Saturday, April 30, 2011 - 06:46 pm, by: David Goldthorpe(Sprocket82)
Had a bit of a moment thismorning on the way into work.
Going through a roundabout on an overpass which had a bit of a bump in it (Novocastrians will know it as the University Drive-Main Road intersection). There was light rain and I was probably going 10km/h quicker than I should have been considering the conditions. Rear end slid out half-way through and I got a good look at the cement barrier in the centre of the roundabout. Thankfully I was straight onto it and corrected it without any fishtail action but I'm glad it was a quiet morning and there was no other traffic on the roundabout.
It's the first time I've been that sideways unintentionally and surprised the hell out of me. I'm stoked the Federal 595ss 235/45/R17 tyres did their job. I'm running a fairly soft suspension but still impressed how easy the soarer is to handle once it loses grip compared to other cars.
Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 09:02 pm, by: Shane Haverkamp(Havabeer)
that round about is gay. its asking for accidents the way the lanes are setup. as my paint picture will describe.
p.s where was your traction control during all this?
that round about is stupid for the fact you can turn right on an outer lane (blue bottom left). i honked a guy that cut me off as i thought he was doing the wrong thing till i checked the lane markings on my way home.
so as the red and yellow people are allowed to go straight and right and blue turning right its just asking for an accident as you have no way of knowing what there intentions are as you can't see any blinkers.
Sunday, May 01, 2011 - 10:27 pm, by: David Goldthorpe(Sprocket82)
I have a habit of turning off Traction Control as soon as I get in car most days. It just seems far too sensitive - it will cut in just from hitting a small pot hole. I'll leave TRC on in the wet at least now.
I haven't actually looked at the lane markings, but I know that roundabout is a huge holdup in peak hour from all the Uni students trying to get in. They really do need another access point to the Uni.
Monday, May 02, 2011 - 06:29 pm, by: Ian Rigby(Hiro)
The roundabout is that way to try and ease the congestion at 8:30 in the morning when uni traffic is at its heaviest (I live only 5 minutes around the corner and go through there every day to and from work) - especially since the majority of northbound traffic on the bypass that is turning onto University Drive needs to be in the left-hand lane to turn left at the uni entrance 100m further up the road. If the left-hand lane couldn't turn right, then you'd have a big long stream of traffic having to change lanes in a very short period of time just to enter uni.
The bump in the middle is a real pain too, seen a few near misses in my time from people not paying attention, especially in the wet. Sloping + negatively cambered + sharp corner + rain makes it very dicey.
Monday, May 02, 2011 - 06:31 pm, by: Ian Rigby(Hiro)
Oh, and the diagram is wrong - you have to turn right from the inner lane, you can't go straight ahead - the problem is that many people don't read the lane markings and assume that it is a normal roundabout. You get the same troubles turning right off the freeway at John Renshaw Drive (another roundabout with left-lane-turning-right that I also go through every day on the way to work).
Monday, May 02, 2011 - 08:52 pm, by: Shane Haverkamp(Havabeer)
yaeh i had another look at the markings tonight ian, and google maps. i can kinda understand the reasons for doing it now, but i still dont know how there aren't more crashes there.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011 - 07:04 pm, by: Ian Rigby(Hiro)
Shane Haverkamp wrote on Monday, May 02, 2011 - 08:52 pm:
but i still dont know how there aren't more crashes there.
Fortunately the main times when people are turning right from the left-hand-lane are also the times when traffic is moving at 5km/h as it funnels into uni, so chances of an accident that way are significantly reduced. Still worse than your normal average roundabout though.