Lanes on this roundabout

[rob1234]

Not sure if this is particularly 'advanced', but at the risk of sounding stupid, please help me out with the below:



I enter the roundabout at exit 1.
I intend to leave at exit 5.
At exit 1, there are three lanes - lane 1: left and straight on; lanes 2&3: straight on only.
I choose lane 3.
My lane then becomes lane 2 on the roundabout - which is suddenly right turn only.
Thankfully there is little traffic and I leave at exit 5 as planned - but I know I was in the wrong lane.

I am being stupid? To me, lane 3 at exit 1 should be a right turn arrow?

[silverfoxcc]

There are a lot of rbouts marked like this, you(I) do feel a bit of a numpty when you suddenly realise that is the designer had given it some thought it could have been signed a lot better. Even putting a plate prior to the rbout with the markings shown.

[Nigel Worc's]

That is just another "balls up" by the white paint brigade, there are now hundreds of Islands like that, where you need local knowledge to navigate them.

You could always send that view, and your question to the prats that did it !

[rob1234]

Well, glad it's not just me. Surely making lane 3 a right turn arrow would solve it?

[Nigel Worc's]

rob1234 said:

Well, glad it's not just me. Surely making lane 3 a right turn arrow would solve it?

PMSL, now you're not going to believe this, but I assure you it is what my local lot told me, you can no longer put right turn arrows on the approach to traffic islands, in case the lhd johnnies go around it the wrong way !

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

I used to live about 100 yards to the left of that picture, but there weren't lights on it then, and a lot less paint.

There's no way anyone can have local knowledge of all the badly-designed roundabouts that are out there. The only realistic way to procede is to start from the basis of the Highway Code advice, be clear about your intentions and keep space around you.

There's been plenty said on here in the past about the risks of going round with someone else - be in front or behind but not alongside, never assume anything and expect the unexpected.

[heebeegeetee]

rob1234 said:

I enter the roundabout at exit 1.

Well there's your problem, you're on the wrong side of the road.

[rob1234]

heebeegeetee said:

rob1234 said:

I enter the roundabout at exit 1.

Well there's your problem, you're on the wrong side of the road.

Ah, I wondered what all the beeping was about...

[jagracer]

rob1234 said:

Not sure if this is particularly 'advanced', but at the risk of sounding stupid, please help me out with the below:




I choose lane 3.
My lane then becomes lane 2 on the roundabout - which is suddenly right turn only.

I am being stupid? To me, lane 3 at exit 1 should be a right turn arrow?

Why do you think lane 3 suddenly become lane 2? I'd say it stays lane 3 and you may have been better starting in lane 2 although as there are no real lane markings between 3 and 4 you can wander over into the lane you want. If that were in east or south London you could start in lane 1 and straight line to the apex and then aim for your exit point, problem solved.

Edited by jagracer on Tuesday 19th February 20:19

[AnotherGareth]

rob1234 said:

I became quite familiar with that roundabout a couple of years ago, albeit from the passenger seat.

rob1234 said:

I enter the roundabout at exit 1.
I intend to leave at exit 5.
At exit 1, there are three lanes - lane 1: left and straight on; lanes 2&3: straight on only.
I choose lane 3.

Given the overall layout of the roundabout that wasn't necessarily the best choice; if you first think about it in terms of major exits, then you might pick lane 1 for the first main exit, and lane 2 for the second.

It's interesting that the lane selection for this roundabout in this direction matches the logical view of the roundabout, (as per the direction signs), rather than the physical layout.

[rob1234]

jagracer said:

rob1234 said:

Not sure if this is particularly 'advanced', but at the risk of sounding stupid, please help me out with the below:




I choose lane 3.
My lane then becomes lane 2 on the roundabout - which is suddenly right turn only.

I am being stupid? To me, lane 3 at exit 1 should be a right turn arrow?

Why do you think lane 3 suddenly become lane 2? I'd say it stays lane 3 and you may have been better starting in lane 2 although as there are no real lane markings between 3 and 4 you can wander over into the lane you want. If that were in east or south London you could start in lane 1 and straight line to the apex and then aim for your exit point, problem solved.

In my opinion, lane 1 exits, therefore lane 2 becomes lane 1 on the roundabout, and lane 3 becomes lane 2. Yes, I'd have been better starting in (original) lane 2!

