Roundabout layout question
Discussion
Ok chaps,
I grew up less than half a mile from this roundabout, and nobody ever seems how to use it. There are no lanes marked on it, which is immediately ambiguous, but common sense should apply. There are two lanes marked on most of the roundabout entrances.
If I want to go from the entrance at the bottom of the image where I've placed a red arrow, to the exit at the top (Havannah Road), instinctively I use the RH "lane" of the roundabout until I am past the Parsons Road exit, then indicate left and exit on Havannah Road. Would PHers do the same?
I find a lot of people take the LH lane and cling to the outside of the roundabout. Never had any close calls here myself, just wondering what the "correct" route is from the perspective of an advanced driver. Cheers
I grew up less than half a mile from this roundabout, and nobody ever seems how to use it. There are no lanes marked on it, which is immediately ambiguous, but common sense should apply. There are two lanes marked on most of the roundabout entrances.
If I want to go from the entrance at the bottom of the image where I've placed a red arrow, to the exit at the top (Havannah Road), instinctively I use the RH "lane" of the roundabout until I am past the Parsons Road exit, then indicate left and exit on Havannah Road. Would PHers do the same?
I find a lot of people take the LH lane and cling to the outside of the roundabout. Never had any close calls here myself, just wondering what the "correct" route is from the perspective of an advanced driver. Cheers
You need to look at the roundabout sign. This shows newcomers where the exits are. They key thing to note is if it's before at or after 12 o clock.
The road sign is the guide, someone who has never visited it before can't be expected to know the physical layout so this is what the road planners intended.
The road sign is the guide, someone who has never visited it before can't be expected to know the physical layout so this is what the road planners intended.
My view:
Use of either lane is acceptable for that exit (which is near-enough 'straight on') but clearly care is needed at/prior to the merge that seems to be necessary at the exit. The OP seems to be managing this well.
The 'before or after 12 o'clock' mantra is merely a rough guide, not a rule.
Use of either lane is acceptable for that exit (which is near-enough 'straight on') but clearly care is needed at/prior to the merge that seems to be necessary at the exit. The OP seems to be managing this well.
The 'before or after 12 o'clock' mantra is merely a rough guide, not a rule.
Cliftonite said:
My view:
Use of either lane is acceptable for that exit (which is near-enough 'straight on') but clearly care is needed at/prior to the merge that seems to be necessary at the exit. The OP seems to be managing this well.
The 'before or after 12 o'clock' mantra is merely a rough guide, not a rule.
Oh I agree, interestingly the next entrance along as it at 1230. And both entrances are a long way from the exit so people will be approaching the exit from both lanes anyway. And then there's just people turning right from 3 o clock or whatever.Use of either lane is acceptable for that exit (which is near-enough 'straight on') but clearly care is needed at/prior to the merge that seems to be necessary at the exit. The OP seems to be managing this well.
The 'before or after 12 o'clock' mantra is merely a rough guide, not a rule.
But if you want to know what to do at a roundabout you've never been to, and what to expect others to do (in general) then the signs he guide.
I'm a bit late to the discussion, but I know this junction very well.
The roundabout looks huge from above, but, in reality, it's quite compact. When going from B&Q, at
the bottom of the picture, to Havannah Road, I use the left lane. I'm not sure that I've ever seen
anyone use the right-hand lane to execute this manoeuvre, but I'm always wary about other drivers
in adjacent lanes.
StressedDave used to post on this forum, and he frequently mentioned that you should never go
around a roundabout alongside someone else - ahead or behind, but never alongside.
Here's a link to an old thread:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=27...
The roundabout looks huge from above, but, in reality, it's quite compact. When going from B&Q, at
the bottom of the picture, to Havannah Road, I use the left lane. I'm not sure that I've ever seen
anyone use the right-hand lane to execute this manoeuvre, but I'm always wary about other drivers
in adjacent lanes.
StressedDave used to post on this forum, and he frequently mentioned that you should never go
around a roundabout alongside someone else - ahead or behind, but never alongside.
Here's a link to an old thread:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=27...
A timely thread, as I was going to post in this forum to see what the collective opinion is
For a roundabout where "straight ahead" is genuinely at or near the 12 o'clock position and there are two lanes entering the roundabout, is it EVER acceptable to use the right-hand lane when there is no other traffic around?
I made the schoolboy error of assuming that a car in front was turning right, as it was approaching and entering the roundabout in the right-hand lane. I used the left lane and although I never got alongside the other car, it was pretty close when the driver exited the roundabout.
For reference, in the Google Maps image below, we were both approaching the roundabout from the road on the right, going straight over to the road exiting on the left - I was doing exactly what the coach is doing.
For a roundabout where "straight ahead" is genuinely at or near the 12 o'clock position and there are two lanes entering the roundabout, is it EVER acceptable to use the right-hand lane when there is no other traffic around?
I made the schoolboy error of assuming that a car in front was turning right, as it was approaching and entering the roundabout in the right-hand lane. I used the left lane and although I never got alongside the other car, it was pretty close when the driver exited the roundabout.
For reference, in the Google Maps image below, we were both approaching the roundabout from the road on the right, going straight over to the road exiting on the left - I was doing exactly what the coach is doing.
Straight ahead has a thicker line, so it is indeed straight ahead. Slightly leftwards would indicate left lane, it being straight ahead suggests left lane (generally, choose the leftmost lane that serves destination).
The counterpoint is that the left exit serves (two!) motorways, whereas the right hand exit serves a simple A road. In heavy traffic, you might expect more people heading left, so right hand lane to reduce the queue might be prudent.
Of course, if nobody is around, straightlining is acceptable
The counterpoint is that the left exit serves (two!) motorways, whereas the right hand exit serves a simple A road. In heavy traffic, you might expect more people heading left, so right hand lane to reduce the queue might be prudent.
Nigel_O said:
A timely thread, as I was going to post in this forum to see what the collective opinion is
For reference, in the Google Maps image below, we were both approaching the roundabout from the road on the right, going straight over to the road exiting on the left - I was doing exactly what the coach is doing.
Two entrance lanes, one exit lane. Left turn is unclassified (and a thin line on signage), right turn is thicker on signage. That would strongly suggest left for left&straight, right for right.For reference, in the Google Maps image below, we were both approaching the roundabout from the road on the right, going straight over to the road exiting on the left - I was doing exactly what the coach is doing.
Of course, if nobody is around, straightlining is acceptable
Edited by Solocle on Tuesday 27th August 14:36
Don't worry, but stay alert.
As I mentioned a while ago on a similar thread. If you live around Oxford, it seems quite normal for people to enter a roundabout from the leftmost lane and stay on the outside all the way around to a right turn exit. And they don't seem to care about allowing space for any other road user.
As I mentioned a while ago on a similar thread. If you live around Oxford, it seems quite normal for people to enter a roundabout from the leftmost lane and stay on the outside all the way around to a right turn exit. And they don't seem to care about allowing space for any other road user.
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