M1/Lissenhall (Incorrect Roundabout Use)

Bluetonic

Some of the most dangerous driving this morning on the Lissenhall/M1 interchange by not a few drivers but by ALL drivers in a particular lane.

Exiting the M1 heading southbound there are two lanes onto the north roundabout on the interchange.

I was on the right hand (colour blue on map) as I was going past two exits and was going to leave the roundabout om the third exit. (In effect I had entered the roundabout from the off road on the motorway and was going to rejoin on the on road - this was becasue of a minor accident beside the off ramp which forced me to used the off ramp and subsequently having to do an exit and then reentry on the same interchange)

On the left hand lane (colour red on map) there seemed to be a massive build up of cars which seemed strange as these would have to be exiting at exit 1 or 2, N1 or Donabate respectively.

What I witnessed to my amazement was EVERY car in the left hand lane go past the first two exits, then the 3rd (the entry onto the motorway) and then exit on the 4th exit in the direction of swords. They did this by staying in the left hand lane. any car exiting at the off ramp coming from my direction or from the swords entry onto the roundabout would have had to cut straight across these cars resulting in a side impact accident.

Luckily I was able to anticipate the above was going to happen so there was no accident.

If anyone happens to be reading this and uses that manouver day in day out care to explain to me why you would go past 3 exits on a roundabout on the left lane?

You idiots.

dcr22B

It's very ironic that you have bought this point up Bluetonic as we were discussing it on the train coming in from Lusk this morning.

When I exit the M1 northbound at Lissenhall, I tend to approach in the left hand lane to take the second exit off the roundabout to go across the flyover (staying in the left hand lane as I want to head out home towards Blakes Cross).

However, I've seen manys a close shave when cars who are turning off for Donabate on the 2nd roundabout are in the left hand lane and you have other drivers wanting to go Blakes Cross approaching in the right hand lane and it causes a similar scenario to what you have shown in your aerial photo.

The only time my lane discipline has slipped is when there is no traffic around and I know that there is no fear of me having a coming together with any other vehicle.

ian25

Bluetonic wrote:

I was on the right hand (colour blue on map) as I was going past two exits and was going to leave the roundabout om the third exit.

Looking at the photo i would say that you were also in the wrong lane.The second exit you mentioned looks more like an entry lane if im not mistaken, which means that you were taking the second exit off the roundabout.As such you should have been in the left hand lane marked red on the photo.Of course that also means that everyone else taking the third exit was also in the wrong lane as they should have been in the right hand lane marked blue.
Well, that's how i would tackle that roundabout at any rate

dcr22B

Funnily enough Ian, he was exiting the 3rd exit and the road over the flyover to Swords is the 4th exit but to my mind, it would be a lot easier to approach from the left hand lane to avoid the kind of incident that Bluetonic is outlining.

Just to be smart as well (no offence intended), the first exit is actually for the R132 as the N1 as we knew it no longer exists.