AnotherGareth said:

I became quite familiar with that roundabout a couple of years ago, albeit from the passenger seat.

rob1234 said:

I enter the roundabout at exit 1.
I intend to leave at exit 5.
At exit 1, there are three lanes - lane 1: left and straight on; lanes 2&3: straight on only.
I choose lane 3.

Given the overall layout of the roundabout that wasn't necessarily the best choice; if you first think about it in terms of major exits, then you might pick lane 1 for the first main exit, and lane 2 for the second.

It's interesting that the lane selection for this roundabout in this direction matches the logical view of the roundabout, (as per the direction signs), rather than the physical layout.

Correct (apart from the fact that on arrival at the roundabout I didn't know which were major exits), and next time I shall enter via lane 2. In this instance, there were two cars (who obviously know this roundabout) in lane 2, and lane 3 was empty - hence I chose lane 3 after seeing the lane marking arrows. I'd assumed (incorrectly) that my exit had two lanes, hence two entrance lanes were marked 'straight on' (and I know what they say about assumption...).

Edited by rob1234 on Wednesday 20th February 15:50

[AnotherGareth]

rob1234 said:

on arrival at the roundabout I didn't know which were major exits

There are a couple of roadsigns that provide this information. The first shows major routes while the second shows the logical layout in the context of local tourist information.

[R0G]

Without signs indicating which lane led to which exit and not having local knowledge I would choose lane 3 on approach to go from 1 to 5

[rob1234]

AnotherGareth said:

rob1234 said:

on arrival at the roundabout I didn't know which were major exits

There are a couple of roadsigns that provide this information. The first shows major routes while the second shows the logical layout in the context of local tourist information.

Fair enough, and I would have seen them. I'm not saying that lane 2 would't have been the correct choice... but I still maintain that, even in conjunction with the signs, the road markings would imply that lane 3 would be ok for exiting where I did.

Thanks for everyone's input.

[R0G]

rob1234 said:

AnotherGareth said:

rob1234 said:

on arrival at the roundabout I didn't know which were major exits

There are a couple of roadsigns that provide this information. The first shows major routes while the second shows the logical layout in the context of local tourist information.

Fair enough, and I would have seen them. I'm not saying that lane 2 would't have been the correct choice... but I still maintain that, even in conjunction with the signs, the road markings would imply that lane 3 would be ok for exiting where I did.

Thanks for everyone's input.

I agree with your final analysis - there are no markings anywhere to say what lane leads to which exit on approach

[AnotherGareth]

R0G said:

Without signs indicating which lane led to which exit and not having local knowledge I would choose lane 3 on approach to go from 1 to 5

I'm not sure you would ;-)

So, you are approaching a roundabout but don't know the area. You see two roadsigns that represent the major road as straight ahead, and as you approach the roundabout you see lane markings that say the left lane is for turning left. You don't have a birds eye view of the roundabout, and even the extra height of the Google Streetview camera doesn't make it obvious at a glance how offset the roundabout is.

I reckon you'd pick the middle lane as being the best choice to enter the roundabout.

[R0G]

AnotherGareth said:

I'm not sure you would ;-)

So, you are approaching a roundabout but don't know the area. You see two roadsigns that represent the major road as straight ahead, and as you approach the roundabout you see lane markings that say the left lane is for turning left. You don't have a birds eye view of the roundabout, and even the extra height of the Google Streetview camera doesn't make it obvious at a glance how offset the roundabout is.

I reckon you'd pick the middle lane as being the best choice to enter the roundabout.

Right lane and then go around again if got wrong one and cannot exit

[rob1234]

AnotherGareth said:

I reckon you'd pick the middle lane as being the best choice to enter the roundabout.

Best, but not only.

[R0G]

rob1234 said:

AnotherGareth said:

I reckon you'd pick the middle lane as being the best choice to enter the roundabout.

Best, but not only.

If the middle was chosen and then could not move to the right if that was the one needed then the driver would be exitting too early but opting for lane 3 gives the easy option of going around again

choose the lane that gives more options

[rob1234]

Thank you for your enquiry regarding St Marks Roundabout.

With reference to your e-mailed plan, the exit at 1 has 3 lanes. The left lane is for turning left, the middle lane for straight on (your exit as shown on the advanced direction sign approaching the roundabout) and the right lane for turning right. The right lane has a straight on arrow to avoid people turning directly right and going the wrong way around the roundabout (as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 5 - paragraph 8.31)

Than you again for your enquiry,

Regards

Tom Crea
Network Control Centre Area 2, WS Atkins PLC

Edited by rob1234 on Friday 22 February 11:05