Driving Query

[Bacchus]

People still cant understand that turning right at the Crow Wood roundabout means you should be in the right hand lane, so the chances of them understanding shifting lanes part way around the roundabout are somewhat slim.

For me the cock up with the markings here is that as you enter the roundabout the left lane should be for left turn only, right land should be straight ahead (Town Mouse) / right (Kwik Fit.) Problem solved.

[Gerry Hattrick]

Irrespective of who's right, who's wrong as to which lane you should be in on and approaching this roundabout, the fact that we've now had over 100 postings clearly shows something's not right and the whole thing needs a good coat of looking at.
If there's so much confusion and difference of opinion after 24 hours of discussion on here with more or less everyone being local drivers familiar with the area, what must it be like for people facing the situation for the first time who've literally to make a 'split second' decision? Surely likely to be the cause of many accidents?

Nearly all the responses have been about the approach /exit coming from the Asda side. I'd be interested to have some views on the point I raised in post 10 re the road markings approaching and exiting the roundabout from Active Way which I feel are just as serious if not more of a problem due to drivers wanting to take the M65 option having to cut across to the left in such a very short distance.

[Walton]

Nearly all the responses have been about the approach /exit coming from the Asda side. I'd be interested to have some views on the point I raised in post 10 re the road markings approaching and exiting the roundabout from Active Way which I feel are just as serious if not more of a problem due to drivers wanting to take the M65 option having to cut across to the left in such a very short distance.

I agree, it's a very strange line to have to take, and when I've done it I've been straddling two lanes and was conscious of it.

[Rick_Muller]

The only thing I can suggest is that it is a huge f*ck up by whoever has done the road markings.
The markings at the town mouse exit are essentially this.

After seeing the dashcam shots from dushanbe this is also my conclusion - someone has clearly made a mistake by putting "A679" in the left lane immediately after the turn off for the A679 towards Sainsbury's. I can understand why SammyBoy and dushanbe are both querying this.

I know, the left hand lane (middle photo) literally has the name of the road for Kwik Fit written on it.

See above, I dont think it should be there - unless someone had a brainfart and decided that someone coming from the Kwit Fit side of the roundabout may want to know what lane to be in when they come around, which is nonsensical at the least, hence the brainfart.

If approaching in the right hand lane, the filter needs to take place where the red line is, not at the exit. But you'd need to be aware of people using the left hand lane as instructed by the lane markings.

You are correct that the filter should occur after the exit for the Town Mouse for people entering the roundabout from the right-hand lane from Asda. People in the left hand lane and going all the way around are the drivers who need to be aware however, as they should be giving way to traffic from the right on a roundabout - that rule has not changed and applies in this instance. Those in the right-hand (correct) lane will have the right of way to exit after the Town Mouse turn off, if you are in the left lane and go around the outside you will be in the wrong as your drivers side will be the impact point in an accident irrespective of the road markings.

I think, as said above, that the Council need to be made aware of this confusion as soon as possible - anyone know anyone who works for the council...?

[Rick_Muller]

Nearly all the responses have been about the approach /exit coming from the Asda side. I'd be interested to have some views on the point I raised in post 10 re the road markings approaching and exiting the roundabout from Active Way which I feel are just as serious if not more of a problem due to drivers wanting to take the M65 option having to cut across to the left in such a very short distance.

Just looked at google maps before the changes and the road markings from Active Way are correct in that the right hand lane has an arrow going right only and M65E marked on it - which is correct. All those people who drive down the right hand lane and then cut in to the left on the roundabout to go past Kwik Fit have been doing it wrong all these years.

[ClaretinMyBlood]

Not found much of an issue at the bottom of active way if heading towards Asda/College, roundabout splits from 2 lanes to 3. Eases congestion at busy times by allowing the roundabout to keep moving.
Problem is with that one is that a lot of people don't care for the giving way to anything coming around the roundabout and just go.

[dushanbe]

Those filtering in from the right, need to be doing it immediately after entering the roundabout, passing the exit to Active way. That’s how spiral roundabouts work - you filter left after each turn off and end up in the correct lane for your turn. The problem at the moment is people are realising they are in a lane for M65 E right at the time they are arriving at the junction for the A679 and cutting in, at that point they *are* most definitely in the wrong lane, although they couldn’t be blamed.

The main thing wrong with this roundabout as I see it is that the A679 road marking after the Active way turn should be removed and relabelled as ‘Royle road or Bxxx’ whatever number it happens to be and the right hand lane needs to be marked A679. When passing Royle road the new right hand lane then needs to be labelled M65 E.

[SammyBoy]

Ok so we've ascertained that it's a blunder by the council, until they clean up their mess I guess it's just a case of choosing which one you feeling more comfortable with. I think I'll be sticking with the left hand one.

[Rick_Muller]

Those filtering in from the right, need to be doing it immediately after entering the roundabout, passing the exit to Active way. That’s how spiral roundabouts work - you filter left after each turn off and end up in the correct lane for your turn. The problem at the moment is people are realising they are in a lane for M65 E right at the time they are arriving at the junction for the A679 and cutting in, at that point they *are* most definitely in the wrong lane, although they couldn’t be blamed.

That's where we'll have to disagree - they have to filter after they pass the exit prior to their exit, which is what they will be doing - after the turn for the Town Mouse, drivers wishing to exit towards Kwik Fit are entitled to indicate left and filter after the exit for the Town Mouse. Any driver to their left, who may have been incorrectly in the left lane from Asda (albeit with incorrect road markings) or who have entered the roundabout from Active Way left hand lane have to give way to the drivers already on the roundabout and allow them to filter and exit. That is how roundabouts work whether they are spiral or not.

