Irish driver behaviour in traffic actually causing jams

Morpheus · 07-04-2016 10:11AM

M50 northbound in evening rush hour, right most lane users, keep a safe distance between you and the car in front and if you've ANY cop on, start slowing down before the ballymun junction (exit 4 north). theres a phantom stop, with associated accordion slowdown / emergency braking, when approaching junction 3 north leading to the R139, every single evening. Cars are locking up just after ballymun flyover in the outside lane and either cutting into the middle lane at last second without indicators in an effort to avoid a collision or skidding in a cloud of smoke trying to stop. Ive noticed it every evening this week. like W T F.

JackHeuston · 07-04-2016 10:23AM

fin12 wrote: »

Is Dublin difficult to navigate what lanes you should be in in the city? I have never driven there and might drive there in the summer but I'm not sure if I should and just stick with the bus.

Depends. On some roads it's perfectly clear and road markings are very, very visible too.

Some other roads and intersections are a disaster, especially because of bad design of the lanes and lack of signage, but I found that most people are very patient. I think you always have a way to correct your mistakes, without getting other drivers too angry or impatient.

I only find it difficult to drive without a GPS in the very centre of the city, like around St. Stephen's Green etc... but I rarely go there. It's way easier to simply park your car a bit outside the centre and take the Luas. You might also find free on-street parking, so it's win-win. Parking in the centre, and also driving there, is only a waste of time in my opinion. Unless it's 4am or some other time with no traffic at all.

cletus · 07-04-2016 10:26AM

lawred2 wrote: »

That doesn't make any sense unless that roundabout is designed to specifically facilitate that. Is it a two lane into one exit? If not; then someone is acting the pr!ck - which there are plenty of on the road..

For me; I'd prefer not be a pr!ck back. If someone is prepared to act so boorish so as to get somewhere 5 seconds quicker than me - then best of luck to them. I'm not interested in pointless dick waving exercises..

It is a normal roundabout, just outside naas. 1st exit on approach from Newbridge leads towards sliproad for motorway Dublin bound. 2nd exit leads into Naas town, third exit leads to sliproad Limerick bound. The third exit is least used coming off the dual carriageway between Newbridge and Naas at r of the morning, with most traffic taking second exit into Naas. As a result there is a relatively long queue in the left lane to get onto the roundabout.

Invariably, drivers will pull into the right lane, drive down to and onto the roundabout as if taking exit 3, then indicate left and try to lane change in order to take the 2nd exit. I won't allow drivers to cut ahead of me in this situation. Others may, but we're all on the way to work, their time is not more important than mine, so I wont reward somebody being a dickhead

lawred2 · 07-04-2016 10:33AM

cletus wrote: »

It is a normal roundabout, just outside naas. 1st exit on approach from Newbridge leads towards sliproad for motorway Dublin bound. 2nd exit leads into Naas town, third exit leads to sliproad Limerick bound. The third exit is least used coming off the dual carriageway between Newbridge and Naas at r of the morning, with most traffic taking second exit into Naas. As a result there is a relatively long queue in the left lane to get onto the roundabout.

Invariably, drivers will pull into the right lane, drive down to and onto the roundabout as if taking exit 3, then indicate left and try to lane change in order to take the 2nd exit. I won't allow drivers to cut ahead of me in this situation. Others may, but we're all on the way to work, their time is not more important than mine, so I wont reward somebody being a dickhead

Dickheads are everywhere. I find it best to leave dickheads be dickheads. I won't go out of my way to facilitate anyone. But I won't go out of my way to do the opposite either.

grogi · 07-04-2016 10:56AM

12Phase wrote: »

No, Dublin isn't particularly difficult to navigate.
If you can manage Cork City and its one way systems, narrow streets, complicated junctions, traffic jams and the south ring, you can manage Dublin. They're not all that different other than the accents.

