Hi there,
I'm frequently getting grief at a particular roundabout in rush hour traffic and want your opinions. The best by to explain the problem is by showing you an actual photo of the problem which is here:
i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Stevenkuzzy/marlow.j...g
I approach the main roundabout in the righthand lane at point A. I wish to get to B which is a single lane road after the mini roundabout. If I was to try to merge into the queue at point D I would block up the entire inside lane of the main r/about, some people do and it does cause grief plus freezes up the entire system. No one will let you merge in further on thinking you are pushing in.
I do in fact go all the way round and have a free run right up to point C where all hell breaks out and I'm the cause of road rage for pushing in.
What should I do? Both options are legal but It's becoming a real problem to face this junction each day. No other route is possible.
I have added traffic to this photo and have left road signs clear on purpose. There is more traffic than shown in rush hour and I am not the only one who does what I do!!
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
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"There is more traffic than shown in rush hour and I am not the only one who does what I do!!"
I mean there is more traffic in a rush hour than I have shown in the picture.
Oh, and I know the heading should read 'Advice'
Note to self: proof read before pressing the button you wally
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Great question, love the picture I think that's a first on here! Google Earth?!
I can't help wonder that there should be a box junction or two on that rbout - D would be the least road ragey place to join, but there are two lanes exiting at C - perhaps this should just zip filter from there?
Lee -- You don\'t sell the steak, you sell the sizzle
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Have you tried approaching from point A in the left hand lane? Then traffic joining the roundabout should give way to you and you can slot into the left hand lane so you're not blocking the inside lane of the roundabout, though I realise that you are blocking the entrance to the roundabout for those in the right hand lane for a short time.
What is down your exit road it seems very popular? In situations like this it seems that the roundabout, at least the markings need some redesigning.
The cars in the left hand lane on your exit roundabout are cutting across your lane perhaps some lane markings on this roundabout may encourage people to actually drive "around" the roundabout, though it may not lessen their feeling of being hard by when you "push in" at the exit which don't get me wrong you are totally entitled to do in this situation.
Or you could buy a big old banger and watch the swathe of traffic magicaly part!
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I thought that your photo was strange as most of the cars were the same! Then I saw that you had added them! Apart from the good sense you will get here, I would suggest you send your photo, as posted and your query, to your local Traffic Engineer who must have created this hodge-podge and had some purpose in doing so!
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Hi,
Box junctions probably would help here I agree - good suggestion. The photo was taken from local.google.co.uk/
When I have tried entering the rbout on the left lane from point A it does block up the exit to the opposite side and also the vehicles entering the r/bout at that point, in fact there are normally two or three cars doing just that too.
The road going off leads to Marlow but is also a shortcut for traffic wishing to avoid the top of the road I have just come down from. This has about a mile of stationary traffic at the top where it meets the M40. There is normally queues entering the r/bout on the opposite side from me too.
Thanks for input.
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Carry on as you are, and at the final roundabout (point C) go all the way round, unless you can get.
Well impressed with the graphics.
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Why can't you stay in the right-hand lane - which is two lane all the way round - until you get to point C?
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I can and do. But it does cause an enormous headache of forced pushing and swearing when I get to point C
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I agree with mare - but didn't want to be the first to suggest it.
Stay in the right hand lane all the way up to the mini roundabout. Go round the mini roundabout once, and you're done, without any filtering or hassle.
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As Armitage said it might be worth sending your excellent picture to the local Traffic Engineer who may not be aware of the problem, but may be able to action some improvements, box juction, lane markings etc... to the whole junction.
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Looks to me like this would easily be solved with some markings on the approach to C. Left lane marked left turn only, right lane marked straight on and right.
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Is that the roundabout that leads off to Beaconsfield?
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As others have suggested, I would use the right hand lane all the way up to the mini roundabout, then go all the way around. You might get a dirty look or two, but you don't have to worry about someone not letting you in.
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use the right hand lane all the way up to the mini roundabout, then go all the way around. You might get a dirty look or two, but you don't have to worry about someone not letting you in.
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i know someone who did the same (at the shepperton roundabout mentioned in my post a minute ago) and was charged and convicted of "inconsiderate driving" even though he defended it in court (and paid a fine, plus got 3 points, and paid a hefty sum to an expert solicitor for the priviledge).
