Magic Roundabouts ??
Discussion
Maybe this is unique to my neck of the woods, but the lane choice, and way that the average muppet on the road seems to negotiate r/a's is amazing !!
Case in point - Local to me, there is a r/a that I approach on dual carriageway. There are 3 other exits from the r/a at 9,12 & 3 O'clock ( if you approach from 6 O'clock ). The exit at 12 o'clock is the one I want and is single carriagway - I choose lane 1 of the dual carriageway approaching the r/a. The number of people that will stay in lane 2 to exit at the same exit as me, thereby nearly causing a collision, is amazing !! Worse still - they take the exit at 9 O'clock !!!
What's the opinion of the Pher's ?? In the abscence of lane markings, what "rules" do you follow for r/a's ?? What's the "offical" rulings from any of the resident constabluray, and where does the fault lie if one day the collision happens ???
Thanks in advance - and sorry for the length of the post !!
Case in point - Local to me, there is a r/a that I approach on dual carriageway. There are 3 other exits from the r/a at 9,12 & 3 O'clock ( if you approach from 6 O'clock ). The exit at 12 o'clock is the one I want and is single carriagway - I choose lane 1 of the dual carriageway approaching the r/a. The number of people that will stay in lane 2 to exit at the same exit as me, thereby nearly causing a collision, is amazing !! Worse still - they take the exit at 9 O'clock !!!
What's the opinion of the Pher's ?? In the abscence of lane markings, what "rules" do you follow for r/a's ?? What's the "offical" rulings from any of the resident constabluray, and where does the fault lie if one day the collision happens ???
Thanks in advance - and sorry for the length of the post !!
I always make my decision on the traffic volume & flow.
So many left hand roundabouts exits are blocked when everyone is going straight on & won't use the other available lanes. Are people indicating left? if so go down the centre lane (or r/h lane on a dual) instead to go straight on.
I can think of one local to me where this is the case every day of the week, every muppet queues in the L/H lane to go straight on. If you need to go left it's always quicker to do a r/h lane & full lap of the roundabout.
Of course many others will not do the 360 thing & they cut others up.
I don't know what this lemming like queing lane blocking activity should be called but it's got to have a name I think.
So many left hand roundabouts exits are blocked when everyone is going straight on & won't use the other available lanes. Are people indicating left? if so go down the centre lane (or r/h lane on a dual) instead to go straight on.
I can think of one local to me where this is the case every day of the week, every muppet queues in the L/H lane to go straight on. If you need to go left it's always quicker to do a r/h lane & full lap of the roundabout.
Of course many others will not do the 360 thing & they cut others up.
I don't know what this lemming like queing lane blocking activity should be called but it's got to have a name I think.
Odds said:
What's the opinion of the Pher's ?? In the abscence of lane markings, what "rules" do you follow for r/a's ?? What's the "offical" rulings from any of the resident constabluray, and where does the fault lie if one day the collision happens ???
Thanks in advance - and sorry for the length of the post !!
ok - assuming a standard 4 spoke roundabout, i follow a very simple set of rules. left or straight ahead i go in the left hand lane, right or all around i go in the right hand lane.
however. if for instance there is a DC from 6 to twelve oclock (the way that im going) i will simply pick the shorter queue.
in the same case. if i want to go left (9 oclock) and lane one of the dc that im on at 6 is busy as hell, ill go in the right hand lane and go all around. works very well.
Odds said:I have noticed the same thing.
Maybe this is unique to my neck of the woods, but the lane choice, and way that the average muppet on the road seems to negotiate r/a's is amazing !!
Case in point - Local to me, there is a r/a that I approach on dual carriageway. There are 3 other exits from the r/a at 9,12 & 3 O'clock ( if you approach from 6 O'clock ). The exit at 12 o'clock is the one I want and is single carriagway - I choose lane 1 of the dual carriageway approaching the r/a. The number of people that will stay in lane 2 to exit at the same exit as me, thereby nearly causing a collision, is amazing !! Worse still - they take the exit at 9 O'clock !!!
