westport roundabout unfinished road

irishgeo

what's up with the Westport road just as you come on to the roundabout, there is a 50m stretch that's not tarred. its been like that since before Christmas.

did they run out of money?

its looks crap. i wonder are they going to finish. it was Michael O Malley on hire to council who did it.
wish they would get around to putting lines on the road as well as people just drive in the middle of the road rather than a lane.

also the cathal duffy roundabout should be made smaller and the lanes fixed. They should make it like the roundabout at tesco.

oscarBravo

Castlebar roundabouts are an exercise in perversity anyway. The approach from the fire station to Cathal Duffy's is so wrong-headed it's hard to comprehend - if you're going straight ahead to the Dublin road, you have to stay left at the pedestrian crossing, then veer right to get into the correct lane for the roundabout.

And don't get me started on the average Irish driver's complete and utter inability to use a roundabout correctly... :mad:

PaulPinnacle

irishgeo wrote: »

They should make it like the roundabout at tesco.

I'm not sure I'd agree there. I can't count how many near misses I've seen at that Tesco roundabout in the last few weeks.

There's nothing wrong with the roundabout per se, but the majority of drivers inability to use it is staggering. I'm not sure if it's poor judgement due to the unusual size of the roundabout or if it's simply due to so many roads converging on it that drivers don't pay attention/lose concentration, but it really is a nightmare if there's any traffic around it.

irishgeo

PaulPinnacle wrote: »

I'm not sure I'd agree there. I can't count how many near misses I've seen at that Tesco roundabout in the last few weeks.

There's nothing wrong with the roundabout per se, but the majority of drivers inability to use it is staggering. I'm not sure if it's poor judgement due to the unusual size of the roundabout or if it's simply due to so many roads converging on it that drivers don't pay attention/lose concentration, but it really is a nightmare if there's any traffic around it.

its the fact is different lane layouts on every side and that its different than every other roundabout in the country, where you cant go straight on in the left lane. the amount of dublin cars you see flying up the inside lane to go straight on is huge and the fact the arrows are painted on the road also adds to the confusion. the little signs they erected showing the lane layouts dont really do the job.

another roundabout which is lacking in lane markings is the mcdonalds one, i really dont know who had the brain wave to put the pedestrian crossing on the roundabout, but they must be stark raving mad.

They should have built a pedestrian tunnel under that road.

oscarBravo

irishgeo wrote: »

another roundabout which is lacking in lane markings is the mcdonalds one...

It really, really doesn't help that there are two lanes leading into that roundabout from all four directions with absolutely no indication as to which way you're supposed to go from each one. Coupled with the point-blank refusal of so many people to indicate correctly (or at all) on roundabouts, it descends into farce.

irishgeo

they must have read my post. resurfacing the whole roundabout.

unit 1

It appears there was "ahem" a problem with the surfacing job done before xmas that is probably being put right now.
On the westport side there appears to be patches where the chips don't seem to have bedded into the asphalt (I'm no expert on this btw), and this being Ireland "nobody" probably knows who foots the bill for any remedial works.

irishgeo

unit 1 wrote: »

It appears there was "ahem" a problem with the surfacing job done before xmas that is probably being put right now.
On the westport side there appears to be patches where the chips don't seem to have bedded into the asphalt (I'm no expert on this btw), and this being Ireland "nobody" probably knows who foots the bill for any remedial works.

they didnt finish the whole job the last time.

its about time they resurfaced that roundabout , its very slippy when its wet, the next one for resurfacing should be the cathal duffy one.

Neworder79

They laid the tar in sub zero temperatures back in the big freeze, that could have been part of the problem.

Faunglass

Castlebar is a nightmare as far as the rules of the road is concerned.They ve there own rules.Im getting used to the few odd ones where you can only go Right or Left.But ,like I was, I worry that other drivers might be thinking how one SHOULD approach roundabouts.I ve seen adverts on TV telling viewers how one manouvers around a roundabout,YET, that s not how I see drivers behave.If you want to go straight across a roundabout , you stay in the left lane.
Hope they don t have too many mini roundabouts ,never seen soo much havoc in England than the mini roundabout ,:D, chaos.

