to get enraged by drivers deliberately not using the correct lanes?!?!?

[GreatBallsofFluff]

Yes this is petty and a first world problem but it really makes me see red every morning.

I drive into a city every morning for work and to drop DD off at school (prior to DD starting her current school I used the park & ride - believe me if I could find an alternative which fits in with times etc I would).

To set the scene, there is a dual carriageway which leads on to a traffic light controlled roundabout. The right-hand lane of the carriageway leads to one exit onto the roundabout, for turning right or going straight on. The left hand lane splits into two lanes at the roundabout; the middle lane which is for driving straight on only, and the left lane which is for left turns only (also the way to get into the city centre).

Every morning there are cars which drive up the carriageway on the right hand side lane, then move into the middle lane and after the traffic lights try to exit the roundabout on the left to go into the city centre. There are two lanes off from the roundabout to go into the city centre which quickly merge into one.

They know they are in the wrong lane, when they try to merge in to exit the roundabout (as there is usually a queue of slow moving cars) they do not do it in the apologetic way of "oh shit I'm in the wrong lane". Instead they try to rush past everyone and get as far up the queue as possible before merging in. This of course means the traffic gets further backed up on the left hand lane of the dual carriageway, which in turn means more people doing the above manoeuvre because they are impatient.

I know it is very petty, and yes I do have a lot more important things to worry about in my life, but it just makes me so so so angry as it happens every morning. I am not talking about one or two, this morning there were six cars that did this within one traffic light change.

So AIBU to allow this to fill me with rage every morning (yes I know I am and more importantly is there anything I can do about it (short of putting up some spikes to blow all their tyres)?

[CocacolaMum]

if there are 2 lanes on the exit then surely the middle lane is also signposted as a lane to use to turn left in addition to the left hand lane? Yabu

[Bunraku]

I never let people in that I see doing this after I have sat in traffic using the correct lane because I don't see why their time is more important than mine.

[Felyne]

Yes that totally pisses me off too. I used to take an exit off the M25 where lane 1 became the exit, it often became quite clogged and slow for about a mile. There were always people who would try to cut in from lane 2 at the last minute, and the number of times I saw trucks in lane 2 have to brake heavily and swerve because a driver in lane 2 couldn't get across into lane 1 so they just suddenly stopped until they could change lanes, I'm amazed I never saw an accident because of it.

[AKAK81]

Difficult without seeing the road in question but the 2 exit lanes off the roundabout should be used - they weren't just put there for fun it will be to allow more traffic to clear the island. The left and middle lanes should in theory allow you to turn left. Have you got a google map link?

[MelanieCheeks]

Yes, the best way to make use of road space is to use all available space - that means if there are 2 lanes, cars should use both until they're ready to change.

I'm subject to the other side of this. My commute takes me on a piece of 3-lane carriageway where the the slip road is on the RIGHT to go into the city. I often sit out in this right hand lane, going at the speed limit of 50, and have other drivers tailgating me, flashing me, undertaking rudely etc.

You know YABU. The best thing you can do? Chant the Buddhist mantra to yourself - let go, let go, let go.

[Eastwickwitch]

The thing is that although its infuriating, you being cross won't change their behaviour. I was talking to a lorry driver about this sort of thing & he said that you have to learn to just let it wash over you.
Hard though.

[MothershipG]

Ommmmmmmm, ommmmmmm, ommmmmmm.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to alter the other drivers behaviour, all you can do is try not to give yourself an ulcer getting wound up about it.

Not that I practice what I preach I hate this kind of driving too! Can you turn it into a game? Bastard idiot bingo? Although if you want DD to be able to play you may have to come up with another name!

[NaturalBaby]

YANBU. I can feel my blood pressure and pulse rate going through the roof as it happens at pretty much every junction on my way to school.

However, I did find myself doing it last week when the traffic was particularly horrendous and it was either get in the wrong lane or extend the queue onto the dual carriageway. I either sit there for an extra 15mins or think if you can't beat them, join them.

