Driving Advice

[Rod]

I often have to negotiate the M3 Junction 9 Roundabout.
Coming from the south (on the A272) I have to wait at the roundabout (shown with a number 9) where there is two lanes.
Immediately left is the M3 south slip on whilst directly in front are 3 lanes marked out Winchester (near side lane), A34 (middle lane) and A34/M3N (outside lane).
I want to go up the A34.
Depending on the queue, I'm sometimes in the near side lane waiting to cross ( there's no traffic lights control on this leg). When clear, I accelerate across, indicating right and aim for the middle (A34) lane but a number of times I get hooted by the vehicle on my right who seem to think they have the right of that lane even though there's the other one on their side?
If I'm ever setting off in the outside lane, I stay there and would never think of cutting across.
Am I doing something wrong?

Rod

 

[Robert]

Looking on street view I'd say outside lane approach and heading straight for the middle lane on the roundabout was favourite. One of those situations where sometimes you just have to push a bit or be forever pinned by traffic.

At least you know what the problems are in advance. I usually face things like this never having seen the junction before. Nothing worse that getting to a roundabout and realising you are in completely the wrong lane...

 

[Pinch]

The trouble with these busy roundabout junctions these days, the large majority is trying to get to 'B' as fast as possible. I'm with Robert, outside lane everytime and go for it - sensibly and skillfully of course.

I did an advanced driving course when I was living up north, and these guys would say, sometimes in the depths of moving traffic, you have to be aggressive sometimes, always maintaining awareness of what's around you. It's a difficult one. The traffic cops used to have these wagers with each other while patrolling the motorways; they would time how long they could drive without using the brakes. I've tried this and it's an excellent test to see how you drive on the motorways. Give it a go when you're next travelling. I'm an outside laner all the time, but I do leave a reasonable gap from the car in front which means I'm not a trigger-happy-brake pedal chap, giving the car behind me less concern and avoiding a potentially snowball affect of traffic slowing down to cause a jam way back.

bscene-drinkingcheers:

 

[RogerS]

Spot on with all the advice, I reckon. Leaving a sensible gap between vehicles is so obvious and yet so often ignored. There was an interesting study done...somewhere reported on the 'net ..that not braking (because of leaving a sensible gap) as cars approached the slip road on the motorway caused traffic to move more smoothly, no rippling stationary queue going back down the motorway. And yet you get the cretins who charge down, slam on the anchors...

Slow and steady works. An elderly Discovery has that effect on your driving :eusa-whistle:

 

[Rod]

Well it's not quite as straight forward as that in that this entry is not traffic light controlled - all the other legs are.
It's a matter of waiting for a gap from all the traffic coming off the M3, A34 and local roads and then going for it. It's a big roundabout and speeds are quite high.
I often approach from the outside lane and the obvious thing is to stay in it, there's no need to cut across to the middle lane as some folks think is their right ( both marked A34). I certainly don't start getting violent when vehicles on my left go for the middle lane so why do others?
The downside with this outside lane, is that very often when you get further round the RAB, the lane is often blocked by traffic waiting across the junction - there are no box markings!
The roundabout used to have 2 lanes all round it when things were a bit more straight forward - a year or so ago they "improved" them to 3 lanes.
The whole road system around there is a bit of a nightmare, once off the roundabout and heading north, the near side lane is A34 with the outside lane for the A33 Basingstoke and local traffic.
The yobs frequently race down the outside lane where's there's very little traffic and then force themselves into to A34 at the last moment (where it becomes a dual cwy) often across the hatching!
It's quite a relief to get home unscathed.

Rod

 

[RogerS]

Don't you just treat is a big roundabout with multiple exits?

This is what the Highway Code has to say..

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle (unless signs or markings indicate otherwise):
Signal right and approach the exit in the right hand lane
Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to reach your exit
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take

When taking any intermediate exit (unless signs or markings indicate otherwise):
Select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
Stay in the lane until you need to alter your lane to exit
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to take

 

[Rod]

Yes I know what the HC says and normally follow those guidelines but this RAB has dedicated lanes marked out except for the A272 approach - where perhaps the problem lies?
Of the 3 lanes opposite, 2 bend around the RAB ( 1 marked A34, the other A34/M3).
All the legs and movements, except the A272 one are controlled by signals.
If I'm in the near side A272 lane I signal right and pull into the middle lane ( keeping an eye on my outside wing mirror) - a few times getting hooted etc?
As I said, if I start off from the outside lane I stay in it and don't get "upset" if others on my left have gone for the middle lane.
I suppose the safest thing is to stay in the outside lane (at least I won't get hooted at) and hope the lane is not blocked with queuing traffic?

