Daft mistake

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magnatom

Guest
I made a bit of a mistake this morning on this roundabout.

Approaching a roundabout behind another cyclist, I think all of the traffic is taking the first exit. Bad assumption. I end up cutting up a car on the roundabout. Normally I would stop at the queuing cars, but I think seeing the other cyclist go, convinced me to go as well. I shouldn't have done that. I should know better. Sorry Mr Silver car driver!:rolleyes:

The driver was nice and slowed to let me move in front.
 
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Ian Johnson

New Member
Nice to see see a driver allowing for your mistake by slowing and not being happy with the horn,maybee the 'sorry' wave helped. At least you admit when you're wrong.
 
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Ian Johnson said:
Nice to see see a driver allowing for your mistake by slowing and not being happy with the horn,maybee the 'sorry' wave helped. At least you admit when you're wrong.
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Aye, looking back at the video I'm now worried my wave looked like a 'whatever'! It certainly wasn't meant like that!

I'd be a complete hypocrite if I didn't admist my own mistakes.
 
thomas

thomas

the tank engine
Location
Woking/Norwich
magnatom said:
Aye, looking back at the video I'm now worried my wave looked like a 'whatever'! It certainly wasn't meant like that!

I'd be a complete hypocrite if I didn't admist my own mistakes.
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You see that arrow pointing right...well, what do you think it means....:rolleyes: The wave could have come across wrong, but hopefully it didn't. I've made mistakes at roundabouts so can't really criticise, I think the best bet when you do make one is to do a quick wave of apology.
 
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User3143 said:
Never mind about the assumption that people were turning left - why are you in the wrong lane? Correct me if I'm wrong but the lane you used on the approach to that RAB was ''right turn'' only.
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Correct, but it is a common occurrence for queues to build up at this roundabout for cars turning left (leads to Clyde Tunnel). When this happens it is normal practice to use the right hand lane for straight on.

My mistake here was not taking the right lane, it was taking it at an inappropriate moment. I was too busy following the other cyclist rather than looking at the traffic on the roundabout and seeing that the traffic I was about to overtake was about to move.

Anyway, I believe arrows are advisory and not compulsory.
 
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User3143 said:
I very much doubt it, if you would have had an accident with the moton their argument could have been I thought he was turning right because he was in the right lane and I very much doubt that you would have a leg to stand on.

Needless to say as well that it is an automatic failure on a driving test under ''lane discipline'' to take the wrong lane.
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Then you would be wrong. Of course the fact that I was taking a lane marked right turn would be contributory, but to suggest that just because I took that lane would mean I would 'not have a leg to stand on' is crazy. Everything else would be taken into account, i.e. did I signal, speed of both car and cyclist, visibility, did the driver have time to stop etc.

Are you suggesting when traffic is tailed back into the Clyde Tunnel, which happens on a regular basis, that cars or bikes should not be able to progress using the right hand lane? If not, then you agree that it was just this decision to use the right lane that was wrong and not the principle of using it when there is a hold up.

I would never have had an accident here anyway. The worst that would have happened would have been that I would have gone around the roundabout to avoid collision, or I could have stopped to let him pass.

What is not obvious from the video is that some negotiation went on between me and the driver. When I realised that he was slowing and letting me go I continued in front.
 
thomas

thomas

the tank engine
Location
Woking/Norwich
magnatom said:
Are you suggesting when traffic is tailed back into the Clyde Tunnel, which happens on a regular basis, that cars or bikes should not be able to progress using the right hand lane? If not, then you agree that it was just this decision to use the right lane that was wrong and not the principle of using it when there is a hold up.
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It wouldn't be unfair to pull into the left hand land a few cars back at the roundabout, not take the roundabout on the right hand lane.

When I used to drive to sixth form I could save about 10 minutes of queuing by going in the right hand lane and going all the way around the roundabout to take, what would have been the left hand exit to begin with. A bit cheeky but saved sitting in traffic!
 
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As an aside, I have always wondered about the lane markings at this roundabout. The majority of cars tend to go left here, and there are often hold ups going that way. I've often wondered if it would run smother if the right hand lane was a straight on and right turn and the left lane was a left turn only....
 
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thomas said:
It wouldn't be unfair to pull into the left hand land a few cars back at the roundabout, not take the roundabout on the right hand lane.
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I wouldn't do that here unless I was sure I could slot in before the traffic moved. Can't put my finger on the reason, but I wouldn't be happy filtering and pulling in a couple of cars from the front.

If I can see the traffic is moving (which it was on this occasion, although I misjudged it) I will sit at the back and wait. If it looks clogged up I will take the right lane (as does all other traffic going straight on, in this situation).
 
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Forgive me for saying this but I cannot believe some-one can be so obtuse. The lane markings are people turning right and right only. You saying about speed, indication etc is a load of rubbish and mere (and poor) justification for you being in the wrong lane.
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Lee, pot, kettle, black.

I'm not going to go around in circles with this one. I made a misjudgement due to my fixation on the cyclist that was ahead. I thought the traffic was held up and all turning right. It can be like this for quite a while, though I was wrong here. If it was held up (as I thought) would I be justified in taking the right hand lane? Or should I wait for until the left lane starts to turn left (this can sometimes be a long time if there has been an accident, which happens a lot!).

So you are suggesting that a judge in a situation where he is apportioning blame would suggest that because I took a lane with a right turn arrow on it, I would instantly become fully at fault for any collision I had on the roundabout. :biggrin: Thank goodness your not a judge (at least I hope your not!)


Granted you have a point here but the traffic was not backed up in this instance was it?
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Correct. There is my mistake, which if you look at the video, look at everything I have written, you will find that is what I have said.

Famous last words
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Not on this occasion, because as soon as I had entered the roundabout I knew there was a problem and I was willing to react in whatever way was required to resolve it. There was a huge empty lane for me to bale out in on the right.
 
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garrilla said:
"I made a misjudgement due to my fixation on the cyclist that was ahead."

Fit and female perhaps?
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Ha ha! No a slightly overweight bloke! I know him from work, not too well, but enough to say hello.
 
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