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...

The number of lanes in the exit is irrelevant and no mention of this is made in the Highway Code.

I would say alongside, very slightly behind me. We exited at almost the exact same time.
This does read as though there was an inadvertent game of chicken going on. Neither of you would have been clearly able to see the others indicators.

The only other questions are how did the incident start and how fast were you both going? Is the taxi driver saying you just arrived on his inside as he was already turning. Were you stationary next to each other at the entrance to the roundabout and went round together so you must have seen each other, did you both stop or either/both drive straight in seeing it was clear? If so were you or the taxi ahead when you entered?

Hang on though, was he trying to exit the roundabout directly from the right hand lane without first moving into the left hand lane? How could that ever be right?

Surely even if he believed he was in the correct lane he was ok not to indicate on approach if he was going straight on but should still have indicated left after passing the first exit.

For what it's worth, I think he was in the wrong lane to go straight on but then again some taxi drivers seems to think they are superior drivers and exempt from the driving rules the rest of us are subject to.

I still think it is ok. There’s a roundabout near me which is two lanes entering the roundabout but only one lane exiting the roundabout at twelve oclock. I frequently go straight on in the right hand lane as most people using the left lane are going left and the queues for that lane are lengthy. No signs or road markings. I just make sure I take off like a rocket and keep an eye on anything in the left lane, I’d drop in behind if necessary. It’s worked fine for 30 years.

Irrespective of the lane markings it will likely come down to not driving with due care and attention/driving in a manner to avoid a crash which could apply equally to both parties especially if it’s impossible to ascertain who drove into whom eg in the absence of camera footage

I’m not surprised to read the other car was a taxi driver. Where I live, many of the taxi drivers are men who think they own the road and/or people who have only lived in the country a few years snd/or can be aggressive drivers.

I struggled to see it. Hard to see as it is not on the road but camouflaged on the hedge.

I would have taken the left however I would have thought both lanes for straight over unless the road has the lanes marked. I was taught that both lanes could be used unless signed as otherwise.

The left lane unless signage there indicates otherwise. I expect the taxi went in the right lane trying to overtake you or push you over/back, not because they thought it was the correct lane.

This used to be fairly simple but now many roundabouts have arrows to tell you which lanes to use. If there weren't any I'd be in the left hand lane.

He hasn’t a hope in hell, I’m sure his insurance knows this. They will settle to avoid court.

Ah I’ve seen the picture of the exit now. That’s not a two lane job at all. To be honest, a vehicle should yield and not just drive through someone else. If the damage starts mid way down the body of your vehicle then let’s be fair the guy tried to push you out of the road - it was dangerous to do so and even more so with children in the vehicle.

I don’t see how you’re in the wrong here. When did you see his vehicle first?

I would have used the right lane but I would also have indicated as I was passing the first exit/pulling into the left lane.

FWIW, I passed my driving test over thirty years ago and this is what I was taught. My brother failed at a roundabout like this for being in the left hand lane when he was driving straight over the roundabout/taking the second exit.

Either way, the OP was fine. The other driver sounds at fault for not paying attention to other vehicles on the road.

Left hand lane unless road markings/signage indicate otherwise.

I did test about ten years ago and was told stay on the left lane if going straight ahead.

There is a similar roundabout near me and at least once a week a car will drive in the right lane and end up with people blowing horns and refusing to allow them to cut in, resulting in near misses. I asked my driving Instructir at the time and was told stay in the left lane when driving straight ahead unless there are road markings indicating otherwise.

So the taxi was trying to use the roundabout space to overtake you.

I think you will win. Though they may try to use your offer to split the cost 50:50 as an admission of partial blame.

Left lane to go straight ahead unless arrows on the road indicate otherwise.

Yeah that was a bit of a dick move.

Either, especially as the exit looks quite wide ie could possibly take 2 cars exiting at the same time, though it appears to narrow soon after.
Agree roundabouts can be tricky especially if you are somewhere where on one roundabout the left lane is for left turn/straight ahead then the next is left turn only: round my way there is one like that and there's lots of near misses as people try to move over at the second one.
Does not help that the only signage is painted on the road and thus often obscured by traffic.
Driving somewhere new a while ago, was in the left lane at a roundabout with 3 lanes on approach and exited 'straight ahead': got bibbed by someone. Thought okay maybe that lane was a left exit feeder only so next time I went in the middle lane. Got bibbed again.
Decided to avoid that route.

If you're going past 12 you go in the right lane otherwise left.

Sorry I've just read the other posts by OP. He's all but admitted not checking his wing mirror and blindly pulling left. You'll win and he'll get a careless driving.

Nobody reads the bloody highway code in any detail and its not law anyway.

We were all taught left hand lane for first 2 exits, particularly when going straight on and that couldn't be any more applicable in this case. You do need to be aware of certain types trying to overtake on the roundabout but that usually applies on much bigger roundabouts, not little ones like this.

Just saw the exit photo. Yes you are correct, especially if it is a small roundabout.
Some cities like Birmingham has massive roundabouts where there are 3 lanes to enter and the middle is for straight ahead, but that's not the case for a tiddly one like yours.
(BTW roundabouts in Brum are easy, in my experience. My previous post referred to a roundabout in the Black Country).