Kristopherus

If you have a good look at the direction arrows on the lanes leading towards the Cathal Duffy roundabout coming from Mulroys. Clearly marked that the left lane is LEFT ONLY.What confuses people is the lead - in to the Mulroy roundabout, where you can use the Let lane to go left or straight on. The Right Lane is RIGHT ONLY. Those roundabouts have been there since the late 90s, long before the RSA was even a pipedream. Maybe they should be contacted so as to have a uniform system. Now if the damn council repainted those ground-signs regularly, well then............

finisklin

Crikey I thought Ballina was bad.......looks like Castlebar's planners/engineers are on a par with Ballina. Though given how Mayo Co Co keep changing them it was probably the same set......;)

oscarBravo

Kristopherus wrote: »

If you have a good look at the direction arrows on the lanes leading towards the Cathal Duffy roundabout coming from Mulroys. Clearly marked that the left lane is LEFT ONLY.

Yes, I know. The problem with that is that it's batsh*t insane. It runs counter to how roundabouts work pretty much everywhere else in the country (and elsewhere in Castlebar), and requires a swerve from left lane to right after the pedestrian crossing. It requires that visitors to the town be aware that there is a roundabout that defies all logic so that they can briefly unlearn logical roundabout approach techniques.

Those roundabouts have been there since the late 90s, long before the RSA was even a pipedream. Maybe they should be contacted so as to have a uniform system.

Maybe Castlebar should have roundabouts that all work the same, and that work the same as roundabouts everywhere else.

finisklin

Maybe it's a magic roundabout?

Kristopherus

Of course it would be even better if they put high-up overhang signs advising commuters to "Get in Lane", particularly at the Westport Rd roundabout and Mulroys roundabout as they are on the main road.

C-J

Did my test a year ago and was told by instructor that for all roundabouts in castlebar, straight ahead is the right lane, total opposite to the rules of the road. The tesco roundabout is a death trap, people just saunter through it without indicating. Also, can people please INDICATE!!! I find myself more aware of rules of road having done the test relatively recently, i think it should be obligatory to do your test every 5 yrs or at least have to attend some sort of refresher course, honestly some of the most nonchalent drivers in mayo!

oscarBravo

C-J wrote: »

Did my test a year ago and was told by instructor that for all roundabouts in castlebar, straight ahead is the right lane...

Not true in at least one case: the approach to the first roundabout coming in from the Dublin road. It's not even consistent.

yop

I think they change it for the fun, I THINK that Dublin road into the roundabout has been changed 3 times in the last 5 years.
Your on the left coming to that RB, on the right at the Cathal Duffy RB, on the left on the Tesco RB!! Wonderful.

oscarBravo

I don't think the Tesco roundabout has any signage to indicate which lane to use for which direction, which only confuses things further.

yop

oscarBravo wrote: »

I don't think the Tesco roundabout has any signage to indicate which lane to use for which direction, which only confuses things further.

That would be the logical thing to do if they put in signage, add to that the pedestrian crossing and its a mess there.

Kristopherus

That bloody pedestrian crossing should've been underground, but of course the bungling council would'nt hear of it:(

Faunglass

If everybody followed the rules of the road at Tescos there wouldn t be a problem.If you re going straight across you stay on the left.All other routes you veer to the right.To the poster re signaling,It s for courtasy purposes only.If you re in an accident because of wrong signalling (driver changes their mind) it doesn t count for insurance purposes.I know as it happened to me.I also know of other people it happened to.
Had a twat nearly cut me off at the Dublin roundabout a few days ago as he obviously didn t know where he was going and cut in between the 2 "lanes".That s just BAD driving.

C-J

Forgot about the dublin road but that's not on the test, and it's been changed so many times in recent years people don't care anymore it seems! As regards signalling it's simply good driving to signal and let other drivers know your intent rather than thinking people should assume which way you're going.

oscarBravo

Faunglass wrote: »

If everybody followed the rules of the road at Tescos there wouldn t be a problem.

That would require that everyone make a conscious decision to ignore what they've learned for (almost) every other roundabout in Castlebar.

I've yet to hear anything like a reasoned explanation for why Castlebar roundabout lane layouts are different from the norm.

yop

oscarBravo wrote: »

That would require that everyone make a conscious decision to ignore what they've learned for (almost) every other roundabout in Castlebar.

I've yet to hear anything like a reasoned explanation for why Castlebar roundabout lane layouts are different from the norm.

Well OB when you look at some of the heads on the Council there it shouldn't surprise you

irishgeo

all we need now is the line painting guys?

