Country lane, low traffic volumes approaches a roundabout with a main road and lane splits into a left hand and a right hand lane

If roundabout is a clock face with the country lane at 6 o clock the 1st (left) exit is at approximately 9-10 o clock and a single carriageway road

2nd (right) exit is a short length of 2 lane dual carriageway before another roundabout and is positioned about 4 o clock

There is no straight on (there is but it’s a blocked off road for future development)

Wanting to take 2nd (right) exit, and onto LH lane on dual carriageway (to turn left at the next roundabout)

Which lane off the country road – left, or right?

(This is in a car, not cycling)

Genuine question I was always taught right hand lane for turning right (and failed my test first time on this exact point when I was in left hand lane for an unfamilar roundabout exit that was past the 12 o clock position but only the 2nd exit) but I have noticed most people tend to use left hand lane and drive all the way round the outside of the roundabout, this seems a common thing round these parts

Either lane is correct unless there is an arrow marked on the road.

Right hand lane, move into the left hand lane of the dual carriageway on exit of roundabout only if safe. Otherwise remain in right hand lane.

simples.

from what I remember … left lane for exits 1 and 2, right lane for
exits 3 and 4 …
Although the highway code used to say something about watching out for
crossing traffic so if there’s a car inside of you heading for an exit
after yours you “should” give way to it and go around again rather
than cut them off !!

Either lane is correct unless there is an arrow marked on the road.

That’s wrong. From the highway code here https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/roundabouts-184-to-190

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
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

I would take the left hand land if I were taking the first exit (or the straight on option when that opens) and the right hand lane for the second (i.e. right/last) exit.

do whatever the **** you like – that’s what we do round here:

Approaching from bottom right of screen on single carriageway rd, splits to 2 lanes at roundabout. Dual carriageway / motorway left, single width country road second, normal 2 lane traffic 3rd exit

ABout half the drivers coming from bottom R and taking 3rd exit will do so from the left lane on entry

here

Right hand lane, move into the left hand lane of the dual carriageway on exit of roundabout only if safe. Otherwise remain in right hand lane.

simples.

That’s what I’d do too, although I’d move left once on the dual carraigeway , which might be what another deadhead is saying anyway?

You are on a minor road, joining a major road which then happens to split into a dual carriageway. You should therefore use the right hand lane to turn right. If the two single carriageway roads were of similar size then I could see a case for using either lane and would expect other road users to do so (I’d be in the r/h lane watching out for the person on me n/s blind spot).

do not however you do it use any indicators, or look around as you change lane. That is not the way it is done these days. They drive among us take care.

Whichever lane has a shorter queue. 😉

Right hand lane, tight to the roundabout, big bootful of the loud pedal, opposite lock and drift the back end to the outside of the roundabout, thereby using all lanes available. This should cover all eventualities.

possibly….

A roundabout near my Mum’s has a brilliant system – left approach lane only for the first exit, all others use right lane, only moving to left as their exit approaches. Works perfectly, no cutting anyone up. Or rather it would work better, if they re-painted the damn markings!!
It’s the way forward, I tell you.

Either lane is correct unless there is an arrow marked on the road.

Ahh. So you’re the pillock that keeps coming round the outside of me from the wrong lane on roundabouts then. Nice to put a name to the face…..

In this case if I’ve understood the described layout.

Left Lane for going left (country lane)
Left or right for 2nd exit (dual lane, left going into left lane and right into right lane obvs)
Right lane for (next exit?) or going all the way round.

do not however you do it use any indicators

I’m pretty sure that using indicators on a roundabout was made illegal some years ago. It would certainly seem to be the case anyway.

Generally the sign indicates which lane you should be in, unless the markings on the road indicate otherwise. The actual road layout has little to do with it.

Where is this road? Google linky please.

In the meantime, Here’s one to figure out. Follow the signs to Newcastle, obeying what’s painted on the road

In the meantime, Here’s one to figure out. Follow the signs to Newcastle, obeying what’s painted on the road

I’m looking for something I’m missing, but it looks straight forward to me. It’s right lane, then left lane for the second roundabout?

It’s right lane, then left lane for the second roundabout?

You’d think, but you’ll get shot at by the locals. It’s left lane all the way, unless you’re heading onwards up the hill to Gosforth or right into Hunter’s road. No signs, no paint, just local knowledge. As a result there’s accidents here all the time.

Ok, as a qualified driving instructor, based on what you’ve described, I would teach to approach in the right hand lane indicating right. As I pass the left turn I would indicate left and move to the left to exit in the left lane. If I was turning right off the short bit of dual carriageway I would not move left but still indicate left to exit in the right hand lane.

Rich.

Ok, as a qualified driving instructor, based on what you’ve described, I would teach to approach in the right hand lane indicating right. As I pass the left turn I would indicate left and move to the left to exit in the left lane. If I was turning right off the short bit of dual carriageway I would not move left but still indicate left to exit in the right hand lane.

Rich.

+1

I’m a Driving Instructor as well and Rich has described it exactly.

Those clowns who do it wrong will have some explaining to do to their insurance if they have a bump.

Depends if theres traffic about.

