Roundabout Chevrons,
Discussion
There is a roundabout near where I live that tends to get choked up around the evening rush hour.
Now, on the picture;
I come from the orange line, my intention is to go straight over the roundabout following the orange line. The pink line shows where the traffic queues up going all the way round (thanks to the current roadworks necessitating this recip) causing a tailback.
Generally what happens is, traffic on the pink line wishing to turn right at the roundabout, pull out and follow the green line, crossing the chevron area.
I assumed the chevrons were to allow the orange line traffic to flow over the roundabout. Was my assumption wrong? If there was a collision at the intersect of the pink and green lines, would it go 50/50?
Now, on the picture;
I come from the orange line, my intention is to go straight over the roundabout following the orange line. The pink line shows where the traffic queues up going all the way round (thanks to the current roadworks necessitating this recip) causing a tailback.
Generally what happens is, traffic on the pink line wishing to turn right at the roundabout, pull out and follow the green line, crossing the chevron area.
I assumed the chevrons were to allow the orange line traffic to flow over the roundabout. Was my assumption wrong? If there was a collision at the intersect of the pink and green lines, would it go 50/50?
Highway Code:
130. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
So in this case it depends on your definition of "necessary" - I doubt saving time is considered "necessary"
130. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
So in this case it depends on your definition of "necessary" - I doubt saving time is considered "necessary"
Monty Python said:
Highway Code:
130. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
So in this case it depends on your definition of "necessary" - I doubt saving time is considered "necessary"
The highway code says "necessary" but doesn't the law just say "if safe to do so".130. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
So in this case it depends on your definition of "necessary" - I doubt saving time is considered "necessary"
There is a similar roundabout near me, and people kept using the chevrons as a lane and causing tailbacks blocking further back up the road, the council have now put posts up to stop people using the area, makes the traffic flow faster in the long run for all but the people going straight on
Seems a pretty poor layout to me, your lane encourages you to join the roundabout with (in theory) no traffic in that lane.
Generally you will see people crossing chevron markers when pulling into a turning right lane early which is generally acceptable/when its safe to do so of course. In tthat roundabout i think that would be a really dangerous move for people to do in either light or heavy traffic situations - and they should only do that if there is an obstruction in the inner lane.
What confuses me more is the approach from the bottom right going straight on, using the inner lane then crossing to the outside lane so quickly, seems a bit pointless and dangerous giving that people just turning left think that, as in your situation above, should be able to pull out with little ease. (I'm not saying that what drivers do, but it does seems its encouraging it)
Generally you will see people crossing chevron markers when pulling into a turning right lane early which is generally acceptable/when its safe to do so of course. In tthat roundabout i think that would be a really dangerous move for people to do in either light or heavy traffic situations - and they should only do that if there is an obstruction in the inner lane.
What confuses me more is the approach from the bottom right going straight on, using the inner lane then crossing to the outside lane so quickly, seems a bit pointless and dangerous giving that people just turning left think that, as in your situation above, should be able to pull out with little ease. (I'm not saying that what drivers do, but it does seems its encouraging it)
OpulentBob][pedant said:
The arrow on lane 2 of the SW approach is wrong too. Should be straight ahead, as per the SE approach.
But yeah, not illegal to drive through a broken hatch. Whether plod take a dim view or not is up to the individual copper, I reckon. (Dangerous Driving? DWDCA?)
Correct me if im wrong, but there is only a left or right option from the SW approach? you cannot go straight ahead, hence arrow showing right. The SE approach has left or straight over so its correct, no?But yeah, not illegal to drive through a broken hatch. Whether plod take a dim view or not is up to the individual copper, I reckon. (Dangerous Driving? DWDCA?)
andrewrob said:
The highway code says "necessary" but doesn't the law just say "if safe to do so".
The law doesn't say anything - it will depend on the circumstances and whether these contravene any other traffic laws. If you had an accident while using them I suspect your insurance company will take a pretty dim view of it. After all, they don't paint them on the road for fun.callmedave said:
OpulentBob][pedant said:
The arrow on lane 2 of the SW approach is wrong too. Should be straight ahead, as per the SE approach.
But yeah, not illegal to drive through a broken hatch. Whether plod take a dim view or not is up to the individual copper, I reckon. (Dangerous Driving? DWDCA?)
Correct me if im wrong, but there is only a left or right option from the SW approach? you cannot go straight ahead, hence arrow showing right. The SE approach has left or straight over so its correct, no?But yeah, not illegal to drive through a broken hatch. Whether plod take a dim view or not is up to the individual copper, I reckon. (Dangerous Driving? DWDCA?)
OpulentBob said:
Yeah you're wrong (sorry!) - on an approach to a roundabout (unless it's a mini) you can't have a right-hand turn arrow. The thinking is, it'll confuse non-locals, who might turn right on to the roundabout (wrong direction!)... You "should" show either a left turn or straight-ahead arrow, no matter what.
Ah, to stop them entering it anti-clockwise? makes sense! Thanks!if you look at the road markings on the road entering bottom left , the intention is tha traffic taking the second exit should be in the right hand lane at entry and passing the first exit
the chevrons are to keep this traffic into the right hand lane
a lot of people seem to struggle with 3 road roundabouts rather than 4 or or more ...
the chevrons are to keep this traffic into the right hand lane
a lot of people seem to struggle with 3 road roundabouts rather than 4 or or more ...
As another poster has pointed out, going straight ahead from the bottom right seems poorly planned. I would have thought this junction of the roundabout would fare better with the left-turn lane merging straight into one of the lanes, without having to give way.
OpulentBob said:
Yeah you're wrong (sorry!) - on an approach to a roundabout (unless it's a mini) you can't have a right-hand turn arrow. The thinking is, it'll confuse non-locals, who might turn right on to the roundabout (wrong direction!)... You "should" show either a left turn or straight-ahead arrow, no matter what.
That being the case, the majority of roundabouts I've ever driven on have been wrong. Taking this one as a typical example?Edited by boweslion on Thursday 14th February 03:50
boweslion said:
That being the case, the majority of roundabouts I've ever driven on have been wrong. Taking this one as a typical example?
Very true. There are an awful lot of roundabouts wrongly marked. The guidance is clear however.Edited by boweslion on Thursday 14th February 03:50
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