Ok, that's it. Just take out all the roundabouts.

Xiney

Before I become a hatchback sized splat on one of them through no fault of my own.

Today it was an articulated lorry coming onto the roundabout, completely ignoring the fact that I was signalling to exit, and forcing me to continue on to the next exit. I suppose at that stage the best thing would have been to cancel my signal and go around the roundabout again and try and exit normally again, but argh, I was more thinking "Holy crap you massive jackass, you nearly killed me!" than "logically what I should do here..."



ARGH. £$%^!

Seth Brundle

Most Irish people are unable to drive around roundabouts properly - simple as that. Mind you they are unbable to drive properly anyhow so we shouldn't be surprised at bad roundabout behaviour.

Webbs

Xiney wrote: »

Before I become a hatchback sized splat on one of them through no fault of my own.

Today it was an articulated lorry coming onto the roundabout, completely ignoring the fact that I was signalling to exit, and forcing me to continue on to the next exit. I suppose at that stage the best thing would have been to cancel my signal and go around the roundabout again and try and exit normally again, but argh, I was more thinking "Holy crap you massive jackass, you nearly killed me!" than "logically what I should do here..."



ARGH. £$%^!

Yeah you would think a lorry driver would be more ok with roundabouts - maybe its something in Galway water that makes people roundabout idiots.

Mind you there seems like a lot more roundabout idiots on the roads at the moment for some reason. At least once a day at one of the roundabouts you get people in the right hand lane cutting you up as you go straight on at the roundabouts.

kodute

Webbs wrote: »

At least once a day at one of the roundabouts you get people in the right hand lane cutting you up as you go straight on at the roundabouts.

Pet hate of mine, especially at the GMIT roundabout heading towards town.

cson

I'm to tempted to say that one of these days I'll plough on regardless and let them crash into me, but it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

I wonder if this is the only country in the world that has TV ads on how to behave at a roundabout?

cson

They don't have them in the States for the most part and it seems to work fine there. The turning right on red if theres no-one coming thing is a great idea imo. Plus the practice of putting traffic lights on a roundabout - wtf. You either have one or the other.

galah

probably...and it's still not working...(this comment about being the only country to have TV commercials about how to drive)

what I don't get is people ignoring CLEARLY marked exits and entries to roundabouts. Take the Fort Lorenzo (Western Distributor Road) roundabout. Coming from Taylor's Hill, going towards Westside, the lane to go straight TO Westside is the RIGHT hand lane, clearly marked by a STRAIGHT arrow in the lane.

Dunno how many people have tried to cut me off because they decide to ignore the markings, and use the outside lane to go straight... (even when traffic is light, and you can clearly see the markings). Morons.
Same goes for the magic roundabout, coming from Terryland - the lanes are marked, there's at least one sign telling you which lane to use, there's more road markings in the lanes - and people still don't get it. It's not rocket science, really...

:mad:

Sconsey

I've come to the conclusion lately that it is not really ignorance of the rules of the road...it's just ignorance.

Most times when someone is in the wrong lane and cut you up it is because they are taking a shortcut/avoiding a queue...just plain ignorant, they see the road markings but feck it, would be quicker for them if they ignored them.

snubbleste

Has anyone seen Operation Roundabout? apparently An Garda are out and about instructing motorists how to use roundabouts correctly

Why just last Saturday I observed this in practice, a garda car was approaching the cemetery roundabout from moneenageisha in the left lane and proceeded to drive skipping the first, second, third, fourth exits and exiting at the fifth back to moneen.

Stubs

Galway has to be the worst place in the world for the behaviour of motorists at roundabouts.

I drive through 5 or 6 of the roundabouts in the city on a daily basis and without fail I will witness at least one incident of driver ignorance at every single one.Whether it be cars driving out in front of me, no signalling, incorrect signalling, drivers cutting off my nose as they decide to use the outside lane to take the 3rd or 4th exit, drivers straddling both lanes and totally oblivious to your presence on their inside and the dopes that enter a roundabout with traffic at a standstill therby blocking the exit to there left.

And when you go about blasting them out of it they just look around as if they have done nothing wrong.

s_carnage

The amount of cars I see indicating right while driving round the roundabout in the outside lane. Like WTF?!?

Webbs

kodute wrote: »

Pet hate of mine, especially at the GMIT roundabout heading towards town.

