Is Keep Left Not A Thing Now

[N111BJG]

When exiting Leigh Delamere services yesterday I was wrong footed by the road markings, it took me a moment to realise that I was being directed to keep right instead of left.

The KIA driver slightly ahead of me ignored the markings and kept left anyway, I wonder who would be judged to be in the wrong if he had encountered & collided with a vehicle where the driver had done as directed.

|https://thumbsnap.com/GCih5hPg[/url]

[HTP99]

Wow, that looks confusing!

[FiF]

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo.

It is indeed crazy.

Still when did folks take notice of car park road markings. There's one lane in the local Sainsburys where signs and markings clearly indicate it's one way. "Arrows? Mate, didn't see the Indians either." Everyone thinks they're a comedian.

[Pica-Pica]

None of it matters - I’ve yet to see the majority of drivers following the arrow directions in and around car parks anyway.

[N111BJG]

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

[FiF]

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

[PhilAsia]

FiF said:

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

99% of any road in the Philippines...

[Missy Charm]

FiF said:

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

There's a freakish arrangement somewhat similar on the old A12 dual carriageway outside Ipswich. Getting to a particular side road requires turning right from the Ipswich bound carriageway and crossing the Colchester bound track. It is also possible to turn right onto the Ipswich bound carriageway from the same side road, crossing the Colchester bound track on the way. Each right turn has its own marked refuge in the central reservation, but for some reason they are the wrong way round thus requiring two cars, when passing each other in the reservation area, to do so offside to offside. It is a de facto order to drive on the right hand side of the road, albeit for about 10 yards. Drivers do get caught out by it.

[SteveStrange]

Missy Charm said:

FiF said:

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

There's a freakish arrangement somewhat similar on the old A12 dual carriageway outside Ipswich. Getting to a particular side road requires turning right from the Ipswich bound carriageway and crossing the Colchester bound track. It is also possible to turn right onto the Ipswich bound carriageway from the same side road, crossing the Colchester bound track on the way. Each right turn has its own marked refuge in the central reservation, but for some reason they are the wrong way round thus requiring two cars, when passing each other in the reservation area, to do so offside to offside. It is a de facto order to drive on the right hand side of the road, albeit for about 10 yards. Drivers do get caught out by it.

Got a google maps link? Do you mean the old Copdock road? Not the A12 itself - all the gaps have been closed for years now.

[Zarco]

EmailAddress said:

Because carparks are universally terribly designed, dangerous and a waste of space.

Even the best ones fail to account for bad light, inclement weather, standing water, and wear & tear.

Add in a world of distractions and they are invariably an utter stshow.

A local favourite of mine is Reading Station car park. If you want to leave and follow the signs it will keep sending you right (and then up and down, and round and round), when you actually need to go straight to get out.

[Missy Charm]

SteveStrange said:

Missy Charm said:

FiF said:

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

There's a freakish arrangement somewhat similar on the old A12 dual carriageway outside Ipswich. Getting to a particular side road requires turning right from the Ipswich bound carriageway and crossing the Colchester bound track. It is also possible to turn right onto the Ipswich bound carriageway from the same side road, crossing the Colchester bound track on the way. Each right turn has its own marked refuge in the central reservation, but for some reason they are the wrong way round thus requiring two cars, when passing each other in the reservation area, to do so offside to offside. It is a de facto order to drive on the right hand side of the road, albeit for about 10 yards. Drivers do get caught out by it.

Got a google maps link? Do you mean the old Copdock road? Not the A12 itself - all the gaps have been closed for years now.

Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0314743,1.083006,3...

Should show the order to drive on the right. It's a very strange junction, whichever way you approach it!

[Granadier]

Missy Charm said:

SteveStrange said:

Missy Charm said:

FiF said:

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

There's a freakish arrangement somewhat similar on the old A12 dual carriageway outside Ipswich. Getting to a particular side road requires turning right from the Ipswich bound carriageway and crossing the Colchester bound track. It is also possible to turn right onto the Ipswich bound carriageway from the same side road, crossing the Colchester bound track on the way. Each right turn has its own marked refuge in the central reservation, but for some reason they are the wrong way round thus requiring two cars, when passing each other in the reservation area, to do so offside to offside. It is a de facto order to drive on the right hand side of the road, albeit for about 10 yards. Drivers do get caught out by it.