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i know someone who did the same (at the shepperton roundabout mentioned in my post a minute ago) and was charged and convicted of "inconsiderate driving" even though he defended it in court (and paid a fine, plus got 3 points, and paid a hefty sum to an expert solicitor for the priviledge).
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Do you mean he/she was southbound on the A244 and used the right-hand lane and got nicked. Why?
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looking at the google-maps details for that location, it seems that most of the traffic is likely to be heading to what looks like a new office building with a huge car park all around it.
i would think most of the emploees and the employers at that site would be interested in finding a solution to this problem. to me it seems possible to widen the exit at the mini-roundabout so that two-lanes can exit from it to the single lane and zip-filter on the approach to the office-complex. that would give everyone on the approach to the major roundabout a clear sign that two-lane traffic is permitted all the way up to the mini-roundabout and that zip-fitering should take place after that.
there is a roundabout (esso-nissan-shpepperton) where that type of zip filtering takes place with heavy traffic heading over the single-lane walton bridge over the river thames.
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I have always taken the approach that if you are going more than half way round a roundabout then you take the inside lane initially and move across at the junction before the one you wish to use as an exit.
But despite the pic, I'm not sure where you are entering and leaving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I negotiate a kind of similar r/bout each day, M60 southbound coming off at Heaton Park, where on the road leading off the r/bout it almost immediately goes from 3 lanes to two and the barging about causes folks coming off the M60 N/bound a lot of problems as they try to get across what is generally bumper to bumper traffic heading across them into Manchester.
If I'm ultra polite and don't use the outside lane which is almost always free I add to blockages on the r/bout itself and brass off those trying to join it from N/bound, who wish to cross my path. The alternative is to brass neck it a bit, using the outside lane and drive confidently and with clear signals, causing someone perhaps a quarter second delay to make a slightly bigger space I can slip into for which they are always rewarded with a thankyou. Not illegal, not actually inconsiderate.
About once every 10 times someone will refuse to let me in and get to within a micron of the car in front, pretending they have seen me. Hilarious.
The answer is to be decisive, you're not breaking any law other than the unwritten one that says you may not use your nouse to make progress quicker than the numties who haven't got the wit or cojones to drive decisively.
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But despite the pic, I'm not sure where you are entering and leaving.
Entering from position A. (bottom of pic)
Leaving at postion D. (top of pic, on the RHS)
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You're right and the rest of the world is wrong.
I use this roundabout quite frequently, and I do exactly as you do. Once you have come off the main roundabout towards Marlow, there are two lanes on the approach to the mini roundabout at point C. Cars in the left lane should turn left, and the two cars in the right lane (yours and mine) should go straight on.
You could avoid this roundabout altogether by taking the next exit at the Handy Cross roundabout (towards Marlow Bottom). It will bring you out at the same place eventually.
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It might be technically the wrong thing to do, but I would approach the roundabout at A in the left-hand lane. At times of heavy traffic you have to bend the rules. Not that I would consider the choice of lane at A to be a hard and fast rule ~ a Highway Code recommendation possibly but nothing more. Once you're in the left-hand lane of the roundabout it seems to me that there shouldn't be any problem at D ~ not that I know anything about the habits of locals at that spot! Try being more assertive. Most drivers won't totally jeopardise their car's bodywork to prevent you carrying out your manoeuvre. And either ignore any horn blowing completely or give a cheery wave as if the blast is a sign of recognition from a friend/colleague rather tnan an indication of annoyance. Anyway, just why do drivers sound their horn after the event to indicate annoyance? What do they expect to gain from it?
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L\'escargot.
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Thanks all for input.
Xileno, this is the A404M/A4155 (I think) at Marlow in Bucks.
Dalglish, well that puts me off attempting to go all the way round the rbout! The problem occurs at the pm rush hour and the large office complex/business park doesn't effect my route too much although they themselves have a nightmare leaving.
DD, I enter at point A and leave at point B :)
Jamesh266, you are absolutely right I could avoid this junction with a bit of pre-thought by going through Marlow Bottom. The trouble is I always remember when it's too late...you know the phone rings etc. (joke). The thing is this route is quick and I am doing nothing wrong but gain the wrath of the other drivers. Like you do in fact, which is great.
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I find something quite familiar about it, as I've been to SAS Institute a number of times I am sure I've been on that roundabout and can confirm it's quite 'interesting' at rush hour.
