Which lane at the lights?

alan4cult

When there are two lanes at a set of traffic lights, one lane for left and the other for right, which lane does one use to proceed straight on? I have a feeling it is the right lane yet so many people I see use the left lane. I am ignoring road markings as lights exist that have no road markings.

enda1

Left Lane.

Always drive on the left unless you are instructed to do otherwise.

Stark

I have a similar situation near my house. The road markings seem to have been done without the entrance to my apartment block in mind. In most cases, I follow the "keep left" rule, with the exception of approaching from one direction where there's a filter light for going left. In that case I use the right-hand lane, so that I don't get beeped out of it when the filter light for left comes on.

Vegeta

poor road marking is to blame for this.

It makes driving somewhere you've never been before quite difficult and annoying as you never know what lane to be in approaching lights

alan4cult

I always understood that you approached in the left lane only to turn left and in the right lane to turn right or to go straight on. This means you would have to wait for any cars ahead of you to turn right then you could go straight on but it seems that people use the left lane for ease as no waiting is needed but what would happen if a person in the left lane went straight on and a person in the right lane went straight on. Who would be in the wrong if the cars collided sideways?

smemon

yes this is frustrating in places you've never driven in before..

if there are road markings, they're usually right on top of the junction so traffic is covering them anyway and it's too late :rolleyes:

obviously if there's a filter light to the left or right that helps as you avoid the filter light lane to head straight on..

there should be some sort of rule though..

alan4cult

I have seen road markings that indicate either lane can be used to go straight on but this is crazy because, as I said in my last post, that if two straight-ahead lanes exist then eventually one lane needs to merge into another which is dangerous. Rules of the Road book saying anything?

Saruman

alan4cult wrote:

I always understood that you approached in the left lane only to turn left and in the right lane to turn right or to go straight on.?

Unless its marked otherwise, you are ALWAYS supposed to be in the left lane. Take roundaouts for instance. You should always be in the left lane for going left or straight ahead. you should only be in the right lane if in fact turning right.
Exceptions are obviously where the road markings indicate otherwise, or if its a dual carriageway in which case, both lane lanes can be used to go straight.

In this case though there does not appear to be any indication so you should follow the left hand rule.
I assume the lights change at the same time and there is not a left hand filter lane that changes first?

alan4cult

No, there is no left filter lane.

prodigal_son

There is a road near me, and you cant really see the road markings ever, too much traffic on it, But you have to stay in the left lane for one set of traffic lights, and then get into the right lane to keep going straight on, as the next set of traffic lights have a left filter lane.

Could be a bit confusing the first time on the road, as i always have a tendency to stay in the left lane.

It can also be one of the most annoying things in the world, to see someone shoot down a left or right turn lane, and then try cut there way back into the straight ahead line.

roots

There is no confusion here, you'll always stay in the left lane for going left/straight and on the right lane to go right only.

I see at times drivers positioned in the right lane bumping into you as they also want to go straight and then show anger as they feel you've cheated.