Revised Rules of the Road Booklet
Unlike my previous post about the Rules of the Road, this is serious. Could be deadly serious.
Warning: This a long rambling rant, which has been simmering for a long time and I just need to get it off my chest. If two to three paragraphs is your limit, then go away now.
On 2 June, 2006, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen published Draft Revised Rules of the Road and invited submissions from the public until 30 June.
The revised booklet includes information on new initiatives in road traffic law that have been introduced since the last version of the document was produced. These include the revised metric speed limit system, penalty points and fixed charges, cycles lanes, the Theory Test, the National Car Test, and rules for road users where the LUAS is in operation. The Minister said that road users should be aware that the document reflects the most up to date position with regard to road traffic law.
Strange that the booklet itself states that it is “not an interpretation of the law”.
On 23 October, he published (online) the Post Public Consultation Revised Version. It states that “the overall aim of this booklet is to promote safety, good driving practice and courtesy in the use of our roads in accordance with the law. It is not an interpretation of the law”.
So we will have a published set of rules which are possibly not legal but which learner drivers are required to know by heart and which all drivers will follow!
I read the draft rules at the time and I must say I was impressed overall. It was up to date with respect to new legislation (e.g. penalty points and that vehicles required not to travel above 80km/h must not use the outer lane of a motorway …) and new features of our infrastructure (e.g. 2 plus 1 roads and the LUAS). It also provided excellent general motoring information (e.g. child safety and even advice on road rage).
Until relatively recently Ireland had simple straightforward roundabouts (with the exception of Walkinstown). One road on - up to three off. The rules too were straightforward: 1st exit - use left lane on approach and indicate left. 2nd exit - use left lane, don’t indicate until having passed the 1st exit then indicate left. Any subsequent exit - use right lane, indicate right and then indicate left having passed the exit prior to your exit.
Today we have ones with 4, 5, 6 … n exits. On the Dublin Road out of Naas the exits of he Big Ball roundabout are 1. Monread Road 2. M7 southbound 3. N7 northbound 4. Johnstown Village 5. Concrete Pipes Ltd. The problem here is that exit 2 is at 10 o’clock and 3 at, say, 10:05. Under the old (as yet, existing) rule you would use the right lane then switch to the left after exit 2. But 2 and 3 are far too close to be able the indicate and change lane between 2 and 3. The old rules fall down.
The draft revised rules tackled this admirably: Any exit up to the 12 o’clock position, use the left lane. Exits thereafter, use the right. A brilliantly simple solution to the problem. Congratulations to the folks who drafted the revised rules.
Then what happens? The new rules are published. And have been sent to the Road Safety Authority for redesign and printing. How does the new booklet deal with this? It changes the whole thing and makes it incomprehensible and wide open to interpretation.
1st exit - use left lane on approach and indicate left. Last exit or when going full circle - use right lane, indicate right and then indicate left having passed the exit prior to your exit. But no mention of 2nd exits, the 12 o’clock position. No it says …
When taking any intermediate exit
• do not signal on approach to the roundabout,
• select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary,
• stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout,
• signal your intention and move accordingly after you have passed the exit before the one you want,
No where does it define what ‘the appropriate lane’ is. This will cause chaos. Drivers will free to make up their own rules. I am dreading the thoughts of using the above roundabout.
Roundabouts is the topic I have focused on. There are others.
I have mailed the Department of Transport to enquire if such ambiguities will be rectified prior to publication. I don’t really expect a proper reply. I did get the confirmation mail saying my questions had been forwarded to the appropriate parties. But this in Civil Service speak equates to ‘duty done, nothing more to do’.
I also asked what the plans are for re-educating drivers when this booklet goes live. The best plan would be to distribute a copy to all registered drivers but I doubt that will happen for cost reasons. If nothing is done, we will have a situation where one set of drivers do one thing and another set doing another.
This is yet another example of half-arsed attempts by government and its officials tackle an issue. It seems they always get half the job done half right and take years to patch up botched projects.
