Query on possible illegal use of lanes at a light

Brie

Hopefully this will make sense....

We've a new housing estate that I pass to and from work.  This has involved months and months of the obvious roadworks and congestion and construction traffic but, thankfully, that will soon end and life can get back to (something like) normal.  It was built on a large track of green field land which has traffic lights at one corner of it - so 2 busy roads like an + with lights with various turn signals and extra lanes to improve traffic flow.

There is now a new road that cuts from one of the busy roads through the estate to the other thus allowing cars to avoid the tricky set of traffic lights.  Basically cutting across a corner.   (hope that makes sense).  Some drivers have started to use this road to avoid the lights and get a jump on all the traffic.  That's their right, people are forever finding shortcuts and speedier ways to get around.

The problem however is that as one approaches the lights to go around the new estate by turning left the number of lanes have increased from 1  to 2 to 3 to 4 prior to the lights for the new cut through road.  When you are still at the point where there is only 1 lane they have erected signs to show 1 arrow for turning left and 1 arrow for straight ahead.  So as I need to turn left at the main lights it seems natural for me to move into the left hand lane as soon as it's available about 50 feet before the new road intersection and lights.  It is then a surprise when you actually get to those first lights (where I don't want to turn yet) to see road markings that show you MUST turn left at that junction rather than proceeding to the main road.  At this point, just prior to this first set of lights the right lane splits into 3 which I now know will eventually be the left turn, the straight through and right turn lane at the main lights.  

These are very very recent (last week+) and so few people are familiar with them and anyone who won't be driving through there regularly will be caught in the left turning lane.  Given that they will mostly want to go straight at this point and turn left at the next lights what's to stop them from doing so.  Given that the next lane will be trying to proceed into the same lane and direction it's bound to cause accidents.

So what does one do? (other than have a headache trying to make sense of what I've written - sorry google maps hasn't caught up with this yet...) 

If one is caught out in the left turning lane at the first new set of lights can one legally go straight even if the road markings show you should turn left? Is this something that might be captured on a traffic light camera to give one an automatic fine??

I suspect a lot of our less polite drivers will delight in using this as a way to queue jump with dire consequences to some innocent soul.  The van I spotted in this situation today at least had the manners to signal that they realised they were in the wrong lane but I think this is not going to end well.

Car_54

The only arrows on the road which are mandatory are those marked "Turn left", "Turn right" or "Ahead only". Arrows alone are advisory only.

Having said that, anyone causing an accident through being in the "wrong" lane might be accused of careless driving.

Brie

Car_54 said:

The only arrows on the road which are mandatory are those marked "Turn left", "Turn right" or "Ahead only". Arrows alone are advisory only.

Having said that, anyone causing an accident through being in the "wrong" lane might be accused of careless driving.

So you end up in the wrong lane discovering at the last minute that it's got the left turn arrow on the roadway and lane markings that are solid to show you are turning left.  I agree it's likely that there would be an accusation of careless driving.  Hopefully it will only be a lot of honking and waving middle digits instead.

Who would be responsible for getting the signs sorted so that it was more obvious in advance?  Would that be a local council thing??  I'd be happy to write to them or whomever - granted this area is littered with lots of extra lanes at lights intended to ease traffic flow but which, in fact, just wind up a lot of drivers as people cut back and forth between lanes. 

Car_54

The signs are the responsibility of the highway authority. Local council for 'local; roads, Highways England/Scotland/Wales* for trunk roads.

* = They keep changing the names!

Vortigern

Brie said:

So you end up in the wrong lane discovering at the last minute that it's got the left turn arrow on the roadway and lane markings that are solid to show you are turning left.

In those circumstances a good driver would take the left turn and then find a way back to the intended course.

daveyjp

What you do is give it a few weeks to settle down and be ready for those not familiar with the area or following out of date satnavs to make errors.

A local roundabout has just had extra lanes and new lights added ( one lane for left is now three lanes!)  its not quite finished, but I've had to 'relearn' it and accommodating those who haven't is key.  

Brie

Vortigern said:

Brie said:

So you end up in the wrong lane discovering at the last minute that it's got the left turn arrow on the roadway and lane markings that are solid to show you are turning left.

In those circumstances a good driver would take the left turn and then find a way back to the intended course.

Hah!  It's not the good drivers we need to worry about.  It's the hoodlums that zoom ahead without any regard for anyone else on the roads!!