Penalty points Headford Rd roundabout

0413003

Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on this.
A few weeks ago I was in Galway entering the Kirwan roundabout headford road..coming from the UCHG side it's a dual carriage way entering and exiting for the Dublin road with 5 exits in total. I was aiming to travel straight to the headford road so I kept in the left lane but with only working in Galway a short time I was unfamiliar with the roundabout and missed my exit so I kept left to take the next exit for the Dublin road, didn't stop or cross lanes or drive with any undue care or attention and a guard stopped me for being in the wrong lane for the Dublin road exit! I tried to explain my unfamiliarity with the road about and that I missed my exit..No response from the guard in question.
Lone behold 2 penalty points in the post and a fine for driving without due care and attention..
I think this is beyond belief..a warning would I believe suffice.
Is this worth appealing?
Thanks for any responses

CiniO

This is brilliant.
Finally we have some example of gards doing their job and enforcing rules which are permanently being broken.

The Nutty M

Lol, you missed the Headford rd exit but managed miraculously to take the Dublin rd exit. Ya right.

Anybody familiar with this roundabout will be aware of the dickish behaviour by drivers to not join the queue in lane 2 to take the 3rd exit. Instead they take a lane 1 entry and just preceding taking their last possible exit (2nd exit),they slap on the right indicator.

OP, please be sure to tell as many people as possible you got done for this offence.

FortySeven

You're kidding me?

Really? Someone got done for this?

Ok. If you are for real then you have my sympathy. I sit every morning watching what you did as the norm. Can't believe a garda got you. Must have been impatient. Normally wait for phone or no seatbelt.

You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unlucky.

alias no.9

From a traffic flow point of view, the biggest volume of traffic for this roundabout is on the dual carriageway and you've got two lanes in and two lanes out. You've also got a reasonable amount of traffic doing a full about turn to head back Dunnes/city/bridge direction so it would make sense to have left lane for Menlo/Headford/Bothar Na dTreabh(left lane) and the right lane for Bothar Na dTreabh(right lane)/Sandy Road/Headford Road(inbound).

Unfortunately for the OP the existing signage / road markings don't allow for this so they're **** out of luck.

savagethegoat

sorry OP, but surely missing your exit entails some degree of lack of due care and attention?

Harsh

Supergurrier

Its a dual carriageway there is no wrong lane. Otherwise you will be cutting off traffic in driving lane entering said dual carriageway. Good example is if you are coming from tuam road direction towards that roundabout headed towards newcastle across bridge then you will be in the right lane.

Not all rounabouts are the same although generally 12 o'clock rule is a safe bet but not always.

2 penalty points wasn't enough tbh

vicwatson

The Nutty M wrote: »

Lol, you missed the Headford rd exit but managed miraculously to take the Dublin rd exit. Ya right.

Anybody familiar with this roundabout will be aware of the dickish behaviour by drivers to not join the queue in lane 2 to take the 3rd exit. Instead they take a lane 1 entry and just preceding taking their last possible exit (2nd exit),they slap on the right indicator.

OP, please be sure to tell as many people as possible you got done for this offence.

Happens all over Ireland - absolutely hate those assholes that do this deliberately. I see it all the time - right lane clearly marked as so, left lane for left and straight and the dicks too impatient to wait in the left lane stroll past those waiting patiently, use the right lane only to indicate left whilst on the roundabout to go straight on. There will be accidents.

Bullocks

That cop had little to do ! If he turned around people are at way worse going in the UCHG direction in the evenings by staying in the left lanes to avoid the line of traffic heading west and then cutting in up near the lights .

Bullocks

vicwatson wrote: »

Happens all over Ireland - absolutely hate those assholes that do this deliberately.

From the way I read it he missed his turn and stayed going round the round about to get to it again

Gadgetman496

How much were you fined OP?

milehip

Looks like ya came to the wrong place for sympathy Op, the same ones here expressing glee that ya got done are the same ones who'll be bitching when/if that roundabout gets changed to traffic lights
Wecome to the Whest!

FortySeven

milehip wrote: »

Looks like ya came to the wrong place for sympathy Op, the same ones here expressing glee that ya got done are the same ones who'll be bitching when/if that roundabout gets changed to traffic lights
Wecome to the Whest!

I would welcome traffic lights if it would stop the idiots blocking me getting onto the roundabout every evening.

pred racer

They'll run out of points if they start issuing them for misuse of roundabouts in Galway :pac:

Mervyn Skidmore

I find it hard to believe that you missed your exit. If you were intending to travel straight from your direction, there's nothing unusual about that roundabout that would make you miss the exit.

VincePP

Supergurrier wrote: »

Its a dual carriageway there is no wrong lane. Otherwise you will be cutting off traffic in driving lane entering said dual carriageway. Good example is if you are coming from tuam road direction towards that roundabout headed towards newcastle across bridge then you will be in the right lane.

