Which lane?

Fr0dders · 13 Jul 2010 at 11:34

B@Th*nG said:
i or there were 2 lanes on the exit

B@

but thats because you do expect it to have a 2 lane exit. Thats why people say right lane, as theres nothing to indicate otherwise.

Your only saying right with the benefit of hindsight that you know theres only a single lane exit.

Burnsy2023 · 13 Jul 2010 at 12:09

Longbow said:
What about this then...

Here

A = Lane 1,2,3
B = Lane 4,5

Correct?

I have been cut up by drivers going from A to 4 too many times.

I think A might be able to get into lane 3 as well.

Hawk Tuah · 13 Jul 2010 at 12:17

Wow, I used to live just off that roundabout.

I used the right hand lane. There are two main exits. The third exist is a small road that virtually nobody would go down - hence why its a closed off exit on the sign.

Its daft to have all traffic, bar one car in a hundred, using one lane or a two lane roundabout.

Sp00n · 13 Jul 2010 at 12:22

Longbow said:
What about this then...

[URL="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=51.879052,-2.200185&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.752248,67.631836&ie=UTF8&ll=51.879081,-2.200195&spn=0.005775,0.016512&t=h&z=17"]Here[/URL]

A = Lane 1,2,3
B = Lane 4,5

Correct?

I have been cut up by drivers going from A to 4 too many times.[/quote]

I'd say that's bang on.

In regards to the OP, I would say left lane as the 2nd exit is directly opposite and therefore straight on plus it's a single lane exit, anything past "12 o'clock" and I would get in the right hand side lane.

topbanana · 13 Jul 2010 at 12:44

Bug One said:
I used the right hand lane. There are two main exits. The third exist is a small road that virtually nobody would go down - hence why its a closed off exit on the sign.

It's fine to use the right lane so long as you know that you're in the wrong lane, and you are ready to go around again if someone is on your inside when you want to come off.

tripitaka · 13 Jul 2010 at 12:53

BigglesPiP said:
I'd probably go left or right hand then move to the left of the roundabout after exit 1.

Pretty much this. In the same way that when turning right you'd be looking to move into the left lane once you'd passed the exit before yours.

Hawk Tuah · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:02

topbanana said:
It's fine to use the right lane so long as you know that you're in the wrong lane, and you are ready to go around again if someone is on your inside when you want to come off.

Exactly. I know by the book its supposed to be the left lane. However traffic tended to queue going left (as you can see in the picture) so virtually everyone going straight on took the right lane.

eatcustard · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:30

You will find, he who has fastest or biggest car wins.

I would be in left hand lane to go straight on, unless road markings say otherwise.

ubersonic · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:44

In the right lane

As a rule if turning to the left or proceeding straight ahead you use the left lane, past straight ahead you use the right lane, this only applies if the are two lanes and any road marking arrows always overrule this

DannyDan · 13 Jul 2010 at 13:53

Longbow said:
A = Lane 1,2,3
B = Lane 4,5

Correct?

I have been cut up by drivers going from A to 4 too many times.

Yes, I would say that is correct. However, if I was in B heading for 4, I would make allowances for those in A heading for 4 (i.e. I wouldn't be crashing into them or blaring the horn at them).

DAnDan · 13 Jul 2010 at 14:36

For the OP's question, I was always taught that if you're going straight on, be in the left lane, unless the exit has 2 lanes and you want to be in the right lane of that road.

But for an exit straight on with 1 lane, I'd go left, seems a bit strange not to, and goes against everything my instructor told me!

Hawk Tuah · 13 Jul 2010 at 19:49

The complication with this one is that the third exit has a chopped off road sign.

D1ngd0ng · 13 Jul 2010 at 21:02

If you were taking a driving test you would be expected to use the right hand lane as the exit is past 12 o'clock

Have exactly the same problem at this round about; misinformed drivers think they can use the left hand lane because it is a 'straight on'

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=st4&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB

fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=1MU8TMyuOsHT4wbG0JXzCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&ved=0CA4Q_AU

box · 13 Jul 2010 at 21:42

D1ngd0ng said:
If you were taking a driving test you would be expected to use the right hand lane as the exit is past 12 o'clock

Have exactly the same problem at this round about; misinformed drivers think they can use the left hand lane because it is a 'straight on'

No you wouldn't..

The clock position is completely irrelevant, it is simply a teaching aid for new drivers. In practise, it's about being in the correct road position when approaching the exit you want, and so is solely derived from the number of exits you pass until you get to your chosen one, not the clock position.

To give an extreme example, if a roundabout existed which only had one exit, this being the same road from which you approached, with entrance and exit being 2-laned, it would be completely feasible and legal to do a complete u-turn from the left-hand lane.

Yes, you are correct in that using the left-hand lane in your example is wrong. But only because this has been enforced as such by road markings. It is an exception.

B@Th*nG · 13 Jul 2010 at 22:57

tim80bwi said:
No you wouldn't..

The clock position is completely irrelevant, it is simply a teaching aid for new drivers. In practise, it's about being in the correct road position when approaching the exit you want, and so is solely derived from the number of exits you pass until you get to your chosen one, not the clock position.

To give an extreme example, if a roundabout existed which only had one exit, this being the same road from which you approached, with entrance and exit being 2-laned, it would be completely feasible and legal to do a complete u-turn from the left-hand lane.

Yes, you are correct in that using the left-hand lane in your example is wrong. But only because this has been enforced as such by road markings. It is an exception.

correct! this 12 o'clock, 2 o'clock business (as it does vary from person to person) is totally fabricated

B@

whitecrook · 13 Jul 2010 at 23:46

either, for me but obviously you have to change into the left lane before the exit if you approach from the right, you can only do this if there is no car in the left lane, so it depends on the traffic conditions.

There's a roundabout like that near me (not a dual, but two lanes on approach, each exit is one off)
If going straight over (2nd exit) right or left lane ?
in the picture its out of date as where the woman is crossing is now a pelican crossing and there is white lines splitting the lanes..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...noid=SCXnKeYXkZeiGAtbecPvNg&cbp=12,11.92,,0,5

Once I had to go round twice as the car to the left of me blocked my exit. I've seen buses approach in either lane as well. :/

D1ngd0ng · 15 Jul 2010 at 21:12

tim80bwi and B@Th*nG - I am going to argue the point; having talked to a friend who is an ADI he told me that if drivers on test use the left hand lane then they would receive a minor for incorrect lane discipline. Left hand land of carriage way was for left hand turn and right hand lane for 2nd and third exits.

Then to muddy the waters he pointed out that in reality you can take any lane you like at any roundabout as the lanes and arrows are merely a guide*

*Disclaimer if you try this and crash don't blame me