Road marking on roundabout approach
Discussion
Feel free to give me a ribbing here, but I was stopped by a policewoman today who I argued with about a particular manouevre. I may be thoroughly wrong, morally wrong, reprehensible or completely innocent - you decide.
I was approaching a roundabout from the north - dual carriageway, big roundabout, 3 lane approach, 3 lanes marked all the way round. Google maps has a very good satellite shot of it: Click me. I was turning right - heading west-ish on the map.
Because there was a lot of traffic backed up in the right hand lane, I couldn't have moved into it if I'd tried. However, since I know the junction I know the main route through (Birmingham ring road) follows my route, so assumed I'd be OK to turn right from the middle lane - there are, after all, 2 lanes on the exit.
Some dozy git in a Fiat Doblo to my right tried to sideswipe me as we both exited the roundabout (he had been going the same way as me, though in the right hand lane turning right, and tried to exit in the middle lane), I hooted to warn of my presence, avoided an accident, and then part way down the road I was stopped by a policewoman in an LDV who had witnessed it. She cautioned me (first time for me - apparently for careless driving), and went on and on about the arrow in my lane pointing straight on.
Now she's correct that the arrow exists (Google even shows it), though by the time I had got to it, it was too late to do anything. The Highway Code doesn't say much about this, certainly nothing about it being an offence not to follow arrows marked on the road. I would argue I was following the 'straight on' route of the ring road, which happens to turn 90 degrees right.
So - was I wrong?
P.S. she let me go on my way when I acted contrite
I was approaching a roundabout from the north - dual carriageway, big roundabout, 3 lane approach, 3 lanes marked all the way round. Google maps has a very good satellite shot of it: Click me. I was turning right - heading west-ish on the map.
Because there was a lot of traffic backed up in the right hand lane, I couldn't have moved into it if I'd tried. However, since I know the junction I know the main route through (Birmingham ring road) follows my route, so assumed I'd be OK to turn right from the middle lane - there are, after all, 2 lanes on the exit.
Some dozy git in a Fiat Doblo to my right tried to sideswipe me as we both exited the roundabout (he had been going the same way as me, though in the right hand lane turning right, and tried to exit in the middle lane), I hooted to warn of my presence, avoided an accident, and then part way down the road I was stopped by a policewoman in an LDV who had witnessed it. She cautioned me (first time for me - apparently for careless driving), and went on and on about the arrow in my lane pointing straight on.
Now she's correct that the arrow exists (Google even shows it), though by the time I had got to it, it was too late to do anything. The Highway Code doesn't say much about this, certainly nothing about it being an offence not to follow arrows marked on the road. I would argue I was following the 'straight on' route of the ring road, which happens to turn 90 degrees right.
So - was I wrong?
P.S. she let me go on my way when I acted contrite
It isn't a specific offence with regard to the arrow marking, but it can be evidence towards a without due care or inconsiderate driving offence. If anyone ever finds themselves in a wrong lane & where they would come into conflict in trying to make a late adjustment to make their exit, my advice would be take the wrong exit that you have found yourself destined for, find somewhere safe to turn around & then resume your journey.
Having looked at the map though, if you were both in positions similar to where the red car & white lorry are on the roundabout in the picture (you would have been where red car is I take it) then you would have been quite entitled to take the exit in lane 2 of 3 from that position (lane to immeadiate right of protected lane 1) & anyone going from an inside position on that roundabout (white van) trying to take the same lane as you should be exercising caution.
IMHO
Having looked at the map though, if you were both in positions similar to where the red car & white lorry are on the roundabout in the picture (you would have been where red car is I take it) then you would have been quite entitled to take the exit in lane 2 of 3 from that position (lane to immeadiate right of protected lane 1) & anyone going from an inside position on that roundabout (white van) trying to take the same lane as you should be exercising caution.
IMHO
Edited by vonhosen on Wednesday 16th August 19:36
vonhosen said:
It isn't a specific offence with regard to the arrow marking, but it can be evidence towards a without due care or inconsiderate driving offence. If anyone ever finds themselves in a wrong lane & where they would come into conflict in trying to make a late adjustment to make their exit, my advice would be take the wrong exit that you have found yourself destined for, find somewhere safe to turn around & then resume your journey.
Having looked at the map though, if you were both in positions similar to where the red car & white lorry are on the roundabout in the picture (you would have been where red car is I take it) then you would have been quite entitled to take the exit in lane 2 of 3 from that position (lane to immeadiate right of protected lane 1) & anyone going from an inside position on that roundabout (white van) trying to take the same lane as you should be exercising caution.
IMHO
Having looked at the map though, if you were both in positions similar to where the red car & white lorry are on the roundabout in the picture (you would have been where red car is I take it) then you would have been quite entitled to take the exit in lane 2 of 3 from that position (lane to immeadiate right of protected lane 1) & anyone going from an inside position on that roundabout (white van) trying to take the same lane as you should be exercising caution.
IMHO
Edited by vonhosen on Wednesday 16th August 19:36
I agree with Von. As there are two exit lanes to each exit it would be the case that you can exit from more than one lane. In these kind of situations where the roundabout is non-standard an open to interpretation is to assume that no-one knows where they are going and be ready to give way unexpectedly to anyone to the left or right!
Ah, that's handy - I was too busy looking for the arrow on the road to spot that there were indeed two vehicles in our positions. Yes, I was where the red car was - it's how I had got to that point which she was apparently concerned about. Interestingly, my usual route across the junction is from east to west, and I take exactly the same exit lane, and always get someone trying to cut me up...
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff