Crashes on the N40

clerk

munstermagic11 wrote: »

That's a long enough stretch of road. Why didn't you indicate early, slow down, and move in behind him?

Not excusing his behavior.

You normally accelerate off a slip as you're meeting traffic that moving faster than you ( or am I wrong ? so braking off a slip is not what I would normally do, but yes I could have done that), but it all happened very quickly you see, as I accelerated he accelerated and he literally matched my speed as I went along. In the end l literally ran out of road and had to come out and had room to do so obviously.

I could have braked earlier but I suppose I didn't anticipate him basically deciding to wedge me in, basically there was no need for it and he ended up making a dangerous situation out of nothing. Obviously i had sufficient space to pull out in the end or l would have braked earlier. So as I didn't brake I had to accelerate.

Maybe he thought l should crash into the hard shoulder or something I dunno. I'm not a boy racer and have never been in an accident in circa 20 Years driving. It wasn't near to an accident either to be honest.

Look to me honest if I did something wrong I would have no trouble admiting it. I cut across someone in heavy traffic in Cork City one Day as they were in my blind spot. I was totally in the wrong and yerman went nuts and l apologied to him.

But this latest fellow was just being a langer.

To be honest I also have a query as to his reaction, I mean why is it acceptable for him to be so aggressive in a motor vehicle when it is not legally permitted say on a footpath, what is the difference ? Why does he get to tailgate me aggressively and verbally abuse me ?

j8wk2feszrnpao

clerk wrote: »

You normally accelerate off a slip as you're meeting traffic that moving faster than you ( or am I wrong ? so braking off a slip is not what I would normally do, but yes I could have done that), but it all happened very quickly you see, as I accelerated he accelerated and he literally matched my speed as I went along. In the end l literally ran out of road and had to come out and had room to do so obviously.

Well, I'd normally move at the required speed that allows me to merge safely.
I mean, if there was 10 cars in the lane you wanted to move into, are you still going to speed up and merge in anyway?
My only point on this was if you saw the guy, why not slow down and move in behind him. Why the need to speed up and get in front of him? Isn't it a 50kmph speed limit until you approach the merging section? Having used that road plenty of times, it usually gives me plenty of time to gauge when I can merge.

Look, in saying all that, I wasn't there (so what do I know about it). And your description of the guy makes him sound like a bit of a twat (for not perhaps judging the situation and slowing to allow you merge) to being a lunatic (for what he did afterwards).

Having driven on 5 lane road into San Francisco, with people joining from slip lanes, and the general movement between lanes; I've seen some crazy maneuvers that makes you happy to be on most Irish roads.

SlinkyDog

Driving through the tunnel westbound heading home right hand lane doing the limit when I notice a car speeding up to me in my rear mirror I think to myself she's in a hurry I better move over to the left lane ASAP when I exit the tunnel she's literally 2ft from my rear bumper then I see it....

Mobile phone up to the the ear unbelievable! Anyway just exiting the tunnel I look to the left and check my blind spot all is clear ill indicate left and let this lunatic drive on I say to my self, just before leaving the tunnel she decides to drop a gear and undertake me just when I put on my indicator because she was right up hole it was hard to see that coming, the dope runs out of space to undertake me in the left land as there is a driver in front of her. She just snookered herself! So she pulls out again in the overtaking lane 2ft behind me again waving her hand all the time she's on the phone!

Of course I pulled in left when it was clear and made absolute sure she wasent going to pull that stunt again passing me out then had to put up with her gomey face looking at me giving me attitude I don't know how some people justify their crap driving in their heads, it must be a manifestation of their huge self importance and inflated self entitlement

clerk

xabi wrote: »

Indeed, or be courteous and move over, it's not common in cork though, lots of ignorant drivers here. The amount of times drivers deliberately slow down or speed up to block mergers is unbelievable.

l have another one with Irish driving behaviour, driving to Dublin l find it happens and l observe it happening to others. You go into the fast lane to pass out a driver and approx. 20% will speed up considerably. Am l wrong ?

