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Letter: Roundabouts and bad driving
Monday 10th August 2009, 7:00AM BST.
Letter: When I learned to drive in the late 60s, we were told when using a roundabout to take the shortest route on, and the shortest route off, using tangents.
If I approached a roundabout and intended to take the third exit, I approached it in the right hand lane, indicating right and crossed over to the island, hugging the kerb until my exit came in view and, indicating left, departed down that road.
This worked perfectly and accidents on roundabouts, or even difficulties using them, seemed to be rare.
Yet now, I am confronted by motorists, on a daily basis, idiotically approaching a roundabout from the left hand lane and driving round to the last exit, remaining in the left hand lane, and en route cutting off the exits to other motorists who are using the road correctly.
Please may we have a road safety campaign that stops this idiocy and has the slogan: “You don’t turn right from the left hand lane.”
Furthermore, we were also taught that the objective of a good road user was to go from departure to destination without causing another road user to speed up, slow down or change direction.
Motorways, and some major roads, have very helpful slip roads to enable motorists to accelerate up to the speed of the traffic there, before joining it, so they merge seamlessly.
I was recently obliged to join the M6 from the M54, but the motorist in front slowed down and stopped where the motorways merged, thus trapping me into having to join traffic that was travelling at 70mph from a standing start!
Michael Smitten
Shifnal
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This is quite true, I have witnessed first hand the stupid bad habit driving techniques used by some shropshire road users. One of the worst islands I negotiate is lawley gate towards wellington rd. I have want to go right and get in to the right lane. Time after time, a car driver will scream round on the left to undertake me and cut in front to take the same right turn. Usually acompanied by strange hand gestures and flashing lights.
I now hang back and try to ‘mind read’ what the othre drivers are doing.
Some people should just use the bus.
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Recently been touring the UK with my pal from Germany, and she was stunned by our driving standards, in particular, why we don’t bother using indicators.
She is also bemused as to why we pass a law banning mobile phones, but just ignore it.
She thinks its crazy painting speed cmeras yellow, in Germany they are grey or green.
She can’t understand why we have a sign on the motorway (M6 Cheshire-ish?)that warns motorist that there are unmarked police cars – she wonders why we don’t just mark the cars.
I did try explaining to her that we don’t use stealth to regulate our roads, in Britian ‘that’s not cricket’. Unfortunately I couldn’t explain cricket so that didn’t really help.
I think this letter writer will agree that we could learn alot more from Johnny Foreigner when it comes to our roads and driving.
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There’s also the people who are incapable of keeping to roundabout lanes – people going straight on who cut through the middle of the roundabout with no regard to what is going on in the right hand lane. It even happens by Garrison roundabout where they’ve actually painted the lanes on the road so there’s no excuse!
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Agree totally with the first point although, without realising it, you’re probably encountering many drivers without licences who never learnt the way to approach a roundabout – the rest will be people who have grown so used to society doing everything for them that they never feel a need to take responsibility for their actions.
On point two, I agree with you if it’s a matter of a driver slowing down to have a good look because they are not prepared, but I would make the point that if the motorway, (or Telford’s EP), has traffic in all lanes, then the rule remains that traffic on the main carriageway has priority, even if that means that merging traffic has to stop and wait to get on.
Too many times I have been in the left lane of the EP with a car overtaking me in the right hand lane when someone will race down the slip road and just force themselves onto the road, making ME have to slow down. It happens often and that really does cause accidents as a whole row of relatively fast-moving traffic has to brake.
Inevitably, when I do have to take my priority because moving to the right lane would impede other traffic or cause me to hit other vehicles, drivers that then have no option but to stop on the slip to let me by, start flashing or making hand signals that are definitely not in the highway code!
And THAT is probably the remaining factor in why we have a lot of drivers doing stupid things on the road – not willing to get into a confrontation with other motorists, so even where they are correct in how they are driving, they start to do the wrong thing.