What's the opinion of the Pher's ?? In the abscence of lane markings, what "rules" do you follow for r/a's ?? What's the "offical" rulings from any of the resident constabluray, and where does the fault lie if one day the collision happens ???
Thanks in advance - and sorry for the length of the post !!
Personally, I am of the left hand lane to go left or straight on, and RH lane to turn right, unless indicated otherwise.
Odds said:
The exit at 12 o'clock is the one I want and is single carriagway - I choose lane 1 of the dual carriageway approaching the r/a.
Are there main dual carriageways running at 9 & 3 oclock? ie where does most of the traffic flow?
If most of the traffic goes left, I'd say the others might be in the right.....
you get a similar show of sheep like driving where you have a set of lights with two lanes in either direction. lane one will be left/straight and lane 2 will be right/straight. so why do people sit in queues of monumental length on the left rather than go throught in the right hand lane in one phase of the lights?
With the particular r/a that I mentioned - I would say that most of the "Local" traffic, ie Thos that know the road, would use the L/H lane and queue. Especially during peak times. All of the other exits from the r/a are single carriageway and none of them have any more traffic than the others.
It's just always concerened me that one day I'll get surprised by a muppet, that pulls a freak move without indicating !! Who's to blame ??
It's just always concerened me that one day I'll get surprised by a muppet, that pulls a freak move without indicating !! Who's to blame ??
There is another insight into roundabouts thats appears to go unnoticed.
By adding an additional exit lane for example, you can increase traffic flow across a roundabout, as three cars can exit from the give way line at the same time as opposed to only one or two.
Also by being in a lane further to the right you can effectively get out that bit further ahead than someone in the left lane. So if three cars exit at the same time in theory the r/h car goes first followed by the others.
This does rely on those crossing the roundabout to blend in on the other parts, not rocket science & hardly unexpected.
So: If it's a busy r/a your crossing use both exit lanes to increase the flow of traffic for the benefit of everyone, reduce the queue to work in the morning or stay in bed longer.
>> Edited by cptsideways on Thursday 24th June 09:17
By adding an additional exit lane for example, you can increase traffic flow across a roundabout, as three cars can exit from the give way line at the same time as opposed to only one or two.
Also by being in a lane further to the right you can effectively get out that bit further ahead than someone in the left lane. So if three cars exit at the same time in theory the r/h car goes first followed by the others.
This does rely on those crossing the roundabout to blend in on the other parts, not rocket science & hardly unexpected.
So: If it's a busy r/a your crossing use both exit lanes to increase the flow of traffic for the benefit of everyone, reduce the queue to work in the morning or stay in bed longer.
>> Edited by cptsideways on Thursday 24th June 09:17
Yes, agreed. Generally you can be quick enough off the mark, or blend on the r/a so that it's not an issue....
..... but, this leads to another pet hate !! What about the muppet that you didn't know was actually coming all the way round. ie they didn't indicate ( by signalling or lane position ) that they were exiting after where you are entering ?
Sorry !! The way some people negotiate r/a's really gets my back up. :-)
..... but, this leads to another pet hate !! What about the muppet that you didn't know was actually coming all the way round. ie they didn't indicate ( by signalling or lane position ) that they were exiting after where you are entering ?
Sorry !! The way some people negotiate r/a's really gets my back up. :-)
I agree there is some very bad driving out there.
IMHO I think you should always indicate on a roundabout to those who are you are effectively cutting across. Ie waiting at the give way line. Direction of travel & speed is normally indicative enough for me to assume where someone is going.
If they don't indicate to me waiting at the line then thats a perfectly good excuse to make a rapid launch.
However the next best technique is not to wait at the line at all but roll up towards it, which gives you more speed & more opportunities to cross in the first place.
Plus what about those twerps who indicate left AFTER they have exited the roundabout !!!!!
IMHO I think you should always indicate on a roundabout to those who are you are effectively cutting across. Ie waiting at the give way line. Direction of travel & speed is normally indicative enough for me to assume where someone is going.
