Punchy Dan:
I always use the left lane to turn right where it’s marked up to do so ,also M5 M50 strensham left lane there too .
If you’re using the left lane to go right what is the right lane there for and what happens to the traffic using it to turn right.
Generally they just carry on in the outer lane until it’s safe to move over to the left.
The highway code rule 186 says:
"When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
…"
In older versions of the code I seem to remember there were graphics showing that if there were 2 lanes into a roundabout and two lanes out of a roundabout, even when turning right, then you could use both lanes all of the way around, but this seems to have changed to become a bit more ambiguous.
Some of these roundabout are signed up well, like the M40/A34 where all 3 lanes can be used to turn right, but many aren’t. A good case in point is junction 15 Westbound(?) into Swindon where the middle and right lane at the roundabout both show ‘straight-on’ arrows. Because that junction often has long tailbacks at peak times it is necessary to use both lanes and so I choose the left lane there because it doubles the capacity of the roundabout.
TruckdriverTom:
What is this new fashion of using the left lane when you are turning right at a roundabout all about ?
I used to see foreign lorries doing this ( presumed they were just a little lost ), but now loads of people seem to do it.
The reason that you see foreign (european) drivers doing it, is because that is the way they are taught to do it (or at least the equivalent of) ie to stay in the right hand lane when turning left at the roundabout. I think it is a much safer method for a HGV to negociate a roundabout.
So which lane are we going to take in an artic at this probably quite familiar roundabout where the South Circular meets the A20 at Cliftons roundabout? Hither Green railway Bridge and Brownhill/St Mildreds rd is in the mirror and the Dutch House will be on the right about 1/4 mile along the chosen exit.
A roundabout near where I live is marked “for _ _ _ _ use both lanes”. Actually I notice there are quite a lot of roundabouts marked in this fashion nowadays. I find I can usually manage to use both in a lorry but in my car or particularly on my motorbike I find people getting past me on one side or the other.
PaulNowak:
If it’s a tight or tight-ish roundabout, I’ll take both lanes, not because I necessarily need it, but to stop some Charlie from putting themselves where they shouldn’t be. I really think some of these idiots think that we can make our motors narrower so we don’t add an extra few seconds to their journey.
Punchy Dan:
I always use the left lane to turn right where it’s marked up to do so ,also M5 M50 strensham left lane there too .
I don’t think there are road markings there telling you to use the left lane to turn right! Most of the slip off the motorway (and out of the services) is covered with hatchings, and I’m fairly sure there are no other markings before you join the roundabout.
It’s all part of the Brussels inspired ‘divide & conquer’ political regime whereby we’re indulged with nonsense pap as a social & cultural race to the bottom goes unchallenged
Picture this… You’ve just left a motorway/major road and are now on a two lane sliproad with no road markings. You can either turn left, go straight over to rejoin the main carriageway or turn right (or go all the way round to go back on yourself). If you’re turning left, you use the left lane, simple. If turning right, I will remain in the left lane and use my right indicator, keeping left all the way around. I’ll swap my indicator somewhere along the straight section while passing over the main carriageway. There are two advantages to doing this; it gives the cars room to get around you on the roundabout (I like to get as many of them past me as I can, especially if there’s a long S/C section after exiting the roundabout), and it doesn’t leave you stranded in the right hand lane when you’re trying to exit, because you can bet anything that there’ll be a steady stream cutting up your inside. An added bonus is that, being in the left hand lane gives you right of way against anybody who does try to cut you up at the last second.
This only really applies on the roundabouts/junctions mentioned above, and any other roundabout I’ll take the most appropriate position, but as a rule for me, if there’s two lanes, use 'em and keep traffic moving!