The main thing wrong with this roundabout as I see it is that the A679 road marking after the Active way turn should be removed and relabelled as ‘Royle road or Bxxx’ whatever number it happens to be and the right hand lane needs to be marked A679. When passing Royle road the new right hand lane then needs to be labelled M65 E.

Thats what needs to happen here - the road markings are misleading and incorrect IMO of course.

[ClaretinMyBlood]

That's where we'll have to disagree - they have to filter after they pass the exit prior to their exit, which is what they will be doing - after the turn for the Town Mouse, drivers wishing to exit towards Kwik Fit are entitled to indicate left and filter after the exit for the Town Mouse. Any driver to their left, who may have been incorrectly in the left lane from Asda (albeit with incorrect road markings) or who have entered the roundabout from Active Way left hand lane have to give way to the drivers already on the roundabout and allow them to filter and exit. That is how roundabouts work whether they are spiral or not.


Thats what needs to happen here - the road markings are misleading and incorrect IMO of course.

Fully agree with this.
Any driver continuing around from the left lane is the cause of any accident as a result.

[Rick_Muller]

I'd love to see how many of you would panic driving across the Magic Roundabout - of course this is easy to navigate providing you follow the rule for roundabouts to give way to the right.

magic roundabout.jpeg (53.46 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

[dushanbe]

That's where we'll have to disagree - they have to filter after they pass the exit prior to their exit, which is what they will be doing - after the turn for the Town Mouse, drivers wishing to exit towards Kwik Fit are entitled to indicate left and filter after the exit for the Town Mouse.

I agree, but if you look at the photo, anyone filtering after taking up position in the M65E lane just *after* the town mouse turn is wrong. The filtering takes place where the red line indicates and its almost immediately as you enter the roundabout (it being quite small). Thats where the problem is, cars are suddenly finding that according to the road labelling, they are in the wrong lane and cutting in at the last minute, that ain't filtering.

[Vintage Claret]

I'd love to see how many of you would panic driving across the Magic Roundabout - of course this is easy to navigate providing you follow the rule for roundabouts to give way to the right.

magic roundabout.jpeg

I've been on that roundabout twice but I didn't panic, my mate was driving

[Sfw4672]

The other week a white Audi nearly caused an accident by incorrect lane procedure. Following a little road rage he got out of his car and still had the cheek to think he was in the right. He was stating that the a679 was marked on road to which I replied "Yes it is because the a679 also goes up past Sainsbury's which is to the left".
It's easy really left hand lane for left turn or straight on and right lane to go right towards b&m bargains.

[dushanbe]

The other week a white Audi nearly caused an accident by incorrect lane procedure. Following a little road rage he got out of his car and still had the cheek to think he was in the right. He was stating that the a679 was marked on road to which I replied "Yes it is because the a679 also goes up past Sainsbury's which is to the left".
It's easy really left hand lane for left turn or straight on and right lane to go right towards b&m bargains.

You haven’t been paying attention have you bud?

[Sfw4672]

Always pay attention Dushanbe and also don't make my own rules on roundabout procedure. The left hand lane is most always for first exit (left) or second (straight on) the right hand lane is consequently to go right. The markings are clear it also has a opening after royle road exit for traffic to filter in when being in right hand lane.
It's a simple roundabout why make it complicated. I also agree with people's view on crow wood roundabout, to go on m65 you should be in right hand lane

[dushanbe]

Always pay attention Dushanbe and also don't make my own rules on roundabout procedure. The left hand lane is most always for first exit (left) or second (straight on) the right hand lane is consequently to go right. The markings are clear it also has a opening after royle road exit for traffic to filter in when being in right hand lane.
It's a simple roundabout why make it complicated. I also agree with people's view on crow wood roundabout, to go on m65 you should be in right hand lane

You do a good impression of someone who hasn’t paid attention, but never mind.

[SammyBoy]

The other week a white Audi nearly caused an accident by incorrect lane procedure. Following a little road rage he got out of his car and still had the cheek to think he was in the right. He was stating that the a679 was marked on road to which I replied "Yes it is because the a679 also goes up past Sainsbury's which is to the left".
It's easy really left hand lane for left turn or straight on and right lane to go right towards b&m bargains.

I’d have a read of the whole thread and you’ll see why the bloke was confused.

[yorkyclaret]

Proper spiral roundabouts are easy and safe to use. They have tried to make one here, but there isn't room for one so they have tried to bodge one up. I havn't had a look yet, are there any lane markings spiraling out after each exit? A proper spiral roundabout needs a specific lane for each possible exit, unless you want to do a U turn, then hard luck. Whatever happens never change into another lane without making sure it is safe to do so.

http://learntodrive.robosoul.co.uk/roun ... undabouts/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SammyBoy]

Crossed this roundabout tonight and it appears there has been an attempt to rectify the mistake with the lane incorrectly labelled A679, the marking below had been removed (although it's still there just a lot fainter).

[dsr]

Crossed this roundabout tonight and it appears there has been an attempt to rectify the mistake with the lane incorrectly labelled A679, the marking below had been removed (although it's still there just a lot fainter).

Correct, that A679 sign has been moved into the right hand lane which removes the ambiguity. It's now as it always has been, left lane for left and straight ahead, right lane for right.

[WadingInDeeper]

I've only been that way once since the lights went on. Isn't there now also a lane marker (very small) to follow.

[SammyBoy]

Pretty appalling really that it was allowed to function incorrectly for so long, I dread to think how many near misses there have been because of someones incompetence.