dual carrageway round abouts
Discussion
When I was learning to drive ? years ago the rule was simple regarding entry and exit lanes for roundabouts - if you enter in the right hand lane you do not turn left,you can only go straight across or right.As this lane abuse is now a common habit for the queue jumpers I wonder what is the position on a dual carraigeway surely this rule must still apply?
If so could the BiB tell me what would be the case if i enter in the left lane going straight across and hit a car that enters in the tight-hand lane and turns left into me.
Factual answers only please, not rambling from arrogant drivers that practice this unsociable and dangerous habit
If so could the BiB tell me what would be the case if i enter in the left lane going straight across and hit a car that enters in the tight-hand lane and turns left into me.
Factual answers only please, not rambling from arrogant drivers that practice this unsociable and dangerous habit
granted im not BIB but there are so many variables here its very difficult to produce a definitive answer. i assume the junction you describe is 2 lanes north/south and 1 lane east west and that you are 'south' and heading 'west'. therefore, for another driver to hit the right hand side of your car, he must have cut across into your lane and hes at fault (in an ideal and clean cut world). however, the driver could say that he was coming from the other (north) side of the roundabout and you hit him by pulling out. in such a case, without witnesses it would be hard to prove otherwise. also, the damage to the cars would be, if it went to court, significant. if he hits the rear qtr panel it might be seen as his fault as you are almost a full car length into a grey area. likewise vice versa is true. also, if it goes to court, all kinds of other stupid variables such as locational familiarity, time driving, job etc come into play. the trouble is the aim of the court is not to decide who was at fault but who was MORE LIKELY to be at fault. this is decided by weighing up the evidence and, without concrete witnesses, passing a judgement. if your case is not as strong, it will go against you, even if you were the one 'hit'. i would suggest if hes ahead of you and going for your corner, chalk it up to experience or curse under your breath or just dont let it bother you. if however you are ahead of him as you enter the turnoff, i would think youre in the clear if he hits you to teach you a lesson or whatever. or, probably the best answer is to go in the right hand lane as he does and do a full lap of the rounabout before exiting at the correct turnoff legally and safely.
Using the right lane to gain advantage is common practice on my local dual carriageway when the left lane tails back several hundred meters from the roundabout at the end, where the left turn (there is no straight-ahead) is onto a single carriageway bit of the same road.
The only safe way to do it, as I do, is to indicate right, go around the roundabout and enter the single carriageway, performing a 'proper' exit and left signal off the roundabout and no-one can complain. Except the numpties who see me do it and pull out just to spite me as I come off the roundabout....
I'm no BiB, but unless the road markings indicate otherwise, turning left off the right hand lane into traffic proceeding straight ahead has got to be illegal, surely.
The only safe way to do it, as I do, is to indicate right, go around the roundabout and enter the single carriageway, performing a 'proper' exit and left signal off the roundabout and no-one can complain. Except the numpties who see me do it and pull out just to spite me as I come off the roundabout....
I'm no BiB, but unless the road markings indicate otherwise, turning left off the right hand lane into traffic proceeding straight ahead has got to be illegal, surely.
scrutineer said:
When I was learning to drive ? years ago the rule was simple regarding entry and exit lanes for roundabouts - if you enter in the right hand lane you do not turn left,you can only go straight across or right.As this lane abuse is now a common habit for the queue jumpers I wonder what is the position on a dual carraigeway surely this rule must still apply?
The highway code is clear about using either lane to go straight on.
www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.shtml#160
(Shame that the diagram and the text disagree about right turn signals)
If you drive staggered, never overtake on the left and keep your wits about you, you'll never have a problem despite the potential west turning conflict between left lane vehicles going south to north and right lane vehicles going north to west.
Conflicts usually arise when left lane overtaking is taking place. If right lane traffic slows, you slow too until you know eactly what's going on.
This is one of those places where other people simply don't get the chance to run into you if you're ready for them.
Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk
A more "confusing" area of roundabouts is typified by on eon the A339(T) near Kingsclere in the Newbury direction.
