Roundabout markings (2 Viewers)

Braunston

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Hi,

Is it me or has the world gone mad, we have had roundabouts as long as i have been driving and the approach as i was taught, was inside lane to turn left (first exit) or straight on (second exit) outside lane straight on on turn right (third exit),

Now they are starting to mark up the lanes the left hand lane is turn left only, outside straight on or turn right now that may sound OK if you know the area, but if you don't you can bet your life you will find yourself in the wrong lane.

Anyone else have any problems.
 
Mar 26, 2009
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From what I've witnessed lately it makes not a jot of difference. Most drivers around this area go in any lane they want, irrespective of which exit they wish to use. The really bad ones stay level with you going around the roundabout and try to leave at the same exit as you.:RollEyes:

Phil
 

scotjimland

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Yes indeed.

When we moved to Colchester I got caught out several times, there are at least three roundabouts with left lane turn left only ..
There is no advance road markings or overhead gantry signs.. If it's busy and you are in the wrong lane for straight ahead ... your stuffed.

This is a failure of the council (or is it the highways agency? Graham will clarify :roflmto:) for not marking the approach lanes.

However, the highway code says .. for an intermediate exit ( ie straight on)


When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise
select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
you should not normally need to signal on approach
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 there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338



jim

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pappajohn

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try yorks outer ringroad (A1237)

alternate roundabouts have alternate markings.....

first one
left approach lane = left only
right approach lane = straight on or right

next one
left approach lane = left and straight on
right approach lane = right only

and there is usually a tailback at all the roundabouts so the road markings are obscured leaving a single vergeside sign to put you in the right lane.
 

GJH

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This is a failure of the council (or is it the highways agency? Graham will clarify :roflmto:) for not marking the approach lanes.

:roflmto: Depends on the type of road :roflmto:

try yorks outer ringroad (A1237)

alternate roundabouts have alternate markings.....

first one
left approach lane = left only
right approach lane = straight on or right

next one
left approach lane = left and straight on
right approach lane = right only

and there is usually a tailback at all the roundabouts so the road markings are obscured leaving a single vergeside sign to put you in the right lane.
Yes, I've been caught there :Smile:

I can sympathise with what Phil says as well. The southbound exit from the A19 onto the A1130 just down the road from us has three lanes. The left one is marked left turn only, the right one is right turn and the middle one is right or straight on (though effectively right unless someone has used the slip road by mistake). There is also an island separating the left lane from the others to emphasise the difference. At evening rush hours the left lane tends to be busiest and queues form so several drivers use the middle lane to turn left - I've nearly been swiped on a number of occasions.

One junction further south there are three lanes where the westbound A174 meets the A19. The left lane is for left turns only, the right for right turns and the middle for right turns or straight on. At morning rush hours the left lane is much quieter so some drivers use it to undertake and cut people up on the roundabout - except on the days when the police park up on the verge of the roundabout and make them turn left down the A19, a good few miles out of their way by the time they get to the next junction and come back ::bigsmile:

Graham
 

derekfaeberwick

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Never mind the markings, what happened to indicators? I think we are expected to know that they turn right on that roundabout on the way to work every day so they don't need to signal. :RollEyes:

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Braunston

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Hi,

I can perhaps understand the reasoning for local control, but if you have never been to the area before how do the expect you to deal with the situation, as most of the time if there are markings they are covered by stopped traffic,

Surly it would be better to stay with the way it was originally, every one should know what they are supposed to do then.
 

scotjimland

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some drivers use it to undertake and cut people up on the roundabout - except on the days when the police park up on the verge of the roundabout and make them turn left down the A19, a good few miles out of their way by the time they get to the next junction and come back ::bigsmile:

Graham

we need more police doing this.. :roflmto:

I recall many years ago , mid 70s when I lived in SA , I was in the wrong lane to go ahead, the police on points duty pointed and indicated I should turn right and not go straight ahead..

I gestured that I wanted to go ahead .. as he un clipped his gun holster I had sudden urge to turn right .. :Eeek:
 

scotjimland

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Hi,

I can perhaps understand the reasoning for local control, but if you have never been to the area before how do the expect you to deal with the situation, as most of the time if there are markings they are covered by stopped traffic,

Surly it would be better to stay with the way it was originally, every one should know what they are supposed to do then.

I agree, however, left slip roads do improve traffic flow . . what is needed is more road lane signs, as you say, road markings are often hidden..

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peter marshall

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Hi
I always understood that a 2 lane road going into a roundabout was nearside lane turn left and straight on, ie 1st & 2nd exits, outside lane turn right ie 3rd exit, unless otherwise indicated by signage.
 

haganap

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As a qualified Driving instructor, but one who no longer teaches here it is.

Approach the roundabout. use the 12 oclock rule. Anything on a sign that shows an exit past 12 oclock or on approach the exit appears past 12 treat as a right, ie lane nearest the actual roundabout. (right signal if required).
if going straight ahead (ie 12 oclock or before) its the left lane on approach unless told otherwise.
Of course the exception to the rule is- unless indicated by trafic signs and or road markings.

this was when I was teaching one of the most contradicted failings in driving test and when I taught ROSPA or roadcraft.
The golden rule is what ever you do do it safely making sure you check your mirrors for that motorcyclist out scratching his knee on a Sunday morning.
And remember each Town seems to have its own plans with locals dictating the way a roundabout is driven.:Eeek:

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Landy lover

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As a qualified Driving instructor, but one who no longer teaches here it is.