Javiatrix:
Picture this… You’ve just left a motorway/major road and are now on a two lane sliproad with no road markings. You can either turn left, go straight over to rejoin the main carriageway or turn right (or go all the way round to go back on yourself). If you’re turning left, you use the left lane, simple. If turning right, I will remain in the left lane and use my right indicator, keeping left all the way around. I’ll swap my indicator somewhere along the straight section while passing over the main carriageway. There are two advantages to doing this; it gives the cars room to get around you on the roundabout (I like to get as many of them past me as I can, especially if there’s a long S/C section after exiting the roundabout), and it doesn’t leave you stranded in the right hand lane when you’re trying to exit, because you can bet anything that there’ll be a steady stream cutting up your inside. An added bonus is that, being in the left hand lane gives you right of way against anybody who does try to cut you up at the last second.
This only really applies on the roundabouts/junctions mentioned above, and any other roundabout I’ll take the most appropriate position, but as a rule for me, if there’s two lanes, use 'em and keep traffic moving!
Javiatrix:
Picture this… You’ve just left a motorway/major road and are now on a two lane sliproad with no road markings. You can either turn left, go straight over to rejoin the main carriageway or turn right (or go all the way round to go back on yourself). If you’re turning left, you use the left lane, simple. If turning right, I will remain in the left lane and use my right indicator, keeping left all the way around. I’ll swap my indicator somewhere along the straight section while passing over the main carriageway. There are two advantages to doing this; it gives the cars room to get around you on the roundabout (I like to get as many of them past me as I can, especially if there’s a long S/C section after exiting the roundabout), and it doesn’t leave you stranded in the right hand lane when you’re trying to exit, because you can bet anything that there’ll be a steady stream cutting up your inside. An added bonus is that, being in the left hand lane gives you right of way against anybody who does try to cut you up at the last second.
This only really applies on the roundabouts/junctions mentioned above, and any other roundabout I’ll take the most appropriate position, but as a rule for me, if there’s two lanes, use 'em and keep traffic moving!
In your little scenario that’s absolutely spot on driving as far as I’m concerned.
But at any other type of roundabout I’ll follow the signs or painted markings 1st and if not the diagrams in highway code 2nd.
Javiatrix:
Picture this… You’ve just left a motorway/major road and are now on a two lane sliproad with no road markings. You can either turn left, go straight over to rejoin the main carriageway or turn right (or go all the way round to go back on yourself). If you’re turning left, you use the left lane, simple. If turning right, I will remain in the left lane and use my right indicator, keeping left all the way around. I’ll swap my indicator somewhere along the straight section while passing over the main carriageway. There are two advantages to doing this; it gives the cars room to get around you on the roundabout (I like to get as many of them past me as I can, especially if there’s a long S/C section after exiting the roundabout), and it doesn’t leave you stranded in the right hand lane when you’re trying to exit, because you can bet anything that there’ll be a steady stream cutting up your inside. An added bonus is that, being in the left hand lane gives you right of way against anybody who does try to cut you up at the last second.
This only really applies on the roundabouts/junctions mentioned above, and any other roundabout I’ll take the most appropriate position, but as a rule for me, if there’s two lanes, use 'em and keep traffic moving!
In your little scenario that’s absolutely spot on driving as far as I’m concerned.
But at any other type of roundabout I’ll follow the signs or painted markings 1st and if not the diagrams in highway code 2nd.
I think you’ve missed the point.That everyone else,including me,is following the same logic of not wanting to be stranded on the right lane/s of the roundabout by traffic using the left lane/s to turn right.
No sweetheart. I think you I did. I said only in his scenario is that OK.
1st exit left
2nd exit is straight back on to the m/way or d/C you just got off.
3rd exit is right
4th exit is back onto the m/way or d/C going in the opposite direction.
I’d say by sitting in the left lane to turn right you would strand…No one…
F-reds:
No sweetheart. I think you I did. I said only in his scenario is that OK.
1st exit left
2nd exit is straight back on to the m/way or d/C you just got off.
3rd exit is right
4th exit is back onto the m/way or d/C going in the opposite direction.
I’d say by sitting in the left lane to turn right you would strand…No one…
So is this a 4 lane roundabout, or would you have to cross the broken white line lane markers to turn right? I’ve never seen a roundabout like you describe where the inside (left turn or staight on) lane continues all the way round to the right turn.