JohnK

clerk wrote: »

l have another one with Irish driving behaviour, driving to Dublin l find it happens and l observe it happening to others. You go into the fast lane to pass out a driver and approx. 20% will speed up considerably. Am l wrong ?

I've seen this quite a bit too but I've never been able to decide if it's because people just really hate being passed and speed up as a ****-you or if you passing makes them realise they should probably be going a bit faster themselves.

clerk

SlinkyDog wrote: »

Mobile phone up to the the ear unbelievable!............

madness.

clerk

JohnK wrote: »

I've seen this quite a bit too but I've never been able to decide if it's because people just really hate being passed and speed up as a ****-you or if you passing makes them realise they should probably be going a bit faster themselves.

it could be a bit of both but I've observed it causing dangerous incidents. Like when a car that doesn't have much acceleration in the fast lane against a car in the inside lane with a lot of power and I've observed the vehicle in the fast lane not being able to make the pass out as the inside car speeds up and they have to try to brake (in the fast lane) and get back behind the car which causes issues for the cars coming from behind in the fast lane.

I'm glad it's not just me that observes it.

H8GHOTI

On the topic of merging with traffic coming over the flyover, is everyone talking about the same stretch of road? Leaving the Kinsale Rd roundabout heading towards Douglas?
Here in google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/dQBf9htPs3p

That lane is dangerously short. You can't move over until the dashed line, which is about 5 car lengths long.
People saying indicate early, slow down to go behind someone, it's long enough to gauge the speed of the other driver and adjust accordingly. Are you really talking about the same place?

You only have a couple of seconds to change lanes. What if there's two cars in that lane. You slow down to go behind the first one, then you're going too slow to pull in to the gap before the second car comes along. If you wait till the second car is past, you're out of road.

H8GHOTI

clerk wrote: »

l have another one with Irish driving behaviour, driving to Dublin l find it happens and l observe it happening to others. You go into the fast lane to pass out a driver and approx. 20% will speed up considerably. Am l wrong ?

What happens me every time I drive on the M8 is I'll have cruise control on doing 120 & I'll come up behind someone doing maybe 110.
So, I'll overtake them and change back into the left hand lane.
Once the overtake is complete they speed up, maybe tailgate me for while, overtake me, then pull back in, slow down and do 110 again.

H8GHOTI

There's actually a good few spots where short merge lanes are used.

Coming up from Dunkettle Interchange towards Little Island: https://goo.gl/maps/L9EB1sKD5kx
Joining N40 from Ballincollig: https://goo.gl/maps/arrwDu7CEGK2

Bad road design imo. You're depending on people in the lane you want to join being good drivers.
Also, if traffic is busy it might be difficult for them to move to the right hand lane to make space for you.

ofcork

H8GHOTI wrote: »

On the topic of merging with traffic coming over the flyover, is everyone talking about the same stretch of road? Leaving the Kinsale Rd roundabout heading towards Douglas?
Here in google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/dQBf9htPs3p

That lane is dangerously short. You can't move over until the dashed line, which is about 5 car lengths long.
People saying indicate early, slow down to go behind someone, it's long enough to gauge the speed of the other driver and adjust accordingly. Are you really talking about the same place?

You only have a couple of seconds to change lanes. What if there's two cars in that lane. You slow down to go behind the first one, then you're going too slow to pull in to the gap before the second car comes along. If you wait till the second car is past, you're out of road.

There are 2 merging lanes there and the inside one is much longer maybe it needs to be redesigned.

H8GHOTI

ofcork wrote: »

There are 2 merging lanes there and the inside one is much longer maybe it needs to be redesigned.

Ya, the inside one is better as you have longer to check your mirrors and more time to assess the situation.
But even in that lane the amount of road with a broken white line is very short.

j8wk2feszrnpao

H8GHOTI wrote: »

On the topic of merging with traffic coming over the flyover, is everyone talking about the same stretch of road? Leaving the Kinsale Rd roundabout heading towards Douglas?
Here in google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/dQBf9htPs3p

That lane is dangerously short. You can't move over until the dashed line, which is about 5 car lengths long.
People saying indicate early, slow down to go behind someone, it's long enough to gauge the speed of the other driver and adjust accordingly. Are you really talking about the same place?

