An unusual situation - opinions please!

Wishbone Ash

I found myself in an unusual situation last night at a traffic light controlled T junction combined with a private entrance to a pub car park.

Using the clock analogy - I was at approaching at 6 O' Clock. Main Street to the left and right, at 9 and 3 O'Clock respectively. Pub entrance ahead of me at 12 O'Clock.

Now, I wished to enter the pub car park but the lights have a right and left green arrow only (i.e. no full green light or 'straight ahead' green arrow).

I did a quick safety check and drove straight ahead anyway but I'm wondering what was I supposed to do in this situation?

jhegarty

Sounds to me like there was no legal way to enter the car park for the road you were on.

guil

i'd say wait for the right arrow cos if only the left arrow is on traffic from the 9 o clock road might have a green to go straight or turn onto the 6 o clock road

Wishbone Ash

jhegarty wrote:

Sounds to me like there was no legal way to enter the car park for the road you were on.

I could have turned right or left and then have done a U turn to come back and enter the pub by turning right or left but it would have been messy.

guil07 wrote: »

i'd say wait for the right arrow cos if only the left arrow is on traffic from the 9 o clock road might have a green to go straight or turn onto the 6 o clock road

You're on the ball guil07! The left arrow comes on first but i did wait for both arrows because, as you say, traffic comes from the 9 into the 6 when the left arrow is on.

I should have added that leaving this pub is also weird because I had to enter the same junction without being able to see any of the lights from the other three directions! :eek:

Alanstrainor

Sounds to me like a woefully planned junction. My first thought was to go left and do a U-ey, but as said, that's pretty messy! The right filter sounds like yer man. Where's the pub Wishbone_Ash?

guil

i wonder has there been many accidents at the junction

Wishbone Ash

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Where's the pub Wishbone_Ash?

It's the Old Boro School in Swords which was converted to a pub in recent years. It lay derelict for years and the junction developed in it's absense so i suppose that partly explains it.

I've been at that juction countless times but was always making a right or left so it was never an issue before.

(Incidently, that junction is also on the Swords SGS route).

Alanstrainor

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

(Incidently, that junction is also on the Swords SGS route).

I can imagine it now.
Examinor: "when you come to the next junction, if you dont mind, i'd like to stop and have a pint!"

hahahahahaha:pac::p

Wishbone Ash

guil07 wrote: »

i wonder has there been many accidents at the junction

I've never seen one but it is a relatively slow moving junction as traffic is regularly backed up, especially on the Main Street.

(Swords Garda Station is beside it also!)

RedzDrivingScho

Hi Wishbone......

I know very well the junction......and it is a tricky one......

The easiest solution would be to come at it from pinnock hill direction and turn left into it.......

In a former life I'm sure I went across on the right arrow......but with my current hat on I would have to say that doing so would be incorrect...I definitely wouldn't go across on the left green as the traffic has the filter light to turn right towards wrights......

Not sure if there is a full green light coming up through the town with old boro on right.....if so then you can turn right into it...that way you can approach from pinnock hill or main st.....

A really good question and i'm sure i'll get to see it tomorrow or the next day....will have a closer look and try figure this one out.....

Steve

You could argue that technically you made a right turn followed by an immediate left.

Wishbone Ash

Here's a pic of the junction in question:

Sqaull20

Take a left or right ( depending on whichever lane you are in ) and turn around up the road, would have been my thought.Bit dangerous driving straight in if there is traffic around.

Wishbone Ash

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Bit dangerous driving straight in if there is traffic around.

It's not really that dangerous because when both arrows are green, there is nothing approaching from the right or left. (As I have said in a previous post, the lights were there before the pub and would probably be set up a little differently if they were doing them again.)

mefain

Interesting situation! I would suggest that your lane position in this case is everything. The left filter goes on first, all traffic taking the left turn onto the main street will progress first, then the right green filter will be activated effectively halting all traffic at either side of the junction. If you approach in the right lane with no signal showing and as you cross the junction check your near side mirror (left) you may, as you clear the centre of the new road, indicate left and proceed into the pub where no doubt you intend to be the designated driver!

bluefirefly

yea. i would say stay on the right lane. because when both filter lights comes up there's no traffic on both side. so you may go straight ahead to the pub. There's a junction like that in carlow but instead of a "right turn" light its a full on green. but as it has the same effect i will go for the right lane.

Wishbone Ash

bluefirefly wrote: »

There's a junction like that in carlow but instead of a "right turn" light its a full on green

That's an entirely different scenario as it's perfectly legal to go straight on a full green but not with a right and left green arrow.

TheNog

Ye definitely did the right move.

The problem I see is if it was me approaching a red light there and being totally unfamiliar with the area (as well as the lights) I would have chosen the left lane (again not knowing the lights would have a left & right arrow). The left lane seems more appropriate than the right regarding th positioning of the pub entrance.