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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Or is DP regarding driving and which lane to use?

115 replies

CrohnicallyExhausted · 29/06/2014 18:50

Bit of background-
The road used to go straight on, with a left turn junction. A supermarket was built and they turned the junction into a roundabout, adding another left turn for the store entrance. So there is now a roundabout with 3 exits: exit 1 is store, exit 2 is old left turn, exit 3 is old straight on. We need to turn down exit 2 for home.

The problem is the lane markings. On the approach to the roundabout there is 2 lanes. Left lane is marked with a left arrow and 'store'. The right hand lane is marked with a straight arrow and the road number of exit 3. Neither lane directs you to exit 2 at all- so it's a bit of a free for all with people going down exit 2 from either lane, and some near misses resulting.

One of us uses the left lane for exit 2, saying that as it is unclear you should default to the left lane. In the event of an accident, it would be the right lane driver's fault for not checking their mirrors and indicating before pulling off.

One of us uses the right lane for exit 2, saying that left lane is clearly marked only for the store exit, and in the event of an accident it would be the left lane driver's fault for taking the 2nd exit in a left turn only lane.

Which is more correct?

OP posts:

NeedsAsockamnesty · 29/06/2014 20:14

We have one like this only the left lane has an arrow pointing left (supermarket) ant the right lane has one pointing right and straight on.

Loads of people still used the left to go straight on. It's infuriating

ExitPursuedByAKoalaBear · 29/06/2014 20:15

I can't cope with all these exits.

CrotchMaven · 29/06/2014 20:16

That's not how you describe in your op! Is A what you describe as "straight on"?

I still reckon, if there is a left arrow (not a double headed one with left and straight), then you should only use it for the store. Road markings rule the roost. It's so that traffic can move freely to the other exits if the store is busy.

goodasitgets · 29/06/2014 20:16

Similar roundabout here
As you approach left land has a left arrow to a road (no straight on arrow)
Then right lane has a straight on arrow. One exit is at 11 o'clock
Causes carnage everyday

PhaedraIsMyName · 29/06/2014 20:17

Left lane for me.

MaidOfStars · 29/06/2014 20:17

It's not straightforward to me. The problem is that both lanes have directive arrows on them, which should be obeyed. Where an arrow says Go Left, it means Go Left At First Opportunity i.e. to store. The right hand lane directs you to the A road.

OP, I'd be tempted to send an email to council/Highways Agency to highlight the issue.

Oakmaiden · 29/06/2014 20:18

My understaniding was that at a roundabout you only move into the left hand lane when you are getting ready to take the next exit - so in this case would approach the roundabout in the right hand lane, adn then pull into the left hand lane after the supermarket exit, ready to turn off at the following exit.

inabeautifulplace · 29/06/2014 20:19

"As I said, I failed my first driving test for going straight over in a lane marked left only (very similar to your pic actually). It was a major fault."

Th OP is coming from the road at the bottom of the pic. Her turning is on the left, plus the lane has two markings, not a single left arrow.

littlepeas · 29/06/2014 20:23

I realise she isn't coming from 'a', I meant that if she were she would be in the right hand lane at the point that is under discussion. It is quite hard to put in writing, but I know what I mean in my head!

I agree that directional arrows rule the roost, as I have learnt from the experience of failing my test (I did pass second time btw - we're not talking about a recent failure). Without the arrows I would use the left hand lane, with the arrows as they are I would use the right.

unrealhousewife · 29/06/2014 20:24

Bad signage. Default to the previous lane, left because the roads people have messed it up.

littlepeas · 29/06/2014 20:26

Yes, I know she is coming from the bottom. The roundabout I failed my test on was almost identical - the right hand turn was further round to the right, but otherwise the same. I approached from the bottom and went into the left hand lane to go straight on (second exit) - there were arrows on the road to say left hand lane was left only, but I didn't see them. It was a major fault and I failed my test because of it (I only had one minor).

inabeautifulplace · 29/06/2014 20:27

"Where an arrow says Go Left, it means Go Left At First Opportunity i.e. to store."

That can't be true, as there are loads of roundabouts near me with more than one exit to the left and only 2 lanes on the approach.

I would agree if there was only 1 road marking in the lane, but there are two. One says store, and the second says left. I would expect the marking to say store only if it was exclusively for that.

KeithTheCat · 29/06/2014 20:28

So the right lane has a straight ahead arrow

I would use the right hand lane then. Or move house.

CrotchMaven · 29/06/2014 20:28

If there is a left arrow (only) leading to an exit that you don't want to go down, stay out of that Lane!

If there were 3 lanes, one marked with only a left arrow and the other 2 with straight ahead arrows, what would everyone do?

NoodleOodle · 29/06/2014 20:30

I would take the left lane as it appears to be marked for the store and left - the way you're going, and it's natural to keep left unless directed otherwise.

CrotchMaven · 29/06/2014 20:31

Is pretty much everyone reading it as left (any left) OR store?

littlepeas · 29/06/2014 20:32

I think for the purposes of this roundabout the first (store) exit is left, the second exit is straight on and the third is right. If the arrow in the right lane is straight (it is, isn't it?) then you use it for the second exit. Turning right is self explanatory? I agree that it's poor signage - one of the arrows should be a joint left/straight on or right/straight on arrow depending on what it is they actually want you to do!

CrotchMaven · 29/06/2014 20:33

I have a feeling there will be a thread about this thread on p i s t o n h e a d s very shortly...

inabeautifulplace · 29/06/2014 20:41

Can you go home a different way? Or just leave your car in the supermarket?

specialsubject · 29/06/2014 20:42

I think this is a head-exploding mission impossible and the highways dept need to sort it out.

with no instructions on the approach road, the obvious answer for exit 2 is the left lane. If there is an arrow in the left lane pointing left, anyone in it must take the first exit. The right lane is incorrect for exit 2. Therefore anyone approaching as the OP does cannot take exit 2!!

So to be legal the OP should approach in the right lane, go round the roundabout in a complete loop and then take exit 2. This is clearly bonkers and somebody in the roundabout dept needs a good slap.

so my solution, OP, is to go out under cover of darkness and paint over the left-pointing arrow. Then it is the left lane for you to take exit 2.

Original poster

CrohnicallyExhausted · 29/06/2014 20:45

crotch yes it is. I said A was 'old straight on' meaning before the roundabout was built the road marked A... was straight on. I realise it's not straight on as in 180 degrees. The road has been moved slightly to accommodate the roundabout. However A... is still 'the road ahead' as my driving instructor used to say, as it has the same road number and name as the approach road on the bottom.

And as I said, the store entrance is never that busy (it's a long approach road). Exit 3 is the busy one, therefore it makes sense to use the same lane for the other 2 exits.

keith thankfully, I really am moving house. But not because of the roundabout.

OP posts:

Panzee · 29/06/2014 20:45

There is a roundabout near me very like yours in the picture. (but no stores). The lanes are clearly marked, left lane for left, right lane for straight on and right.

Original poster

CrohnicallyExhausted · 29/06/2014 20:48

specialsubject I really have considered going all the way round the roundabout. The thing that stops me is the almost permanent traffic jam on exit 3. I would have to queue in the right lane, wait for traffic on the roundabout to clear, queue on the roundabout to get past exit 3, then rejoin the queue and wait till I can get to exit 2. It would add a good 5-10 minutes to my journey!

OP posts:

Original poster

CrohnicallyExhausted · 29/06/2014 20:51

maidofstars- I have filled out an online form. I hope it goes to someone who can help, I reported it as a 'hazard'.

OP posts:

KeithTheCat · 29/06/2014 21:02

somebody in the roundabout department needs a slap

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