RSA "How to Use a Roundabout" TV Ad

deaglan169

its about time that add was shown it happens me all the time on the roundabout just outside ardee town mostly northerners who think they own the road using the roundabout the wrong way then the get annoyed for having been so called cut up and they tail gate you the whole way to the M1 or Carrick untill they loose interest:rolleyes:

bog master

bbk wrote: »

Forget the red light, talk about the amber. If it was absolutely STOP when you see the yellow then the braking manoeuvres you would see would be neck-snappingly entertaining.

If you were to pick apart problems with the road system then I think you are really hitting on a null point with those lanes. Its not contradicting itself because its telling you what to do unless the road markings which are designed for the individual roundabout in question tell you to do otherwise.

Wont go down the Amber light scenario, possibly a bigger can of worms lol!

Lack of knowledge of roundabout usage is just a personal bugbear for me, and I feel the Rules of the Road and roundabout design and construction does not help in using them properly and safely.

rebel.ranter

I was going to post about this ad, I was thinking that this type of ad for a lot of road user issues would be an excellent idea.

Glad they have produced it, they need to place it at the right time. Next they need to do one on Motorway lane discipline. We have only recently gotten Motorway for the first time in some parts of the country so it would be well warranted.
Couldn't believe it but last Thursday I saw a tractor & trailer on the M8 in Tipperary WTF!:eek:

Ha ha, it is on RTE as I am typing!!!:D

dudara

The ad is a good idea. However, it's let down by the fact that every roundabout in this country seems to have its own lane markings and quirks.

Combine this with the fact that what markings do exist are generally located right at the entrance to the roundabout (where they are obscured by other cars) so sometimes you don't know if you're in the correct lane for that roundabout

Then add in the fear factor that is part of the daily commute through roundabouts like the Walkinstown roundabout (where I'll freely admit it, I've given up trying to drive correctly when busy as it's just too damn dangerous).

GTE

bog master wrote: »

Wont go down the Amber light scenario, possibly a bigger can of worms lol!

Lack of knowledge of roundabout usage is just a personal bugbear for me, and I feel the Rules of the Road and roundabout design and construction does not help in using them properly and safely.

The amber light thing can be dangerous when people abuse it and it is indeed a separate issue for another thread.

The lack of knowledge of roundabout usage for me comes from the lack of reading the rules of the road in the first place. Fix that part before you begin to change the rules because if you do, hardly anyone is gonna read them anyway.

I do agree though, signs at the roundabouts and junctions themselves can be horrible and do contribute to the mess we can find ourselves in, but I feel if the signs were correct and the books were read then we wouldnt have a problem and there wouldnt be a need for amending rules.

bog master

dudara wrote: »

The ad is a good idea. However, it's let down by the fact that every roundabout in this country seems to have its own lane markings and quirks.

Combine this with the fact that what markings do exist are generally located right at the entrance to the roundabout (where they are obscured by other cars) so sometimes you don't know if you're in the correct lane for that roundabout

Then add in the fear factor that is part of the daily commute through roundabouts like the Walkinstown roundabout (where I'll freely admit it, I've given up trying to drive correctly when busy as it's just too damn dangerous).

Spot on there if I may so! And I believe that part of the fear factor especially when approaching a large busy roundabout one is not familiar with, is the SPEED at most people navigate a roundabout, especially one you are familiar with! And I will admit, I do it also.

Alanstrainor

dudara wrote: »

The ad is a good idea. However, it's let down by the fact that every roundabout in this country seems to have its own lane markings and quirks.

Combine this with the fact that what markings do exist are generally located right at the entrance to the roundabout (where they are obscured by other cars) so sometimes you don't know if you're in the correct lane for that roundabout

Exactly! The amount of roundabouts that i have come to that have no signs, and a different layout to the "standard". You only realise you're in the wrong lane when it's too late.

daveharnett

The ad could do with a mention of not blocking other entrances/exits when you need to stop on a roundabout. Can cause total gridlock when people do it. See Parkway or Ballysimon road roundabouts in limerick for examples.

McSpud

I think it reflects badly on the driving test that we need to take out adverts informing drivers of the most basic driving instruction. I do agree though with suggestions above that these are more useful than the hollywood style accident adverts.

Erren Music

crosstownk wrote: »

When I first saw this advert I thought to myself "surely they can't be serious, this is basic stuff!" But then I thought of all the muppetry I've encountered at roundabouts and thought differently. However, it's a poor reflection (in general) on drivers in Ireland if such an advert is required. It may make a marginal difference but I fear the muppetry will continue.

An advert on how to use motorway lanes correctly wouldn't go amiss.