Thats one of the worst places either coming into or out of town.
Last night had clown in new 10 reg 4x4 just go sailing straight on from right hand lane forcing me left and having to jump on brakes and nearly hit the kerb, thankfully traffic was light. Also had many people blaring there horns at me as I go straight on and they are coming from the right hand lane so not just ignorant but lack of basic road knowledge.

soundbyte

snubbleste wrote: »

a garda car was approaching the cemetery roundabout from moneenageisha in the left lane and proceeded to drive skipping the first, second, third, fourth exits and exiting at the fifth back to moneen.

Interesting that. I was told by a senior Garda years ago that technically you can take the left lane and go the entire way around a roundabout, *as long as* you give way to any other motorist on your right.

I checked it with a prominent driving instructor at the time and he said it was "technically correct" under the ROTR.

Anyone shed any further light on this?

Tony Almeida

kbannon wrote: »

Most Irish people are unable to drive around roundabouts properly - simple as that. Mind you they are unbable to drive properly anyhow so we shouldn't be surprised at bad roundabout behaviour.

This doesn't sit well with me. Such sweeping generalizations are not allowed about other nations or races, because you are being xenophobic or at worst, racist.

Yet making such idiotic generalizations about the Irish is OK now is it?

This is the lowest year for road deaths for the past ten years source

Such wild accusations are even more shocking when its a moderator who made them, a representative of boards.ie. Especially when something that is uttered which they dont agree with is deleted.

I fully expect to be "infracted" or whatever bollocks you concoct for saying this. Like living under a regime

Xiney

if you disagree with a post, report it.

also, fyi, kbannon is not a moderator of the galway city forum, nor am I.

Mars Bar

I hate it when people come in and take the fun out of a good rant.

Seth Brundle

Tony Almeida wrote: »

This doesn't sit well with me. Such sweeping generalizations are not allowed about other nations or races, because you are being xenophobic or at worst, racist.

Yet making such idiotic generalizations about the Irish is OK now is it?

This is the lowest year for road deaths for the past ten years source

Take a trip to the motors forum and ask for yourself. Alternatively, take a drive for yourself andf then compare it to driver behaviour in the UK.
In my opinion (and experience):
Are most drivers able to keep left on dual carriageways? No.
Are most drivers able to use roundabouts properly? No.
Are most drivers able to merge properly? No.
Are most drivers able to keep a safe distance? No.
Are most drivers able to maintain control of their car? No.
Are most drivers aware of how to drive in unusual conditions (e.g. snow)? No.
Are most drivers aware of the full set of the rules of the road? No.

Can you please provide me with examples where it is clear that drivers are showing that they can drive properly?

The fact that road deaths are down does not mean that people are driving properly.

Regarding:

Tony Almeida wrote: »

Such wild accusations are even more shocking when its a moderator who made them, a representative of boards.ie. Especially when something that is uttered which they dont agree with is deleted.

I am a CMod on boards (for Rec), yes. However, within this forum, I am an ordinary member just like yourself and am allowed to express my views as long as they are within the limits of the rules, which to my knowledge they are but if not then do please report the post and the relevant mod with sort it & me out.
As for your suggestion that I delete something that I don't agree with, what specifically are you referring to? I tend to be quite laid back in terms of moderating. Yesterday, I stood back and allowed someone (in the wrong) to call me an inbecele bewcause the discussion wasn't going theuir way. Whilst I possibly should have deleted their post and banned them for infringing the rules, I didn't.

If you have an issue with my post then click the report post icon to the left and it will be dealt with appropriately. If you have an issue with my moderating skills then bring it to the attention to the admins.

Tony Almeida wrote: »

I fully expect to be "infracted" or whatever bollocks you concoct for saying this. Like living under a regime

If you don't like it here the door is that way -->

Sherifu

mars bar wrote: »

I hate it when people come in and take the fun out of a good rant.

Internet drama is the reason I get out of bed in the morning.

Tony Almeida

I actually dont really care.

I was bored

swe_fi

I think there should be a Topic or category dedicated to only Roundabouts.

And I don't think it is racist to call Irish drivers sh*t drivers, surely anyone objecting to that must be a bad driver.

It's like saying "all skunks smell bad", I'm sure not many people have smelled(?) a skunk, I am sure the skunks know they smell bad but would they like to be confronted with it / admit it? No. They would get angry.

howyanow

i have to agree with kbannon and stubs,its quite dangerous driving in galway,across all ages and genders,people seem to go where they want,when they want and just suit themselves reguardless of safety or rules,biggest faults in my eyes are no indicators,wrong lanes at roundabouts,no knowledge of motorway/dual carraigeway rules,blocking up roundabouts,i am sometimes a passenger in a relatives car,driver never checks mirrors,goes tru roundabouts with no indicator,changes lane during circumference of roundabouts without indicator,is sometimes in two lanes at once,is always in wrong gear,only ever crashed once and wasnt at fault,amazing!we should all do test every 5 years,id hate it but we'd soon learn.on your next journey,take a count of the mistakes you see and you'll get a fright,we seem to be to tolerant of bad drivers.

