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People turning right claiming right of way

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yorkie

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I've had a few experiences of going straight on through a junction, and encountering someone from the opposite direction turning right who insisted it was their right of way.

A couple are particularly memorable and I can pinpoint the exact location. One of these was in Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley), the other York. In York, it was just an angry beep after letting me pass, while in Stoke it was a case of forcing me to do an emergency brake to avoid a collision.



  • York example: going straight on from Low Poppleton Lane, to Beckfield Lane.

Can anyone explain this?

Is this sort of thing common?

Am I right to expect right of way for going straight on through a junction?
 
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455driver

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if they are both normal cross roads then straight on has priority.

They werent driving BMWs were they? ;)
 

Dennis

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Can anyone explain this?

Is this sort of thing common?

?


Yes, due to the number of people eating croissants these days, there is a growing tendency to follow the French rules of the road; you must always give way to traffic from the right and completely ignore zebra crossings.
 

michael769

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Of course. I'm guessing you were on a bicycle yorkie? In which case this does not surprise me at all.

That crossed my mind too. Probably a mix of SMIDSY and some intentional bullying.

It is certainly not something I experience when in a car.
 

Geezertronic

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I got so fed up of encountering stupid drivers that after a minor accident in March (where the 3rd party driver turned left into me when he was in lane 2 on a roundabout and I was in lane 1 and I was in the correct lane), I have purchased a RoadHawk HD camera (http://www.roadhawk.co.uk). I would highly recommend one, they do cameras for bike riders as well.
 

anthony263

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I have had some idiots come close to hitting me when I have been out on my bike or driving my car/van/bus.

I do think that the skills of some drivers seems to be getting worse, they pass their dirving tests then everything they have learned goes out the window.
 

melena

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They were probably the increasingly common impatient driver always in a hurry for something not very important.

I always assumed straight on traffic had right of way regardless of the whether its a car, bus, lorry, bike or mobility scooter and people turning right should wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic.
 
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anthony263

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The only time I really rush is when I am out making deliveries and I have a lot to make over long distances in a 2 hour window.
 

GearJammer

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Am I right to expect right of way for going straight on through a junction?

I just had a nosey at the google views, as you can imagine ive negotiated plenty of junctions in my travels, and yes you do have right of way.... regardless as to what mode of travel you are using.

Do what i do, just consoul yourself that there are retards out there and one day they will get whats coming to them.
 

Flamingo

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I have known a friend, who was a bike courier in London, after being cut up in a similar fashion pick himself up off the road, catch up in the BMW at traffic lights, take his bike lock, walk around the car and take out the four indicators, say to the driver "If you don't use them you don't need them!" and cycle off.
 

47245

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In Stoke, especially Hanley is full of awful drivers who will pull in/out of junctions without looking, nothing to worry about with that one its just how everyone drives there.
 

maniacmartin

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I have known a friend, who was a bike courier in London, after being cut up in a similar fashion pick himself up off the road, catch up in the BMW at traffic lights, take his bike lock, walk around the car and take out the four indicators, say to the driver "If you don't use them you don't need them!" and cycle off.

But even if the car was indicating, they still wouldn't have right of way!
 

142094

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Traffic turning right at a signalised junction can have what is called an "early start" whereby the green arrow signal is given, before the green disc. This gives traffic turning right the right of way first, but causes problems when the green arrow extinguishes and the green disc comes on, which allows the full traffic movement through the junction (funnily enough a good example in York is the junction of Hull Road and Melrosegate). This can sometimes cause confusion as those turning right assume they still have right of way, but this will not apply to the junctions mentioned by the OP.
 

455driver

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I have known a friend, who was a bike courier in London, after being cut up in a similar fashion pick himself up off the road, catch up in the BMW at traffic lights, take his bike lock, walk around the car and take out the four indicators, say to the driver "If you don't use them you don't need them!" and cycle off.