Well I am surprised nobody knows the answer to this. It is the safest way to negotiate a roundabout in an artic unless you have a flat trailer with no load on it.
If you think about the position of the unit and trailer as you are about to move over to the left to exit the roundabout how can you see properly in the nearside mirror? You cannot because all you will see is fresh air.
If you turn right using the left lane you eleviate this problem and make the manouvre far safer.
I thought all you pros would have known this. Glad we do have some that know the safest procedure.
F-reds:
No sweetheart. I think you I did. I said only in his scenario is that OK.
1st exit left
2nd exit is straight back on to the m/way or d/C you just got off.
3rd exit is right
4th exit is back onto the m/way or d/C going in the opposite direction.
I’d say by sitting in the left lane to turn right you would strand…No one…
Assuming traffic in the left lane is turning right at the 3 rd exit what happens in the case of traffic in the right lane ‘also’ turning right,therefore wanting the same exit.It can only logically work if traffic in the right lane goes around the roundabout and exits at the 4th exit going in the opposite direction it entered from.Which actually fits the situation of the marked road layout of the two examples which I posted.Although in that case talking the markings to their logical conclusion actually means continuing around the roundabout with no way off it without conflict with traffic to the left.
albion1971:
Well I am surprised nobody knows the answer to this. It is the safest way to negotiate a roundabout in an artic unless you have a flat trailer with no load on it.
If you think about the position of the unit and trailer as you are about to move over to the left to exit the roundabout how can you see properly in the nearside mirror? You cannot because all you will see is fresh air.
If you turn right using the left lane you eleviate this problem and make the manouvre far safer.
I thought all you pros would have known this. Glad we do have some that know the safest procedure.
But if you do this, and someone who runs into you while they are negotiating the roundabout correctly, then the accident is your fault. I’ll just stick to what it says in the highway code, and if I hit a bellend who is going round in the wrong lane, tough ■■■■. At least I know I wasn’t in the wrong.
albion1971:
Well I am surprised nobody knows the answer to this. It is the safest way to negotiate a roundabout in an artic unless you have a flat trailer with no load on it.
If you think about the position of the unit and trailer as you are about to move over to the left to exit the roundabout how can you see properly in the nearside mirror? You cannot because all you will see is fresh air.
If you turn right using the left lane you eleviate this problem and make the manouvre far safer.
I thought all you pros would have known this. Glad we do have some that know the safest procedure.
If it’s an artic the chances are you won’t be in any particular lane anyway because the cut in won’t allow it.While even if anyone was using the ( correct ) method in the highway code the thing will have had to change lock to the left through the straight ahead position by that point to make the exit.Thereby providing the required view of all the zb idiots at the nearside who’ve decided to do it your way by turning right with you in the left hand lane.
Which leaves the question,having followed your idea,what happens in the case of a collision before or at the exit cause by traffic turning right in the wrong left hand lane to turn right getting into conflict with traffic wanting the same exit in the right right lane to turn right going by the highway code ?.
Meanwhile as I said the issue of left lane to turn right at roundabouts has effectively made using the right lane to do it a no go area anyway even with a car let alone a truck.
what gets me is when you do get in the right and enter the roundabout vehicles on the left cut across you when they are going straight on and nearly put you up the roundabout trying to avoid a sideswipe,they never seem to be able to stay in their lane,what I do and have done for years is if a two lane rd I cover both lanes to prevent an accident,thats what I was taught to do when training in 89
truckman020:
what gets me is when you do get in the right and enter the roundabout vehicles on the left cut across you when they are going straight on and nearly put you up the roundabout trying to avoid a sideswipe,they never seem to be able to stay in their lane,what I do and have done for years is if a two lane rd I cover both lanes to prevent an accident,thats what I was taught to do when training in 89
The ones who straight line roundabouts are also generally the same ones who straight line bends too.The latter being potentially catastrophic.