Not all rounabouts are the same although generally 12 o'clock rule is a safe bet but not always.

So the road markings and signage is just put up for fun.?

Op simply did not observe the signage on approach, was in wrong lane, and instead of proceeding on the exit he was in the lane for, he "jumped" lane to the possible detriment to other motorists. Sorry, but its careless driving.

Op should have taken the exit and turned back at a safe place and then re-enter the roundabout and take his correct exit.

Gadgetman496

VincePP wrote: »

So the road markings and signage is just put up for fun.?

Op simply did not observe the signage on approach, was in wrong lane, and instead of proceeding on the exit he was in the lane for, he "jumped" lane to the possible detriment to other motorists. Sorry, but its careless driving.

Op should have taken the exit and turned back at a safe place and then re-enter the roundabout and take his correct exit.

You need to go back and read the OP's post again me thinks.

I kept in the left lane but with only working in Galway a short time I was unfamiliar with the roundabout and missed my exit so I kept left to take the next exit for the Dublin road, didn't stop or cross lanes

The Nutty M

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

You need to go back and read the OP's post again me thinks.

You need to take what the OP says with an artic load of salt.

If you know the roundabout,you know the shenanigans that are pulled off by some drivers in complete disregard for the rules of the road,indicated signage and other road users.

Gadgetman496

The Nutty M wrote: »

You need to take what the OP says with an artic load of salt.

If you know the roundabout,you know the shenanigans that are pulled off by some drivers in complete disregard for the rules of the road,indicated signage and other road users.

Regardless of your annoyance with the way certain drivers use that roundabout, it can not with any certainty be stated that the OP "Jumped" lanes, simple as

savagethegoat

wherein lies the problem, he is still bang to rights even if his story is 100% genuine. It's no good complaining as the Gard won't be able to tell the genuine from the chancers.

joebloggs32

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

Regardless of your annoyance with the way certain drivers use that roundabout, it can not with any certainty be stated that the OP "Jumped" lanes, simple as

Regardless of jumping or not jumping lane, the op would have had no impediment to exiting the roundabout as they were in the left lane all the way around. It actually baffles me how they did, but by doing so they may have prevented some other motorist from exiting in the correct manner. I would love to see more enforcement of the rules of the road at roundabouts. I now just have the default view if entering a roundabout inside another car that they will cut across my lane if they are not taking exit 1.

The Nutty M

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

Regardless of your annoyance with the way certain drivers use that roundabout, it can not with any certainty be stated that the OP "Jumped" lanes, simple as

With certainty it can be stated the OP has received notice of 2 points and an €80 fine for a careless driving charge arising from his/her failure to heed traffic signs / rules of the road on a roundabout This was the view of the guard on the day. Simple as that eh? Here your lovely smilie face back

Gadgetman496

The Nutty M wrote: »

With certainty it can be stated the OP has received notice of 2 points and an €80 fine for a careless driving charge arising from his/her failure to heed traffic signs / rules of the road on a roundabout This was the view of the guard on the day. Simple as that eh? Here your lovely smilie face back

That wasn't a smilie face! It was a wink Did it upset you? :rolleyes:

savagethegoat

you're being a winker, both of you....

The Nutty M

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

That wasn't a smilie face! It was a wink Did it upset you? :rolleyes:

Have a lovely day Gadgetman .

Gadgetman496

savagethegoat wrote: »

wherein lies the problem, he is still bang to rights even if his story is 100% genuine. It's no good complaining as the Gard won't be able to tell the genuine from the chancers.

Would agree totally with that. The OP was in the incorrect lane for the exit taken. I'm simply saying that the bandwagon jumping boardie bashers have no right to dramatise the situation any further by claiming the OP "Jumped" lanes.

Gadgetman496

The Nutty M wrote: »

Have a lovely day Gadgetman .

Thank you Nutty, I will

Long Time Lurker

My sympathies began with you telling me you were stuck in Galway

Maway

You could be debating this till the cows come home.
My opinion is that the Guard should have been more understanding and used his common sence.
No need to be dishing out penalty points in this case.
I believe some insurance companies will not quote if a driver has more than 4 penalty points.

Canadel

If a Garda follows you for 500 miles through towns and cities you are unfamiliar with, the majority of people are going to get a penalty point or two.

The moralising by many here is kind of desperate given the Op has explained it was an honest mistake and that they did their best to remedy it in a safe and measured manner.

vicwatson

Bullocks wrote: »

From the way I read it he missed his turn and stayed going round the round about to get to it again

Wasn't referring to op as he said he made an error. Was referring to the clowns that deliberately carry on as outlined

boardzz

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

Del2005

Canadel wrote: »

The moralising by many here is kind of desperate given the Op has explained it was an honest mistake and that they did their best to remedy it in a safe and measured manner.

