How would you approach this roundabout?

almillar

If ever there was a roundabout that needed signs and some arrows painted on the road, this is it. It doesn't comply with general rules at all. Let's try using them:
The outside (furthest right) lane will be used only by people who either want to turn back onto the motorway (?) in the opposite direction, or be in the outside lane of the sliproad back onto the motorway they've just slipped off!
The middle lane can become the inside lane of the slip road back onto the motorway, OR EITHER lane of the dual carriageway. Dangerous!
Then the left most lane, it can be used for anything up to 12 o'clock (entering the junction at 6 o'clock), which means the slip road back onto the motorway, EITHER lane of the dual carraigeway OR the road into the housing estate! Even more dangerous!
That leaves motorists driving perfectly correctly and potentially crossing each other's paths.
Some signs should be put up, some paint on the road, and even a slight change to layout is needed.
The left most lane should be estate only, possibly adding an island forcing cars round into it.
The middle lane should be for the inside lane of the dual carriageway, with a lane painted round the roundabout guiding you onto it.
The right-most lane can then maybe just be left blank, allowing people to goto the outside lane of the dual carriageway, the entire sliproad, or go on round.

Stephen_Leak

Again, I'd just tuck myself into the left hand lane.

PS. And watch my mirrors like a hawk.

PPS. Mind you, that's what I try to do all the time!

Lum

almillar wrote: »

If ever there was a roundabout that needed signs and some arrows painted on the road, this is it. It doesn't comply with general rules at all. Let's try using them:

This!

This is the correct answer, though the "motorway" is actually the A48, it doesn't turn into the A48M until the next junction.

For bonus points, think about traffic coming off in the other direction, everyone queues in the right hand lane, nobody uses the left apart from people whose plan is to out accelerate the people on the right and then go all around the outside.

Idiophreak

Lum wrote: »

This!

This is the correct answer, though the "motorway" is actually the A48, it doesn't turn into the A48M until the next junction.

For bonus points, think about traffic coming off in the other direction, everyone queues in the right hand lane, nobody uses the left apart from people whose plan is to out accelerate the people on the right and then go all around the outside.

I'm not sure they need to out accelerate the people on the right, even. IIRC you're responsible for checking that the exit is clear before you move, so if some idiot's done a wall-of-death around the outside of you, you have to give way to them or be at fault. Never made sense to me

re: OP, in theory, I'd view lane 2 of road 2 as being the 3rd exit, so would use the 3rd lane. In practice, not knowing the area etc I'd approach in the middle and wing it when I got onto the roundabout as to whether I exited into lane 1 or 2.

Wig

Lum wrote: »

I have my own opinion on this but keeping quiet to begin with so as not to affect the results. I'm posting this more out of curiosity than anything.

Pretend you're heading up the sliproad in the bottom left of the image, marked by the red arrow, and you are intending to be in lane 2 of the second exit, also marked by a red arrow

1) Which of the 3 lanes should you be in for that route?

2) If different, which lane would you actually use?

3) If different, which lane would you expect others to use?

Original Answer middle lane for all questions
New answer
1) 2 or 3 depending on local custom
2) 2 or 3 depending on local custom
3) 1 or 2

Original explanation
Lane 1 for going 1st exit or 2nd exit nearside lane
Lane 2 for going 2nd exit outside lane (the lane you desire)
Lane 3 for people who have made a mistake and want to go back again

New explanation
I just realised there is only room for 2 cars abreast on the roundabout, this being the case,
Lane 1 should only be used for 1st exit
Lane 2 Should be used for 2nd exit lane 1
Lane 3 should be used for 2nd exit lane 2 or all other exits.

However, this assuming people know what they are doing, usually they are obstinate that they do know when they don't have a clue. If lane 1 driver is in the wrong lane and carries on to 2nd exit, this will cause lane 2 driver to take up an inside position on the roundabout, if there is a driver in lane 3 he will get squeezed out or he will squeeze out the driver in lane 2.

In expectation that people in lane 1 are likely to be in the wrong lane, I would use lane 2 and hold my ground (to fend off the attacker in lane 3 ) in the event of a car in lane 3

There should be a dedicated lane......... lane 1>>>>1st exit
If they did paint a dedicated lane, still there would not be enough room for cars in lane 2&3 to be side by side, the rbt is not big enough to accomodate 3 cars

Legally speaking
Cars in Lane 1 will have the right to pass the first exit and take 2nd exit, which is why if you are lane 2 you should watch them and be prepared to have an altercation with the lane 3 user. If you are a lane 3 user you shouldn't blame lane 1 or 2 users you should blame the council for the 3 lanes where there should really only be 2 (there isn't enough room for 3 cars abreast.)

Lum

FWIW, there is plenty of room for 3 abrest on that roundabout, even given the default path people in L1 take.

There's a couple on the A48 ring road around Newport that have 3 lane approaches but only two lanes on the roundabout. On one of them the roundabout in question is actually marked up with two lanes.

jase1

Idiophreak wrote: »

I'm not sure they need to out accelerate the people on the right, even. IIRC you're responsible for checking that the exit is clear before you move, so if some idiot's done a wall-of-death around the outside of you, you have to give way to them or be at fault.

Absolutely.

Doesn't prevent you from leaning on the horn at them for a good 4 or 5 seconds though!

"Wall of death" -- I like that one. They need to be exterminated. Preferably in great pain.