You only have a couple of seconds to change lanes. What if there's two cars in that lane. You slow down to go behind the first one, then you're going too slow to pull in to the gap before the second car comes along. If you wait till the second car is past, you're out of road.

That lane is a bit short, but you meet it driving close to 50kmph, and you can clearly see well behind you, it should allow you to judge the situation safely.
There typically isn't much traffic in that lane either as there's two lanes outside it.

run_Forrest_run

H8GHOTI wrote: »

On the topic of merging with traffic coming over the flyover, is everyone talking about the same stretch of road? Leaving the Kinsale Rd roundabout heading towards Douglas?
Here in google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/dQBf9htPs3p

That lane is dangerously short. You can't move over until the dashed line, which is about 5 car lengths long.

it's not short at all because there are two lanes available and the left one goes on for adequate distance allowing for merging.

However the problem is if you were not familiar with this setup you'd panic and perform a dangerous maneuver thinking you're going to miss the merge and end up in Douglas. This happens a lot to those drivers unfamiliar with the layout (and arrogant assholes).

kub

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

it's not short at all because there are two lanes available and the left one goes on for adequate distance allowing for merging.

However the problem is if you were not familiar with this setup you'd panic and perform a dangerous maneuver thinking you're going to miss the merge and end up in Douglas. This happens a lot to those drivers unfamiliar with the layout (and arrogant assholes).

That left lane from the roundabout is the job alright, i always use it, most people chose to use the right one.

SlinkyDog

clerk wrote:

madness.

I agree it is when your driving so close to the car in front you might as well be siting in the back seat

Padraig Mor

I use that merging lane (Kinsale Rd R'bout to N40 eastbound) daily at peak traffic and don't see the problem with it - it's very rare that I've had an issue. As for traffic on the N40 generally, I don't think it's as bad as some here make out - you just need to keep your wits about you. Most of the problems arise from the huge volume of traffic at peak hours. The only regular 'flashpoint' is the merge at Rochestown heading west - if there's a crash on the N40 in the morning, chances are it's here! Here, it's the simple volume of cars merging and changing lanes, together with the chicane effect of the flyover at Douglas a few hundred meters later that causes the problems - all it takes is a moment of distraction (and we all get them!) at the wrong time and you're up the arse of the car in front.

H8GHOTI

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

it's not short at all because there are two lanes available and the left one goes on for adequate distance allowing for merging.

Even if the left lane is ok that doesn't make the right lane long enough. That's definitely too short IF there's traffic in the lane you're trying to join and they don't move to the middle lane.
Maybe a better way to phase it is that the part where the broken line is is too short. Even if the lane was a mile long, you could still have a problem if that section where you are allowed merge is only 50m long.
Obviously it's not a problem if the lane is empty but that's not the argument.

However the problem is if you were not familiar with this setup you'd panic and perform a dangerous maneuver thinking you're going to miss the merge and end up in Douglas. This happens a lot to those drivers unfamiliar with the layout (and arrogant assholes).

I don't get what you're saying here. You have to merge here regardless of whether you are going to Douglas or towards the tunnel.
If you don't change lanes, you end up either between the two merge lanes or in the hard shoulder not Douglas.

run_Forrest_run

H8GHOTI wrote: »

I don't get what you're saying here. You have to merge here regardless of whether you are going to Douglas or towards the tunnel.
If you don't change lanes, you end up either between the two merge lanes or in the hard shoulder not Douglas.

I think you're being pedantic, if you are in the left-most lane it will eventually 'end' and by then joining the most natural lane available brings you to Douglas, down by the Gaelscoil.

the beer revolu

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

I think you're being pedantic, if you are in the left-most lane it will eventually 'end' and by then joining the most natural lane available brings you to Douglas, down by the Gaelscoil.