[DrivingToDistraction]

I was getting annoyed at people driving up my arse when I was doing the speed limit, then DH showed me how to use the trip computer to show what MPG I was getting, and gave me some tips on how to maximise it. Now I enjoy knowing that my driving style is safe and getting more and more economical, and it pleases me to know the idiots who hang off my back bumper, zoom to overtake and then hammer on the brakes as they reach a 30 zone (usually ending up all of about 5 metres ahead of me) are paying way more for petrol than they need to, and honestly not getting there any faster at all!

[KatoPotato]

Can't they use the right lane to go right around the roundabout and come off at the city centre?

[Rainbowshine]

Sounds like a normal way of driving in Oxford. It's like bumper cars and banger racing every day on the ring road. People seem to pick which lane to use on roundabouts at random with no thought as to which exit they're going to take. YANBU!

[LadyFlumpalot]

Salisbury by any chance?

[GreatBallsofFluff]

No I'm not in Salisbury or Oxford but it's heartening to know that it's not just where I am that there are arseholes around.

The middle lane is definitely only for going straight on; there is a traffic light island in the middle of the left hand lane and the middle lane. The reason for the two lanes on the exit is there are traffic lights in the middle of the roundabout for coming from opposite the city centre exit which has two lanes to go off the roundabout onto the city centre exit (I know what I'm talking about and even I got confused by that last sentence ).

An accident nearly happened this morning because someone in the left hand lane was trying to get round some cards to go into the second exit lane when someone in the middle lane went zooming past off the roundabout. It just gets me so mad when there's 75% of us who follow the road rules but that the other 25% think they are above the law and their time is more important than anyone else's

[frogspoon]

We have a similar problem at the moment near me, except the difference is that the right hand lane cuts off just before the roundabout (due to roadworks) Meaning that people cut down the empty right hand lane, then at the last minute switch into the (already backed up) left hand lane.

Very irritating but I suspect the only solution is for even more of the right hand lane to be cut off, so people cannot drive down it any more.

[choirmum]

I feel for you OP. I use a slip road on my way to work leading to a 5 exit roundabout (the 5th exit is to go right round and back the way you came, if that makes sense). The left hand lane is clearly marked to use for the 1st and 2nd exits, and the right hand for the 3rd and 4th (and 5th if necessary) with both signage and road markings. Every morning, some idiot uses the left hand lane to get to the 3rd exit, and as I have to swap lanes part way round, nearly causes an accident. I agree it may be seen as trivial, but it's deeply irritating and positively dangerous!!

[nextphase]

Can I ask a question, since there seem to be people who know what they are talking about?
Coming home (different route to normal) tonight, I pulled into the middle lane, to overtake.
Everything in the LHlane then pulled onto the slip road, so there was an empty lane. I was about to pull back in, as there was then plenty of space when a car came flying down very very fast (undertaking) - I'd guess 80-85mph. It was dark, I struggle to just speeds in the dark from approaching headlights. I didn't pull in, but would would have been at fault if we had crashed? Me for pulling into a lane where there wasn't space, or him for undertaking, and speeding?

[Tanith]

My rage is reserved for the people in the left hand lane who try to drive straight ahead at a roundabout, cutting in on those turning right.

It's a roundabout - the clue is in the name!!

[bumperella]

nextphase - him for undertaking and speeding. Though not much comfort if you're in a body-bag.
I live in a town where no-one (other than me, of course...) is able to use roundabouts. Everyone sits in the left hand lane regardless of which exit they're taking. It's really peculiar.

[WhereIsMyHat]

I'm too tired to imagine the roundabout set up but here there are lots of roundabouts on dual carriageways that have two lanes if you're going straight over, they are marked with arrows to confirm this. Most people sit in the left lane, queuing for ages but if you just go in the right lane you go the same way without a queue, it's like very few people are brave enough to leave the pack. I always do, same with traffic lights with two lanes, both going straight on if there's no one waiting to turn right and wait for oncoming traffic to clear first.