Approach the roundabout. use the 12 oclock rule. Anything on a sign that shows an exit past 12 oclock or on approach the exit appears past 12 treat as a right, ie lane nearest the actual roundabout. (right signal if required).
if going straight ahead (ie 12 oclock or before) its the left lane on approach unless told otherwise.
Of course the exception to the rule is- unless indicated by trafic signs and or road markings.

this was when I was teaching one of the most contradicted failings in driving test and when I taught ROSPA or roadcraft.
The golden rule is what ever you do do it safely making sure you check your mirrors for that motorcyclist out scratching his knee on a Sunday morning.
And remember each Town seems to have its own plans with locals dictating the way a roundabout is driven.:Eeek:

Exactly the way I was taught in the early 60's - saw a good one today - parked in a two lane queue waiting for traffic lights - snowing heavily and a youngster on a motor scooter started weaving though the traffic - far to fast - between the two lanes of traffic and promptly had a collision with a pedestrian dodging between the waiting cars - fortunately no one hurt but highlights haganaps comments:thumb:
 
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As a qualified Driving instructor, but one who no longer teaches here it is.

Approach the roundabout. use the 12 oclock rule. Anything on a sign that shows an exit past 12 oclock or on approach the exit appears past 12 treat as a right, ie lane nearest the actual roundabout. (right signal if required).
if going straight ahead (ie 12 oclock or before) its the left lane on approach unless told otherwise.
Of course the exception to the rule is- unless indicated by trafic signs and or road markings.

:Eeek:

Does that mean I can only go straight ahead at 08:30? :Wacko:

Coat on and half way through the door:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Phil.
 

runrig

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Hi all

Dont only have trouble on roundabouts, the exit road from our storage on a trading estate leads to a small roundabout, one side is clearly marked as east turning traffic the other for west turning traffic which leads up to M18. What happens - tits driving cars use the east turning side to go west and cut up lorries and other vehicles using correct lane, we have had many a close shave, wish the police would be there a few times and catch the idiots :Angry::swear:

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Agree with all that's being said, and as a practising ADI it makes life very difficult when you are teaching it correctly and your customers constantly see other drivers doing it incorrectly.
We only have one roundabout locally that has left turn only in the left lane on approach, and it is signposted from well back, but I have been caught out in other places - often the only indication is the arrows on the road and you can't see them because of the vehicles in front.
The same roundabout is signed wrongly from another direction - it shows a left, and three rights, no straight on - but I am advised by our local DSA examiners that the second exit should be treated as straight on and the left hand lane used due to "custom and practice".
I give up. :cry:
Just don't get me started on signals (and lack or incorrect timing thereof). :Angry:
 

derekfaeberwick

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There was a busy roundadout in Aberdeen on a piece of dual carriageway abou 3/4 mile long. A favourite at rush hour was for car drivers to go down the right hand lane and do a full circuit of the roundabout to access the left turn.

Now and again the police would send a man down and any drivers attempting this were sent back where they came from. :roflmto: It used to help for a week or two but it was an excellent P.A. job on their part.:thumb:
 
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Yes indeed.

When we moved to Colchester I got caught out several times, there are at least three roundabouts with left lane turn left only ..
There is no advance road markings or overhead gantry signs.. If it's busy and you are in the wrong lane for straight ahead ... your stuffed.
This is a failure of the council (or is it the highways agency? Graham will clarify :roflmto:) for not marking the approach lanes.
However, the highway code says .. for an intermediate exit ( ie straight on) jim
The idiotic fringe that leave havoc in their wake because they have not got a clue when driving or an ounce of common sense have the nerve to point at me and say you didn’t stay in the correct marked lane around that roundabout. What do they do when markings are covered by snow or worn away? I prefer to look at the traffic and potential hazards when approaching a roundabout rather than taking my eye off the ball while I look for un-kept or dirty illogical road markings.::bigsmile:riving2:
Why does this nonsense appear all around the country at the same time, it must be costing a fortune? Bad project engineers are the plague of the nation, they can’t come up with something worthwhile that keeps them secure in their over paid jobs for the next six months so they jump on the band wagon with nonsense projects like this one, costing us a fortune. The problem is, these idiots go to their managers and say “if we don’t mark these roundabouts we could become liable for a claim.” Bad project departments I wouldn’t pay them in shirt buttons.:moon2:

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plasma

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From what I've witnessed lately it makes not a jot of difference. Most drivers around this area go in any lane they want, irrespective of which exit they wish to use. The really bad ones stay level with you going around the roundabout and try to leave at the same exit as you.:RollEyes:

Phil

+1 Plasma , good post.
 

yorkshirepudding

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Harrogate, Ripon, York have ring roads where lanes approaching rounabouts are disignated "Right - Left - Straight on". Three or four will send you one way and just as you think you've sussed the logic The next roundabout will operate in the reverse direction. Great!
I think I'll buy a large 4x4 and drive with the white line in the centre. Just like Scalextric. Thats okay isn't it?
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derekfaeberwick

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Harrogate, Ripon, York have ring roads where lanes approaching rounabouts are disignated "Right - Left - Straight on". Three or four will send you one way and just as you think you've sussed the logic The next roundabout will operate in the reverse direction. Great!
I think I'll buy a large 4x4 and drive with the white line in the centre. Just like Scalextric. Thats okay isn't it?

It worked for me.:Blush:

STA60413-1.jpg

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yorkshirepudding

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Hi Derek,

I always give you guys plenty of space. Some show apreciation - some don't. I think it's funny when some drivers fail to understand how much space an artic. needs on a roundabout.
 

derekfaeberwick

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There should only be 3 lanes on a roundabout if each lane is wide enough for an artic to negotiate the roundabout within it's own lane.

Ciity planners usually are in dereliction of duty when it comes to this. IMHO. that is.

Does seem sensible though.:Cool:
 

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