Accidents on roundabouts

Can't remember which roundabout it was but it was over Clondalkin direction - a guy in a foreign reg car went through the roundabout in front of me and then discovered he wasn't supposed to go through and decided to reverse back to the roundabout and take a right turn - nearly crashed into the back of his car - as you can imagine there were cars beeping in all directions!!!
 
I was told by my driving instructor that if the second exit, etc is after 12 on a clock face then you take the right hand lane.
 
Mc, You didn't say it was a 3 lane roundabout. In that case, your right. But the lanes should have markings on them. i.e. Left lane with left arrow, middle lane with straight on arrow, and right lane with right arrow.

Marge, Thats exactly what i'm on about. The rules of the road does not mention using a clock on roundabouts. Example, Roundabout with 5 or more exits. Say the 1st, 2nd and 3rd exits are -using a clock face- ( i hate that term) but anyway, 8 o'clock 10 o'clock and 12 o'clock. That means that using the driving instructors advice that you can take the 3rd exit on the left hand lane. That is in total contradiction with the rules of the road. personnally I'd follow the rules of the road before the driving instructors. They don't even need qualifications to start up there own business!!! It would be interesting if someone has a logical answer to that one!!!
 
Aidomoss said:
But the lanes should have markings on them. i.e. Left lane with left arrow, middle lane with straight on arrow, and right lane with right arrow.
Click to expand...

Regarding lanes, have a look at thread #13 and tell me if the markings mentioned make sense to you

I don't think that it would have made a difference if it was a 3 lane or 2 lane roundabout, as long as the 2nd exit had 2 exit lanes (correct me if I’m wrong)

There's a lot of people have different opinions on roundabouts on this thread alone, most (imho) are right and most are conflicting, its hard to apply standard junction rules of the road because most cars are moving/exiting at speed on roundabouts as apposed to say a T junction were one car stationary

I couple of extra diagrams in the rules of the road book with more exits, more lanes etc would be very useful imho.
 
So if the following is the roundabout, the first exits is straight ahead, and there are two lanes entering and exiting. This picture is incorrect according to the rules of the road (and 'the clock').
[broken link removed]

But would anyone in there right mind start in the left lane for the 2nd exit (as per rotr)
 
Nice butcher job on the diagram lynchtp!!!! That diagram has 4 exits in the rules of the road and yes everybody in there right mind should, when taking the 2nd exit, enter on the left lane. Its people like you that cause accidents on roudabouts when they don't know what there doing!!!

Mc, I see your point and that even confuses the issue more. Traffic lights on a roundabout are lethal!! Lanes marked that don't make sense!! From what you are saying i think the first lane is for 1st and 2nd exit while the 2nd lane is for 2nd exit only and 3rd and 4th lanes are for 3rd and subsequent exits!! I don't know the roundabout your taking about but thats what I make of it. Basically if the lanes have markings, obey the marking, i.e. 1st lane with left arrow only then you can only take the first exit. I think the majority of roundabouts don't have markings and I think (only my opinion) that tread 14 should be used. I would still like to hear from someone with an opinion on the 3 exits before "12 o'clock" senario!!!!
 
mc-BigE said:
Regarding lanes, have a look at thread #13 and tell me if the markings mentioned make sense to you
Click to expand...
If you come on to this roundabout and want to take the 3rd exit you have to come on to it in either the first or 2nd lane to be sure to get a place leaving on to the exit. Otherwise you are at the mercy of the cars already in those lanes.
The third and fourth lanes are designed for the people from west Cork who have come up to the city for the day and just as they get there they realise that they would be better off at home so decide to turn around.
 
Aidomoss said:
I would still like to hear from someone with an opinion on the 3 exits before "12 o'clock" senario!!!!
Click to expand...
I still think the before 12 senario applies here. If you took the right lane you would be crossing the left lane to exit. I think the whole 1st, 2nd, 3rd,etc exit leaves the rules open to too much individual interpretation at different roundabouts. Left lane before 12, right lane after 12 keep people crossing paths. This of course applies to roundabouts without lights.
 
