Which lane should you be in? Diagram!

[CactusUmbrella]

If you were driving from where the red arrow is towards the roundabout, and going straight ahead to where the green arrow is, which lane should you be in?

Context is that I had a collision on this roundabout over 2 years ago, still hasn't been resolved and is now likely to go to court! Other driver claiming they were in correct lane, I believe I was...

Unless road markings/signs indicate otherwise, left for turning left or straight on, right for right turn only.

If as pp has said for whatever reason you can't get into the left lane and you want to go straight on, go fully round the roundabout and then exit.

@CactusUmbrella hope everything goes your way (as it should).

Sounds like he is at fault, unless you were undertaking him.

In a similar my insurance accepted 50/50.

Given the photo, as per the highway code, either lane is a valid choice for going straight. If this has its day in court, that isn't going to be what the decision turns on.

Irrespective of what lane either driver was in, if it is possible to prove that one of you had the chance to avoid the collision and didn't take it, then they might be held responsible.

Assuming there is no dashcam footage from either vehicle (the taxi has a high probability of having a dashcam but would probably say they don't if it shows fault), the case will rest on inarguable facts, balance of probability and what both drivers admit to.

Some facts, for example which sides (driver or passenger) are damaged can be taken to mean that (on balance of probability) person A is more likely to have caused the collision.

In practice, in the absence of dashcam footage, roundabout collisions are often judged 50-50.

The best result for you will probably be them failing to defend the claim, good luck OP!

Left lane but just to stress the point I would tend to go more straight across the roundabout to block anyone getting around my right side which prevents any problems like that. They can stay behind rather than overtake me on the roundabout and cut in

The road rules suggest (when intending to proceed straight ahead) to approach the roundabout in either lane. Give way to any traffic already in the roundabout and traffic on the right with attention especially to cyclists, long vehicles and horse drawn carriages which can stay in the left lane though they could be turning right.
Once you have driven past the left hand road then indicate left to move left and out, proceeding effectively straight ahead through the roundabout.
Being diligent with - Mirrors, Indicate, HEADCHECK, Manoeuvre - should mean that you would give way to a vehicle in the left lane (if you were in the right one) that was also exiting straight ahead in that particular roundabout..

I had a very similar experience this morning on my commute to work. There are three lanes going into the roundabout, with the left hand one clearly separated with a barrier for turning left so I was in the middle lane for going straight on. Person in the right lane overtook me on the roundabout and went straight ahead (one lane coming out of the roundabout). Absolutely relying on me to brake and let them in front of me. If I wasn't an experienced driver who was watching them and could tell what was going to happen we'd have had a collision.

Number one rule on a roundabout should be 'don't overtake on a roundabout'. A nervous driver or someone who doesn't know where they are going could well enter a roundabout in the wrong lane and the easiest way to avoid a collision is to maintain your distance from the car in front so you have time to react to any mistakes.

I think you're in the right; good luck in court, OP.

Ashley Neal is really good on this, as usual

My opinion, is the taxi driver is wrong.

You are in the correct lane, the second exit is straight ahead and a continuation of the road (thicker line on the sign). So, absent a specific left-only arrow on the lane, the left lane is appropriate for first and second exits. Given that, and that there's only one lane exiting, you cannot be in the right lane to go straight ahead. If you made a mistake and did that, you have to merge left / give way or signal right to go all the way round.

There's one near us that's exactly like the photo. The left hand approach lane is the one used for going ahead and the right hand one is used only for turning right / going back the way. But every so often some idiot will zoom past the queue in the left lane and cut in front after the roundabout.

Anyway, this diagram on the highway code website is instructive..

Highway Code Rule 185 - Highway Code

As someone in the legal industry who literally deals with liability for road traffic accidents as part of my job, I'd say you are in the right. Although you can technically enter a roundabout in either the left or right lane to proceed straight ahead (when there are 2 lanes), the fact the intended exit narrows suddenly to one lane, the left lane is the correct one.

Had someone else entered in the left lane from the exit on the left and been proceeding straight, the taxi would have 100% been liable as they would have forced their way across to take their intended exit.

My professional opinion is not liable. I would also be looking at case law for how similar cases have settled as if it goes to court, the highway code, case law and evidence are what it comes down to. It also depends what the other drivers version of events is and whose version a court sheriff is more likely to believe/who can prove their version of events.

I'm curious whether anyone has defended the taxi driver's use of the right lane? If he drove into the side of your car then there doesn't seem to be any way it could be your fault.

Either lane

This is what I was taught too.

Irrespective of which lane is "correct" the highway code also says users of roundabouts should be aware that other users may be in the wrong lane - everyone should be keeping a lookout

Whether the taxi was in the wrong lane or not is a sideshow.

1. The taxi drove into you, so the taxi is at fault.
2. In turning left, the taxi had a duty to ensure that the space he/she was moving into was clear, just like if you change lane on the motorway. This can't have happened. Therefore the taxi is at fault.
3. Even if there were arrows recommending the left lane for turning left and the right lane for straight ahead (which there aren't), it would not obfuscate the taxi's responsibility not to drive into other road users. The taxi is at fault.

Not sure why this is dragging on so long.

’Assuming other people are going to do daft things’ like being in the right hand lane when driving straight across at a roundabout?

I can’t understand the logic of why anyone would think this is OK when the highway code really clearly says it’s the left lane.

Which road rules? That’s a genuine question

I assumed once you mentioned a taxi that you are not to blame. I am not sure the courts will rule in your favour though. Hope whoever is representing you is used to the typical taxi driver attitude/defence.

Left hand lane is what I would choose.

☝️, what lane were you in?

Ahh Haa, a taxi driver you say🙄. They are a law unto themselves aren't they 😂

It'll be fine OP. I (and everyone else it seems) can think of NO reason why you shouldn't win this case.
The left lane is the correct one for going straight on at a roundabout. There is no signage or road markings to the contrary. The taxi company haven't got a leg to stand on.
Likely they are stalling in the hope you'll get bored and give up! Don't!

It also sounds like the taxi was edging to get ahead of you. Which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. They are always trying to get to the next "job" as quickly as possible. The more jobs they can knock out, the more money they get.
I've lost count of the number of private taxis I've been in over the years, who drive like they're tearing around Silverstone! There's always a lot of lane-hopping as well, trying to gain a bit of ground.

You're definitely not supposed to do this!

Left lane. Anything over 12 on the clock goes into the right hand lane.

RAC website says this:

"Continuing straight ahead

Often, you, just want to travel straight on through the roundabout, sometimes people will say: 'head straight over the roundabout'.

Depending on the size of the roundabout, you’ll often be able to use the left-hand lane for this, but in some cases the left-hand lane will be for left turns only (signs will guide you on this).

There are also instances where larger roundabouts, have a designated lane for driving straight over. Check the road markings on approach.

Just after the first exit, check your main mirror, then your left door mirror. Signal left and if all is clear, take your exit."

In this case neither the left or right lanes are left or right only, so potentially either lane could be used.

The crucial matter is the underlined paragraph. Clearly the taxi driver did none of this!

Although you can technically enter a roundabout in either the left or right lane to proceed straight ahead (when there are 2 lanes), the fact the intended exit narrows suddenly to one lane, the left lane is the correct one.

@Louise2092 that doesn’t make sense to me.
How are you supposed to know that the road on the other side of the roundabout is only one lane??

I do agree that the taxi was wrong anyway. They should have checked on their left before moving to their left to take the exit.