Faunglass

Surely when your learning the rules of the road , you re being taught so that you can drive anywhere in Ireland and Britain,NOT just in Castlebar. If you are , that is so wrong. Castlebars rules are one off.

irishgeo

Faunglass wrote: »

Surely when your learning the rules of the road , you re being taught so that you can drive anywhere in Ireland and Britain,NOT just in Castlebar. If you are , that is so wrong. Castlebars rules are one off.

http://www.rotr.ie/rules-for-driving/junctions-roundabouts/roundabouts.html

the rules of the road state that you must follow all signs and observe local conditions.

castlebar is a one off but you still have to follow the rules of the road.

Faunglass

Yes of course follow the rules of the road.But looking at some of the recent posts, sounds like some now need to be told how to approach/go around a roundabout eg Tesco s.If that s the case , sounds like, they ve only been taught about the Castlebar rules.

HarryPotter41

Faunglass wrote: »

Yes of course follow the rules of the road.But looking at some of the recent posts, sounds like some now need to be told how to approach/go around a roundabout eg Tesco s.If that s the case , sounds like, they ve only been taught about the Castlebar rules.

What you need for the tesco roundabout is a stint in the marines. I consider myself a good driver and when I am coming out of tesco all that bothers me is getting the f*** off the roundabout before some fool hits me, not lanes or indicators.

YouTookMyName

They made a grand job of it. Lick of paint now.

oscarBravo

HarryPotter41 wrote: »

What you need for the tesco roundabout is a stint in the marines. I consider myself a good driver and when I am coming out of tesco all that bothers me is getting the f*** off the roundabout before some fool hits me, not lanes or indicators.

A good deal of the problem there is that many Irish drivers seem to feel that once they're on a roundabout then they're legally entitled to have it to themselves. The idea that someone would (shock, horror) drive onto the roundabout from a different entrance and end up in front of them is too horrific to contemplate.

Driving on Danish roads is an eye-opener. If you can safely drive onto a roundabout without causing a car already on it to actively slam on the brakes, then you do so, and the car you end up in front of expects and accepts it. Roundabouts over there aren't traffic bottlenecks the way they are here.

HarryPotter41

oscarBravo wrote: »

A good deal of the problem there is that many Irish drivers seem to feel that once they're on a roundabout then they're legally entitled to have it to themselves. The idea that someone would (shock, horror) drive onto the roundabout from a different entrance and end up in front of them is too horrific to contemplate.

Driving on Danish roads is an eye-opener. If you can safely drive onto a roundabout without causing a car already on it to actively slam on the brakes, then you do so, and the car you end up in front of expects and accepts it. Roundabouts over there aren't traffic bottlenecks the way they are here.

Unfortunately too many here happily drive onto roundabouts completely oblivious to the fact that there is a vehicle coming towards them already on the roundabout. Had to slam my brakes at the Moneen roundabout in Castlebar last week when someone drove onto it in front of me without looking. So I didn't feel like they were picking on me she then quite happily did the same thing on the roundabout at lidl.

PogMoThoin

Even worse, I had some old guy stop on a roundabout to let me on the other day :eek: Smiled at me as if to show he was being nice.

oscarBravo

HarryPotter41 wrote: »

Unfortunately too many here happily drive onto roundabouts completely oblivious to the fact that there is a vehicle coming towards them already on the roundabout. Had to slam my brakes at the Moneen roundabout in Castlebar last week when someone drove onto it in front of me without looking.

There's a happy medium between there and waiting until there isn't a car approaching the roundabout for 100m in any direction. It's called competent driving. It's in short supply.

finisklin

Definitely has magical properties......:pac:.......:pac:

HarryPotter41

oscarBravo wrote: »

There's a happy medium between there and waiting until there isn't a car approaching the roundabout for 100m in any direction. It's called competent driving. It's in short supply.

I agree, anyone who goes while I am entering the roundabout is not an issue, its the ones who wait until you are exiting nd then cut across you that make my blood boil. And don't get me started on the mini roundabout in Castlebar where everyone just seems to stop at it and see whos going to go first.

HarryPotter41

finisklin wrote: »

Definitely has magical properties......:pac:.......:pac:

Damn it, you're right, it was my invisibility cloak that caused it all.

irishgeo

they were back this morning rescraping and resurfacing the left hand lane on the N5 coming from westport. the mind boggles.

oscarBravo

irishgeo wrote: »

they were back this morning rescraping and resurfacing the left hand lane on the N5 coming from westport. the mind boggles.

Major traffic disruption with it. It added at least ten minutes to my travel time to Castlebar this morning, and on the way back this afternoon, after at least another ten minutes sitting at the roundabout I gave up and drove home via Islandeady.