Telford’s EP at rush hour is now very much like the Périphérique, (the inner ring road around Paris), where traffic entering on sliproads always has precedence over traffic actually racing along on the main carriageway, which has to brake at each entry sliproad – rush hour chaos there, rush hour chaos in Telford! But at least the French are doing it according to their rules. The same can’t be said here.
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I agree entirely with Rodney about drivers coming onto motorways without looking and assuming they have right of way. Also, drivers approaching roundabouts on the entry before you, who turn left but don’t indicate to let yopu know, and you have waited courteously for them.
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i agree that drivng standards have fallen on roundabouts,have you ever tried crossing the road at a roundabout when nobody indicates so you do not know if they are exiting on your exit.
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On the Asda roundabout coming from Wrockwardine Wood you only use the left hand lane to turn left into Donnington – do not yell at me for using the right hand lane to go over to Asda when the flaming great 3 foot high arrows on the road tell me to!!!!! I’m sick of being abused by other road users who have no idea what they’re doing. Roundabout general rules do not apply if written instructions tell you to do otherwise.
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I entirely agree with Michael s comments on roundabouts – what if I decided to use the right-hand lane then take the first exit? M54 junction 6 coming from Telford to Wellington is a prime example, even though the lanes are marked, they are ignored by many drivers who think they can gain a few seconds advantage.
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People just seem to have no idea where they should be – but they do seem to think they haev some form of enhanced importance over others. DOOPs (Daddies On Own in People-carriers) seem hooliganistic this way – Islands are their territory, they bully everyone else.
I don’t like white paint everywhere,, but basic guidance would be helpful, Lawley crossing is the ultimate in simplicity, but the islands around seem to just point folk at each other dependant on their views on correct use. How about the book being more clear and what about 10 year re-education for driving laws?
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Mr. Smitten’s comment, “Please may we have a road safety campaign that stops this idiocy and has the slogan: “You don’t turn right from the left hand lane.” is a cause for concern. I venture to suggest that when driving in the U.K. it is impossible to turn right off a rounabout.
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Another problem is that if you are in the correct lane on a roundabout you are likely to be at high risk of an accident. The left hand lane on a roundabout should be used for exiting a roundabout. However, if you are turning right 99% of road users will NOT move the left hand lane before exiting and therefore exit from the right hand land, crossing the left hand lane almost perpendicular to it. This means that if you are in the CORRECT lane when exiting, which is the left hand lane then you run the risk of driving into the side of an ignorant idiot exiting from the wrong lane.
Another major issue is idiots that do not possess the intelligence to read road signs, white lane markings, or even big white letters on the road telling them what lane to be in! Trench lock being one, like the new layout or not its very very well signed, or the main town centre roundabout is another one that few seem to be able to tackle successfully yet is very well signed and marked!
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“The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues.”
In the case of your comment, Descartes, the virtue of being technically correct is matched by the vice of being a smart alec.
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this is why truckers call them “Telford Lefties” – I’ve driven in most counties in the UK and Shropshire is the worst for being in wrong lanes at roundabouts!
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Point taken! Be ignorant, oblivious and dangerous…..
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Thank you, Dick, for acknowledging that my statement is correct. Your use of the adverb ‘technically’ is superfluous. My statement is either correct or it is not. You have conceded that the former is the case. Your attempt to insult me by using the description ‘smart alec’ suggests a paucity of intellectual rigour in your armoury. I would welcome your view on the subject under scrutiny, namely the use of roundabouts on our highways.
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wots a roundabout?
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Descartes,
What’s the most important, people driving stupidly on roundabouts or your silly attempt to justify stupidity?
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Yesterday (and I thought I would never witness such grunting idiocy in my lifetime), a Xsara Picasso (which sets my alarm bells off straight away) approached the island on the A5 / A41 near Weston Park.
