Arrows in the Road
Discussion
Earlier today I exited the A2 up to the sun in the sands roundabout.
My Intention was to go straight across and into the local traffic lane.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...
There are 2 lanes leading up to this roundabout, one has a right arrow the other has a left arrow.
A police car was in the turn right lane, if he was unhappy with me going straight on would he have pulled me?
The only other option would have been to sit in the turn right lane, and circle the roundabout, not quite sure why they decided to put lane arrows on the road there to be honest.
Cheers
My Intention was to go straight across and into the local traffic lane.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...
There are 2 lanes leading up to this roundabout, one has a right arrow the other has a left arrow.
A police car was in the turn right lane, if he was unhappy with me going straight on would he have pulled me?
The only other option would have been to sit in the turn right lane, and circle the roundabout, not quite sure why they decided to put lane arrows on the road there to be honest.
Cheers
Windlepoons said:
Cheers for the replys.
A2 was at a standstill, always is that time of night. I see the slip road leading up to the roundabout was empty so went that way instead.
That sort of explains why there's not a straight on arrow - there's absolutely no need for one there because there's a perfectly good dual carriageway that goes that way. I doubt you would ever get pulled for it (I've done it myself a few times on the M4 near Cardiff when I've been in a real rush) but it's certainly unsporting. A2 was at a standstill, always is that time of night. I see the slip road leading up to the roundabout was empty so went that way instead.
davepoth said:
That sort of explains why there's not a straight on arrow - there's absolutely no need for one there because there's a perfectly good dual carriageway that goes that way. I doubt you would ever get pulled for it (I've done it myself a few times on the M4 near Cardiff when I've been in a real rush) but it's certainly unsporting.
Fun and rather satisfying though 
I really don't see what the issue is here. The arrows are not mandatory - albeit were an accident to result because a driver turned left from the right lane or continued around the roundabout from the left lane, their presence would likely count against that driver.
Perhaps the concern is a product of the continual 'dumbing-down' of signage, the growing uncertainty created by a profusion of traffic (and other) law, and an increasing, fostered, belief that 'the state' should tell you everything you need to know.
Streaky
Perhaps the concern is a product of the continual 'dumbing-down' of signage, the growing uncertainty created by a profusion of traffic (and other) law, and an increasing, fostered, belief that 'the state' should tell you everything you need to know.
Streaky
streaky said:
Perhaps the concern is a product of the continual 'dumbing-down' of signage, the growing uncertainty created by a profusion of traffic (and other) law, and an increasing, fostered, belief that 'the state' should tell you everything you need to know.
Streaky
JJ
Opulent said:
As an aside, the right hand lane should have a straight-ahead arrow. A right-hand arrow indicates that you should turn right at the roundabout, against the flow...!
It might be interpreted that way by the hard of thinking, but that's not what it indicates. The replacement of right-hand arrows with straight ahead arrows is IMO one of the dumbest dumbing downs we're suffering at the moment. The arrows are there to help answer a question: "which lane should I approach in for the exit or direction I want to take?". Straight arrows in all the lanes do nothing to help answer that question.218g said:
Straight arrows in all the lanes do nothing to help answer that question.
Why wouldn't they? If you want to go straight on and not left or right, arrows in both lanes will give those unfamiliar with the area the knowledge that the straight ahead road is a dual carriageway and they can proceed without conflict?JJ
jazzyjeff said:
218g said:
Straight arrows in all the lanes do nothing to help answer that question.
Why wouldn't they? If you want to go straight on and not left or right, arrows in both lanes will give those unfamiliar with the area the knowledge that the straight ahead road is a dual carriageway and they can proceed without conflict?218g said:
Opulent said:
As an aside, the right hand lane should have a straight-ahead arrow. A right-hand arrow indicates that you should turn right at the roundabout, against the flow...!