The only way to get people aware of anything in this country is too place a storyline in one of the many soaps at primetime. You can imagine one of the central characters getting points for sitting in outside lane of an empty N7, and the discussion that would ensue at the coffee break next morning.

mumblin deaf ro

I have to admit that I often get confused at roundabouts like the one near the Pavillions in Swords where you have two approach lanes, but three lanes on the roundabout with two sets of lights on the roundabout and no way of charting your lanes from entrance to exit - you simply make your best guess and then try and remember what you did wrong.

wyrn

When I was learning to drive roundabouts didn't seem like such a big deal but these days it's can be a nightmare to navigate.

I think it's a mixture between ignorant drivers and bad design.
For instance the roundabouts in Dundrum, if you want to go straight ahead:

• on the first one you encounter in Dundrum after the M50 (not including the big one off the slip road) the left lane is to go straight as per the ROTR. Alot of people use the right lane and sometimes it seems safer to do so if everyone ahead of you is doing it. I take the left lane but I've had a few near misses, only for the fact that I am very wary of other drivers on this roundabout.
• then the second roundabout it's the right hand lane to go straight ahead!! Of course there are markings but they are at the end of the road and usually obstructed under cars.

Also add to this there's two lanes coming off one of these roundabouts but the left lane is a bus lane. Ok it's not in service but it's hard to notice when you just come off a roundabout.

To be honest, it's very confusing and that's only Dundrum!! I wish they'd place signs up on poles to indicate which lane to get into to turn left/do straight ahead. It'd also reinforce the proper usage of the lanes.

macplaxton

tossy wrote: »

Seen this on TV while watching the champions league last week with an English friend,he was shocked and i was embarrassed!

His exact words were "Are you not meant to know these things before you drive"

I wouldn't worry about it, we had them on the telly when I was a nipper and they only stopped showing them some 20 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4eYAFL6dwA

(The RSA could save a fortune if they blagged a few PIFs from the UK C.O.I.)

Delta Kilo

Another thing I have noticed is that there are pedestrian crossings literally 2-3 metres back from the entrance/exit to the roundabouts. They are insanely dangerous. One such example is the groody roundabout coming in to limerick. How somebody isnt knocked down there or how more people arent rear ended I will never know!

bongi69

dudara wrote: »

Then add in the fear factor that is part of the daily commute through roundabouts like the Walkinstown roundabout (where I'll freely admit it, I've given up trying to drive correctly when busy as it's just too damn dangerous).

I Avoid it like the plague. I've sussed alternate routes to specifically avoid it at all costs. Mostly driving from Tallaght into town, Drimnagh etc. and I go through Ballymount onto the Long Mile Road. I think in the last 2 years I've been on it once, and that was during my test.

Also, Whats the dealio with approaching a roundabout on a 2 lane road, and the 2nd exit straight ahead is 2 lanes. If one needs to continue in the outside lane after the roundabout, say to be in the correct lane for the next roundabout, should you go into the left lane to go straight ahead, and then switch back to the outside/right lane, or continue on in the right hand lane across the roundabout?

daveharnett

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Another thing I have noticed is that there are pedestrian crossings literally 2-3 metres back from the entrance/exit to the roundabouts. They are insanely dangerous. One such example is the groody roundabout coming in to limerick. How somebody isnt knocked down there or how more people arent rear ended I will never know!

Plenty of shunts and loads of close calls in the first few weeks after they were installed. The local student union petitioned for years to have them installed. For pedestrian safety :rolleyes:. Lunacy.

dragon_lordMTB

There is a roundabout near the Hermitage Hospital near Liffey Valley SC that now has offical road markings indicating that left and right lanes can be used for going right. ie taking 3 o'clock exit. For years I was in the right hand lane and muppets would use the left lane and now they've made it ok. :rolleyes:

Noffles

Small roundabout in Gorey near the Tesco, no ****ER uses an indicator to tell you where they intend to go... absolute bloody nightmare to use... and every other ****er has a trailer on the back of them which makes them harder to avoid when they eventually decide to pick a direction...

burger1979

I have a question with regards the use of roundabouts particularly one. Its the round about at the end of the current road works on the M3 where the single lane splits into 2 and at the top there is the choice. First exit for dunboyne and the third exit for navan. (second exit leads to the M3 again so is not in use) so i signal right and use the right hand lane going up the slip. then i move around the round about till after the second exit and then indicate left to move into the left lane. then i keep the indicator on to indicate that i am taking the next exit (the third exit). This from my interpretation of reading the rules is the correct way of doing it. Now can someone please tell me why oh why every evening when i am driving home and come to this junction there are people in the left lane coming up the slip and then indicate or not as has happened on many occasion use the left lane to go all the way around to the third exit????

also when coming off the third exit there is always someone who has used the right hand lane coming all the way around and then cuts into the exit at the last moment causing anyone who was in the left lane coming off to jam on the brakes, then some that have come off the right hand lane into the exit drive up the next round about and take the outside lane to the first exit again causing other drivers to jam on the brakes. this part of it infuriates me. has anyone else come across this when driving this road?