Cork should be one-way much more than it is...
It would massively improve the traffic flow.

twowheelsonly · 07-04-2016 11:22AM

12Phase wrote: »

In normal traffic you would merge without issue but when traffic in main lanes blocks merges it starts to get very messy or drivers get forced off on to Mahon (next exit). You'll see drivers stopped on the end of the lane on the cross hatching trying to merge.

It's a weird setup. They've created a joined up entrance and exit on the left that operate as a de facto lane directly connecting two junctions

The junctions are probably 1.5 to 2km apart but the slipways are connected together like a 3rd lane. You can drive between the junctions without ever merging into the two Eastbound lanes of the N40.

The other issue is that the two lanes on on the N40 heading east get busy and drivers can't merge. Meanwhile the lane that is connecting the two junctions can have traffic moving on parallel at anything up to 80km/h and even 100km/h

The result is that traffic exiting the N40 is often blocked or merges dangerously and traffic trying to join the road gets forced to stop.

You end up with traffic stopped indicating right to join the main carriageways and an unofficial fast moving lane in the hard shoulder linking the two junctions. Or, cars trying to get out of the slipway being aggressively beeped at and flashed by traffic moving between the two junctions.

Engineering wise I gave no idea how they could solve it unless they put in lights or something. It just doesn't work when busy.

Maybe variable speed limits that force the lane down to 50kmh when there is now flow on the N40?

It's lousy road design and bad driving.

The trouble with that lane is that people DO regularly use it to dodge traffic and then try to cut in further up and close to the Mahon slip road rather than merge in earlier where possible. Occasionally this can be difficult but I witness it every day there where people ignore the opportunity to get in lane earlier so they can try to get further up the queue.

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Two wrongs don't make a right - you are part of the problem.

The problem at junctions like these are the dipsos' that try to cut in all the time, the vast majority whom are neither tourists nor people unfamiliar with the junctions.

Little Island / Midleton into the Jack Lynch Tunnel is the same. Every single day there are queues in the left hand lane of the N25 slip road into the tunnel. Every single day dozens, if not more, come down the right hand lane (which is to go around the roundabout to Dublin exit etc..) of the slip road and cut into the traffic that's queuing.
At the same time, if I leave a gap for someone from my left coming from Little Island to get into the RH lane, which they only have a very short distance to achieve, one of these dipsos will jump into the gap stopping the guy on my left from carrying out a perfectly legitimate maneuver.

07-04-2016 03:37PM

Morpheus wrote: »

M50 northbound in evening rush hour, right most lane users, keep a safe distance between you and the car in front and if you've ANY cop on, start slowing down before the ballymun junction (exit 4 north). theres a phantom stop, with associated accordion slowdown / emergency braking, when approaching junction 3 north leading to the R139, every single evening. Cars are locking up just after ballymun flyover in the outside lane and either cutting into the middle lane at last second without indicators in an effort to avoid a collision or skidding in a cloud of smoke trying to stop. Ive noticed it every evening this week. like W T F.

I can't explain that phantom stop there, it's almost as soon as it straightens up drivers in the right lane stand on the brakes. Seen a row of shunts there many a time.

neris · 07-04-2016 04:11PM

Morpheus wrote: »

M50 northbound in evening rush hour, right most lane users, keep a safe distance between you and the car in front and if you've ANY cop on, start slowing down before the ballymun junction (exit 4 north). theres a phantom stop, with associated accordion slowdown / emergency braking, when approaching junction 3 north leading to the R139, every single evening. Cars are locking up just after ballymun flyover in the outside lane and either cutting into the middle lane at last second without indicators in an effort to avoid a collision or skidding in a cloud of smoke trying to stop. Ive noticed it every evening this week. like W T F.

the ballymun entance onto the m50s a cluster **** and when you combine that with the 3 different exits a short distance down the road doesnt help. You have people coming on at ballymun trying to get across 3 lanes to get to the n32 which narrows into 1 lane. people in the outside lane trying to get across to the airport/m1 slip road and then trucks and cars trying to get up onto the flyover to get down to the port tunnel/drumcondra direction. also the m50/m1 junction can back up if theres heavy traffic heading up the m1

ofcork · 07-04-2016 04:29PM

12Phase wrote: »

In normal traffic you would merge without issue but when traffic in main lanes blocks merges it starts to get very messy or drivers get forced off on to Mahon (next exit). You'll see drivers stopped on the end of the lane on the cross hatching trying to merge.