I would have loved to have seen that! :lol:

Of course if du 5 0* asked any questions I wouldnt have seen anything, I do suffer from selective eyesight you know! ;)



* thats the Police by the way.
 

yorkie

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This can sometimes cause confusion as those turning right assume they still have right of way, but this will not apply to the junctions mentioned by the OP.
Blimey; I would not assume that, and would know full well that the vehicles in front were just lucky that there wasn't any conflicting traffic to give way to.
 

richw

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There are 2 junction near me where at a cross roads where they've messed up normal rights of way in the name of traffic calming. I can't share a link as on my phone but if anyone wants to see the ridiculous junctions on street view, one is outside The New Inn, Mabe near Falmouth. The other is the junction of Symons hill with Glasney Road in Falmouth.
I have seen probably double figures for number of accidents in last 18 months at each of these two junctions.
 

yorkie

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(funnily enough a good example in York is the junction of Hull Road and Melrosegate).
Did you have in mind people turning right out of Melrosegate (with this view) failing to give way to oncoming trafffic going straight on into Melrosegate (with this view)?

If so, I wonder if the lines curving to the right are what's causing the confusion? (not that I am excusing it, but it could be a contributory factor)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
one is outside The New Inn, Mabe near Falmouth.
Found it. From this angle (from Church Road) it doesn't seem too bad; two roads curving away from each other, with a link between them, which makes sense.

But from this angle (from Anton Hill looking East) it looks very odd indeed and the 'Give Way' sign is obscured!

Does it cause more conflicting movements than before? Or is the increase in accidents purely down to confusion?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The other is the junction of Symons hill with Glasney Road in Falmouth.
Again varies on direction, with perhaps this view (looking Northwest) the most confusing? Not easy to see that there is a requirement to give way in this view.
 

Crossover

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Did you have in mind people turning right out of Melrosegate (with this view) failing to give way to oncoming trafffic going straight on into Melrosegate (with this view)?

If so, I wonder if the lines curving to the right are what's causing the confusion? (not that I am excusing it, but it could be a contributory factor)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Found it. From this angle (from Church Road) it doesn't seem too bad; two roads curving away from each other, with a link between them, which makes sense.

But from this angle (from Anton Hill looking East) it looks very odd indeed and the 'Give Way' sign is obscured!

Does it cause more conflicting movements than before? Or is the increase in accidents purely down to confusion?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Again varies on direction, with perhaps this view (looking Northwest) the most confusing? Not easy to see that there is a requirement to give way in this view.

The one in York does look a bit odd with the curving lines - though some usually provide lines for road positioning and to show whether to pass driver/driver or passenger/passenger.

The other one mentioned by richw looks like it should have been a double roundabout rather than whatever that is attempting to be.

A bit like this (though you tend to find you needs your wits about you on that one too!)
 

maniacmartin

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A bit like this (though you tend to find you needs your wits about you on that one too!)

Things like that are a nightmare on a bicycle if you want to go straight on. (ie second exit at both roundabout). Two lanes for straight on. Great I'll go in the left one - now you are hemmed into the left turn lane at the next roundabout. I'd go into the second lane at the first roundabout, which makes some drivers very annoyed. Perhaps some thought and they'd realise why.

Another awkward example is my flat in London. It's on the right hand side of a 2 lane + 1 bus lane one-way street, that has parking on the right hand side. The only way to make it to where you want to go is to get in the "fast" lane at the previous set of lights, because you can guarantee no-one will let you move lanes later on if you signal right. So motorists' selfishness means I have to hold up motorists for longer. Such is life!

Anyway, nothing comes close to being as confusing as the Magic Roundabout in Swindon
magic_roundabout.jpg
 
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richw

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Things like that are a nightmare on a bicycle if you want to go straight on. (ie second exit at both roundabout). Two lanes for straight on. Great I'll go in the left one - now you are hemmed into the left turn lane at the next roundabout. I'd go into the second lane at the first roundabout, which makes some drivers very annoyed. Perhaps some thought and they'd realise why.

Another awkward example is my flat in London. It's on the right hand side of a 2 lane + 1 bus lane one-way street, that has parking on the right hand side. The only way to make it to where you want to go is to get in the "fast" lane at the previous set of lights, because you can guarantee no-one will let you move lanes later on if you signal right. So motorists' selfishness means I have to hold up motorists for longer. Such is life!

Anyway, nothing comes close to being as confusing as the Magic Roundabout in Swindon
magic_roundabout.jpg

I've driven round Swindon numerous times and have fortunately never come across the so called magic roundabout.
 

fowler9

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None of this is helped by the likes of the Daily Mail telling motorists they are being picked on for breaking the law and doing stuff that would have got them a fail in their driving test. There seem to be plenty of motorists out there who don't have a working speedometer and only use their indicators when they put the emergency flashers on so they can park on double yellow lines or in a bus stop.
 

deltic1989

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Things like that are a nightmare on a bicycle if you want to go straight on. (ie second exit at both roundabout). Two lanes for straight on. Great I'll go in the left one - now you are hemmed into the left turn lane at the next roundabout. I'd go into the second lane at the first roundabout, which makes some drivers very annoyed. Perhaps some thought and they'd realise why.