Matt Simis

bongi69 wrote: »

I couldn't agree more. More often than not I'm the one getting blasted out of it going straight from the left lane. Mostly soccer moms and BMW drivers, who think that roads were built for their privelage alone

I drive a BMW and always take the Left lane for straight (unless unsafe to do so).
Frequently I have people going straight in the right lane trying to cut me off, trying being the operative word as I drive a BMW Im too fast to catch. :cool: :pac:


PS:
The RSA need better web site people. Videos seem unplayable in Linux and likely Macs. On Windows with Firefox, every video tries to open and play simultaneously. Youtube have a commercial version for this purpose.

bongi69

Matt Simis wrote: »

I drive a BMW and always take the Left lane for straight (unless unsafe to do so).
Frequently I have people going straight in the right lane trying to cut me off, trying being the operative word as I drive a BMW Im too fast to catch. :cool: :pac:


PS:
The RSA need better web site people. Videos seem unplayable in Linux and likely Macs. On Windows with Firefox, every video tries to open and play simultaneously. Youtube have a commercial version for this purpose.

Hats off to ya you must be one of the only considerate BMW drivers in this country. There was a survey of road users a while back that I saw in a paper, and BMW drivers were considered the most inconsiderate on the roads, followed by VW drivers

smash

muckwarrior wrote: »

I think they'd be much better off investing their money in educational ads like these rather than the 'shock' speeding ones that invariably lose their effect after about 5 minutes.

They'd be better off investing in driver training as part of the schooling system so people wouldn't have to learn from a TV ad!

ocokev

It still dosent show the right way of parking on a roundabout and blocking all the traffic like alot of peole seem to do on the Dunkettle roundabout every bloody day.

Leonard Hofstadter

Better late than never, I hope these ads will be aired during peak TV watching times for the next few weeks.

This kind of basic stuff needs to be drilled into people, it shouldn't be about learning it for the test and forgetting about it thereafter.

Poor indication at roundabouts is a bit annoying, but lane discipline on motorways is my pet hate, ESPECIALLY on 3 lane motorways/dual carriageways, the South Link as well as from Naas to the Mad Cow are my least favourite roads to drive on because to overtake anyone you have to move right 2 lanes and then move back over 2 lanes again because everyone stays in the middle lane:mad:!

smash

captainspeed wrote: »

Better late than never

Am I the only one who knows that these ads have been around for years? This one along with the 2 second rule ad and the safe over taking ad are years old!

Must be the recession or something - more people at home watching TV.

positron

After driving last 8-9 years on these roads, I am totally used to people not indicating properly, and it never bothered too much, as I always expect them to not to indicate and to indicate wrong etc, and subsequently I developed spider senses and reactions of a fighter pilot etc etc..

However, these muppets who doesn't indicate has recently become a massive problem for me as I was trying to help my partner practice her driving. She is slowly building up confidence, and then we get to a round about and there's always a couple of cars, no indication or no consideration - leaving her totally lost and nervous!

One of these days I'll chase these muppets and spray-paint the side of their car something like "I don't know how to use a roundabout".

CR 7

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Another thing I have noticed is that there are pedestrian crossings literally 2-3 metres back from the entrance/exit to the roundabouts. They are insanely dangerous. One such example is the groody roundabout coming in to limerick. How somebody isnt knocked down there or how more people arent rear ended I will never know!

The problem is that it'd be safer for people to cross there without any markings. People crossing think that it's perfectly safe to just walk straight out without looking at any time. I've seen people walk out from behind vans, stopped in a line of traffic in the right lane, at night, straight in front of cars in the more freely moving middle lane. Just because it's a pedestrian crossing doesn't mean the car travelling at 30mph can stop in 10 metres because you walked in front of it.

Macy0161

Can only echo the earlier calls for an ad on driving on motorways/ dual carriageways. They could do a whole series, starting with lane discipline and then move on to how to merge (I regularly have to stop behind people who are waiting at the top of the slip for a gap rather than get up to speed and merge).

ocokev

I was working on a dual carriage way maintenance once and a car going the wrong way stopped and asked me directions.
I told him to get off the road turn the car around before he got kilt.
He told me to f off and drove off the wrong way.
Lesson. You can tell people things but they just wont listen.

Vertakill

It's also evident that people need the markings all the way around the roundabout because far too often I'm encroached by people who just sail across the roundabout as if there's no outter/inner lanes just because there's no road markings.
They join the roundabout in one lane and then end up going around in another.

It's funny because, at 58 seconds exactly on that instructional video (70 second one) where he encounters a cyclist, the driver coasts from the outter lane (behind the cyclist) into the inside lane. And you obviously can't switch lanes while circumnavigating a roundabout...