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Original poster

Roundabout question!

94 replies

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 00:58

Because it's caused a lot of bickering and i drive over it twice a day and regularly have near misses. And it makes a change from parking

You're approaching this roundabout. There are 4 exits, and you're taking exit 2 which is at 11 on a clock (I marked the exit with a red arrow)
Which lane would you use?

There is a sign for the roundabout as you approach which just shows the exits and doesn't state left turn only or anything vaguely relating to exits

OP posts:

NoSquirrels · 02/10/2021 13:23

I actually think in this scenario that the council’s suggestion of ‘left and straight ahead’ marking on the left lane, and then ‘straight ahead and right’ marking would be sufficient.

The road marking is wrong to say left only. So adding the ‘and straight on’ would just turn it back into the usual roundabout rules.

But no markings is best of all.

Original poster

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 13:23

Yeah to clarify village centre is the lane. For what is not a village, or a centre in the slightest

OP posts:

Musicalmistress · 02/10/2021 13:24

Even with the road markings, based on the sign I'd still take the left lane. I also think your theory about your insurance being happier that you took the 'correct' lane onto the roundabout could prove to be problematic if you ever have an accident as you could be viewed as entering the lane of the person driving in the left so you would be in the wrong.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Driving & parking

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2021 13:27

But no markings is best of all.

If there were no markings, most of the traffic would end up in the left lane as the 3rd exit is most nearly straight ahead, and relatively little goes to the 4th.

Elieza · 02/10/2021 13:27

The left lane is supposed to be for turning first left and anything else that’s a turning on the left but nothing after the noon position.

The right lane is supposed to be for straight ahead if there are two lanes exiting the roundabout or taking a turning after the noon position.

The council appear to have used non standard markings in the inside lane.

I don’t know if they are compliant with tsrgd road markings regulations. Have a google. It’s been years since I looked. Not sure which parts of the U.K. they apply to or if it’s all.

If you can work out if tsrgd is relevant in your area you could email the council and ask if the markings are compliant. That ought to make them take this seriously!?

Gladioli23 · 02/10/2021 13:28

The roundabout sign is quite unhelpful as well because I would assume you could probably use either late for the third exit based on that?

Round here they do a sign like this for confusing roundabouts which helps a lot:

images.app.goo.gl/zHNHqzeqiAoS1NvD9

TroubleInSnowland · 02/10/2021 13:28

Looking at your photo of the roundabout sign, the third exit is the straight ahead as marked by the thicker lines. The first 2 exits will be left turns.

NoSquirrels · 02/10/2021 13:31

@ErrolTheDragon

But no markings is best of all.

If there were no markings, most of the traffic would end up in the left lane as the 3rd exit is most nearly straight ahead, and relatively little goes to the 4th.

Ah, fair enough. So that’s what they were trying to solve with the road markings but ballsed up, I guess.

Original poster

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 13:36

@TroubleInSnowland

Looking at your photo of the roundabout sign, the third exit is the straight ahead as marked by the thicker lines. The first 2 exits will be left turns.

See that's where the road markings then confuse me as I always though just a left arrow was for that one lane only and you shouldn't use it for the second exit

I guess this thread shows what goes through peoples minds as they approach it!

OP posts:

Rosesareyellow · 02/10/2021 13:37

Right seems obvious from that picture but in busy traffic and being unfamiliar with the roads you wouldn’t know - unless there’s another clear sign beforehand.

Original poster

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 13:38

View from above
Exit 2 and 3 are usually the busiest, not many people take 1 or 4

OP posts:

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2021 13:46

They need curved arrows really, to avoid any ambiguity.
Something like this.

Peanutsandchilli · 02/10/2021 14:01

Right lane. There's one like this near me and fortunately everyone seems to know that you need to be in the right lane to go straight on. It's dangerous without signs though, so the council need to sort it.

SirGawain · 02/10/2021 14:02

Google maps shows slightly different road markings. The lefthand lane is indicated for local traffic. Since the first two exits lead to Tanterton which I assume is where you are going I would use the lefthand lane. without those extra markings I would have used the right.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2021 14:03

@Peanutsandchilli

She's not going straight on though.

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2021 14:07

without those extra markings I would have used the right.
why would you do that for a turning that's to the left of centre?

Original poster

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 14:12

@SirGawain

Yes I forgot that bit! That also got added

after the arrows at some point

So it is still a left hand arrow only and says local (although WTF local refers to is a very wide range as there is no centre/village)
Then the right lane says nothing and has a straight on and right arrow

OP posts:

Original poster

NotMyCat · 02/10/2021 14:13

Going from this thread. They probably should rip out the sign and road markings and start again
Coming back from work is fine as I'm using the third exit then and of course the right hand lane

OP posts:

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 02/10/2021 14:15

The right. Left lane is left turn only.

Dippydinosaurus · 02/10/2021 14:38

The highway code says that a second exit or 11 o clock exit would be the left lane UNLESS the signs advise to use specific lanes. So in this case the lanes are marked as lane 2 not lane 1 so you do use lane 2 as the lane markings override the highway code. In an accident you would be right. However if it is confusing lots of drivers it is going to cause an accident so the lane markings should be removed by the council.

There is a roundabout near my work which is just a free for all - everyone is always in the wrong lane and drivers always cut across each other. It's a nightmare. It's clearly marked but the majority of drivers ignore the lane markings.

Wtfdoipick · 02/10/2021 14:50

After seeing the photo of the sign left hand lane. The straight ahead clearly means the 3rd exit and yes village centre would class as local traffic. We have a couple of roundabouts like this near us and always the first 2 exits are left hand lane 2nd 2 are right

amylou8 · 02/10/2021 15:11

I'd use the left lane by default. The road markings would put me into the right lane. If I didn't know the roundabout and there was traffic over the arrows I would be in the left lane to go straight on.

ChocolateRiver · 02/10/2021 15:15

As I can see the road markings I would use the right lane. But if I didn’t know the area and couldn’t see the road markings due to traffic I would assume the left lane was correct as the exit is at 11 o’clock.

Itstheprinciple · 02/10/2021 15:18

From the road sign, I'd use left. From the road markings, right. Needs a road sign that says 'Left hand lane for Tanterton exit only'. It does NOT need more confusing road arrows!

ErrolTheDragon · 02/10/2021 15:21

@Itstheprinciple

From the road sign, I'd use left. From the road markings, right. Needs a road sign that says 'Left hand lane for Tanterton exit only'. It does NOT need more confusing road arrows!

No, that's exactly what it doesn't need, it would be silly to have the left lane used only by people using the first (minor) exit.

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