Roundabouts

thefreckle

Folks

This is my first time posting on the motoring forum so apologies if this is not a suitable topic for discussion - I'll remove it if not.

I had a near miss whilst out driving at lunchtime. Who's in the right in this scenario:



Car 1 drives past point A on this road where it becomes two lanes. Car 1 is waiting at junction B (as marked in the image above) and moves off to take exit D (in the left hand lane going straight across the roundabout).

Car 2 approaches junction B and cuts across to take junction C (in the right hand lane at junction B moving into the right hand lane at junction C).

Obviously the two cars can't simulateously navigate across the roundabout as they would collide. Who is in the right in that scenario?? There are no other road markings indicating the left hand lane is left turn only or anything like that.

tykesi

Car 1 is in the right and car 2 is in the wrong.

As car 2 approached the roundabout they should have been on the inside lane (where car 1 had been) as that is the correct lane for turning left or going straight ahead at (most) roundabouts. Lane two on that junction is for cars turning right and leaving the roundabout at the next exit after D.

jackieblack

tykesi wrote: »

Car 1 is in the right and car 2 is in the wrong.

As car 2 approached the roundabout they should have been on the inside lane (where car 1 had been) as that is the correct lane for turning left or going straight ahead at (most) roundabouts. Lane two on that junction is for cars turning right and leaving the roundabout at the next exit after D.

I agree .................

rach_k

I agree too. If Car 2 wanted to take that exit, he would either have to stop and wait until Car 1 had passed and then pull into the correct lane or go all the way around the roundabout and try again!

thefreckle

tykesi wrote: »

Car 1 is in the right and car 2 is in the wrong.

As car 2 approached the roundabout they should have been on the inside lane (where car 1 had been) as that is the correct lane for turning left or going straight ahead at (most) roundabouts. Lane two on that junction is for cars turning right and leaving the roundabout at the next exit after D.

Thanks tykesi, that's exactly what I thought. The only doubt I have is that rule 186 in the highway code states:

"When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

• select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout"

That is somewhat vague when it states to choose the "appropriate lane". In the scenario I described I think the left hand lane is the appropriate lane for going straight but could that leave "wriggle room" for the person in the right hand lane moving left if she'd hit me?

daveyjp

Car 1 is in the wrong lane - for right hand turn into D you use right hand lane at point B.

As C is a dual carriageway either lane at B can be used to exit to C, but this does assume everyone knows what they are doing and as you have demonstarted they don't, so inside lane is safest if going from B to C

System

Looking at that layout I would also say that Car 1 should have been in the right hand lane for exit D

tykesi

Both daveyjp and !!!!!! are incorrect.

Exit D is the straight on exit at this roundabout so lane one is the correct lane to use as per the HC:

AdrianC

Another vote here for BOTH in the wrong lane. Car 1 should have expected Car 2 to head for L2 of the first exit, road C. Was Car 2 indicating left? Or did the driver of Car 1 assume he wasn't turning left and not check?

Stoke

I would say both are in the wrong lane... more to the point, both should have been in the other lane. Car 1 should have been in the right hand lane, Car 2 should have been in the left hand lane.

tykesi

Another two posters who need to revisit the highway code...