Advice required on roundabout lane selection

[Professor Barney]

Hi folks, I use this roundabout every day on the way home after work:



The road leading to it is 2-lane, the roundabout itself is 2-lanes all the way round and the exit is single-lane. There are no carriageway markings and the road signs only show the layout not the lanes to be used.

I've always used the left-hand lane, but others use the right-hand lane and then cut across to the exit, just wondering if there's a 'correct' lane for this?

[eybic]

I'd go right hand lane, surely the left hand lane cant be right for a 4th exit?

[Mammasaid]

eybic said:

I'd go right hand lane, surely the left hand lane cant be right for a 3rd exit?

Agreed, RH lane indicating right, after 3rd exit, indicate left, and move (carefully) from RH lane to left to take exit.

Don't forget to check for vehicles in LH lane in your blindspot.

[Johnnytheboy]

Right, unless road markings on the lead-up to the roundabout indicate otherwise.

[LordGrover]

Yep, I'm with those above.

[Johnnytheboy]

Right on the sign too.

The only thing that would make me change my tune would be if the OP said >50% of the traffic from his direction exited via the last turning ("Girdle Toll S.").

[IcedKiwi]

Johnnytheboy said:

Right on the sign too.

Yup, after 12 on the sign therefore my initial plan would be to use the right lane

[Professor Barney]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I decided to give the right-hand lane a go last night and had to give way to a white van that had taken the left-hand lane then went faster than me around the roundabout blocking the exit.

I think the number of users taking each route is about 50:50 so I'll keep trying the right-hand lane for a while unless there are a significant number of difficulties like yesterday.

[eybic]

Professor Barney said:

I decided to give the right-hand lane a go last night and had to give way to a white van that had taken the left-hand lane then went faster than me around the roundabout blocking the exit.

I think the number of users taking each route is about 50:50 so I'll keep trying the right-hand lane for a while unless there are a significant number of difficulties like yesterday.

He's in the wrong though, just because he's doing it, doesn't mean you should.

[Pica-Pica]

Mammasaid said:

eybic said:

I'd go right hand lane, surely the left hand lane cant be right for a 3rd exit?

Agreed, RH lane indicating right, after 3rd exit, indicate left, and move (carefully) from RH lane to left to take exit.

Don't forget to check for vehicles in LH lane in your blindspot.

^^this. However, the flow of traffic may dictate otherwise. For instance, at your next to last exit, you may get someone enter, stay left and go around, which may block your chance to pull over to the left to take your exit.

[2gins]

For me its right, move left after Manson rd.

[Kuji]

If in doubt on a road I have never travelled before, I will always use the Right lane if my exit is greater than 180 degrees around the RAB from my entry.

But,I always try and be in the outside lane before the required turning, unless the road markings themselves prohibit it, or direct traffic that direction anyway.

[bobble293]

Professor Barney said:

Hi folks, I use this roundabout every day on the way home after work:



The road leading to it is 2-lane, the roundabout itself is 2-lanes all the way round and the exit is single-lane. There are no carriageway markings and the road signs only show the layout not the lanes to be used.

I've always used the left-hand lane, but others use the right-hand lane and then cut across to the exit, just wondering if there's a 'correct' lane for this?

That's quite topical for me, having been recently involved in a minor contretemps with an ST220 driver in Market Harborough, on a similar roundabout (but with lane markings on the carriageway...)

I was approaching a roundabout where the left hand lane was backed up to the roundabout, the right hand lane, marked with arrows for "straight on and right turn" I was going straight on, (actually about 20 degrees beyond straight on, in reality) so proceeded, in the right hand lane, onto the roundabout, indicating at the appropriate time to peel off on my exit. I was, it transpired, just a few yards ahead of a maroon ST220 which was in my blind spot when I checked my mirror before indicating. I ought to have shoulder checked, but didn't... He hooted, indignant at my having cut him up, as he saw it. The exit off that roundabout was single lane, no "funnel" or zip merge markings...

Oddly, we were both heading to the same place, and upon arrival, I asked how he thought it had happened. He thought he had been in the correct lane, I thought I'd been in the correct lane. We parted reasonably amicably, though. A search on Google street view showed that BOTH lanes on entry to the roundabout were marked with "straight on" arrows, which seemed odd, given that the exit from the roundabout was a single lane.

I brooded for a while, then contacted Leicestershire's Highways Authority, pointing out the potential danger in marking two lanes of an entry to a roundabout for straight on, despite the exit most reasonably interpreted as being "straight on" having only one lane, no zip merge arrow... The answer took me by surprise...

It would appear that, while both lanes are marked "straight on", the left hand "straight on" lane is intended to be used for people exiting at about 120 degrees, the right hand "straight on" is for those using the 200 degree exit! I, apparently am the only person to have questioned these markings, and the accident stats (they say) show it to be a safe junction... My arse! Their interpretation of their markings, though, meant I'd chosen the correct lane, the Maroon ST220 was in the wrong lane. How could he possibly have known, given the layout?

There's a large roundabout in Northants, too, for which I've viewed the satellite image (there are no lane markings on the entry) It's a lot like "your" roundabout. I've always used the left hand lane for my journey, knowing from the satellite view that my exit is exactly 180 degrees from my entry, so it's straight on, in other words... The number of times I've been hooted at by people who've chosen the right hand lane, but are alongside me when they arrive at our chosen exit...
The point is, lane markings can be confusing, not everyone follows the Highway Code's guidance on roundabout procedures, and even when you do, there'll be someone who's misjudged the situation, and blames you...

Left hand lane for turn left or straight on, right hand lane for turning right unless signs or markings state otherwise... And road marking can be done stupidly in Leicestershire and Northants... I think your left hand lane choice is perfectly correct, though.

[LordGrover]

Different scenario, and I guess both routes are okay, but anyone taking the yellow route catches people out. I don't quite get why anyone would choose to negotiate two roundabouts, rather than the more direct single red route.

[eybic]

LordGrover said:

Different scenario, and I guess both routes are okay, but anyone taking the yellow route catches people out. I don't quite get why anyone would choose to negotiate two roundabouts, rather than the more direct single red route.

How strange, as you say, do 1 roundabout not 2