TheSegal

Heres a talk about how safe roundabouts are in comparison to intersections. I was amazed when I listened to it and realised that it really is just pig ignorance to the rules of the road that cause roundabout accidents in Ireland, although I doubt this study took the roundabout in Galway outside Tesco into account!!

http://www.ted.com/talks/gary_lauder_s_new_traffic_sign_take_turns.html

For those of you that don't feel like listening to it heres the fact i'm refering to:

" A study of 24 intersections converted into roundabouts has found
that there was a 40% drop in accidents, injury crashes by 76% and
fatal crashes by 90% "

CrowdedHouse

...there's also some appallingly badly designed roundabouts in Galway city I think.

There's a couple (at least) on the N6 coming in to the city where the 2nd exit is about the 2 o'clock position - is this a right turn or a straight ahead ?

kodute

Tony Almeida wrote: »

I actually dont really care.

I was bored

Thats called trolling fur teh lulz.

I bet your the kind of guy who doesn't use indicators just to spare the bulbs! :rolleyes:

KevR

Tony Almeida wrote: »

This is the lowest year for road deaths for the past ten years source

That only shows that we have reduced our death rate. Many other nations have lower road death rates than us.

The main reasons for the reduced death rates in Ireland are:

• New high quality motorways being opened. On average, you are 10 or 11 times less likely to be killed on a motorway than a single carriageway road. An extreme case is the M1 versus the old N1 - apparently you are 30 times less likely to be killed on the M1 than you were on the old N1.
• Improvements in car safety technology and the NCT. Most cars on the road in Ireland are relatively new and the NCT ensures that cars are maintained to a certain safety standard. Very few death trap bangers on the roads these days which is great.
• The legal limit of alcohol has been reduced and the Gardai have clamped down on drink driving a lot. Society now frowns upon drink driving; in the past it was seen as acceptable to have a few drinks and drive home.

The reducing death rate has got nothing to do with people improving their behaviour on roundabouts.


The biggest obstacles that we currently face to reducing the death rate further in this country are:

• Complacent people who think that because Ireland has an all time low in road death rates that Irish people have all of a sudden become much better drivers.
• The over emphasis on speed as a cause of accidents. Yes, speed is a really big problem but I do think the authorities over emphasise it to the point where some people actually think they are brilliant drivers just because they obey speed limits; the same people switch lanes without looking or indicating, don't know how to join or exit a motorway properly, can't use a roundabout properly, pull out of side roads without looking......etc.

KevR

TheSegal wrote: »

Heres a talk about how safe roundabouts are in comparison to intersections. I was amazed when I listened to it and realised that it really is just pig ignorance to the rules of the road that cause roundabout accidents in Ireland, although I doubt this study took the roundabout in Galway outside Tesco into account!!

http://www.ted.com/talks/gary_lauder_s_new_traffic_sign_take_turns.html

For those of you that don't feel like listening to it heres the fact i'm refering to:

" A study of 24 intersections converted into roundabouts has found
that there was a 40% drop in accidents, injury crashes by 76% and
fatal crashes by 90% "

To be fair, 24 intersections doesn't really prove anything. I bet you could find 24 other intersections where the accident rate goes up when they are converted to roundabouts. I listened to the whole thing and I'm not sure whether he means urban or rural intersections or a mix of both. But with those statistics I would imagine that it's largely rural intersections that he is talking about. There's a world of difference to a rural intersection where there is little traffic which moves at high speed and intersections in Galway City where there are huge volumes of slow moving traffic.

As far as I know, traffic light junctions in urban areas are safer than roundabouts for pedestrians and cyclists.

It's a fact that traffic lights can handle traffic more effeciently than roundabouts in an urban environment with high levels of congestion (e.g. - Galway City). You won't see many roundabouts in Central London or Dublin, it's all traffic lights because they are more effecient and safer.

Roundabouts are the most effecient solution in areas where traffic is light to slightly busy. When traffic is very busy, traffic lights are more effecient. However, there are loads of sets of traffic lights which are badly designed and which could be improved.

brianthebard

Galway drivers are universally terrible - FACT!!!!