Thanks Rich and Simmy, that’s exactly what I always do

Can’t figure how to post a streetview link on phone but its this roundabout here –
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=439973&y=332167&z=120&sv=439973,332167&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=891&ax=439973&ay=332167&lm=0
Coming from Snelsmoor Lane onto Alvaston bypass (south Derby), (map doesn’t really indicate how much of a right it is, no road markings or signs)

Sounds like the issue is not what lane you enter on but which lane you exit too?

hot_fiat – Member

butcher – Member

In the meantime, Here’s one to figure out. Follow the signs to Newcastle, obeying what’s painted on the road

I’m looking for something I’m missing, but it looks straight forward to me. It’s right lane, then left lane for the second roundabout?

You’d think, but you’ll get shot at by the locals. It’s left lane all the way, unless you’re heading onwards up the hill to Gosforth or right into Hunter’s road. No signs, no paint, just local knowledge. As a result there’s accidents here all the time. [/quote]

😆 Thanks for the head up as I know soon I will have to travel through that double roundabouts everyday … I even practiced driving through those roundabouts several times coming down from “MSteel” (Gosforth) during the night (less traffic) to exit through the 12 O’clock exit ahead.

As a rule of thumb I would stick to left lane for Exit 1 & Exit 2 for normal roundabout (only one). Double roundabout is tricky. Magic roundabout can only be invented in UK by bureaucrats. Who even invented that got to be shot in the name of Jeremy Clarkson.

p/s: The locals are correct. Rule of Thumb. Stick to left lane for Exit 1 and Exit 2 regardless of how wonky a roundabout looks. I was taught this too by my driving instructor in GeordieLand. I was driving the far east style and he nearly got the heart attack … 😆

Accelerate, aim for apex, close eyes…

Ok, as a qualified driving instructor, based on what you’ve described, I would teach to approach in the right hand lane indicating right. As I pass the left turn I would indicate left and move to the left to exit in the left lane. If I was turning right off the short bit of dual carriageway I would not move left but still indicate left to exit in the right hand lane.
Rich.

+1

I’m a Driving Instructor as well and Rich has described it exactly.

Those clowns who do it wrong will have some explaining to do to their insurance if they have a bump.

When I did my B+E trailer test, I was warned about (and had to practise) one particular busy/small roundabout. Busy urban dual carriageway, on approach right lane for a dual carriageway exit at 2 o clock. Enter in right lane, move left as passing first exit, and leave on inside lane of dual carriageway. However the cars tend to undertake in the wrong lane, so the drill was you had to slow down and prepare to stop on the roundabout so that you could exit correctly in the left lane. Local driving examiners favourite place to fail drivers on +E and HGV tests as you are meant to exit in the left lane!

This one’s a bugger for people getting it wrong:

If you’re heading west on the A420, (from the right), and you want to either go south on the A350, or carry on west on the A420, then obviously you sit in the left-hand lane, or the right-hand lane if you’re going north on the A350.
However, many people see the turning between the A420 Bristol Road, and the A350 West Cepen Way, position themselves in the right-hand lane, then force their way in front of people carrying on along the A420.
WRONG. They can’t seem to understand that Bumper’s Way is just an unadopted dead-end road leading into an industrial estate, and is not part of the highways network. Cue much horn-blowing and gesticulating.

jag61 – Member
do not however you do it use any indicators, or look around as you change lane. That is not the way it is done these days. They drive among us take care.

Common thing at the roundabout nearest me is to indicate right then go straight-on or not indicate at all and then turn left. This, from the perspective of a pedestrian stood on a crossing refuge with a 5yo, is rather concerning.
Make a comment and it’s met with instant rage of course!

left lane to take first or second exit. if there’s traffic in the left lane and you’re going straight on, move to the right hand lane and progress forwards. 3rd or 4th exit right hand lane. miss an exit, go round and dont cut people off.

Another driving instructor and agree with Spooky, this is becoming a common problem everywhere and think the police recently made this an offence BUT they’re never going to police it until someone gets caught out in an accident.
People are using the left lane on the Black Cat roundabout (A1) to turn right 3rd exit to Bedford (M1) sometimes on a faster flowing roundabout and there are regular crashes near the exits:(
People are nearly always in a rush and will do almost anything to avoid a que!!
Anyway, time to get ready to teach road survival skills:)

Is this thread talking about etiquette or law? They are two different things. The latter must be obeyed so that we all know what each other is up to. The former causes accidents when some of us do as we are supposed to do and some of us do what suits them.

Count Zero,

Having done the streetview of that junction you mention I have to say I think I might well make the same ‘mistake’ (your opinion) and use the right hand lane to go NW onto the A420. As someone who does not know the area that left turn into the industrial estate looks significant enough to be viewed as a legitimate turn off making the A420 the third exit and at about 2 o clock from the driver’s perspective (and very much to the right of all those shrubs on the roundabout) which makes the right hand lane seem perfectly legitimate.

Sorry if I bump into you in the future!

Convert…number of exits is misleading. If your exit is 12 o clock or before, it’s the left hand lane, after 12 o clock is right hand lane.

Take countzeros example. From overhead the 420 east is slightly past 12 o clock, but the road signs will often place it at 12 o clock which means you would use the left lane. However, the roadsigns in streetview show the exit at 1 o clock, so the right lane is correct! This will be why people use the right lane, not because of the additional exit to the industrial estate.