There is a roundabout near me which has confusing lane discipline which is only apparent when joining the roundabout from certain approaches. I’d be interested in your comments.
Yesterday a motorcycle rider almost turned into the side of my car because he expected me to exit the roundabout at his exit, but I was continuing to the next exit. Both of us thought (and probably still believe) we were in the right.
On the image below, my route is shown in yellow, with different shades to show where I was indicating right and where I was indicating left. The motorcycle’s route is shown in red.
3-4 years ago Cardiff Council restricted the traffic flow of the roundabout, supposedly for “road casualty reduction”. (Personally I think it became more dangerous, but we have to make the best of the new layout). Some lanes were hatched out, and some dedicated turning left lanes introduced.
Referring directions to the image below:
When approaching the roundabout from the right (from the dual carriageway) and wishing to take the fourth exit, the signage on the road and on a sign on the slip-road show that the two right-hand lanes are both to be used. Vehicles are encouraged to use both these lanes, then merge into one lane after the third exit. I followed these signs (as I do on most days) to use the middle lane of the slip road, keep to this lane on the roundabout, then merge into the only lane after passing exit 3 of the roundabout.
When approaching the roundabout from the ‘top’ and wishing to take the fourth exit towards the left, as the motorcycle probably did, there is no specific signage, so the normal route would be to take the right-hand lane, then the inside lane of the roundabout and cross the outside lane of the roundabout when exiting. This is what the motorcycle did.
When I joined the roundabout I was several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle but he caught up and moved almost level with me by the time we reached his exit. Although I had been indicating right for the whole time he could see me, he still assumed that I would turn left at his exit (on the left-hand exit lane) and he started to turn for the right-hand exit lane. He then realised that I was not turning and changed direction; he stopped; I slowed; he made it clear that he thought I was in the wrong; I did the same; we went on our way.
If he was not familiar with the signage on the slip-road at my entry to the roundabout, the motorcyclist would expect me to turn off at ‘his’ exit (although he should have taken account of my indicators and not moved alongside me), but I was following the route indicated by the signage on my entry slip-road.
Who was in the right ?
Who was at fault ?
Is the road layout the only thing at fault ?
Do the transport planners believe that multiple low speed accidents is ‘safer’ than a single higher speed accident, so a muddled layout which slows drivers down and creates uncertainty is a safer layout ?
Yesterday a motorcycle rider almost turned into the side of my car because he expected me to exit the roundabout at his exit, but I was continuing to the next exit. Both of us thought (and probably still believe) we were in the right.
On the image below, my route is shown in yellow, with different shades to show where I was indicating right and where I was indicating left. The motorcycle’s route is shown in red.
3-4 years ago Cardiff Council restricted the traffic flow of the roundabout, supposedly for “road casualty reduction”. (Personally I think it became more dangerous, but we have to make the best of the new layout). Some lanes were hatched out, and some dedicated turning left lanes introduced.
Referring directions to the image below:
When approaching the roundabout from the right (from the dual carriageway) and wishing to take the fourth exit, the signage on the road and on a sign on the slip-road show that the two right-hand lanes are both to be used. Vehicles are encouraged to use both these lanes, then merge into one lane after the third exit. I followed these signs (as I do on most days) to use the middle lane of the slip road, keep to this lane on the roundabout, then merge into the only lane after passing exit 3 of the roundabout.
When approaching the roundabout from the ‘top’ and wishing to take the fourth exit towards the left, as the motorcycle probably did, there is no specific signage, so the normal route would be to take the right-hand lane, then the inside lane of the roundabout and cross the outside lane of the roundabout when exiting. This is what the motorcycle did.
When I joined the roundabout I was several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle but he caught up and moved almost level with me by the time we reached his exit. Although I had been indicating right for the whole time he could see me, he still assumed that I would turn left at his exit (on the left-hand exit lane) and he started to turn for the right-hand exit lane. He then realised that I was not turning and changed direction; he stopped; I slowed; he made it clear that he thought I was in the wrong; I did the same; we went on our way.
If he was not familiar with the signage on the slip-road at my entry to the roundabout, the motorcyclist would expect me to turn off at ‘his’ exit (although he should have taken account of my indicators and not moved alongside me), but I was following the route indicated by the signage on my entry slip-road.
Who was in the right ?
Who was at fault ?
Is the road layout the only thing at fault ?
Do the transport planners believe that multiple low speed accidents is ‘safer’ than a single higher speed accident, so a muddled layout which slows drivers down and creates uncertainty is a safer layout ?