Sherifu

For some reason reading this thread reminded me of this:

Madame Razz

You should see how they use roundabouts in Kerry

Bad driving is omnipresent in Ireland regardless of where you are in the country. I have cause to drive most of Ireland as part of my business, have done so for years, aswell as having done a number of advanced driving courses, and I can assure you that it isn't just a Galway thing. I was southbound on the M50 this morning and the general behaviour of the traffic was RIDICULOUS. Spanners on the M6 this morning were prevalent also. There's just no getting away from it anywhere really.

I must say how some of the Galway roundabouts are designed and layed out ARE amongst the worst in the country tho:rolleyes:

Bob_Harris

Back home we use indicators.

rubensni

You lot think it's bad in cars? Try it in a motorbike. The roundabouts in Galway actually scare the sh*t out of me as no matter how properly I take them, some ignorant twit is guaranteed to cut me off, or worse.
My top 5 circles of death:

5. The mini-roundabout in Salthill that intersects with the Threadneedle Rd. Walls around it are too high.

4. The Bodkin Roundabout. It might work if they got rid of the entrance to the shopping centre, but until then the lanes make no sense. I actually find the lights OK.

3. The GMIT roundabout as the damn thing is banked all wrong.

2. The Kirwan roundabout as it's always congested, so traffic can back up suddenly. New pedestrian lights don't help as they change too fast.

1. The Bohermore/Sean Mulvoy Rd Roundabout - It's too small, has too many entrances and exits and is just filled with morons indicating right and going left.

Mars Bar

rubensni wrote: »

You lot think it's bad in cars? Try it in a motorbike. The roundabouts in Galway actually scare the sh*t out of me as no matter how properly I take them, some ignorant twit is guaranteed to cut me off, or worse.
My top 5 circles of death:

5. The mini-roundabout in Salthill that intersects with the Threadneedle Rd. Walls around it are too high.

4. The Bodkin Roundabout. It might work if they got rid of the entrance to the shopping centre, but until then the lanes make no sense. I actually find the lights OK.

3. The GMIT roundabout as the damn thing is banked all wrong.

2. The Kirwan roundabout as it's always congested, so traffic can back up suddenly. New pedestrian lights don't help as they change too fast.

1. The Bohermore/Sean Mulvoy Rd Roundabout - It's too small, has too many entrances and exits and is just filled with morons indicating right and going left.

I think I might have mentioned it before but I know someone who had a pretty bad crash there years ago and the irony of it all was that he shared the same surname as the roundabout!

I don't drive but if I'm in the car with my Dad, I feel like closing my eyes coz you know you're going to see somebody do something stupid that could result in something serious. I'm usually confirmed of someone's idiocy when I hear the horns beeping.

MargeS

Have to agree with you rubensni, roundabouts in Galway on a motorbike are an extra challenge all on their own. They need to write a chapter in the ROTR book on them.

gandroid

Stubs wrote: »

Galway has to be the worst place in the world for the behaviour of motorists at roundabouts.

From personal experience Kilkenny is pretty bad too. Not as many roundabouts there though.

Fuinseog

Xiney wrote: »

Before I become a hatchback sized splat on one of them through no fault of my own.

Today it was an articulated lorry coming onto the roundabout, completely ignoring the fact that I was signalling to exit, and forcing me to continue on to the next exit. I suppose at that stage the best thing would have been to cancel my signal and go around the roundabout again and try and exit normally again, but argh, I was more thinking "Holy crap you massive jackass, you nearly killed me!" than "logically what I should do here..."



ARGH. £$%^!

I used to actually cycle around roundabouts. i am amazed that I was only knocked down once. there should be a sign saying no cyclists cos there is no way you can safely go around them.

Mrs OBumble

Madame Razz wrote: »

You should see how they use roundabouts in Kerry

Just driving the tractor over the middle, so?

HardyEustace

My personal bug bear is the roundabout at GMIT.

To the person driving in front of me

STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROUNDABOUT TO LET PEOPLE ONTO THE ROUNDABOUT IS NOT GOOD MANNERS. IT'S BLOODY STUPID, INCORRECT, AWFUL DRIVING. IT CAUSES ACCIDENTS. YOU ARE NOT A GOOD DRIVER WHEN YOU DO THIS. YOU ARE NOT DEMONSTRATING GOOD DRIVING WHEN YOU DO THIS. I AM PERFECTLY ENTITLED TO SWEAR PROFUSELY AT YOU AND BLOW MY HORN AT YOU WHEN YOU ALMOST CAUSE ME AND FIVE OTHER DRIVERS TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF YOUR CAR.

snubbleste

Fuinseog wrote: »

I used to actually cycle around roundabouts. i am amazed that I was only knocked down once. there should be a sign saying no cyclists cos there is no way you can safely go around them.

