Merging traffic at lights

Difference Engine

Galway motorists will be familiar with the traffic light junction between Monaghans and Flemings service stations that replaced the roundabout. The new layout has four lanes coming into the junction from the Tuam side, two of which are for going straight ahead. Of those two the left hand lane merges back into the right hand one immediately after the junction.

What are the rules for traffic merging in this situation? You have two lanes of traffic moving side by side:

If you are in the right hand lane should you allow cars on the left to merge in a "zip" fashion (you allow one car in front of you, the car behind you allows one car in front of them etc.).

Should all the cars in right lane move through where the lanes merge first and the left lane waits and then moves over into the right lane.

Or is just whoever gets there first?

I have seen some crazy driving there the last few days. Cars driving bumper to bumper in the right lane to stop other cars merging, cars in the left lane doing F1 starts to get out ahead of the right lane.

Everyone i ask has a different view. One colleague told me people who get into the left lane are "only trying to skip the queue".

What are the rules here? What is considered best practice in other countries? I would have thought the "zip" merging is relatively safe and practical as it keeps both lanes moving.

Apologies if I'm not making explaining this clearly. I'm on my phone so I can't post a picture of the junction?

Cookie_Monster

depends entirely on the junction, some work properly and people merge, some are just a free for all.
I hate the similar one at Donnybrook inbound for exactly the same reasons you've outlined, you often get stuck in the middle of the junction because someone on your left speed up and pull in to the space on the far side while you wait for it to clear and only move when it does and get cut up.

Lots of signs in the UK stating merge "like a zip" at / after junctions, seems to work a little better.

Difference Engine

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

depends entirely on the junction, some work properly and people merge, some are just a free for all.
I hate the similar one at Donnybrook inbound for exactly the same reasons you've outlined, you often get stuck in the middle of the junction because someone on your left speed up and pull in to the space on the far side while you wait for it to clear and only move when it does and get cut up.

Lots of signs in the UK stating merge "like a zip" at / after junctions, seems to work a little better.

I think if it was signposted like that drivers would follow it no problem. If its left to people to use common sense it turns into a free for all.

Difference Engine

Is there any specific legislation about this in Ireland? I couldn't find anything in the ROTR.

slimjimmc

Difference Engine wrote: »

Is there any specific legislation about this in Ireland? I couldn't find anything in the ROTR.

I'm not familiar with that junction but I expect the "drive on the left" rule generally applies, which would mean the right lane is the lane that's ending and traffic on it should merge into the left. However road markings/signs might state otherwise.

You see this a lot on the exits of roundabouts, especially the ones off motorways. The left lane quickly narrows towards the right as if merging with the right but in fact the road markings (curved arrow) actually instruct the right to merge into the left.

MaxFlower

Difference Engine wrote: »

If you are in the right hand lane should you allow cars on the left to merge in a "zip" fashion (you allow one car in front of you, the car behind you allows one car in front of them etc.). Yes, absolutely but that's not what happens because some drivers have a phobia of letting anyone 'get ahead of them'.


Should all the cars in right lane move through where the lanes merge first and the left lane waits and then moves over into the right lane. Not to the best of my knowledge and doesn't really make sense.

Or is just whoever gets there first?

I have seen some crazy driving there the last few days. Cars driving bumper to bumper in the right lane to stop other cars merging, cars in the left lane doing F1 starts to get out ahead of the right lane. Classic juvenile behavior on behalf of both sets of motorists.

Everyone i ask has a different view. One colleague told me people who get into the left lane are "only trying to skip the queue". See above

What are the rules here? What is considered best practice in other countries? I would have thought the "zip" merging is relatively safe and practical as it keeps both lanes moving. Again yes, makes absolute sense. I see that left lane empty almost every time I pass through that junction. It is cutting down on the number of cars that are getting through the junction and consequently there is a larger tailback on out the Tuam rd.

Apologies if I'm not making explaining this clearly. I'm on my phone so I can't post a picture of the junction?

If anyone has a picture of the junction it would help, I can't seem to find one.

charlemont

Difference Engine wrote: »

I think if it was signposted like that drivers would follow it no problem. If its left to people to use common sense it turns into a free for all.

I recall signs for that in Holland were lanes merge, Ritzen I think is what they call it, I can't ever remember any traffic problems regarding it either.

visual

people have problems merging on motor way so at slower speeds I wouldn't be expecting any difference.

a picture of the junction or goggle map might help understand that junction better

CianRyan

I'm Tallaght, turning off the N82 from Blessington to The Oldbawn Road you two lanes turning right. Stopped at the lights or going straight through you have to slow down more than for a normal corner and be very aware of the other cars around you.
Generally people will take up the zip formation but you get the arseholes trying to cut in my accelerating like maniacs.
You've also got traffic merging from the other side from people heading the other direction turning off. If I didn't grow up with this it would probably scare me.

MaxFlower

image of junction with an arrow showing the flow of traffic being discussed

Difference Engine

Thanks, great image to explain this.

Twice as much traffic could make it through the junction if that left lane was used properly.

slimjimmc

That image looks exactly like the arrangement on the roundabouts I mentioned earlier, whereby the left lane has priority unless the road markings dictate otherwise.

Difference Engine

slimjimmc wrote: »

That image looks exactly like the arrangement on the roundabouts I mentioned earlier, whereby the left lane has priority unless the road markings dictate otherwise.

The road markings on this one seem to indicate that the left lane has to merge into the right. The right lane is a straight shot through the junction and the arrows in the left hand lane turn into the right as it merges.

Rich11

yeah:rolleyes:
same on a motorway when one lane is closed, people bomb up it to get too the front then last minute cut in and then end up holding everyone up i dont get it

MaxFlower

Difference Engine wrote: »

The road markings on this one seem to indicate that the left lane has to merge into the right. The right lane is a straight shot through the junction and the arrows in the left hand lane turn into the right as it merges.

Correct. Motorists seem to be reluctant to use the left lane as they have to merge right once they are through the junction. I guess they don't want the hassle but it means that the backup is much further out the Tuam road.