It's a weird setup. They've created a joined up entrance and exit on the left that operate as a de facto lane directly connecting two junctions

The junctions are probably 1.5 to 2km apart but the slipways are connected together like a 3rd lane. You can drive between the junctions without ever merging into the two Eastbound lanes of the N40.

The other issue is that the two lanes on on the N40 heading east get busy and drivers can't merge. Meanwhile the lane that is connecting the two junctions can have traffic moving on parallel at anything up to 80km/h and even 100km/h

The result is that traffic exiting the N40 is often blocked or merges dangerously and traffic trying to join the road gets forced to stop.

You end up with traffic stopped indicating right to join the main carriageways and an unofficial fast moving lane in the hard shoulder linking the two junctions. Or, cars trying to get out of the slipway being aggressively beeped at and flashed by traffic moving between the two junctions.

Engineering wise I gave no idea how they could solve it unless they put in lights or something. It just doesn't work when busy.

Maybe variable speed limits that force the lane down to 50kmh when there is now flow on the N40?

It's lousy road design and bad driving.

I assume that was deliberate desigh to accomodate traffic from carrigaline etc going to mahon.

pcardin · 07-04-2016 04:33PM

ShadowHearth wrote: »

I came from Lithuania amd drove there before I came in Ireland. We got it here very very civil.

If what, I find Irish drivers to be very friendly, but like in any life situation: there will always, I mean always, be an asshole"

I wouldn't agree though, well partially at least.

My wife comes from that part of Europe and I've seen and experienced a driving In Lithuania, rest of Baltic States and Poland every year. Yes, down there they drive very aggressive, however totally following rules, drivers generally over there know traffic rules well, so you can expect rude aggressive type but not plain idiots.

Here a scary number of drivers are plain idiots when it comes to driving a car and being in traffic (and that is besides them being nice people). I don't care if he's friendly or not, his driving idiocy, incapability handling the car, and lack of knowledge of any traffic rules and is what scares me a lot more than an aggressive driver. I know that most of drivers here can be from any country in the world really, I know that. But I also know that due to piss-poor driving education here and lack of policing on roads a loads of locals are culprits here.

12Phase · 07-04-2016 05:29PM

ofcork wrote: »

I assume that was deliberate desigh to accomodate traffic from carrigaline etc going to mahon.

Issue is lack of a variable speed limit. If the traffic is stopped on the N40, anything beyond about 50km/h is problematic in a parallel left lane

If makes an exit from the N40 very dangerous if cars are shooting up the inside.

neris · 07-04-2016 05:34PM

pcardin wrote: »

My wife comes from that part of Europe and I've seen and experienced a driving In Lithuania, rest of Baltic States and Poland every year. Yes, down there they drive very aggressive, however totally following rules, drivers generally over there know traffic rules well, so you can expect rude aggressive type but not plain idiots. (

some of their over taking in that part of the world is suicidal.

OldMrBrennan83 · 07-04-2016 05:38PM

This post has been deleted.

corks finest · 08-04-2016 12:37AM

12Phase wrote: »

Is it just me or does anyone else find Irish driver behaviour at rush hour particularly petty and aggressive?

I've driven in cities that are notorious for bad driving and I haven't noticed this as badly.

I completely missed a junction because drivers actually deliberately shut me out of a lane in Cork City this morning.

I had turned from a side street (on left) and needed to change across a lightly trafficed middle lane to to make a turn on the right. Drivers (I assume thinking I skipped the queue) completely blocked me. I got flashed and beeped at when I tried to get into the right turning lane by indicating. I wasn't blocking anyone, it was 'you're skipping the queue' behaviour.

Result was I had to abandon the turn and drive around a big mess of junctions and missed a meeting this morning.

