Lets play a little game of 'fun with roundabouts'.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

I don't often go round this particular roundabout, but whenever I'm heading off to the other side of the Wirral, I have to.  I've been told that this particular roundabout is somewhat notorious round here, but I don't know whether that is true or not. Anyway, every time, without fail, I get car drivers beeping at me and so I want to know whether I'm doing something wrong, or whether I'm just unlucky.

So.  Scenario.  I approach the roundabout (from bottom of screen) and as I'm going straight on, I keep in the left hand lane (as indicated by my beautifully drawn red line).  I follow the course of the roundabout, keeping in my lane, indicate to turn off and always, but always, have someone in a car who was in the blue lane cut across me and beep at me.

I'm using the 'clock' method, that being I approach the roundabout a 6 o'clock, and any exit up to and including 12 o' clock is a left hand lane (unless otherwise indicated by road markings, of which this roundabout has no such markings) while any exit after 12 o'clock is a right hand lane.  As such, I keep in the left hand lane, indicate to turn after I have passed the first exit, check over my shoulder and make a turn and almost without fail find a car cutting across me that has taken the blue line.

So I ask, am I in the wrong or would the driver in the blue lane be in the wrong or are we both in the right?  For those of you who have followed my journey thus far, this roundabout isn't my 'dreaded' roundabout.  That one I tackle with ease.  I tackle this one with ease too, but it has gotten to the point now where I'm concerned that my lane positioning may be wrong and may cause issues.

Please educate me, or reassure me that I'm right in my lane positioning.  Either positive or critical, feedback is most welcome.

(Edited to add the sign leading up to the roundabout from the direction of travel)

Edited February 21 by ChrisBiggsUK

[Shepherd]

Your route looks fine to me, it's straight over, so left hand lane is good.

Right hand lane could also go straight over, providing they stay in the right hand land on exit - normally reserved for drivers of German cars.

[Mickly]

The person who beeped you has a little Willy and was offended by the fact that you didn’t take this into account in your road positioning.

Unless it was a women, in which case just accept that no matter what you did it was wrong

[Fiddlesticks]

Agreed - road markings say both lanes are for straight on. Road sign says straight on is your exit. If a car wants to go straight on in the RH lane then he should take the right lane off as well, unless the left is clear and he wants to slide back over. Clearly if you're already there then it's not clear.

 

As long as you're not zipping up the inside of him or indicating right then it's hard to see that you're doing anything wrong.

 

 

 

 

[JRH]

Two lanes onto the island and two lanes off. You are fine following the “red” line. 

[Capt Sisko]

The road markings, although well worn when the snip below from Google Maps was taken, and there are, (or at least were three of them), but it looks clear enough. The inside lane can be used for both turning left and going straight ahead and if I was a stranger to the area I'd be using the inside lane as well.

 

HOWEVER. Exhibit A My Lord

In my old home town of Bridgnorth there's a roundabout (we've got more than one now, but when I was a kid it was the only roundabout in town), but as you come into town everyone who was turning left, then 100yrds later turning right to go over the bridge used the RH lane to turn left. It was just easier for the flow of traffic to get into the dedicated bridge turn off quickly as it saved people slowing down or stopping and  'pushing in' to the traffic already queuing and thus keeping the through traffic moving. The council eventually also saw the logic and we got LH turn arrows in both lanes as you approach the roundabout. Great it made it official and the locals know to be in the wrong lane to turn left. Not great as there are only one set of road markings and they're painted on the road and right on the junction. Get someone stopped on top of them, you can't see them, and even when you can it confuses the hell out of visitors. I suppose what I'm getting to is that sometimes, whilst yes you are in the right, sometimes it pays to go with the local flow even if that seems wrong to you.

 

Edited February 21 by Capt Sisko

[RAYK47]

blue lane is wrong, as there are 2 lanes on the exit he should stick to the second lane.  

[Simon Davey]

It does actually look like the exit area has been resurfaced, and the road markings haven't been re-painted. It's not clear that there are two lanes as an exit. Although, they'd have to be an eejit not to see that the width of the road is plenty wide enough.

So there's your answer, they're just eejits.

[Bender]

Unless no cars about blue should stick to it's lane, you don't cut straight from right to left lane exiting a roundabout as it's asking for an accident.

 

As a rider your safer in the left as you can keep an eye for idiots to your right as you come off rather than looking out for some twat from the other junction going straight through and taking you out as you turn off in what you've marked as the blue lane.

 

[RideWithStyles]

 

Short of it everyone is correct with nod mentions to fliddles, ray and bender.

You are correct Chris, As usual it’s fook wits that are wrong, they see the L plate and think they can boss about or they are either really stupid  or idiotic.

racing lines if they were fast enough is one thing but on public road road with actual road layout is another thing.

I suspect there is a pinch point just a bit further on so a lane two (blue) becomes one and the right lane has to filter but they think they can just barge their way in…..so in that scenario -YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE WAY TO THE MOFOS on the right, you have priority they they have to bloodly wait….