The driver’s standard of driving between Priorslee and Weston was pitiful to say the least, with only the most rudimentary grasp of driving in a straight line at a constant speed. Thus I held back on the approach to the roundabout, unsure of his / hers next manoevre. The driver waited at the island in the right hand lane (no indicators, of course) for approaching traffic to pass.
The driver then turned left up the A41 towards Newport!
It’s no wonder sensible drivers get so frustrated at the ever increasing road re-engineering measures being implemented; they’re there because of all the drooling numpty drivers out there need saving from themselves!
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I have to agree with people about roundabouts and bad driving, on a saturday couple weeks ago was coming up the m54 and was going to take the town centre exit as it was raining hard was being careful as i was approaching exit ,noticed on other side of motorway an accident, the person in front of me decided to rubber neck for some unknown reason thus slowing down nearly causing an accident.
Also what i would like to know is when the left hand lane of a motorway is empty why do people still stay in the outside lane after they have overtaken, again was coming up the M54 looked in the mirror and there was nobody behind me but at least 6 cars in the outside lane —– WHY—-
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5 afternoons a week I exit the dual carriageway at Bicton Island, and stay in the left hand lane (which is marked)to enter the montford bridge stretch of the A5. Almost every time I am overtaken by a vehicle on the right. Either they just don’t read the signs stating “end of dual ccarriageway” or they are just plain selfish. I don’t drive a top of the range Audi or BMW which means I don’t have all the safety features and numerous airbags, so if you cause me to have an accident, you will be fine but I may not be – live with that for the rest of your driving days.
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Dear Dick and Descartes, you two sound more like Dick und Doof!
I take the concept of turning right at a roundabout, as taking what would commonly be the third exit, or otherwise turning right if it was a normal junction.
PS Please don’t use such long words, it doesn’t make you right, just means I have to keep refering to a dictionary. Try some plain English like David Cameron.
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Brian2, you are wrong in suggesting that I am trying to justify stupidity. I simply put forward a point of view that was intended to ensure clarity.
LucyW, I hope these words prove to be acceptable to you. The fact is that whichever exit you choose to leave a roundabout, you turn left.
The best advice I received about roundabout etiquette is to take the model of a clock face. Only use the right hand lane if your exit is past twelve o’clock. For other exits use the left hand lane. This is, more or less, Mr. Smitten’s wise advice in his letter.
I hope that the above makes my point without obfuscation and satisfies the criteria that some of my critics have laid before me.
P.S. LucyW, the use of long words doesn’t make me wrong either!
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Descartes: Thank you for using little words for me and your advice, and I quote “take the model of a clock face. Only use the right hand lane if your exit is past twelve o’clock.”
However I won’t be taking it as I understand that either the left or right hand lane may be used for the ’12 o’clock exist’.
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“Only use the right hand lane if your exit is past twelve o’clock.”
I do most of my driving in the early morning so I suppose I should only use the left hand lane….;-)
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That’s very helpful Descartes – but what about those of us who’ve only got digital clocks?
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It is entirely your decision whether or not you accept the advice that I relayed, LucyW. However, if you consult the Highway Code with regard to vehicle position at a roundabout, you will note that the diagrammatic advice is to use the left hand lane when you need to use the exit at 12 o’clock on the clock face model. I concede that the advice in text is not quite so definite. However, common sense would suggest the diagram to be a reasonable option.
Brian2, what was that you were saying about silly attempts to justify stupidity? I quite enjoyed your humour.
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Try the online Highway Code, comrades:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338
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Descartes: Which section of the HWC says use left, rather than right lane for 12:00 exit? – I couldn’t find it earlier.
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Mr. Peasbody’s link will take you to the relevant section, LucyW. As I said earlier, the diagrammatic advice shows the blue car taking the recommended route i.e. left lane to reach the exit for “straight ahead” or 12 o’clock using the clock face model. The text suggests using the “most appropriate” lane. Other sources of advice, such as the one I have given a link for below, suggest that in the absence of road markings to indicate otherwise, we should use the left lane for this manoeuvre.