Another awkward example is my flat in London. It's on the right hand side of a 2 lane + 1 bus lane one-way street, that has parking on the right hand side. The only way to make it to where you want to go is to get in the "fast" lane at the previous set of lights, because you can guarantee no-one will let you move lanes later on if you signal right. So motorists' selfishness means I have to hold up motorists for longer. Such is life!

Anyway, nothing comes close to being as confusing as the Magic Roundabout in Swindon
magic_roundabout.jpg

I may have mentioned this before but, I often wonder what the planners were smoking when the came up with that.
It looks like the whole meeting consisted of comments beginning with " Do you know what would be funny?"

I see some awful instances of driving on a daily basis and often wonder how the perpetrators ever passed a driving test.
The stereotype is that all impatient drivers are young men, but I have been cut up many a time by drivers who look old enough to know better.
What amazes me is that people seem to think that they would win an argument with my work vehicle by the way they pull into and out of side roads.
Poor standards of driving are becoming the norm on our roads and I find it scary. I have been doing my job just a little under 18 months and have already been involved in an accident due to being cut up, on a motorway of all places.
 

richw

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I may have mentioned this before but, I often wonder what the planners were smoking when the came up with that.
It looks like the whole meeting consisted of comments beginning with " Do you know what would be funny?"

I see some awful instances of driving on a daily basis and often wonder how the perpetrators ever passed a driving test.
The stereotype is that all impatient drivers are young men, but I have been cut up many a time by drivers who look old enough to know better.
What amazes me is that people seem to think that they would win an argument with my work vehicle by the way they pull into and out of side roads.
Poor standards of driving are becoming the norm on our roads and I find it scary. I have been doing my job just a little under 18 months and have already been involved in an accident due to being cut up, on a motorway of all places.

We've got some junctions in Cornwall where I have wondered what the planners were smoking. We have two junctions where you have to be in the right hand lane to turn left, straight ahead or right. can only use the left lane if your turning left with an immediate second left into a very quiet residential street. Why on earth a quiet residential street got a lane to themselves, yet the 3 main roads have to share the other lane I haven't a clue.
 

Bevan Price

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Rules of the road:-
1. Assume that every other driver may be an idiot and do something daft / dangerous.
2. Recognise that many of those who design road schemes seem to be clueless whizz kids, producing layouts that delay traffic in every direction, and often make things more dangerous for pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, etc.
Apologies to the exception(s) - I am sure that there may be at least one sensible / logical road planner somewhere in UK....
3. Speed cameras are not an evil money-making device. They don't cost you a penny if you obey the speed limits.
 

richw

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3. Speed cameras are not an evil money-making device. They don't cost you a penny if you obey the speed limits.

And If driving with appropriate due care and attention you will see within time to slow for them anyway to a legitimate speed and not get caught anyway.
 

fowler9

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Rules of the road:-
1. Assume that every other driver may be an idiot and do something daft / dangerous.
2. Recognise that many of those who design road schemes seem to be clueless whizz kids, producing layouts that delay traffic in every direction, and often make things more dangerous for pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, etc.
Apologies to the exception(s) - I am sure that there may be at least one sensible / logical road planner somewhere in UK....
3. Speed cameras are not an evil money-making device. They don't cost you a penny if you obey the speed limits.

Ha ha. Spot on mate. Could never quite work out how speed cameras are a secret tax on the motorist when my dad hasn't had a ticket in 50 years of driving. I guess some people just have heavier shoes.
 

maniacmartin

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To be fair to Swindon, I understand the locals find it fine to understand, and it has very low congestion for a 5-way junction as you can go both ways round.
 

Class172

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Being from Cricklade (just outside Swindon), I have used the roundabout many times and will agree with maniacmartin's post, despite appearing daunting, it is incredibly easy to navigate and I have never seen any incidents or near-misses. The traffic flows very well as there are two possible routes for each movement: it's quite fun going the wrong way around a roundabout. :D
 
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