[ChrisBiggsUK]

Thank you for the feedback everyone.  Most appreciated.

[Tinkicker]

I used to teach my CBT pupils that roundabouts are just road junctions with grass in the middle.  In your case you would just treat it like a crossroads.

Left hand lane turning left and straight on.  Right hand lane for turning right.  Unless road markings advise differently.  Again, although the road markings in your case say use either lane, be aware that the red line carries the greater risk.

Edited February 22 by Tinkicker

[onesea]

The problem with that roundabout is not the entrance or your road position in EITHER route red or blue.

 

The problem is the exit!

The screen shot shows a typical day a car exiting from the junction just after the lights with parked cars passed that.

They block the left red lane the blue lane then doesn’t want the left red lane merging.

However the pedestrian lights as an added challenge as is often the case one lane or other will be blocked or empty.  Then it’s down to traffic 2 lanes safely merging with everyone playing nicely and politely.

 

In fact it turns into cut throat traffic light dragsters before the parked cars -
Often abruptly halted by the car pulling out of the junction on the left or the bus at the bus stop, or little old lady with shopping trolly.

 

On the bike position traffic awareness look for a gap, ride to be seen, ride with purpose.  

They are probably being dicks and bullies, particularly if you have L Plates.

In the car I create a middle lane so in effect making it single lane, with no option of traffic light dragsters.  I don’t think it’s uncommon thing, infact google shows just that.

 

Partially maybe what you being beeped for - When quite rightly as I would choosing the empty lane and filtering up merging in traffic, after forcing - sorry creating a safe gap.

Can I suggest if you want to experience it in heavy traffic conditions when I can assure you only the brave or very stupid driver would challenge you.  Head over to the Dips New Brighton, at about 10am On the 6th of April this year and have afew hours spare.

[ChrisBiggsUK]

3 hours ago, onesea said:

Can I suggest if you want to experience it in heavy traffic conditions when I can assure you only the brave or very stupid driver would challenge you.  Head over to the Dips New Brighton, at about 10am On the 6th of April this year and have afew hours spare.

I'd love to do the Egg Run (which is what I think you are suggesting ) but alas, it is on a Sunday and I have Church related responsibilities on a Sunday morning, followed immediately after by Mother-In-Law related responsibilities.  Being a responsible adult isn't all it's cracked up to be! 

 

[onesea]

3 hours ago, ChrisBiggsUK said:

Being a responsible adult isn't all it's cracked up to be! 

 

Being a responsible adult is not theme common amongst motorcyclists…

 

I would start naming names but I am likely to get in trouble on here. Most likely for omitting names, not including them. 
 

My suggestion New Brighton Dips, between duties. You might get stuck in traffic and be a couple of hours late.

 

“Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional” - Walt Disney

[ChrisBiggsUK]

2 minutes ago, onesea said:

Being a responsible adult is not theme common amongst motorcyclists…

 

I would start naming names but I am likely to get in trouble on here. Most likely for omitting names, not including them. 
 

My suggestion New Brighton Dips, between duties. You might get stuck in traffic and be a couple of hours late.

 

“Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional” - Walt Disney

I'll see what I can wrangle for the 6th.  Can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can do.

[onesea]

4 minutes ago, ChrisBiggsUK said:

I'll see what I can wrangle for the 6th.  Can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can do.

Sadly I am working and a rather long way away so cannot be there.
 

 I have been before about 5 years back there was snow on the ground on my way back home great ride but chilly.

 

I also have other irresponsibility to deal with this year

[ChrisBiggsUK]

16 minutes ago, onesea said:

Sadly I am working and a rather long way away so cannot be there.
 

 I have been before about 5 years back there was snow on the ground on my way back home great ride but chilly.

 

I also have other irresponsibility to deal with this year

Even if you aren't, others will be.  Plus, 'I can't see mother-in-law because I'm doing some charity thing' seems perfectly acceptable and an excuse she cannot argue against.  Me not going to the mother in laws on the 6th is a good thing!  

[muldoon74]

On 21/02/2025 at 17:12, Mickly said:

The person who beeped you has a little Willy and was offended by the fact that you didn’t take this into account in your road positioning.

Unless it was a women, in which case they have a big willy and just accept that no matter what you did it was wrong

FTFY.. 

[Davidtav]

Actually I failed my first motorcycle test in a similar scenario. A Ford Capri beeped me as he exited a roundabout and I was on the inside lane. It was back in 1985 so hazy about exact details but examiner said I had obstructed a car or something like that. And to this day if I approached that roundabout I would take the outside lane. It is a stronger road position I think.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

We have two roundabouts near us with similar layouts. As you approach in a car, ie generally lower line of sight than on a motorbike,  the second exit appears to be more of a one o'clock position than twelve o'clock.  So most motorists take the right hand lane.

 

Locals know that the second exit is taken to be straight ahead to all intents and purposes but non locals see it differently.  

 

I've seen quite a few incidents where reading the road layout causes issues. But since the entry and exit both have two lanes you could use either lane so far as I can see.