If they don't indicate to me waiting at the line then thats a perfectly good excuse to make a rapid launch.
However the next best technique is not to wait at the line at all but roll up towards it, which gives you more speed & more opportunities to cross in the first place.
Plus what about those twerps who indicate left AFTER they have exited the roundabout !!!!!
DC>DC, I pick the fastest lane. DC>SC, I'd be in the LH lane.
I indicate L at the exit prior to the one I will take; and I only indicate R if it will aid the following driver in understanding my intentions. I can't stand drivers who indicate R, turn L onto roundabout, indicator self-cancels, then they exit without warning
.
In the "good old days", at the Manchester end of Kingsway (A34) during the morning rush hour I used to approach the roundabout in the RH lane (of 3), go all the way around the roundabout and take what would have been the LH exit. Passed 50 or so cars every morning. No-one else ever seemed to cotton on!
Streaky
I indicate L at the exit prior to the one I will take; and I only indicate R if it will aid the following driver in understanding my intentions. I can't stand drivers who indicate R, turn L onto roundabout, indicator self-cancels, then they exit without warning
. In the "good old days", at the Manchester end of Kingsway (A34) during the morning rush hour I used to approach the roundabout in the RH lane (of 3), go all the way around the roundabout and take what would have been the LH exit. Passed 50 or so cars every morning. No-one else ever seemed to cotton on!
Streaky
Nice Mr. Highway Code Rule No.162 said:
When taking any intermediate exit (on a roundabout) do not signal on the approach to the roundabout approach in the left-hand lane or centre lane on a three-lane road (on a two-lane road you may approach in the right-hand lane if the left-hand lane is blocked)
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout...
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=10&h=&t=78181
(I'm not referring to the "worse still" bit because that's plainly stupid)
>> Edited by duncanthemad on Thursday 24th June 12:46
I think Bedford is where the numpty-breeding farm is situated...
There is a double mini roundabout on the main road in from Northampton (A428). The cluelessness and incapability of 90% of the drivers meeting it, and the length of the resultant tail backs, must be seen to be believed. This is a roundabout that the same people have been encountering every day for years and they still don't know how to negotiate it.
Once someone from out of town who gets stuck in these jams every day going to work wrote to the local paper complaining about the inability of local drivers to deal with the double mini roundabout in an intelligent fashion. The result? Next week saw a flood of letters slating him for "not showing consideration to other road users"... WTF???
There is another junction that used to be a roundabout. It was converted to temporary traffic lights during roadworks. When the roadworks were finished, the lights were then made permanent as they resulted in less congestion than asking Bedford drivers to deal with a roundabout.
There is a double mini roundabout on the main road in from Northampton (A428). The cluelessness and incapability of 90% of the drivers meeting it, and the length of the resultant tail backs, must be seen to be believed. This is a roundabout that the same people have been encountering every day for years and they still don't know how to negotiate it.
Once someone from out of town who gets stuck in these jams every day going to work wrote to the local paper complaining about the inability of local drivers to deal with the double mini roundabout in an intelligent fashion. The result? Next week saw a flood of letters slating him for "not showing consideration to other road users"... WTF???
There is another junction that used to be a roundabout. It was converted to temporary traffic lights during roadworks. When the roadworks were finished, the lights were then made permanent as they resulted in less congestion than asking Bedford drivers to deal with a roundabout.
Generally, if I'm going left or straight ahead I'll stick in the left hand lane. If I can see right through the roundabout and there's nothing about, I'll often "apex" it. Interesting thought actaully - in the abscence of any lane markings, would you get a tug by the BiB if they saw you doing that? I'm not talking about blasting through at warp speed, just taking the shortest route and flowing through.
I have also been known to use the "right hand lane and all the way round to turn left" technique. Works like a charm. Personally, if anyone gets upset with me about it I tend to think they're just annoyed they didn't think of it themselves
I have also been known to use the "right hand lane and all the way round to turn left" technique. Works like a charm. Personally, if anyone gets upset with me about it I tend to think they're just annoyed they didn't think of it themselves
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