The Latest Driving Craze
Discussion
Am I alone in thinking the latest craze is for drivers to position their vehicle in, say, the left hand lane when approaching a roundabout to turn right. Then they drive around the outside all the way around whilst becoming a mobile chicane. Alternatively, people are increasingly positioning themselves on the right when proceeding straight on.
Anyway, I've had a complete gut-full of it recently. In fact, society and civilisation seems to have completely broken down at roundabouts and surely it's only a matter of time before the whole world collapses in on itself.
Anyway, I've had a complete gut-full of it recently. In fact, society and civilisation seems to have completely broken down at roundabouts and surely it's only a matter of time before the whole world collapses in on itself.
knight said:
I thought being in the right lane and going straighton was allowed? As for the other, it's happening all to often these days and around here there is one particular roundabout that traffic goes left from the righthand lane!
Usually only when there are two lanes out. THEN & ONLY THEN (unless signs state otherwise)can the left & right lanes be used for going straight on.
I was told to follow those rules, unless local knowledge dictated otherwise.
For example near me they have changed the layout at the roundabout but not the signs leading up to it, causing chaos every rush hour. They also installed lights at the same roundabout but seem to take them in and out of use randomly.
For example near me they have changed the layout at the roundabout but not the signs leading up to it, causing chaos every rush hour. They also installed lights at the same roundabout but seem to take them in and out of use randomly.
markelvin said:
knight said:
I thought being in the right lane and going straighton was allowed? As for the other, it's happening all to often these days and around here there is one particular roundabout that traffic goes left from the righthand lane!
Usually only when there are two lanes out. THEN & ONLY THEN (unless signs state otherwise)can the left & right lanes be used for going straight on.
Oh no they can't, have a look in the Highway Code. Both left and right lanes have to filter into the left to procede straight ahead. I only know this because I was T boned by somebody turning right from the left hand lane and had to see what was what. If there are dotted lines it's a different matter. The HWC is absurdly vague in this and other matters and some cops I asked about this were unsure
from the Highway code;.........
162: Signals and position, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise.
When taking the first exit
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
When taking any intermediate exit
select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
When taking the last exit or going full circle
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
found here;...www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm
an intermediate exit, can be straight on, or one of a couple, before the last one.
the drawing on that page also shows that you can approach in lane 2 (of a 2 lane road) and exit still in lane 2
162: Signals and position, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise.
When taking the first exit
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
When taking any intermediate exit
select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
When taking the last exit or going full circle
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
found here;...www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm
an intermediate exit, can be straight on, or one of a couple, before the last one.
the drawing on that page also shows that you can approach in lane 2 (of a 2 lane road) and exit still in lane 2
apache said:
markelvin said:
knight said:
I thought being in the right lane and going straighton was allowed? As for the other, it's happening all to often these days and around here there is one particular roundabout that traffic goes left from the righthand lane!
Usually only when there are two lanes out. THEN & ONLY THEN (unless signs state otherwise)can the left & right lanes be used for going straight on.
Oh no they can't, have a look in the Highway Code. Both left and right lanes have to filter into the left to procede straight ahead. I only know this because I was T boned by somebody turning right from the left hand lane and had to see what was what. If there are dotted lines it's a different matter. The HWC is absurdly vague in this and other matters and some cops I asked about this were unsure
I agree with apache.
Having also having insurance wrangles in helping my girlfriend, there is no doubt that in the left hand lane to turn right is wrong.
However for going straight on the test is 'appropriateness' as the Highway Code states.
When I go straight on on a sigle lane roundabout I take the left, only because I always check for other road users when I am on the roundabout, and I know others dont!
For example a glaring exception to the rule would be if you were approaching a roundabout, if you imagine a clock face at 6 o'clock with an exit at 9 and 12. If you want to take the 12 exit which is straight on, it is also the final exit which the highway code says you should be in the right hand lane for.
justinp1 said:
I agree with apache.
Having also having insurance wrangles in helping my girlfriend, there is no doubt that in the left hand lane to turn right is wrong.
The highway code also says this about roundabouts:
163: In all cases watch out for and give plenty of room to
Pedestrians who may be crossing the approach and exit roads
Traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit
Traffic which may be straddling lanes or positioned incorrectly
Motorcyclists
Cyclists and horse riders who may stay in the left-hand lane and signal right if they intend to continue round the roundabout
Long vehicles (including those towing trailers) which might have to take a different course approaching or on the roundabout because of their length. Watch out for their signals.
I have seen a couple of incidents recently where a left hand drive truck has been in a collison with a car because the truck took the left hand lane to turn right. There are plenty of roundabouts where a truck may need to use two lanes to get around a rounabout.
There is an infamous roundabout in the Medway Towns, called Bowaters. To get between Rainham and Gillingham, and join the M2 motorway you can't really avoid the roundabout in your day to day life.
Imagine my suprise when I did my bike test in 2004, and was advised that if I followed the road markings (arrows and Town direction written on road), that I would fail my bike test. On the week of my DAS I must have gone round that roundabout 20 times, with the instructors making sure we were all in the correct lanes to pass the test.
The road markings are completely wrong with what is in the Highway code. When doing the test, I was told by the riding school that they had reported it to council, but still to this day nothing has been done to correct it!
Whenever I go back there now, and go round the roundabout in the correct manner, I can guarantee someone will bib you for being in the wrong lane. How do you argue with someone when from the signs it looks like they are correct?
Imagine my suprise when I did my bike test in 2004, and was advised that if I followed the road markings (arrows and Town direction written on road), that I would fail my bike test. On the week of my DAS I must have gone round that roundabout 20 times, with the instructors making sure we were all in the correct lanes to pass the test.
The road markings are completely wrong with what is in the Highway code. When doing the test, I was told by the riding school that they had reported it to council, but still to this day nothing has been done to correct it!
