Ambiguous road markings/signage.

Chuck Stone

I just wanted to share some of the ambiguous road markings I encounter almost every day.

Check this one on the Western Rd Cork City.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Western+Road,+Cork,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=51.897456,-8.480179&spn=0.005124,0.013797&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=27.008217,56.513672&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.897439,-8.480328&panoid=I90OERdKEUBPvLqd401xcg&cbp=12,266.41,,0,11.06

Cars are always getting in each other's way here and I blame the road markings personally.

Here's another one.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Western+Road,+Cork,+Ireland&hl=en&ll=51.899853,-8.480973&spn=0.005124,0.013797&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=27.008217,56.513672&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.899905,-8.480875&panoid=LFfVuMLHUUnlFcMCMhRJOg&cbp=12,39.52,,0,8.54

If I'm turning left here should I stop if the light is red? I don't personally but many people do.

Do you have any of these ambiguous road markings that you encounter regularly?

**Timbuk2**

It's not that unusual!

The first example is just two lanes converging into one. Granted, it's not that clearly signposted, and the only reference to it is really the lane markings disappearing, but in that case the proper thing to do would be to merge in turn as it's not clear which lane has right of way (normally when a lane ends, there's a curved arrow marking indicating traffic in that lane is to merge into the other lane).

In the second example, yes, you have to stop at a red light if turning left. There's a clearly marked stop line - pedestrians can still cross the road (there appears to be a pedestrian crossing) even if you are going left!

Berty

I know both locations.

1st. Left lane merges with the right

2nd. There is no rule in Ireland to turn on a red so STOP on red.

Chuck Stone

Beer Baron wrote: »

I know both locations.

1st. Left lane merges with the right

Try telling that to most of the drivers who use that road.

2nd. There is no rule in Ireland to turn on a red so STOP on red.

If you look though there's an island so you could argue that you're on a slip road so the red light doesn't apply.

Seasoft

Chuck Stone wrote: »

If you look though there's an island so you could argue that you're on a slip road so the red light doesn't apply.

With an argument like that why not say the red light applies to people turning left and those going straight on can ignore it?

The light applies to the road on both sides of the island, in the absence of a flashing left pointing amber. Careful, you might get stopped by AGS sometime!