Going straight from the right-turn lane at the lights

[montecristo]

Yesterday a black cab pulled up to the red lights in the right-turn lane, where he was the first car, and when they went green, drove straight ahead. He did it to bypass everyone in the go-straight-ahead lane.

Is this illegal / under what rule? Forget whether it's safe, let's assume you can either pull ahead of the first driver in the straight-ahead lane, or you can indicate left and slot into the straight-ahead lane, still in front of where you'd have been otherwise.

I've seen it happen often, and done it myself, by accident, which doesn't change the legality, but in this case it was done deliberately so I wonder if he knows something I don't.

[deltashad]

Normal practise in Romania, actually pretty much anything goes when it concerns lane discipline.
Nothing shocks me anymore.

Don't taxis have the right to do whatever they please anyway?

[Rovinghawk]

A fairly senior trafpol giving a talk to the local IAM group stated that white paint marks such as turn arrows/lane indications are advisory rather than mandatory.

Knowing him as I do, I'd say he knows his stuff.

[SilverSixer]

Depends on whether the arrows on the road are accompanied by the words "TURN RIGHT". If so, he's broken the Highway Code. If not, they're not compulsory although should be followed. You MUST turn right where there are the words "TURN RIGHT", you should turn right where there are none.

See:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...

[montecristo]

SilverSixer said:

Depends on whether the arrows on the road are accompanied by the words "TURN RIGHT". If so, he's broken the Highway Code. If not, they're not compulsory although should be followed. You MUST turn right where there are the words "TURN RIGHT", you should turn right where there are none.

See:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...

Good link. No, there was no writing.

[10 Pence Short]

s3 Inconsiderate driving would be a catch all in the absence of traffic sign offence, I would have thought.

[Red Devil]

If the traffic light controlled junction was like this one then it's definitely an offence - failure to comply with a road traffic sign (blue direction arrow). The lights have a green -> arrow as well.

I did the same manoeuvre to get ahead of a line of cars stuck behind a combine harvester. Got pulled 3 miles up the road. Explained why I did it (raging toothache and on my way to the dentist). Copper could see I was in pain and was kind enough to let me off with a b********g.

[montecristo]

It was here:

https://www.google.com/maps?q=London+Bridge&ll...

[Red Devil]

Different from the one I linked to. Road markings only, so naughty and potentially dangerous due to the pinch point on the other side of the junction.
I know it very well. I used to work a short distance away in Southwark Street. Saw people doing it daily when I used to walk to/from Waterloo station.

So, as below but likely to go against you re liability if you have a prang.

Rovinghawk said:

A fairly senior trafpol giving a talk to the local IAM group stated that white paint marks such as turn arrows/lane indications are advisory rather than mandatory.

Knowing him as I do, I'd say he knows his stuff.

[Shaoxter]

Well you learn something new every day. Thanks for the advice information, will put it to good use next time there's a right turn lane free with no blue signs

[7db]

10 Pence Short said:

s3 Inconsiderate driving would be a catch all in the absence of traffic sign offence, I would have thought.

This.

CPS website:-
The following examples are typical of actions likely to be regarded as inconsiderate driving:
...
misuse of any lane (including cycling lanes) to avoid queuing or gain some other advantage over other drivers;

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_of...

[lewisf182]

This happens most days at the junction of Barnsley road in Sheffield (outside the NGH hospital). Long line waiting to go ahead, a car will come down the outside lane intending to go right, then speeds off straight ahead as soon as it goes green, utter wkers who think their time is more precious than everybody elses off. Dare I say it they're usually if not always from a certain background.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

7db said:

10 Pence Short said:

s3 Inconsiderate driving would be a catch all in the absence of traffic sign offence, I would have thought.

This.

CPS website:-
The following examples are typical of actions likely to be regarded as inconsiderate driving:
...
misuse of any lane (including cycling lanes) to avoid queuing or gain some other advantage over other drivers;

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_of...

Yes, but:

CPS Website said:

The offence of driving without reasonable consideration under section 3 of the RTA 1988 is committed only when other persons are inconvenienced by the manner of the defendants driving

No harm, no foul?

[10 Pence Short]

Having to react to allow them in or queue behind a vehicle that shouldn't be in front of of me is inconveniencing.

Back in the real world it's not the sort of thing I'd really want Plod wasting their time on.

[SilverSixer]

lewisf182 said:

Dare I say it they're usually if not always from a certain background.

It's the Welsh, isn't it?

[Moonhawk]

SilverSixer said:

Depends on whether the arrows on the road are accompanied by the words "TURN RIGHT". If so, he's broken the Highway Code. If not, they're not compulsory although should be followed. You MUST turn right where there are the words "TURN RIGHT", you should turn right where there are none.

See:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_...

I usually consider myself quite up to date on the highway code - but I have learnt something today. I always assumed road markings were compulsory.

I failed my first driving test by going straight on from a lane with a right turn arrow (but no wordage). I did so because there was a coach parked in the left lane virtually right up to the junction. There was perhaps a single car length and I didn't think I could get into the gap so stayed in the right lane - the examiner disagreed and failed me. I feel even more aggrieved now I know this than I did back then.

I do see people ignore road markings all the time though - even where wordage is given. Some of the most blatant examples are when i'm going into Harlow off the A414. You shouldn't turn right from the left lane at a roundabout anyway.......doubly so if you are explicitly instructed not to - yet the number of cars doing it on this roundabout is staggering. Plod should put somebody on that junction - they'd make a killing issuing tickets.

http://goo.gl/maps/lti0m

Edited by Moonhawk on Wednesday 26th March 15:01

[defblade]

SilverSixer said:

lewisf182 said:

Dare I say it they're usually if not always from a certain background.

It's the Welsh, isn't it?

Nah, bikers.

It looks like we're in the right hand turn lane, actually we're just filtering past the straight on queue

[lewisf182]

SilverSixer said:

It's the Welsh, isn't it?

They could well be!

[Fort Jefferson]

deltashad said:

Don't taxis have the right to do whatever they please anyway?

No, you're thinking of motorbikes.

[andygo]

There's a two lane queue for a set of lights near me. The right hand lane is marked with arrows that are nearly completely worn out but still showing dual use - straight on or right turn.

On that basis the people who insist on queuing in lane 1 should be congratulated on their considerate driving as I often breeze past in lane 2, timing my approach to coincide with the lights going from red to green as I get to the white line if I can to avoid actually stopping.

I'm out of their life before they know it...