It might be interpreted that way by the hard of thinking, but that's not what it indicates. The replacement of right-hand arrows with straight ahead arrows is IMO one of the dumbest dumbing downs we're suffering at the moment. The arrows are there to help answer a question: "which lane should I approach in for the exit or direction I want to take?". Straight arrows in all the lanes do nothing to help answer that question.Para 8.31.
A right turn arrow, on the road, indicates a right turn SHOULD be taken at the junction ahead. Once on the circulatory, you can have right turn arrows.
Opulent said:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/traff...
Para 8.31.
A right turn arrow, on the road, indicates a right turn SHOULD be taken at the junction ahead. Once on the circulatory, you can have right turn arrows.
Arrows on the circulatory are no help when you're trying to work out which lane you need to be in before you get to the roundabout. If the standard labelling for approach roads to roundabouts is: lanes which may be used for straight ahead have straight ahead arrows and lanes which are only for turning right also have straight ahead arrows, then by definition, you cannot distinguish lanes which may be used for straight ahead from lanes which are only for turning right by looking at the arrows. Since the only purpose of the arrows is to answer that question, straight ahead in such a system arrows are useless.Para 8.31.
A right turn arrow, on the road, indicates a right turn SHOULD be taken at the junction ahead. Once on the circulatory, you can have right turn arrows.
If the powers that be have decided that the risk of people responding to a right arrow by turning right at the roundabout entrance and going against the flow outweighs the benefits of being able to identify in advance which lanes are intended only for turning right, then so be it. But in that case, save the paint and save the money - don't bother to put useless straight ahead arrows everywhere.
218g said:
Opulent said:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/traff...
Para 8.31.
A right turn arrow, on the road, indicates a right turn SHOULD be taken at the junction ahead. Once on the circulatory, you can have right turn arrows.
Arrows on the circulatory are no help when you're trying to work out which lane you need to be in before you get to the roundabout. If the standard labelling for approach roads to roundabouts is: lanes which may be used for straight ahead have straight ahead arrows and lanes which are only for turning right also have straight ahead arrows, then by definition, you cannot distinguish lanes which may be used for straight ahead from lanes which are only for turning right by looking at the arrows. Since the only purpose of the arrows is to answer that question, straight ahead in such a system arrows are useless.Para 8.31.
A right turn arrow, on the road, indicates a right turn SHOULD be taken at the junction ahead. Once on the circulatory, you can have right turn arrows.
If the powers that be have decided that the risk of people responding to a right arrow by turning right at the roundabout entrance and going against the flow outweighs the benefits of being able to identify in advance which lanes are intended only for turning right, then so be it. But in that case, save the paint and save the money - don't bother to put useless straight ahead arrows everywhere.
Also, you have to apply some common sense. If there are 3 lanes on approach to a roundabout with 3 exits, and the middle and right hand lanes are arrowed straight ahead, then you'd be pretty daft to sit in the right hand lane and expect it to be the lane for straight ahead. Again, that link mentions left-hookers on our unfamiliar (to them) roads, so if a bit of paint saves their confusion then that's a potential accident saved. And if you live somewhere where you get a lot of continentals (near a port etc), then you become grateful for them - Belgian truckers taking the wrong turn can cause big problems!
And paint costs next to nothing compared to pretty much anything else on the roads! (as long as they spell/set out things correctly...
)Opulent said:
so if a bit of paint saves their confusion then that's a potential accident saved. And if you live somewhere where you get a lot of continentals (near a port etc), then you become grateful for them - Belgian truckers taking the wrong turn can cause big problems!
And paint costs next to nothing compared to pretty much anything else on the roads! (as long as they spell/set out things correctly... )
And paint costs next to nothing compared to pretty much anything else on the roads! (as long as they spell/set out things correctly...
)
yes if it saves confusion
more often it seems to add to confusion - if there are two lanes the other side why not take the middle and rightlane marked straight on?
I dont know how much paint you use there but over here there is so much red and white paint on the road that needs continuously renewing it every year.
If its raining theyve chosen the type of paint that becomes invisible anyway
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