The vast majority of people in jail claim that they are innocent. Never believe a story where you only hear one side, if you hear both sides you can be sure both are lying.

savagethegoat

boardzz wrote: »

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

Lets hope that Gard gets you next then.... ridiculous

FortySeven

boardzz wrote: »

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

And every morning I sit patiently waiting on the headford road, cursing you and every other terrible driver who careen around there in the wrong lane making sure we are stuck there twice as long as we should be.

Skatedude

boardzz wrote: »

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

That is both illegal and dangerous.

boardzz

boardzz wrote: »

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

You'll be liable when the inevitable crash eventually occurs if you keep doing that

FortySeven

RoboKlopp wrote: »

You'll be liable when the inevitable crash eventually occurs if you keep doing that

It's common practice. There is a constant two lane stream every morning. Broken only by the odd car going up past the menlo. Then the folks who cut through the estate to dodge the headford road clog get a chance to go. if you're quick you can get out of the headford rd ahead of them.

savagethegoat

hogging the fast lane is common practise too...presumably that's OK with you too?

etc

joebloggs32

boardzz wrote: »

I use the left lane every morning to exit on Dublin Rd. It makes perfect sense when its a two lane exit. Each lane has 3 exists demonstrated in my pic attached.

Have you a full licence?
You wouldn't pass a test pulling that manoeuvre

alias no.9

FortySeven wrote: »

And every morning I sit patiently waiting on the headford road, cursing you and every other terrible driver who careen around there in the wrong lane making sure we are stuck there twice as long as we should be.

Have you considered that the current layout may be the problem? Using two lanes outbound on the Headford Road onto the two lanes of Bothar Na dTreabh would improve the flow of traffic immensely and also reduce your stress levels. All it would take is new signage, road markings and the will to do it.

savagethegoat

savagethegoat wrote: »

hogging the fast lane is common practise too...presumably that's OK with you too?

etc

No such thing as a fast lane

savagethegoat

I was going for Irony.....

FortySeven

alias no.9 wrote: »

Have you considered that the current layout may be the problem? Using two lanes outbound on the Headford Road onto the two lanes of Bothar Na dTreabh would improve the flow of traffic immensely and also reduce your stress levels. All it would take is new signage, road markings and the will to do it.

That is what happens every morning. What you are suggesting is to change the rules of the road to accommodate the dominate traffic stream. It would not change the situation at all except to legitimise the manouver.

alias no.9

FortySeven wrote: »

That is what happens every morning. What you are suggesting is to change the rules of the road to accommodate the dominate traffic stream. It would not change the situation at all except to legitimise the manouver.

Road markings and signage always take precedent over the default lane / exit scheme outlined in the rules of the road. Two Lanes In feeding Two Lanes Out makes perfect sense, there is no need for lanes to cross over.

savagethegoat

how about if someone entered in the right hand lane and wanted exit two, perfectly legitimately, and some gob****e entered in the left hand lane and wanted exit three?

alias no.9

savagethegoat wrote: »

how about if someone entered in the right hand lane and wanted exit two, perfectly legitimately, and some gob****e entered in the left hand lane and wanted exit three?

First of all, without signage or road markings indicating otherwise, entering a roundabout from the right hand lane intending to take the first or second exit assuming neither is past 12 on the clock face is not legitimate.

Second, I've never seen a roundabout where two lanes from one entry were permitted to use the same exit without at least two lanes out on that exit.

Finally, why would you restrict the highest volume route through a roundabout to a single lane entry despite having two lanes in and two lanes out available for use in order to facilitate a lower volume route to have two lanes in but just one lane out?

savagethegoat

I didn't say anything about the first exit and it looks to me from the photo as if there are two exit lanes at the second exit, which would be legitimate..

I can't see for the life of me how you can be arguing against RH lane second exit and arguing for LH lane third exit!

wonski

alias no.9 wrote: »

First of all, without signage or road markings indicating otherwise, entering a roundabout from the right hand lane intending to take the first or second exit assuming neither is past 12 on the clock face is not legitimate.

Second, I've never seen a roundabout where two lanes from one entry were permitted to use the same exit without at least two lanes out on that exit.

Finally, why would you restrict the highest volume route through a roundabout to a single lane entry despite having two lanes in and two lanes out available for use in order to facilitate a lower volume route to have two lanes in but just one lane out?

Ever been to Heatons in Naas?

Two lanes in:



One lane out:



Unless I misunderstood you?

Plenty of roundabouts where both left and right allow you to take the second (straight ahead) exit.

Jesus.

CiniO wrote: »

This is brilliant.
Finally we have some example of gards doing their job and enforcing rules which are permanently being broken.

Perhaps the OP's attitude wasn't as contrite as he's making out. Otherwise most Guards would just give a ticking off and let you on your way.