I disagree.
You just have to take the centre of the lane, use your hands to indicate to all and sundry your intentions and not allow anyone pass you until you've cleared the godforsaken junction planted there exclusively for the benefit of motorists.

ocokev

cson wrote: »

Plus the practice of putting traffic lights on a roundabout - wtf. You either have one or the other.

The Black 07 Audi A4 in front of me this morning drove through the red light on the roundabout.So its clear they dont work either.

tigerblob

I really think people just pick the lane with the least amount of traffic. That's what lanes are for, right? Didn't these people do a driving test?

Head The Wall

kodute wrote: »

Pet hate of mine, especially at the GMIT roundabout heading towards town.

If you are coming past Merlin and going straight through the GMIT roundabout then both lanes are marked for straight on. It's up to the drivers to sort out the merging issues coming off the roundabout

catmelodian

ocokev wrote: »

The Black 07 Audi A4 in front of me this morning drove through the red light on the roundabout.So its clear they dont work either.

That was me :cool:

ocokev

catmelodian wrote: »

That was me :cool:

At least you indicated.

[-0-]

JustMary wrote: »

Just driving the tractor over the middle, so?

Haha.

I've been driving in Kerry and seen people indicate left on a roundabout and then proceed to take the last exit.

Xiney

Fuinseog wrote: »

I used to actually cycle around roundabouts. i am amazed that I was only knocked down once. there should be a sign saying no cyclists cos there is no way you can safely go around them.

I used to cycle all over the city, including the roundabouts. Just take to the lane when necessary and don't let the drivers push you off the road.

I've never been knocked down because I cycle very defensively - that's including several years of cycling in Montreal where the drivers are worse than here. (Here it's ignorance. In Montreal it's pure unadulterated homocidal rage.)

kodute

Head The Wall wrote: »

If you are coming past Merlin and going straight through the GMIT roundabout then both lanes are marked for straight on. It's up to the drivers to sort out the merging issues coming off the roundabout

Yes, whoever thought it was a good idea to have 2 straight through lanes merge into one on a roundabout should have their cushy civil service job taken from them and given to anyone with a brain.

It also doesn't stop people trying the same stunt in the other direction.

Xiney

kodute wrote: »

Yes, whoever thought it was a good idea to have 2 straight through lanes merge into one on a roundabout should have their cushy civil service job taken from them and given to anyone with a brain.

It also doesn't stop people trying the same stunt in the other direction.

In fairness, the same set up works quite well on the bodkin/headford rd/tesco roundabout because the traffic is usually going quite slowly.

I usually move from the inside lane to the outside lane upon passing the renmore rd (ie, when I start signalling) in order to be in the correct lane to exit on the dublin road.

Webbs

Head The Wall wrote: »

If you are coming past Merlin and going straight through the GMIT roundabout then both lanes are marked for straight on. It's up to the drivers to sort out the merging issues coming off the roundabout

The 2 arrows are there to indicate that its the end of the bus lane and 2 lanes are available. The arrows are too far back from the roundabout for them to indicate that both lanes are for straight ahead at roundabout.

kodute

Xiney wrote: »

In fairness, the same set up works quite well on the bodkin/headford rd/tesco roundabout because the traffic is usually going quite slowly.

Webbs wrote: »

The 2 arrows are there to indicate that its the end of the bus lane and 2 lanes are available. The arrows are too far back from the roundabout for them to indicate that both lanes are for straight ahead at roundabout.

Thats what I thought but couldn't be sure so I just stuck to the 'correct' lane.
The bodkin/headford/tesco roundabout (nice name ) has markings to indicate that a lane is "right and straight" for example. The GMIT lanes are simply marked straight, after the bus lane ends.

Also the B/H/T has traffic lights.

dr.bollocko

I live near the B/H/T. Every two minutes you hear somebody beeping cos of some ****ing ****tard. Most of the bad driving I see there is actually agressive or dangerous driving. Changing lanes whilst going around the roundabout, going round the whole roundabout on the outside .Swerving in front of others to get their exit, running red lights. That sort of stuff. There's a certain amount of people just not used to the roundabout being completely freaked by it but mostly it's just out and out selfish, idiotic and aggressive driving.