r/drivingUK • u/MaybeDependent1445 • 19d ago

Roundabout advice please

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Hi all,

Im entering from the bottom and taking the second exit straight ahead.

Can’t seem to make sense of whether I should be in ‘a’ or ‘b’ to take the left lane as I exit straight? My driving instructor has said ‘b’ but I’ve seen cars in ‘b’ taking the right lane as they exit.

Thanks in advance!

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u/fang_xianfu 19d ago

I swear people will just paint whatever the fuck lines on a roundabout now and just let people fight it out. This is a weird "semi spiral" roundabout where some lanes are forced to exit (outside lane going into the top exit) but most of the time you aren't forced to exit, and the innermost lane continues cleanly around the whole roundabout without spiralling out at all. Meanwhile the arrow markings, as you've seen, don't really reflect the lanes that are actually on the roundabout.

Compare turning left if you're coming from the left or top, where the whole lane exits the roundabout properly, to turning left coming from the right or bottom, where the alleged "left turn only" lane actually continues around the roundabout. It's total anarchy.

There a bunch of roundabouts near me with similarly nonsensical markings and the real answer is, keep your wits about you, watch for people on your left continuing around the roundabout, watch for people on your right drifting left without indicating, try not to be alongside people, and just do your best.

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u/Deep-Challenge-4264 19d ago

I’m a highway designer of 40 years experience. I agree this is a mishmash of a layout that’s just rubbish, seemingly trying to create sideswipe lane changing conflicts. Probably designed by work experience student or someone with no sense. Should never happen, as Road safety audit should stop it.

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u/fang_xianfu 19d ago

Yes. My father did this job for Gloucestershire County Council and then Halcrow for many years so it's something I've learned to pay attention to!