Heuston Bridge junction

buffalo

Does anyone else regularly come through this junction from the same approach as me? At Frank Sherwin Bridge (new Heuston bridge), coming from the station, across the river (north), then turning right (east) onto the north quays.

http://tinyurl.com/36x54pm

Traffic coming from the Phoenix Park direction (west) is supposed to yield to the bridge traffic, but I would reckon on two days out of five I'd have to brake and yield because someone refuses to give me my right of way. All sorts too - private cars, taxis and buses in the bus lane, and indeed other cyclists. Only for good reflexes, I'd probably have been put in the hospital twice by now.

Besides having a good aul' moan and a whinge is there anything I can do to make this junction any safer? For me personally, obviously I know it and have learned to cover the brakes and keep a watchful eye, but for the general public - is an email to the Traffic Corps going to make a difference? Or to DCC/NRA asking for better road signage?

mikemac

I know the junction but can't remember an incident where traffic from the West didn't yield and cut across me

I don't know a solution though

seamus

I used to come across it on the motorbike all the time, it's a frickin nightmare. Traffic coming from Wolfe Tone St rarely yields to other cars I find, so what hope does a bike have?

Depending on your planned route, I would be inclined to move right (if at all possible) so that you come around St. John's road in the right-hand lane and end up on the far right-hand side of Heuston Br.

At least then you only have to really keep an eye on the traffic on your left rather than both the traffic on your right *and* the bastards merging from the left.

buffalo

seamus wrote: »

I used to come across it on the motorbike all the time, it's a frickin nightmare. Traffic coming from Wolfe Tone St rarely yields to other cars I find, so what hope does a bike have?

Depending on your planned route, I would be inclined to move right (if at all possible) so that you come around St. John's road in the right-hand lane and end up on the far right-hand side of Heuston Br.

At least then you only have to really keep an eye on the traffic on your left rather than both the traffic on your right *and* the bastards merging from the left.

That would relieve me of the Wolfe Tone worry, but then I'd have to move across three lanes of traffic before/at the bridge*, and then back across three lanes after the junction. Not really ideal, but thanks for the suggestion.

*naturally, the bridge has no lane markings.

And I'm just now wondering if this junction has much to do with why so many people cycle along the Luas tracks at Heuston...

Ant

I travel through this this every day and my experiences are the same as buffalo's. It's normally fine when you're stopped at the lights before the bridge because then you have plenty of other traffic moving with you that the traffic approaching from the left will yield to.

I find that there's a slight downhill on St. John's Road so if the lights are green, you can be crossing the bridge at a fair speed and it's not always the case that there'll be other traffic travelling in the same direction as you and like buffalo said, roughly 2 out of 5 times the merging traffic won't yield. I've learned to always slow down and make eye contact with the drivers approaching from the left though there's also the problem that while traffic on the right hand lane might be yielding, there are often taxis, buses and bicycles approaching on the bus lane behind (sometimes out of view) who won't look or yield.

Seamus' solution sounds good but it wouldn't work for me as I turn left at the next junction to head up to Arbour Hill.

seamus

buffalo wrote: »

That would relieve me of the Wolfe Tone worry, but then I'd have to move across three lanes of traffic before/at the bridge*, and then back across three lanes after the junction. Not really ideal, but thanks for the suggestion.

Ideally, you'd get into position well before the bridge. If possible, the aim would be to be in the middle of the right-lane as you cross the Luas tracks or failing that, on the right-hand side of the lane. Then when you get to the bridge there should be nothing preventing you from moving right over to the right-hand kerb there. You then have the full length of Wolfe Tone Quay to re-negotiate your way back into the bus lane.

YMMV though and I'm not familiar enough with the traffic patterns there to know if it's feasible.

buffalo

seamus wrote: »

Ideally, you'd get into position well before the bridge. If possible, the aim would be to be in the middle of the right-lane as you cross the Luas tracks or failing that, on the right-hand side of the lane. Then when you get to the bridge there should be nothing preventing you from moving right over to the right-hand kerb there. You then have the full length of Wolfe Tone Quay to re-negotiate your way back into the bus lane.

YMMV though and I'm not familiar enough with the traffic patterns there to know if it's feasible.

hmm... it could be done. But often the traffic is backed up on Wolfe Tone Quay, meaning some weaving to get back to the bus lane. But it is certainly an alternative.

irishmotorist

I come through here the whole time and never have a problem. I think the key is assertiveness and I always indicate and take the correct line.

The lanes aren't marked too clearly, but I'd consider it to be 1 left turn lane and 2 right turn lanes. I situate myself at the left hand side of the 2 right turn lanes - naturally taking me onto the leftmost lane of the quays when the turn is completed. Indicating strongly and obviously makes sure that cars going the same direction as me and also those that are stopped looking my direction are in no doubt where I'm going and that I know I've got the right of way. I'll usually keep the arm out until I know for definite that my presence has been registered by the first car in line, but probably indicate until just before I actually start the right hand turn.

BostonB

I go through this from the other direction, from the park onto the quays into town, or down the quays heading to the park out of town. In that direction theres two lanes going to the park and two going up the quays.

Even in the car its a pretty agressive junction, cars swapping lanes all the time, probably with the highest traffic speeds on my commute. On the bike I come in that way, from the park onto the quays. But I avoid it on the way home. Its too hairy for me. Also the junction into the park from parkgate st I don't like either. I was knocked off there before.