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DD, I enter at point A and leave at point B :)
Well done Wilson. I wondered when someone was going to spot that ;o)
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I live very near this junction and i do use the right hand lane, although i have never seen the traffic there this bad. Some drivers may well see it as aggressive yet but is actually the lane that i was taught i should be in at that roundabout. There is no exit to the right so technically although either lane can be used the right hand lane should be used.
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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The thing the altered photo does not show is that the main flow of traffic onto the large roundabout in the morning (and in the evening) is the sliproad off the A404 northbount at the top right hand corner of the map. Since the industrial estate is largely unoccupied most of that traffic is trying to go along the A4155 towards Marlow.
Without clear marking they will not be trying to move over to the right hand lane before the mini roundabout, indeed it would cause chaos if they even tried at busy times, hence the locally accepted process is that the keft hand lane at the mini roundabout will go straight on into Marlow even though, if the mini roundabout is considered in isolation, the "correct" lane to go to Marlow is the right hand lane.
Usual situation nobody tries to understand or make allowances for other drivers partly because many of the drivers in the right hand lane at the mini roundabout are trying to queue jump and some people get upset at that.
Best option at busy times if you are heading from Handy Cross towards Marloe is ALWAYS to go down the junction after the A404 past the Marlow Bottom entrance.
Incidentally I live very close to cub leader so I also use this junction, usually from other directions at busy times.
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Oops should be Marlow not Marloe
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you live that close maybe we should have a marlow meet up! That other route from Handy cross is also more fun to drive and not that much slower, depending on where you are heading in marlow it also gives you lots of smaller roads to cut through that arent generally as busy.
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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The only place questionable driving is taking place is on the mini-roundabout where traffic is changing lanes while on the roundabout.
The problem is that there are 2 lanes approaching the mini-roundabout, but only 1 lane on each of the (three) exits. Shockingly, the only exit of the main roundabout that has 2 lanes is precisely the one where this causes confusion.
I recommend reducing this short piece of road to 1 lane. Traffic requiring this exit would then be expected to be in left hand lane roughly on the northern bridge.
Of course, there's no accounting for aggressive impatient fools.
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OK, 2 lanes approaching middle roundabout. As the 2nd exit is single carriageway, I'd expect:
left lane: left or straight on
right lane: right turn only.
This is where road markings/ signs are needed.
Or, widen the 2nd mini roundabout exit to 2 lanes for a short stretch.
However, note the patch of dust/dirt that has accumulated at the top of the mini roundabout. This suggests people don't follow the island round, but cut across the middle line. So the planning does look bad here.
I agree with an above post that if you're exiting 3rd exit, you should move to left as you go pas the 1st exit. So this is somewhere on the bridge at the top of the photo. But I assume backed up traffic makes this tricky?
As for going right round and island to beat queues backing up on the left, I've done this before. This is the first I've heard of action being taken. How did they prove the driver wasn't lost?
People hoot their horn after the event because they don't have a rocket launcher or similar in the car with which to register their displeasure.
Some people either don't realise or don't care that they're breaking traffic rules. Hooting will at least cure the first (albeit breaking another less serious traffic rule at the same time).
Ian
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Dead simple.. if you not in a hurry join the roundabout at A in the left lane and join the queue until you exit the round about at D that way there is no hassle (what I would recomend you do).
... if in a hurry Join the roundabout at A in the right hand lane as you usually do... and continue round the roundaboutand try and join the queue halfway along the roundabout or when there is an opening and plead ignorance as pretending not to be a local! and look very apologetic and over extend your courtesy wave as a thankyou to who has let you in! although not advisable! becuase you are more likely to encounter abuse from drivers who joined the queue at the begining of the queue!
my advice is to take the first option all the time!
By the way i am not a real F1 (Formula) driver... I jokingly put the ID in and this forum accepted the ID at my first attempt!
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Every trajectory has these difficult bits. Sometimes they are so difficult it's worth taking another, longer route.
Otherwise, if there's a correct solution, take it. If there isn't, and sometimes there isn't, do your best. You will usually get away with it.
Better safe than sorry. Don't worry about impatient stuff behind you unless you yourself are real carp.
If you are, sorry, but I can only advise improvement.
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By the way i am not a real F1 (Formula) driver...
I just assumed your surname was Driver and your initials were F. 1.!
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L\'escargot.
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