Happy and safe motoring.
http://www.2pass.co.uk/roundabout.htm
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Thank you HSJP for the link, and as I said, you can generally use any lane for 12 o’clock.
At the end of the day, it is perfectly legal to make any manoeuvre on an island providing you ‘look, signal, manouvre’ and do not impede other road users.
By the way, I saw some terrible driving on the Burway, Long Mynd, Church Stretton yesterday and would like to say to the driver of the silver SUV, if you can’t drive on an unclassified road without requiring a change of underwear, its time to give up.
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I was invloved in an accident on the Lawley interchange mentioned in some of the posts above. I left the westbound M54 at Junction 6 and as I was heading towards Wellington correctly used the right hand lane. To cut a long story short my vehicle was hit by a taxi incorrectly using the left hand lane to take the same Wellington exit. As I had two independent witnesses the driver was prosecuted and found guilty of driving without due care and attention.
I drive throughout the country as part of my job and can honestly say that when it comes to roundabouts and slip roads the standard of driving in Telford is dismal. I’d probably be picked up on more than one point if I took a driving test tomorrow but some of the maneuvers I see would be perfect candidates for one of those trashy Britains Worst Drivers programmes. Too much ignorance and complacency and not enough enforcement in my opinion.
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There’s only one solution, remove Telford from the map completely, it will solve no end of problems and will improve the area by 100%.
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From the link above
“To go straight on ( taking the second exit) If no marking on the road it is usually safest to keep to the left lane”
On a single carriageway road, using the right hand lane (unless marked to do so) is going to mean you are cutting up traffic using the correct left hand lane for going straight across (or a junction at 12 o’clock if you’re being pedantic and saying you don’t go straight across a roundabout!).
On my way home across the A5 near Shrewsbury, some people use the right hand lane for going straight across despite the lanes being clearly marked – left lane for first and second exits, right lane for third exit. The offending drivers then usually take the exit anyway and woe betide anyone who happens to be on the bit of road they decide to use. The only reason there aren’t more accidents at the roundabotus in question is because the drivers using the correct lane have their wits about them and expect to see people cutting them up.
Removing Telford from maps would make a lot of sense :)
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Why should i indicate when exiting a roundabout. Its nobodys business where i,m going.
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tigertrill said:
“Why should i indicate when exiting a roundabout. Its nobodys business where i,m going.”
You wouldn’t be in the police by any chance? (They never indicate either – or follow any of the other rules of the road for that matter).
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You can see from the letters how we arrive at such a mess at a simple obstacle like a roundabout but if youv,e been driving a lorry for years you know that a majority of drivers are just selfish self centered morans on the road and you drive in anticipation with that in mind thats why you,ll fin most hgv drivers have managed many accident free 100,000,s of miles
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#32 Sam: I see it’s half term already. Are your schoolfriends ignoring you? You’re obviously bored.
#34 tigertrill: Why should you indicate? If you are posting such a question seriously, then I would ask why you should have a driving licence at all.
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I have laughed at reading some of these comments, since they are intended to be comical and flippant and most have been in agreement with my complaints about abusers of islands yet, today, at Junction 6 of the M54 there are 6 foot high, bright, white road markings stating clearly M54 actually expensively written on the left hand lane for the instruction of motorist who shouldn’t have a licence to drive, someone still drive serenely round onto the Wellington exit, only failing to cause an accident because I took precautions for their stupidity! AS I said in my original letter (but it wasn’t printed) “she hasn’t actually had an accident; just seen many in her rear view mirror.”
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Tigertrill is a joker or very dangerous. Either way she should have her licence endorsed and instructions on the use of those little levers on her steering wheel that make direction indications possible explained to her. Her driving examiner may also need to be vetted and possibly sectioned under mental health act for passing her to drive on roads that require understanding and intelligence, with people who often have neither. But, then, she would be at home there. Maybe I will just have to be extra careful, as usual.
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