Got a google maps link? Do you mean the old Copdock road? Not the A12 itself - all the gaps have been closed for years now.

Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0314743,1.083006,3...

Should show the order to drive on the right. It's a very strange junction, whichever way you approach it!

Madness! This is the view from the side road. Note how the lane coming out of the side road is aligned with the 'refuge' lane coming into the side road. Looks like a recipe for a head-on collision to me, not just passing on the wrong side!

[SteveStrange]

Missy Charm said:

SteveStrange said:

Missy Charm said:

FiF said:

N111BJG said:

FiF said:

My initial, somewhat uncharitable thought, was that someone had been playing around with the image. So had a look from satellite, but found in Eastbound services the road markings on the northern most lane of the main car park are exactly as in the OP photo..

I have been audited. It's a dispiriting experience, no wonder BiB take umbrage

Please don't take it personally. Just that over the years what is generally referenced as "copper's nose" leads one to think if at first glance something doesn't look right then it's worth digging further.

My next thought, after the uncharitable one, was well post sounds genuine so why would they designate the lanes like that, hence the look from space.

The 'audit' showing there is no sensible reason to my mind why anyone would do that. Cock ups more common than conspiracy. But agree it's a stupid arrangement.

Trying to think of somewhere else with a similar cockamamy arrangement, there is one but can't recall where.

There's a freakish arrangement somewhat similar on the old A12 dual carriageway outside Ipswich. Getting to a particular side road requires turning right from the Ipswich bound carriageway and crossing the Colchester bound track. It is also possible to turn right onto the Ipswich bound carriageway from the same side road, crossing the Colchester bound track on the way. Each right turn has its own marked refuge in the central reservation, but for some reason they are the wrong way round thus requiring two cars, when passing each other in the reservation area, to do so offside to offside. It is a de facto order to drive on the right hand side of the road, albeit for about 10 yards. Drivers do get caught out by it.

Got a google maps link? Do you mean the old Copdock road? Not the A12 itself - all the gaps have been closed for years now.

Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0314743,1.083006,3...

Should show the order to drive on the right. It's a very strange junction, whichever way you approach it!

Oh yeah that stretch of road feels like you're driving in the 1940s

[Len Woodman]

If laid out before Brexit could it have been that mainland Europe traffic engineers designed these sites?

[SteveStrange]

Len Woodman said:

If laid out before Brexit could it have been that mainland Europe traffic engineers designed these sites?

No. I use European resources on a daily basis and 5h3y have better understanding of UK driving the majority of UK drivers, in my experience.

[blueacid]

Missy Charm said:

Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0314743,1.083006,3...

Should show the order to drive on the right. It's a very strange junction, whichever way you approach it!

There's something similar to that on the Princess Parkway in Manchester:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4358575,-2.2454226...

[Nimby]

The entrance to the Savoy Hotel is "keep right".



There are various historical explanations involving horse-drawn hackney carriages.

[djohnson]

A business I used to work with in Skelmersdale had their whole site set up so you had to drive on the right. You got to the security barrier separating their site from the public road, and then literally had to swap to the right hand side. It was one of the most bonkers things I’ve ever encountered. When I asked why they muttered something about being US owned.

[kuiper]

Missy Charm said:

Here: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.0314743,1.083006,3...

Should show the order to drive on the right. It's a very strange junction, whichever way you approach it!

There's an... interesting... way of solving this issue near me on the A336.

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.9179178,-1.5652771...

Catches lots of people out, but if you're comfortable with road markings it's fairly straight forward. Have to be very weary of 'muppets' that get confused though.

[Scarletpimpofnel]

An awful lot of multistorey car park ramps are drive on the rhs. Car parks, centre reservations and the like all need care due to unexpected configurations. It doesn't bother me but maybe should be taught in the theory test that such areas don't follow usual rules so beware?