seen but it seems did'nt.

Any potential confusion could be ended by have the left lane marked for turning to Kilkenny only.

Mike.

Vegeta

mike65 wrote:

In the roundabout 'what I drew' traffic overwhelmingly uses the B right hand lane for Carrick, last week some guy on the "A" left lane undertook me on it, I could hear a sudden rise in revs by the passenger window and knew what was coming so I tucked right a bit. I was indicating right on the approach which the guy behind clearly should have seen but it seems did'nt.

Any potential confusion could be ended by have the left lane marked for turning to Kilkenny only.

Mike.

I understand your frustration, my exit gets blocked on the roundabout everyday

Wishbone Ash

Vegeta wrote:

Fair enough the second exit is at 3 o clock which is over 180 degress but i am entitled to take the second exit if in the left hand lane am i not?

I'm afraid not Vegeta as you said yourself it's over 180 degrees. I have passed the driving test in all categories and was always taught that if an exit is past "12 o'clock" it must be treated as a 'right' turn (unless marked otherwise).

BrianD3

I'd also use lane B because like others here I was taught the 180 degree "rule". However I don't think this is stated in the ROTR or if it is it's ambiguous. This needs to be clarified.

IME the majority of drivers who have some clue what they're doing will use Lane B. There will also be the occasional clued in driver who has read the ROTR and has interpreted from it that Lane A is the correct one to use.

But most of the time the driver who would use lane A to go to Carrick on Suir are the sort of drivers who pick the left lane no matter what exit they're taking eg if it was a standard roudnabout and they were taking a 3rd exit at 3 o'clock they would probably sail merrily around in the left hand lane

Wishbone Ash

BrianD3 wrote:

I don't think this is stated in the ROTR or if it is it's ambiguous. This needs to be clarified.

Not in the ROTR but the journal of Advanced Motoring states:

"When choosing an exit more than 180 degrees round, you will stay in the right hand lane, signalling a right turn in plenty of time".

RoundyMooney

Blitzkrieger wrote:

What I hate about Midleton is how close fuppers park to the corners, on double yellows usually. Put it in the car park and walk you lazy twits!

Not only, but also:

The new gyratory would work well were it not for the largest car park in East Cork, you've guessed it folks-Main Street Midleton. Pedestrians, fair enough, people have to get about, and they are not the problem, despite some opinions to the contrary. The over-riding problem is, as you say, double parking, idiots stopping to run into one shop- and then into another, pulling out of one space and into another fifty yards on, having conversations from their cars while the build up behind stretches back to the Rock, or to the hotel. I could go on...

The issue of enforcement of the by-laws is a political football, the road here being the responsibilty of the County Council.

Anyway, back to our scheduled programming.

Seth Brundle

shoegirl wrote:

A lot of Irish roundabouts are very badly designed or badly finished

Take a look at the N3/M50 roundabout heading outbound the road markings are below...

Two lanes suddenly become 3 with no proper separation

ninty9er

shoegirl wrote:

2. Not understanding how to use a pelican crossing - i.e. the ones where there are no buttons and the pedestrian just walks out onto the road - have seen many clueless young males (its always clueless young males!) on one at Midleton who seemed to thing that they had a right to drive straight through even though there was a pedestrian already crossing.
3. Treating STOP signs as if they were YIELD signs

I find its a mix of male and female on campus in UL. Young females with an L plate on the front only in many cases and Male lecturers in a hurry / dad's collecting kids from the gym

I always stop if it's aa stop sign, but in some cases they are really misplaced.

If anyone knows the Y junction into Landsdown near the Holy Rosary; you are supposed to stop entering Landsdown from the Shannon side heading towards town. My dad hit me one day for stopping there asking if I wanted to get rear ended and killed. It's a downright dangerous place for a stop sign. Irony is the Local TD lives 4 houses from the sign and it still hasn't been rectified. Council won't do it for him for some reason

dubred

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Not in the ROTR but the journal of Advanced Motoring states:

"When choosing an exit more than 180 degrees round, you will stay in the right hand lane, signalling a right turn in plenty of time".

I believe this applies also to the roundabouts mentioned in the OPs point 2 and further discussed by me in this thread. In both cases the 2nd exit is at greater than 180 degrees and in excess of 99% of road users use the first 2 exits.

galah

Not sure if it's part of the ROTR - but could people PLEASE make sure their headlights, brake lights, and all other lights work on their cars BEFORE they start driving? And make sure that they use the APPROPRIATE light setting for conditions - that is, DON'T use the fog lights if it's raining (use them only in fog with a visibility of less than 50 m), use high beams only if it's dark and noone else is one the road, but USE your head lights if it's dark or rainy...

Working brake lights would be nice, too, so one can actually see if someone is braking in front of one...

Diamondmaker

AAWwwwww But my mom says my fog lights look so cool on all day;)

Fey!

How about just leaving dims on all the time you're driving, like Volvo do (is that dims or parks?)