Does anybody know what lane you should be in if you are not sure which exit you should take. I was told by one of those so called experts that they is nothing wrong with driving around the roundabout afew times before you take your exit. I wouldnt like to try this.
 
Hi,

Saw in my logs the visitors from this thread . I have the web site http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts.html
(Scroll down to the bottom. Added a new image last night)

Some interesting postings on here.

OK, IMHO roundabouts are a great invention. However to be used properly the following is necessary.

1. Common Sense.
2. Courtesy, and
3. A basic knowledge of the "Rules of the Road"

There are exceptions. Like the one in Cork where local knowledge and a fast car are also required. However the fast car can be negated by an old man in a clapped out Fiesta.

But even on that particular roundabout combination, a little courtesy and it would be unnecessary to leave rubber on the road.

The Irish "Rules of the Road" do not offer a very good explanation. There is a new version due out soon, hopefully it will address some of the omissions in the present version.

The British re-wrote their rules regarding roundabouts a few years ago In particular the "Straight Ahead - 2nd exit" bit. I have (with their permission) posted their "Highway Code" at http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts_uk.html

When joining a roundabout the Irish rules only state
yield right of way to traffic approaching on the roundabout
Click to expand...
This should be expanded to "And all traffic already on the roundabout"

They should also add the British statement in LARGE print:-
In all cases watch out for and give plenty of room to

* traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit
Click to expand...
The biggest problem I see is the above, exit from the inside lane.

Assume an ordinary 2 lane, 4 junction roundabout.

You intend to enter at Junction No 1, driving past Junction No 2, and exiting at Junction No 3, i.e. going straight ahead, taking the 2nd exit.

Next assume you are not one of the idiots who when going straight through a roundabout, shoot into the inside lane, shoot out again indicating right then left. But you know the Rules, therefore you approach, stay left, do not indicate and enter only when your lane is clear.

As you enter you see a car on the inside lane switch on their indicator, signalling their intent to exit at Junction No 2.

You MUST yield to this car. Also, if it does not indicate at junction No 1, but at Junction No 2 that it wishes to exit at junction No 3, (Your exit), you must also give this car priority.

Reasons you should yield. Even though it is a two lane roundabout, it may only have 1 exit lane. Also he may wish to exit in the left lane.

He is to your right. You can clearly see him, Much more difficult for him to see you, so common sense alone should dictate you give him priority. Let him do his own thing.

Multi-lane, multi-exit roundabouts should also offer no problem, if you allow traffic to cross etc. etc. And IF the lanes are clearly marked.

Megan. If you are in a strange town, with the state of the Irish road signage and also your exit might be close to your entrance, best to stay in the outside lane. Slowing down , allowing any car to exit across your path.

However, suppose the correct way to negotiate, would be to indicate right, drive strraight into the inside lane, watch out for your exit as you circle the roundabout. Then exit on your 2nd (3rd time !!) around

Rgds
 

[FONT=&quot]Butcher Job, I merely made a quick edit (with limited resources i.e. ms paint), to display a visual representation to the roundabout I was talking about.

The question i posed was about the first exit, on a 3 exit roundabout where the first exit is straight ahead (or 12 on the clock method) not as you misunderstood the 2nd exit on a 4 exit roundabout (as per the rotr)

The only place I can think of with a roundabout like this is the Dunkettle Roundabout (not the interchange) in Cork.


It says alot more about you, that after reading my post looking at my butcher job that you can claim people like me cause the accidents. Even though, I never state the way I approach the roundabout in question. Nice attitude btw[/FONT]
 
Lynchtp, In your original tread you stated that the diagram you "butchered" was in the rules of the road and you did not state that you were trying to represent a certain roundabout! I don't know the roundabout personnally but I gather there should be road marking on the approach lanes and if there is not then there should be and you would have to obey the markings!! You also stated that, would anyone in their right mind start in the left lane for the 2nd exit!!!! You should always take the 2nd exit in the left lane unless otherwise directed. i.e. road markings. If you read my reply I was taking about roundabouts in general, and in general if you only take 2nd exits in the right lane then yes, you will cause accidents.