Funnily enough this bit of the A272 is called "Spitfire Link" . The original road ( the Winchester Bypass, built just before WWII ) had an Arched Overbridge which a Spitfire flew under - the bridge then became known locally as The Spitfire Bridge.
It was subsequently found that it wasn't a Spitfire but a P-40 but the name has stuck [emoji3]

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.p ... yMzlMh4WJI


Rod

 

[Pinch]

Hey Rod, you haven't taken up courier driving have you?

That's the way to do it :lol:

[youtube]JMcx1xwNbUg[/youtube]

 

[Pinch]

"Come on my son, get out and let me park it for you!"

[youtube]trOIUGJLEBs[/youtube]

:text-lol:

 

[RogerS]

.... The traffic cops used to have these wagers with each other while patrolling the motorways; they would time how long they could drive without using the brakes.....

The modern equivalent can be seen round our roads as winter draws nigh.

Who is the last postie to change back into long trousers !!

 

[Pinch]

I keep saying to Mrs P; the climate change is making our weather 1-2 months behind/ahead of normal.

Hey Rod, I was thinking whether you could drive that roundabout as you normally would and ask your good lady to video the journey.

 

[RogerS]

Rod, looking at Streetview of the approach to that junction, there's no debate, IMO. You need to be in the outside lane. The Highway Code is very clear on that as well.

 

[Rod]

Roger the Streetview pics are out of date - the road markings and signs have been changed since they were taken and don't reflect what is there now.
You are probably right though in that the outside lane is the safer one to go for?

Rod

 

[RogerS]

Has the green road sign been changed ?

 

[Rod]

Yes - the middle says A34, outside says A34/M3 also Road Nos painted on lanes and lane markings (3lanes) extended towards the A272.
It was never a problem when it looked like this because the 3lane split was only at the furthest stop line ( by those signs).

There's always incidents now at this junction - it was supposed to be improved?
Another case of poor planning and cost cutting - this junction and the one off the M40 (Junction 9) are the only two on the incredibly busy A34 without a free flow junction!
Most evenings and especially Friday afternoons there are 4 to 6 mile tailbacks southbound.
In the mornings they occur on the M3 slip off to A34 northbound.
It's carrying traffic to Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and the West Country!

Rod

 

[stu]

I use this junction all the time and and it's awful, but what you are doing I think is clearly wrong. There are 2 lanes that filter onto the M3 southbound so you could conceivably have someone on you right turning left. How much time do you save? Is it worth the risk of someone not anticipating your move and side swiping you?

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk

 

[Rod]

It's not a question of saving time but negotiating the junction safely - the issue being two lanes running into three. Being side swiped by cars travelling south would not come into it as there's no way I would attempt to cross until that traffic had passed leaving a very safe gap.
And anyway with the new "improved" layout there's now 3 lanes at that point.
The "problem" occurs when vehicles in the two A272 lanes head for the two A34 lanes.
But from what's already been discussed, I agree that the outside lane approach is the safest route.

Rod

 

[RogerS]

There's also the question of driving style. I used to drive a lot in London and there is unquestionably a different driving style there to where we now live. The one type of driver that London drivers abhor is the 'ditherer'. In London, you have to drive with a certain amount of assertion. You want to change lanes? You indicate and start to move over, cars in the lane you're moving into will accommodate you (most of the time) because that is what is expected. From both parties.

I suspect that that roundabout also has a similar driving fraternity...those who regularly use it at certain times of the day, know how busy it gets and so are more accommodating of the assertive change lane approach. The ones that hoot are probably people en route elsewhere and possibly the first time they've driven that route.

 

[Rod]

You are right there Roger, both my younger daughter and SIL lived in London for many years and drove accordingly - being a passenger with them can be quite frightening.
You certainly can't dawdle driving there.

Rod

 

[Wizard9999]

I did an advanced driving course... I'm an outside laner all the time

Struggling to reconcile those two statements :lol: Haven't read the HC for a very long time, is the outside lane of the motorway no longer only for overtaking?

The problem I have with leaving a sensible gap is that invariably somebody from a lane to the left decides that said gap is just the place to pull into, leaving very little gap again. My other favourite, the drivers who appear to have forgotten that they have any mirrors. Two tonnes of Range Rover bearing down on you at a closing speed of 30mph with main beam on is only intimidating if you see it :lol: . But then I never quite understand why people are on the motorway if they want to drive at 40mph, it can't be any fun.

Terry.