Roundabout question

brighthair

ok, this may be daft, but bear with me. Roundabout near my house has recently been redone with new lanes (to try to stop all the accidents)

As I approach, there are 2 lanes. One has just a left arrow in it (no straight on one), the other has a straight on and right arrow. There are 4 exits. Which lane would you use, for the 2nd and 3rd exits?

Rolandtheroadie

The first lane has a left arrow. For turning left (or 1st exit). All other exits use second lane.

Stardust

The second lane.

brighthair

thank you! That's what I do, the left hand arrow is first exit only. Every time I drive round that roundabout (commute to work so twice a day) someone uses the left hand lane for 2nd and 3rd exits. I wanted to know I was in the right, so that when someone does crash into me (so many near misses!) I know I'm in the right lane

TiTheRev

I was always taught that in that instance, any exit before 12 o'clock from the approaching road is the left lane, and after 12 is the right lane, and I still stick to that now.

brighthair

TiTheRev wrote: »

I was always taught that in that instance, any exit before 12 o'clock from the approaching road is the left lane, and after 12 is the right lane, and I still stick to that now.

see I think this is why people use the other lanes. The second exit is at hm, between 10 and 11 o'clock. But the left hand lane speciafically has just a left arrow in it, so I would think that is left turn only. My exit ios the second one, and you can imagine the scene when I use the straight on/right lane, and driver taking 3rd exit uses left lane.... :rotfl:

TiTheRev

The Highway code shows the picture of a car using the left lane to go straight ahead, so it's a bit misleading. Although, does also say 'unless signs or markings indicate otherwise', so if your left lane is left only everyone else should use the right lane...?

Coveredinbees!!!!

err on the side of caution, use both lanes :P

skiddlydiddly

If its marked with an arrow pointing to the left then that means for the 1st exit only.Usually more people will want the 2nd, 3rd and 4th exits thatn just the 1st so you will get the inevitable muppets using the wrong lane.

david39

I find that lane discipline at roundabouts is becoming worse by the day and I have learned to treat all other motorists on the approach and exits as if they are in the wrong lane and are about to swing violently from one lane to another.

Has anyone else come to the conclusion as well that there are more people jumping red lights than there used to be? It seems to be standard practice now to approach traffic lights at 20mph above the relevant speed limit and, if you are less than 25 yards from them when they turn to red, you are allowed to go through.

DaveF327

The only thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the direction of the exits. Some roundabouts don't have the usual 90° spread of exits, so a google earth image may be useful to give a concrete answer. One thing is for sure: If the left hand approach lane says left only, you shouldn't be going ahead or right. The question of 2nd, 3rd etc depends entirely on the roundabout layout.

Coveredinbees!!!! wrote: »

err on the side of caution, use both lanes :P

Careful, I think half of Manchester and Salford heard you