If you stay in that left lane until the end, you have a lot of road to safely move over a lane thus not being forced down south Douglas exit.

ncmc

So another wet day, another lesson in the art of motoring. This morning coming from the Dunkettle roundabout to the Dunkettle Interchange, the traffic going round the interchange queues up in the hard shoulder. This morning some bright spark decides to bypass the queue and come to a halt in the middle of the N25 waiting for someone to let them in. The conditions and visibility were terrible, so it was such a crazy stunt to pull.

Then further along, my favourite kind of ar*ehole, the one that uses the slip stream of an ambulance to bypass a load of traffic. Saw that beauty this morning on the N40, basically this genius was driving up the middle of two lanes as decent people had pulled in to let an ambulance by. I wish I were an undercover garda sometimes :mad:

Padraig Mor

ncmc wrote: »

This morning some bright spark decides to bypass the queue and come to a halt in the middle of the N25 waiting for someone to let them in. The conditions and visibility were terrible, so it was such a crazy stunt to pull.:

This happens every day joining the interchange from the N25 East! Also seen at Kinsale Rd heading west if there's a tailback. Absolutely insanely dangerous behaviour, and I imagine these people see nothing wrong with it.

ncmc

Padraig Mor wrote: »

This happens every day joining the interchange from the N25 East! Also seen at Kinsale Rd heading west if there's a tailback. Absolutely insanely dangerous behaviour, and I imagine these people see nothing wrong with it.

Yep, see it every day approaching the KRR. I think it stuck in my head more this morning because the traffic wasn't moving so she was there for AGES, plus the poor visibility makes it extra moronic.

H8GHOTI

ncmc wrote: »

...This morning coming from the Dunkettle roundabout to the Dunkettle Interchange, the traffic going round the interchange queues up in the hard shoulder. This morning some bright spark decides to bypass the queue and come to a halt in the middle of the N25 waiting for someone to let them in...

I was in that queue last week and a car in front of me left the queue, overtook two cars and rejoined the queue.
They were lucky to get back in, there wasn't much of a gap. All to save five seconds?

run_Forrest_run

the beer revolu wrote: »

If you stay in that left lane until the end, you have a lot of road to safely move over a lane thus not being forced down south Douglas exit.

exactly, that's the point I'm trying to make.

kub

ncmc wrote: »

So another wet day, another lesson in the art of motoring. This morning coming from the Dunkettle roundabout to the Dunkettle Interchange, the traffic going round the interchange queues up in the hard shoulder. This morning some bright spark decides to bypass the queue and come to a halt in the middle of the N25 waiting for someone to let them in. The conditions and visibility were terrible, so it was such a crazy stunt to pull.

Then further along, my favourite kind of ar*ehole, the one that uses the slip stream of an ambulance to bypass a load of traffic. Saw that beauty this morning on the N40, basically this genius was driving up the middle of two lanes as decent people had pulled in to let an ambulance by. I wish I were an undercover garda sometimes :mad:

I get your point about some idiots slotting in behind ambulances on blues, but who is to say that the car driver is not a relative of the poor unfortunate in the back of the ambulance?

ncmc

kub wrote: »

I get your point about some idiots slotting in behind ambulances on blues, but who is to say that the car driver is not a relative of the poor unfortunate in the back of the ambulance?

Because the ambulance stopped at a collision a bit further up the road and the driver in question zipped on his merry way.

leahyl

H8GHOTI wrote: »

I was in that queue last week and a car in front of me left the queue, overtook two cars and rejoined the queue.
They were lucky to get back in, there wasn't much of a gap. All to save five seconds?

This is what I just don't get - this happens every morning when I'm on my way into work - going over the bridge towards Jurys Inn and there is normally a small queue to get onto said bridge (especially if everyone in front of you is going in the left lane so you can't get past to go in middle lane so you just WAIT). Anyway, without fail there will be a car on the right lane (which should be going towards brian boru bridge) that flies up to the top of that lane and zips in left onto the bridge and just causes further tailbacks for everyone else who was queuing patiently. Really gets my goat :mad:

Then you meet then a few hundred meters down the road at a red light.....