Red road markings at Roundabouts

[denis567]

Now this is interesting, for months I have been banging on about the apparent stupidity of the red markings in the right hand lane of some (usually mini ) roundabouts. To my mind they are a source of potential danger.
Now my local council at Selby have removed them at one roundabout, near the town, and replaced them with the normal right hand lane markings and colour.
Is it finally sinking in that they are potentially dangerous?

[Panic Button]

Do you mean red tarmac, or red paint?

If it is a red tarmaced area, then it is an area that you should avoid if possible, but many long vehicles such as articulated lorriies and bendy buses have to stray into them to get round.

Why do you think they are dangerous?

[denis567]

It is the red tarmac area, implying that vehicles turning right should keep off this area, thus making them complete a right turn from the left lane which is already occupied by vehicles either turning left, or going straight ahead. Surely this is potentially dangerous.

[Panic Button]

I'm not sure I follow.

I don't think you are being accurate saying a right turning vehicle is in the 'left lane' just because it is avoiding the red bit.
That implies there is a lane to the right of the vehicle.

Also if he or she is indicating correctly, then others would know what is intended.

[denis567]

On this type of roundabout, remember it is usually a mini-roundabout, what would normally be the right lane is surfaced in red tarmac. Therefore a vehicle turning right would keep off this red area (although there are no signs saying they must do this). This then makes them move over into the left lane which could well be occupied by vehicles turning left, or going straight ahead. Surely this is not only potentially dangerous but also slows down the flow of traffic. Remember, if you are approaching one of these roundabouts, unless you know the road, you have already taken up a position in the right lane, for the right turn and it is not until you reach the mouth of the roundabout that you see this red section, so you have to move over to the left lane to complete your turn.

[Panic Button]

Well your roundabouts in Selby must look different from the ones I am used to.

The red tarmac area on the ones I meet are separated by a dropped kerb, and do not look like they are a lane that can be used.

I fail to see any problem.

[R1Geezer]

It is a common myth that red tarmac or chevroned areas generally are not to be driven on. If they are bordered by dotted lines it's fine. What is dangerous is the amount of people on the roads who are clueless.

[denis567]

I have certainly seen the ones Panic Button is referring to where there is a dropped kerb and it does not look like a lane, but the ones I am referring to (and not only in Selby) have a lane which is red tarmac, and as R1Geezer states, there are no signs to say you should not drive on the red tarmac, the fact that it is red makes drivers automatically keep off it, hence my original statement that it is a potentially dangerous situation

[Nosha123]

The old boy I followed this morning wouldnt give a damn - he didnt obey any road markings at all! He drove all the way on the chevrons down a dual carriageway where the left hand lane is not for driving in.
Prat

[Mctavish]

If is is one of those funny cars without indicators then you will have even more problems, you would just have to make a guess as to where they are going !!

[chazza]

I have never seen a roundabout with a red tarmac area, can anyone show a picture of one or point me in the way of one on google earth/maps?

[R1Geezer]

Here's one Chazza, not the best example:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=driver%2 0number%20calculator&cr=countryUK|countryGB&um =1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[R1Geezer]

sorry wrong link, can't seem to get google maps to cut the right link