Whenever I go back there now, and go round the roundabout in the correct manner, I can guarantee someone will bib you for being in the wrong lane. How do you argue with someone when from the signs it looks like they are correct?
justinp1 said:
apache said:
markelvin said:
knight said:
I thought being in the right lane and going straighton was allowed? As for the other, it's happening all to often these days and around here there is one particular roundabout that traffic goes left from the righthand lane!
Usually only when there are two lanes out. THEN & ONLY THEN (unless signs state otherwise)can the left & right lanes be used for going straight on.
Oh no they can't, have a look in the Highway Code. Both left and right lanes have to filter into the left to procede straight ahead. I only know this because I was T boned by somebody turning right from the left hand lane and had to see what was what. If there are dotted lines it's a different matter. The HWC is absurdly vague in this and other matters and some cops I asked about this were unsure
I agree with apache.
Having also having insurance wrangles in helping my girlfriend, there is no doubt that in the left hand lane to turn right is wrong.
However for going straight on the test is 'appropriateness' as the Highway Code states.
When I go straight on on a sigle lane roundabout I take the left, only because I always check for other road users when I am on the roundabout, and I know others dont!
For example a glaring exception to the rule would be if you were approaching a roundabout, if you imagine a clock face at 6 o'clock with an exit at 9 and 12. If you want to take the 12 exit which is straight on, it is also the final exit which the highway code says you should be in the right hand lane for.
I think you have to take in account situations where signs and road marking are displayed which indicate that an approach in lane 1 to turn right is appropriate and allowed. I can think of a few islands in Midlands where this applies.
If that case was intended and already covered in the previous comments, apols.
i was behind a women in the righthand lane this morning, very busy with stationary traffic on the straight ahead road and in the left hand lane of the roundabout. we where both on the road comming onto the roundabout, with me in the right lane, wanting to turn right.
she obviously intended to go straight on, and had selected the right hand lane as a way of jumping 20 or so cars waiting to enter in the correct left hand 'going straight on'lane, but as the traffic was so bad, couldnt, so stopped just past the straight on exit, and put her car into reverse! obviously hoping to force her way into the traffic flow.
i think she hoped that i would either stop and reverse as well, or pull round her.
i did neither.
hand on horn until she set off again, only for her to drive 2 feet, indicate, and put her car in reverse again, this was just on the point of the people joining the roundabout, so she got a few more horns!!! and 'nescafe' signs!
at this point she did a 'oh for fu$ks sake, durka durka' wave with both arms and set of round the roundabout again, obviously hoping to try the same stunt again.
lol
this is the main roundabout at the top of harrogate bypass, if any readers know and love it. ive seen some great things over the years, including people driving round the brick part of the roundabout (the third lane
) to get round it, including a guy doing that in a large tipper lorry.
ive also seen a bloke do the 'right hand lane of death' and crash into the side of a empty artic trailer that was already on the roundabout!, he was going so fast he didnt have time to stop! bye bye 6 series. very, very funny!
happy days!
she obviously intended to go straight on, and had selected the right hand lane as a way of jumping 20 or so cars waiting to enter in the correct left hand 'going straight on'lane, but as the traffic was so bad, couldnt, so stopped just past the straight on exit, and put her car into reverse! obviously hoping to force her way into the traffic flow.
i think she hoped that i would either stop and reverse as well, or pull round her.
i did neither.
hand on horn until she set off again, only for her to drive 2 feet, indicate, and put her car in reverse again, this was just on the point of the people joining the roundabout, so she got a few more horns!!! and 'nescafe' signs!
at this point she did a 'oh for fu$ks sake, durka durka' wave with both arms and set of round the roundabout again, obviously hoping to try the same stunt again.
lol
this is the main roundabout at the top of harrogate bypass, if any readers know and love it. ive seen some great things over the years, including people driving round the brick part of the roundabout (the third lane
) to get round it, including a guy doing that in a large tipper lorry. ive also seen a bloke do the 'right hand lane of death' and crash into the side of a empty artic trailer that was already on the roundabout!, he was going so fast he didnt have time to stop! bye bye 6 series. very, very funny!
happy days!
gafferjim said:
from the Highway code;.........
162: Signals and position, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise.
When taking the first exit
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
When taking any intermediate exit
select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
When taking the last exit or going full circle
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
found here;...www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm
an intermediate exit, can be straight on, or one of a couple, before the last one.
the drawing on that page also shows that you can approach in lane 2 (of a 2 lane road) and exit still in lane 2
162: Signals and position, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise.
When taking the first exit
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
When taking any intermediate exit
select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
When taking the last exit or going full circle
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
found here;...www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm
an intermediate exit, can be straight on, or one of a couple, before the last one.
the drawing on that page also shows that you can approach in lane 2 (of a 2 lane road) and exit still in lane 2
Not straight ahead though, the drawing does not give you the option of using both lanes to go straight ahead. My insurance company were advised by their lawyers that I was in the wrong for doing this.
Fats25 said:
[ ... ]
Whenever I go back there now, and go round the roundabout in the correct manner, I can guarantee someone will bib you for being in the wrong lane. How do you argue with someone when from the signs it looks like they are correct?
Freudian slip? Calling VH, calling VH Whenever I go back there now, and go round the roundabout in the correct manner, I can guarantee someone will bib you for being in the wrong lane. How do you argue with someone when from the signs it looks like they are correct?
- StreakyOK, what do you do if straight ahead on the sign is actually the third exit, and 2/3 of the way round the roundabout, with 2 lanes on approach, and 1 off? The 4th exit would be returning from the direction you entered the roundabout.
We have 2 of these bizarre roundabouts within 1/4 mile of each other
We have 2 of these bizarre roundabouts within 1/4 mile of each other
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