F.Y.I M27 Junction 3 (for the docks)

[Bearsy]

That's fine bear, like if you were the green car and wanted to go back down the way you just came, you don't have still turn off the right turn as the picture tells you to, you can keep going around and go into the outside lane past the orange car

 

Doesn't help me, my car is blue.

[Tokyo-Saint]

Doesn't help me, my car is blue.

 

Add bear to my league table - in at number 7 its...

[St Chalet]

I drive in Reading, I normally choose the lane with the fewest cars in it.

[Whitey Grandad]

M271 goes both ways but assuming you mean towards Southampton, my understanding was always that on a 2 lane roundabout with no markings to the contrary you should always be in the right hand lane until you pass the junction before the one that you wish to take (in your case the one back onto Ebound M27) and then signal left and change lanes when safe, before turning off at your required exit.

However both my daughters have passed there tests in last couple of years and tell me I am wrong

 

What does The Highway Code have to say about this situation these days?

[Saint137]

Onus is on the car making the lane change to ensure that his lane is free. So on the M27 Eastbound heading down the M271 then both lanes are valid - particularly if you are indicating right as you pass the Romsey turning. Car in the right-hand lane can see a car in the left-hand lane intending to take the 3rd exit and so should give way - the lane he wishes to move in to isn't clear. You must also pay attention to signals given by other road users. Bear in mind as well that the person in the left hand lane can't see you. The only likely result in an accident is a claim against the driver in right hand lane (which is why when Essru is in road-rage mode on the Charlotte Place roundabout he makes sure he's ahead of the car in front )

[Saint137]

Also consider the logical actions of someone in the RHL coming off the M27 - he's only either going to down the M271 and so can stick in the RHL until he joins it, or going back down the M27 because he's gone the wrong way. So no need to get in the LHL, assuming he has knowledge of the road he is exiting on to.

FWIW, I watch out for Romsey traffic joining the left lane if I am in the right because chances are that they're going to join the M27 westbound and cut across my lane to do it.

[Minty]

What does The Highway Code have to say about this situation these days?

 

The picture and advice Essruu posted earlier is from the Highway Code:

 

https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/roundabouts-184-to-190

 

So in the absence of markings, you should use the right hand lane to turn right at a roundabout, but bearing this rule in mind:

 

In all cases watch out for and give plenty of room to

 

- traffic crossing in front of you on the roundabout, especially vehicles intending to leave by the next exit

Edited 12 December, 2012 by Minty

[Whitey Grandad]

Thanks. So basically you should use 'the appropriate lane'. In the case of the junction we were discussing earlier it hardly counts as a roundabout, what with all the traffic lights and separate controlled sections, but why would anybody be in the left lane if they wanted to turn right?

[Saint137]

Because they're muppets and don't know how to drive. Although it can be easier to sneak on from the LHL when coming from Romsey because a proportion of that lane joins the M27 Eastbound and so that queue moves faster.

[Wurzel]

 

Unless otherwise directed by signs or road markings, Wurzel is correct and you are in the wrong lane.

 

I can see why my daughter's told me I was wrong now. 3rd exit (or 4th or more) goes without saying (although not to all of us it seems) , but on a roundabout of that size I thought correct manouvre was to also take right hand lane for second exit and indicate left on passing the first junction. Luckily they are unlikely to read this so I can escape the "told you so"

[PhilippineSaint]

I can see why my daughter's told me I was wrong now. 3rd exit (or 4th or more) goes without saying (although not to all of us it seems) , but on a roundabout of that size I thought correct manouvre was to also take right hand lane for second exit and indicate left on passing the first junction. Luckily they are unlikely to read this so I can escape the "told you so"

 

Wurzel you could do that in this example but take the outside lane of the second turning as the green car is showing for the third turning nothing wrong in that manoeuvre.