Roundabout (aka island if you live in silly land)

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Roundabout (aka island if you live in silly land)

A or B?


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even if it was 10 car widths it is only 1 lane unless lane markings seperate it, and i cant see any lane markings on that exit.
 
It's 4 car widths, that's a two lane exit, it is definitely marked on the top exit if you look too. - It's possible it is not displayed on the satellite image. I would definitely not have any issues from the looks of the image to enter at B and leave on the outer part of X. Same as on roundabouts such as:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&h...-1.159425&spn=0.000759,0.002494&t=k&z=19&om=1

There are no markings therefore single carriageway. There are no markings to show which lane should merg into which.
 
even if it was 10 car widths it is only 1 lane unless lane markings seperate it, and i cant see any lane markings on that exit.

But the fact still remains that by the book, as an intermediate exit, unless road markings or signs say otherwise, A or B is fine an entrance lane. It does matter how wide it is because that makes a difference between a safe exit of two cars maintaining lane discipline vs. a collision.

Same stands if a car is turning right and another car is going straight on but both leaving at the same exit. The person turning right should either maintain lane discipline and leave the roundabout on the outer part of X or if safe, filter across to leave in the inner part of X. Neither is right or wrong and aslong as the exit lane is wide enough for two cars or marked as such, there won't be a problem. If the outer part is marked off with chevrons to prevent such a movement, it will be stated on the entrance lane.

Of course this is by the book, how it is taught and how it is legally, it does not match all circumstances.
 
A or B is fine an entrance lane.
definately

It does matter how wide it is because that makes a difference between a safe exit of two cars maintaining lane discipline vs. a collision.
there is one lane, only 1 car should be in that lane at any given time no matter how wide it is. yes they probably made it wider so bad drivers can exit safely when performing an illegal lane change, but that doesnt mean it is the correct way to exit a roundabout, and in the event of an accident the person exiting from the inside lane will always be blamed because they performed an illegal lane change. you must change lanes before you exit, not during or after.
 
But that's not true nor how it is taught, there is no need to move across to the outside lane is there is enough of an exit lane to leave from the inside lane...;)

That is why the highway code specifically states:

stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout

Which is ambiguous to as which method you want to use, it doesn't say "change lanes before your exit" or "stay in your lane until you reach the exit" - it leaves it up to the situation. Normally on a roundabout with a wide exit without markings where two cars can go, there are arrows showing the person in the outer lane to filter to the inner. Without seeing the actual roundabout and driving it, I can't say for certain whether I would be happy to leave two cars abreast on exit X but if I did, I would either allow the car on the inside to go infront of me or do the same.

It is up to the driver to be safe and of course not all drivers are.
 
AFAIK, if you are going straight on, and there are more than 2/3cars in the left hand/straight on lane, and they appear to be turning left/before the destination exit, it is acceptable to use the middle/right hand lane, and cut thru them.

TBH roundabouts work wonderfully if everyone uses their brains and drives courtesouly and and with sensible speed then we all get on a lot faster.
 
But that's not true nor how it is taught, there is no need to move across to the outside lane is there is enough of an exit lane to leave from the inside lane...;)
i was taught differently. my instructor said if there is only 1 exit lane you must be in the outside lane to exit via that lane, anything else is an illegal lane change.

That is why the highway code specifically states:

stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout

Which is ambiguous to as which method you want to use, it doesn't say "change lanes before your exit" or "stay in your lane until you reach the exit" - it leaves it up to the situation.
actually it says:

When taking any intermediate exit
  • select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
  • 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.
notice the first step, select the appropriate lane. once you are in the appropriate lane you must stay in it until you exit. so it does say change lanes before you exit :p

it says "stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout", it does not say "change lanes when altering course to exit the roundabout".

if you read the steps in the highway code it makes it quite clear, you get into the correct lane before you exit, then you stay in that lane until you exit. that is the whole reason you can not exit from the inside lane into a 1 lane exit, if you do that you are changing lanes later than it tells you to in the highway code.