The A339 intersects with two minor roads, the one to the right being the lesser of the two. The road curves left into the roundabout and two lanes are signed on the road at the approach (but no arrows are painted). However, the road is single carriageway at that point. The A339 kinks right at the roundabout because of the left turn on the approach. The "natural" lane for going straight on is the right-hand lane, with the left-hand lane taking the left turn. This is supported by the sign-board which shows the "kink" very clearly.
However, the vast majority of cars (for obvious reasons, HGVs need most to be positioned in the LH lane at this roundabout) use the LH lane and I've (almost) come to terms with it. It must be said that, because of the roundabout design, the straight-on route is most easily negotiated from the LH lane.
This appears to be one example of poor road design. There is no clear reason for two lanes, there is no advantage to traffic in being in the RH lane (even if taking the minor road to the right).
Streaky
The A339 intersects with two minor roads, the one to the right being the lesser of the two. The road curves left into the roundabout and two lanes are signed on the road at the approach (but no arrows are painted). However, the road is single carriageway at that point. The A339 kinks right at the roundabout because of the left turn on the approach. The "natural" lane for going straight on is the right-hand lane, with the left-hand lane taking the left turn. This is supported by the sign-board which shows the "kink" very clearly.
However, the vast majority of cars (for obvious reasons, HGVs need most to be positioned in the LH lane at this roundabout) use the LH lane and I've (almost) come to terms with it. It must be said that, because of the roundabout design, the straight-on route is most easily negotiated from the LH lane.
This appears to be one example of poor road design. There is no clear reason for two lanes, there is no advantage to traffic in being in the RH lane (even if taking the minor road to the right).
Streaky
streaky said:
A more "confusing" area of roundabouts is typified by on eon the A339(T) near Kingsclere in the Newbury direction.
The A339 intersects with two minor roads, the one to the right being the lesser of the two. The road curves left into the roundabout and two lanes are signed on the road at the approach (but no arrows are painted). However, the road is single carriageway at that point. The A339 kinks right at the roundabout because of the left turn on the approach. The "natural" lane for going straight on is the right-hand lane, with the left-hand lane taking the left turn. This is supported by the sign-board which shows the "kink" very clearly.
However, the vast majority of cars (for obvious reasons, HGVs need most to be positioned in the LH lane at this roundabout) use the LH lane and I've (almost) come to terms with it. It must be said that, because of the roundabout design, the straight-on route is most easily negotiated from the LH lane.
This appears to be one example of poor road design. There is no clear reason for two lanes, there is no advantage to traffic in being in the RH lane (even if taking the minor road to the right).
Streaky
I think I know this roundabout. I go over it regularly. My technique is...
First slow down a bit on the approach and then use the acceleration of the car to open up a gap behind me. Then, straddling the white line, block both lanes onto the roundabout so I am not overtaken on either the left or right...and enter the roundabout and go straight over it.
Done properly it doesn't wee anyone off because I've opened up a gap so other road users don't need to slow down or speed up or avoid me in any way and my road positioning creates a "defense" against the impatient trying a dengerous manouver near me.
This technique is only good on that roundabout as it has two lanes entering it and one lane exiting it. In the case where you have two lanes exiting the roundabout then the Highway Code is pretty clear on which lanes you are allowed to use...
I should point out that the contact has not actually happened but following several very near misses from "drivers" deliberately in the wrong lane I was just wondering...
The exact scenario is leaving our village on a single road ,it changes to two lanes for a few metres going into the roundabout.My road runs west - east and the dual carraigeway runs north-south the frequent happening is for a car to come out from the village drive up the right hand lane then as they pull onto the roundabout they pull round to the left and go up the dual carraigeway!therefore entering on the right and turning left.This is purely to jump the queue in the left lane.But as I can legally go straight across from the left lane,I do and sooner or later the obvious will happen so just wondered if my intention of accusing dangerous driving to BiB will stick
The exact scenario is leaving our village on a single road ,it changes to two lanes for a few metres going into the roundabout.My road runs west - east and the dual carraigeway runs north-south the frequent happening is for a car to come out from the village drive up the right hand lane then as they pull onto the roundabout they pull round to the left and go up the dual carraigeway!therefore entering on the right and turning left.This is purely to jump the queue in the left lane.But as I can legally go straight across from the left lane,I do and sooner or later the obvious will happen so just wondered if my intention of accusing dangerous driving to BiB will stick
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