Every morning I see stuff like this where drivers completely doggedly block merging lanes or break lights and block junctions and so on and cause huge tailbacks.

There's constant blocking merges on DC and motorways too once the traffic gets even slightly intense. I've seen it on the M50 and N40 where slip roads completely jam because the traffic on the motorway won't "merge like a zip" and basically block all access.

For example on the N40 (South Ring Cork), between the Bloomfield and Mahon slipways there's a connecting lane which is the merge off on for Bloomfield and the escspe lane for the Mahon exit.

In traffic, it can become pretty much impossible to get from that lane into the main flow of the N40. I know people who have ended up being 'forced' into the next exit having been unable to merge and because traffic will beep / flash if you stop on the lane as significant traffic flows between the two junctions almost like a parallel road.

In many countries they use traffic cops to prevent this kind of nonsense at peak times by moving traffic on.

A bit of traffic management and civilised driving could massively cut some of the traffic problems.

It's like nobody knows how to use multiple lane roads here at all.

Agree,see this behaviour all the time,better off in the dodgems

josip · 08-04-2016 09:33AM

corks finest wrote: »

Agree,see this behaviour all the time,better off in the dodgems

Off topic, but am I the only one who calls them bumpers?

OldMrBrennan83 · 08-04-2016 09:38AM

This post has been deleted.

12Phase · 08-04-2016 10:47AM

Patww79 wrote: »

Nope you're not. I presume dodgems drivers are the same people that eat cupcakes instead of buns :pac:

Other way around. Dodgems is the term used in UK and Ireland originally. Bumper cars is an Americanism.

corks finest · 08-04-2016 12:38PM

josip wrote: »

Off topic, but am I the only one who calls them bumpers?

In Cork it's bumpers, in the North where I lived for years it's dodgems,in Kerry it's what u call all drivers

12Phase · 08-04-2016 12:46PM

In Cork isn't it "The Merries" ?

I've also heard "Bumpy Cars"

irish_dave_83 · 08-04-2016 12:46PM

Just out of curiosity, what time was the meeting you missed at? You posted here at 9am?

grogi · 08-04-2016 12:47PM

irish_dave_83 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, what time was the meeting you missed at? You posted here at 9am?

Crucify the guy, but keep the bad habits... Great attitude...

irish_dave_83 · 08-04-2016 12:49PM

grogi wrote: »

Crucify the guy, but keep the bad habits... Great attitude...

What?

josip · 08-04-2016 12:53PM

irish_dave_83 wrote: »

What?

Crucify him! We want Barabas!

ba_barabus · 08-04-2016 12:57PM

josip wrote: »

Crucify him! We want Barabas!

Aye, crucify him.

grogi · 08-04-2016 12:57PM

ba_barabus wrote: »

Aye, crucify him.

It is getting far off-topic, but Barabas, barabus... Is it just a coincidence?

josip · 08-04-2016 01:07PM

grogi wrote: »

It is getting far off-topic, but Barabas, barabus... Is it just a coincidence?

'Jesus.' will be along next

corks finest · 08-04-2016 01:16PM

12Phase wrote: »

In Cork isn't it "The Merries" ?

I've also heard "Bumpy Cars"

No,the merries is the whole lot,merry go round/bumpers etc,etc

H3llR4iser · 08-04-2016 03:15PM

Do you folks have a spot left for good old Pinhead?

Gazzmonkey · 08-04-2016 04:59PM

12Phase wrote: »

You forgot: Create a rolling roadblock in the overtaking lane at your own personal choice of maximum speed limit which you feel should be applied to all roads (e.g. 72.5 km/h). Don't let anyone past, even ambulances.

Easy solution.... if they refuse to move you undertake, get in front of them and slam the brakes, they WILL swerve to the correct lane and stay there.

I have to do it on the N11 at least once per week :mad:

12Phase · 08-04-2016 09:47PM

irish_dave_83 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, what time was the meeting you missed at? You posted here at 9am?

None of your business actually.
You'll just have to remain curious.

Irish driver behaviour in traffic actually causing jams

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