To ask what lane you would use

[Soph88]

There is a roundabout by me that I use regularly. I have asked friends and family and can't get a general consensus on what lane is the correct one to use when exiting from one particular exit to go towards where I live.

Diagram attached. There is signage but I'm not sure whether that applies only to Road A1 and so then normal roundabout rule apply to the rest of the exits or for the whole roundabout. If it applies for the whole roundabout it means that there is only one lane for 4 exits.

Hopefully the diagram explains better than I have. So exiting from the exit with the arrows going to the second exit (shades blue)

The one signed A1 East I think?

Can you do a Google maps screenshot?

Are those arrows on the road??

If so then I take it that the lefty and lane is for first exit only. Then right side lane is second and subsequent exits

If there is actually a painted left directing arrow on that first lane then I would use the second / right hand lane to use the second exit.

Lane 1 is left turn only, so all other exits will be from lane 2 including exit 2, hence the straight on arrow. With multiple exits, it's probably too complex for the arrow to show exits 3 & 4 too, but they would be lane 2 by default anyway.

*lefthand

So yes lane 2!

A1(E) - there's no other option really. if you use the LH lane and then don't turn left, you're bound to cause accidents.

I am guessing the A1(W) has a lot of traffic so the road planners decided to give it its own dedicated lane, leaving the remaining exits to use the second lane.

That said, it would probably benefit from very clear/extra/advance signage, on the road and as overhead or roadside signs, as it does deviate from the normal of roundabout lane etiquette.

You're going straight over so you use the second lane. The first is left turn only.

Lane 2

Youre going straight ahead?

How can it not be the lane with the straight ahead arrow on it?

This is from the google maps.
Yes the arrows are on the road, but it gets quite busy on that particular stretch so some people don't see them till they are almost at the exit and then it's very difficult to switch.

A1 (E) is quite busy and this road is actually being completely redesigned and a new road built cause it's so bad!!

Lane 2

But presumably the sign isn't so close to the exits?

Second exit is straight on, so lane 2 as lane 1 is left only.

We have a roundabout like this near us. Left hand lane for going left and right hand for straight across is what’s signposted (and written on the road at intervals). I had a man in the left hand lane going straight on take out my car, as I approached from a1e on the roundabout to take the equivalent of the overtaking lane of the A1w on your diagram. (I was no fault) the way it should work is left hand turning lane and people approaching from other roads further round can both safely pull onto the dual carriageway limiting the queue that builds up for the left hand lane. I don’t know if I’ve described that well. However it seems a lot of people ignore the signs and logic as there is a lot of accidents similar to mine.

The sign is quite close the the exit there is another roundabout before this bit of road it's not very long, maybe quarter of a mile max and the sign only states A1 (E) A1 (W). The second exit goes towards town and is really only local traffic. Where as the A1 is a main road and bust both e and w

You follow the road markings. We have a notorious roundabout where the road is marked for right hand lane to take exits 4 and 5 and left hand lane for 1, 2 and 3. Been cut up many times by drivers using right hand lane to take exit 3. Add a zebra crossing before you enter the roundabout and a traffic light controlled crossing just after start of exit 3 and it is a nightmare.

Right hand lane. Not that confusing really, the markings seem pretty clear.

2

So lane 2 then. When discussed I could never establish is the signage was only applicable to the A1 as that is all it mentions and then normal rules apply. To be honest a the only exit that is a problem is the second one.
Screenshot from google earth attached to show how close the sign is to the exit. It's ridiculous and holds up the traffic with people trying to switch late on.

On civilised roads it's easy enough, but places like (e.g.) Hangar Lane, it's like the Wild West and you have to just GO!

You could put in a suggestion to highways England that they put the sign earlier on?

I hate lane markings painted on roads. Often you don't see them until it is too late. When the road is busy or it is dark, or the road is wet and the sun is low they are hard to see. IMO all lane signage should be on road signs that can be clearly seen.

In answer to the original question the left hand lane is for left turn only and the right hand lane is for all other exits.

I hate roundabouts that have their own non standard approaches

I'd use the left lane on principle, traffic allowing. The "correct" is the one in your pic with the straight ahead arrow