I'm sure when I took my test and learnt the highway code, we had to give way to vehicles coming from the right.
Now if, and I know there are some locals to Weybridge, one goes from Weybridge station towards Byfleet, by going down Brooklands road, eventually to turn right onto Paris Road, at this roundabout, the traffic moving from Cobham along The Byfleet road have a slip road, and we have an arrow feeding us into that slip road, so It seems we don't have priority. That's all very well, but as a van driver, it's not possible to see vehicles coming along the slip road... Yep I got very lucky yesterday with some racer coming through on my blind side at some speed. He could obviously see me, I couldn't see him, who would be at fault if we had collided ?
Last edited by: R.P. on Wed 13 Jun 12 at 21:36
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This one?
goo.gl/maps/oHXO
What a hideous bit of road design. I imagine the two streams are supposed to be able to see each other and merge in turn. No strict right of way, or more accurately, priority. Somebody usually pops up to say you never actually have right of way.
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Yep that's the one... Thank you
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Whilst I have to agree it's not obvious, but wouldn't the arrows on the road indicate that traffic that has to move to the left need to give way?
It would probably need a few insurance claims before a precedent was set.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Wed 13 Jun 12 at 23:22
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As I see it:
Traffic coming from Cobham on Byfleet Road has right of way as it forms a continuous road with Parvis Road; there is no give way sign nor merge arrows on Parvis Road when approaching from Cobham.
Traffic coming from Weybridge on Brooklands Road and joining Parvis Road at the roundabout should maintain observation of approaching traffic on Byfleet Road, and on exiting the roundabout to take care while merging on to Parvis Road.
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I appreciate your problem of having restricted vision in a van, but I can't answer your question.
However, deviating slightly, on the question of "right of way" I always assume that nobody does and I work on the principle of "discretion is the better part of valour".
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>> I always assume that nobody
>> does and I work on the principle of "discretion is the better part of valour".
>>
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That's true, but often it is just as important for the vehicle that does have priority to press on as it is for the other to give way. Ditherers who don't know whether they have priority or not are sometimes a menace. You can slip in behind someone who keeps going, but get badly caught out by someone who suddenly jams his brakes on.
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>> That's true, but often it is just as important for the vehicle that does have
>> priority to press on as it is for the other to give way.
I agree.
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The only person with right of way in that manor is Zero.
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I think John H is right. Minor road gives way to major when joining and there is no break in one of the roads - traffic joins it having exited the roundabout, so shoud give way. But it's a very poor piece of road design and would benefit from some clear signage to establish the give way principle.
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I take your and John H's point, and I wouldn't argue with it as far as it goes.
But there can't really be said to be any correct priority in practical terms if it is a subject for discussion, given that can't happen at the time the problem arises.
In practice, it can only be a cooperate and merge job. It follows that anybody on either road who assumes priority is in the wrong.
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I think we have had this discussion before, and it seems to hinge on whether a section of by-pass road counts as part of a roundabout or not.
Someone on the roundabout is quite likely to consider that it does, therefore assumes he has priority, being on the right of anything in the sliproad. Someone on the sliproad considers that he is not actually on a roundabout at all, but on a continuous section of road that happens to skirt a roundabout, thereforehe has priority over someone merging (joining) from the right.
It seems so silly when a pair of appropriate signs would make priority clear.
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>> It seems so silly when a pair of appropriate signs would make priority clear.
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Non-problem. No accidents. No solution needed. Proliferation of unnecessary signs is not desirable.
Last edited by: John H on Fri 15 Jun 12 at 09:33
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There really is no problem for an alert driver, the roundabout is such that your speed on exit is markedly reduced, giving you plenty of time to observe and prepare to adjust your speed and position to safely merge with traffic onto Parvis Road.:
Just look at the streetview of that location from two different views:
1. drive through as if you are in the google-camera-car coming from Cobham:
goo.gl/maps/pkmx
2. drive through as if you are in the google-camera-car having come from Weybridge and exiting the rounabout to merge on to Parvis Road:
goo.gl/maps/Vj1y
However, watch out for the dozy driver, as you would at any junction. ;-)
Last edited by: John H on Fri 15 Jun 12 at 09:30
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True, but the OP was reporting that he did (nearly) have a problem.
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If we changed roads or signs everytime a driver reports a near-miss, we might need to re-do the whole road network in the UK.
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>> we might need
>> to re-do the whole road network in the UK.
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That sounds like a good idea. There are so many unnecessary signs they could concentrate those that serve a worthwhile purpose.
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...."True, but the OP was reporting that he did (nearly) have a problem." The problem being, perhaps, he assumed he had priority and didn't check his nearside mirror? Or the mirror is not properly adjusted? The merge point is after all parallel.
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As a regular user (almost daily) of that "junction", in common practise its quickest and bravest with right of way. Surprisingly few accidents there as it happens. Never seen one in fact.
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As a van and small lorry driver, I would suggest the OP bear slightly to the right when he reaches the "merge left" arrows, giving him a wider field of vision in his nearside mirrors (almost all vans have two mirrors on each door - normal and wide-angle).
If I'm approaching a junction with the potential for blind spots, I count the vehicles, bicycles etc into it and out again. If one doesn't emerge then I assume it's lurking in the bit of road I can't see, and I slow down accordingly.
If there was a serious visibility problem at the OP's junction, cars would be getting steamrollered by HGVs daily. They're not, so it's merely an annoying extra lane rather than a serious hazard. At least now the OP knows to take extra car there in future :)
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Tue 19 Jun 12 at 20:52
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>> its quickest and
>> bravest with right of way.
>>
As in life
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Every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost.
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Who has right of way.? - Manatee