my driving instructor made sure i was well aware of this because so many people failed on it in sunderland where i took my test, there are many 2 lane roundabouts with 1 lane exits and it was a favorite trick with the examiners, especially in heavy traffic when they know you cant change lane in time and they want to see if you'll go around again or make an illegal lane change. it got my GF the second time, they failed her for doing it. i went round again on my test because i knew the latest you can change lanes is immediately after the previous exit. :)
 
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But the fact still remains that by the book, as an intermediate exit, unless road markings or signs say otherwise, A or B is fine an entrance lane. It does matter how wide it is because that makes a difference between a safe exit of two cars maintaining lane discipline vs. a collision.

Same stands if a car is turning right and another car is going straight on but both leaving at the same exit. The person turning right should either maintain lane discipline and leave the roundabout on the outer part of X or if safe, filter across to leave in the inner part of X. Neither is right or wrong and aslong as the exit lane is wide enough for two cars or marked as such, there won't be a problem. If the outer part is marked off with chevrons to prevent such a movement, it will be stated on the entrance lane.

Correct me if wrong but in this example we will give the roundabout 4 exits. A at 12 o'clock, B at 3, C at 6 and D at 9.

Car i enters the roundabout at C heading for B. Car ii enters the roundabout at D also heading for B.

You argue that they should both observe lane discipline and sort it out as they leave the roundabout at B. I would suggest in that example that Car ii should give way to the right and Car i has right of way to change lane to exit the roundabout.

Roundabouts are great :D
 
Correct me if wrong but in this example we will give the roundabout 4 exits. A at 12 o'clock, B at 3, C at 6 and D at 9.

Car i enters the roundabout at C heading for B. Car ii enters the roundabout at D also heading for B.

You argue that they should both observe lane discipline and sort it out as they leave the roundabout at B. I would suggest in that example that Car ii should give way to the right and Car i has right of way to change lane to exit the roundabout.
in that example, assuming the exit at B is a single lane, if car i can not get into the outside lane by the time it passes A (usually because car ii is in the way) then car i must go round the roundabout again, it must not leave with car ii and try to fight for a place in the exit lane, that would be illegal.
 
Correct me if wrong but in this example we will give the roundabout 4 exits. A at 12 o'clock, B at 3, C at 6 and D at 9.

Car i enters the roundabout at C heading for B. Car ii enters the roundabout at D also heading for B.

You argue that they should both observe lane discipline and sort it out as they leave the roundabout at B. I would suggest in that example that Car ii should give way to the right and Car i has right of way to change lane to exit the roundabout.

Roundabouts are great :D

I get that.

Mini roundabouts are better
 
But in an ideal world yes, but especially on a larger roundabout, car's speed vary enough so that even if you give way, it's very easy to catch up with the other car which should maintain lane discipline if possible and leave on the outside of the exit lane.

if you read the steps in the highway code it makes it quite clear, you get into the correct lane before you exit, then you stay in that lane until you exit. that is the whole reason you can not exit from the inside lane into a 1 lane exit, if you do that you are changing lanes later than it tells you to in the highway code.

Jug, it does not say that, and it specifically DOESN'T say that for a very important reason. If it were the case - which it is not - ALL roundabouts would have one exit lane. Alas no, it is perfectly fine to leave a roundabout on the outer exit lane or outer part of the lane assuming you are going 2nd exit or later. UNLESS road marking state otherwise. Potentially by changing when you should be leaving on the outer exit lane, you are cutting somebody else up.

notice the first step, select the appropriate lane. once you are in the appropriate lane you must stay in it until you exit. so it does say change lanes before you exit
Read it very carefully, you will see it is ambiguous for either step and that is on purpose. You are assuming since it doesn't say method X, method Y is correct (when it also doesn't say method Y is correct) - when in actual fact, neither is stated as both are perfectly acceptable depending on the situation.
 