Marge, How would you be crossing the left lane when the left lane should only go to 2nd exit? i.e 1st and 2nd exit only! This is the point I'm trying to make......not very well obviously.....What I'm trying to say is, if someone comes to a roundabout and they are using the 12 o'clock system and someone else comes to the same roundabout and is using the 1st, 2nd and 3rd or susequent exits system, and there is an accident who's at fault? It cant be just 50/50?

John DI, The highway code doesn't seem to give very clear instruction on taking 2nd or 3rd exits. It only state that you take up the appropiate position in relation to the exit you are taking!!! You might read tread 23, by me and come back with an answer, please. Also using the same example roundabout say the entance your on is a dual carraigeway (2 lanes on) and the 2nd exit is also a dual carraigeway (2 lanes off), then can the 12 o'clock rule apply? i.e take the 3rd exit on the left lane which is at 12 o 'clock?
 
Hi lynchtp.

We have a roundabout in Sligo as per your diagram. [broken link removed]

Dual carriageway from Sligo ends at the roundabout. Straight ahead Dublin, the right turn for Galway.

The Galway exit (2nd exit) has two lanes. The left lane is a feeder lane and merges with the right lane after 100 meters or thereabouts on the Galway road.

So, if going to Galway you are more or less forced to change to the right lane in the dual carriageway, take the inside lane on the roundabout, exit on the right lane on the Galway road and away.

If you stay left, you will end up in the feeder lane and may get blocked. You are therefore forced to change lanes, so why not change before the roundabout. ??

To Recap:- For Dublin stay left. For Galway, go right.

The present Rules of the Road was printed in 1992, 14 (fourteen) years. It gives ONLY a clear explanation for a 4 (Four) exit simple straightforward roundabout with two lanes. It does not describe multi-lane, multi exit roundabouts. (or 3 exit roundabouts)

For that, use basic knowledge of the rules of the road, common sense, and/or check out the British explanations.
 
can someone tell me........what is this roundabout thing!!
 
can someone explain...........what is this roundabout thing? i drive regularly and havnt come across these phenomenon
 
Didn't intend on starting a discussion on roundabouts. Was trying to find out about accident responsibilities e.t.c.

However it seems by the replies that there is a lot more confusion than i thought about how to use them. Before someone says ' what confusion', just look at the prevoius replies. Half a dozen different explanations of how they work and everyone thinks they are right.
 
It really doesnt matter how big or complicated a roundabout is.

You have 3 types of people at roundabouts
1st The road owner - The person that will fire themselves around the roundabout, not caring for, rules, lanes, approach, exits, other drivers or indicators.
2nd The visitor - A outsider that doesnt know the road, the learner without experience or confidence, the regular person that uses the roundabout but has always used the same route even though the road signs changed and an extra exit was opened and indicates right the whole time.
3rd The over cautious driver - that wont pull out, then pulls halfway out an blocks a lane or 2, then slowly crawls around the thing presuming by going slow everyone will see them and thus make it easy to avoid being hit, but still doenst indicate correctly.

OK. there is a forth,
4th The Roundabout Expert - the person that understands the workings of the roundabout and abides by the rotr at every point, every time, on every roundabout.
Even if number 4 exists, numbers 1, 2 and 3 arent expecting number 4 to be there anyway.
 
Another one for the mix - N3 roundabout at the M50 inbound is full of idiots. There are 3 lanes approaching this. Left one is a slip for the M50 northbound, middle is marked for the city centre and the right hand lane is marked as M50 south and city centre. However you take your life into your hands if you attempt to go straight on to the city centre from the right hand lane as there is guaranteed to be some muppet who will cut straight across you from the left hand lane and a lot of the time said muppet will be driving a big truck. I've seen countless incidents and near misses on it and normally the guy cutting across from the left deems it fit to blast the poor bugger abiding by the markings going straight.
It's very very dangerous.
 
Hi

See [broken link removed]

Worded slightly better than my explanation.

More excellent articles at [broken link removed]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register