Indicating right to turn left

[moorfield]

Two local roads I use regularly meet at an acute angle, rather like at the apex of a triangle like so: /\ The road on the left which is the exit road from a local village joins the one the right which is a single carriageway A road bypass that leads onto a large roundabout. All traffic leaving the village turns left at this junction, I have never seen anyone turn right (there is another obvious way out of the village in that direction). It's a tricky junction to navigate and usually involves slowing down and craning of the neck.

Yet most drivers I see indicate right, rather than left, when approaching and joining the road on the right. Everyone knows they really mean they are turning left, so I'm wondering why they do it. Maybe it's just habit or pragmatism towards drivers on the road on the right approaching the junction, who have right of way anyway. Or maybe it some obscure highway code guideline I don't know. Always puzzled me!

[chas49]

It sounds like they are treating it like a slip road joining another (faster) road. So they are indicating right to join. If they indicated left, the traffic on the main road probably wouldn't see. Is that a possible explanation?

[GrahamPlatt]

Just put the hazerds on, then you’ve covered all the bases.

[bluedonkey]

Just put the hazerds on, then you’ve covered all the bases.

Yes exactly, even better leave them on all the time.

[Lanark]

Just put the hazerds on, then you’ve covered all the bases.

Yes exactly, even better leave them on all the time.

Unless driving a BMW in which case the entire car acts as a hazard warning!

[Lootman]

Isn't it a bit like how a long articulated lorry that needs to make a wide turn often starts that manoeuvre by moving over to the opposite direction to the intended turn? As such it might indicate right before indicating and turning left? Since it first needs to move to the right in order to turn left.

I recall reading about an accident where a cyclist hit a lorry because the cyclist knew that the truck was turning left, but did not allow for the fact that to make that turn the lorry would first have to move to the right.

[quelquod]

Yes exactly, even better leave them on all the time.

Unless driving a BMW in which case the entire car acts as a hazard warning!

As a long-time BMW driver I’ve never understood this commonplace bias. To avoid confusion over which way I plan to turn I never bother indicating - I just put the boot down hard and go for it.

[Imbiber]

Unless driving a BMW in which case the entire car acts as a hazard warning!

As a long-time BMW driver I’ve never understood this commonplace bias. To avoid confusion over which way I plan to turn I never bother indicating - I just put the boot down hard and go for it.

Perhaps it was you that nearly killed me today...

[genou]

Unless driving a BMW in which case the entire car acts as a hazard warning!

My uncle, who spent all his latter days in Germany never really balked at Beemers. His view was that you had to watch out for Mercs because " they all come with built in right of way", a view which his neighbours were willing to share.

[didds]

Two local roads I use regularly meet at an acute angle, rather like at the apex of a triangle like so: /\ The road on the left which is the exit road from a local village joins the one the right which is a single carriageway A road bypass that leads onto a large roundabout. All traffic leaving the village turns left at this junction, I have never seen anyone turn right (there is another obvious way out of the village in that direction). It's a tricky junction to navigate and usually involves slowing down and craning of the neck.

Yet most drivers I see indicate right, rather than left, when approaching and joining the road on the right. Everyone knows they really mean they are turning left, so I'm wondering why they do it. Maybe it's just habit or pragmatism towards drivers on the road on the right approaching the junction, who have right of way anyway. Or maybe it some obscure highway code guideline I don't know. Always puzzled me!

Do you possibly mean the A342 (Dunkirk Hill) meeting the A361 (Bath Road) at Devizes? Where Marsh lane from Rowde would meet the A361 as you describe above as an alternative, further west?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.35376 ... ?entry=ttu

The above certainly meets that description. FWIW I do see people turning right there (and interestingly WAZE the satnav app often suggests that turning to me.

I can see that they are treating the T junction (marked appropriately with double dashed lines etc) as a slip road. When this defence is given to me, I just ask what would be indicated if they were turning right that would not now be ambiguous?

didds

[GrahamPlatt]

Just put the hazerds on, then you’ve covered all the bases.

Hazerds?
An honest typo there; really, I do know how to spell. Oh the shame!

[moorfield]

Two local roads I use regularly meet at an acute angle, rather like at the apex of a triangle like so: /\ The road on the left which is the exit road from a local village joins the one the right which is a single carriageway A road bypass that leads onto a large roundabout. All traffic leaving the village turns left at this junction, I have never seen anyone turn right (there is another obvious way out of the village in that direction). It's a tricky junction to navigate and usually involves slowing down and craning of the neck.

Yet most drivers I see indicate right, rather than left, when approaching and joining the road on the right. Everyone knows they really mean they are turning left, so I'm wondering why they do it. Maybe it's just habit or pragmatism towards drivers on the road on the right approaching the junction, who have right of way anyway. Or maybe it some obscure highway code guideline I don't know. Always puzzled me!

Do you possibly mean the A342 (Dunkirk Hill) meeting the A361 (Bath Road) at Devizes? Where Marsh lane from Rowde would meet the A361 as you describe above as an alternative, further west?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.35376 ... ?entry=ttu

The above certainly meets that description. FWIW I do see people turning right there (and interestingly WAZE the satnav app often suggests that turning to me.

I can see that they are treating the T junction (marked appropriately with double dashed lines etc) as a slip road. When this defence is given to me, I just ask what would be indicated if they were turning right that would not now be ambiguous?

didds

Not that one, but that's a very similar junction. I think chas49 is probably right, most drivers are treating as a slip road, however most have to stop and give way (for the craning of necks over shoulder) and approaching traffic on the major road can't move over (as is a common habit on motorways) anyway.

[DrFfybes]

Another one here
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6NUbu4rkHLMMPbUeA
used to be on my daily commute.

Probably a quarter indicate right to turn left, a quarter indicate left, and half never bothered.

[DelianLeague]

Some people do this as they exit the slip road from the M11 southbound at the Grantchester. You have to give way at a two way B-road but some people indicate right (to go to Cotton village) but they in-fact they go left to Grantchester.

I think it is just down to the awkward exit, it seems to give people an optical illusion or something, maybe brain fog. Its not a problem as the turning seems safe enough. Its just a bit of a curiosity.

D.L.