It's all part of the fun ;) The inside lane on the roundabout turns into the outside lane (by definition, not by logic!) on the exit road.
 
Jug, it does not say that, and it specifically DOESN'T say that for a very important reason. If it were the case - which it is not - ALL roundabouts would have one exit lane.

Read it very carefully, you will see it is ambiguous for either step and that is on purpose. You are assuming since it doesn't say method X, method Y is correct (when it also doesn't say method Y is correct) - when in actual fact, neither is stated as both are perfectly acceptable depending on the situation

no, the reason they word it like that is because the appropriate lane will depend on the number of lanes on the exit, that is why it says appropriate, but it also says you must get into the correct lane and stay in it before you exit for that same reason, it is then applicable to any situation. in the example of a 2 lane exit the same rule applies, yes you can exit from either lane on the roundabout BUT you can still only exit into the lane that is appropriate for the lane you are in on the roundabout, you still cant change lanes as you exit no matter how many lanes the exit has, thats the rule its very simple. that is why the number of lanes on the exit dictates the lane(s) that are appropriate for exiting from.

lets apply the same rule to other situations. if you have a 3 lane roundabout and a 2 lane exit you cant exit from the inside lane but you can from the middle and outside. if you have a 3 lane roundabout and a 1 lane exit you can only exit from the outside lane, not the middle or inside. its a very simple rule.

i give up because i think you'll never get it, or maybe you do get it and you're just trying to have my life. either way my driving instructor would have slapped you silly by now :p
 
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no, the reason they word it like that is because the appropriate lane will depend on the number of lanes on the exit, that is why it says appropriate, but it also says you must get into the correct lane and stay in it before you exit for that same reason, it is then applicable to any situation. in the example of a 2 lane exit the same rule applies, yes you can exit from either lane on the roundabout BUT you can still only exit into the lane that is appropriate for the lane you are in on the roundabout, you still cant change lanes as you exit no matter how many lanes the exit has, thats the rule its very simple. that is why the number of lanes on the exit dictates the lane(s) that are appropriate for exiting from.

i give up because i think you'll never get it, or maybe you do get it and you're just trying to have my life.


But isn't this exactly what I am saying? You can't exit from the inside of the roundabout to the inside of the exit - the move should have been done first, but you can exit from the inside of the lane to the outside of the exit lane. IF there's only one narrow exit, 99/100, it will be marked on the way in which lane you have to use because of it, if the exit isn't fully marked for two lanes but is plenty wide enough then the person on the inside of the roundabout is quite at liberty to exit on the outer point of the exit and does no need to have previously changed lanes. The worst thing possible for any driver is to exit from the inside of the roundabout to the inside of the exit (or vice versa) because that is a sudden change in expected direction.

I have only ever been on one roundabout in my life where the 2nd exit was not possible from the position B and it wasn't marked, out of the hundreds (if not 1000+!) I have been on.
 
there's just nearside and offside
on a 2 lane roundabout that would be nearside and nearside since traffic only goes one way so both lanes have a curb lol
the difference is your nearside would be left of car on outter lane, whereas nearside becomes right of car on inner lane. it depends which side of car is nearest to kurb. what fun.
 
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But isn't this exactly what I am saying? You can't exit from the inside of the roundabout to the inside of the exit - the move should have been done first, but you can exit from the inside of the lane to the outside of the exit lane.
:ROFLMAO:.

if there is only 1 lane on the exit there is no inside or outside exit, just one lane, and that lane is a continuation of the outside lane from the roundabout, hence you are changing lane if you move from the inside lane on the roundabout to the exit lane, and the rules say you cant change lane as you exit, it is illegal and you fail your test. i know that 100%, i'd be willing to bet my life on it.

on a 2 lane exit then what you are saying is fine, but there must be markings to show there are 2 lanes on the exit.
 
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