[JimmyRiddle]

Hello

I am really confused about a road I frequently drive down regarding which lane to be in.

The road is two lanes which can both turn right onto a road with three lanes. When turning right on this road which lane should you be in on the two lane road to then be in the middle lane of the three lanes road?

Till now I thought the left lane goes into the left and the right can go in the middle or the right of the three lanes after the right turn?

[Beelzebub]

Why do you want to be in the middle lane?

[olduser]

In these days of splashing paint on roads, if there was a good reason for the your manoeuvre the road would be marked up to encourage traffic to do so. The roads would be merged together.

What you are planning to do is to complicate a simple turn left, turning it into a turn left across a live lane.
In other words, you want traffic to let you cross the first lane, and traffic in the second lane to make room for you to complete your turn, and make space for you.

As a general rule, don't try to combine two manoeuvre into one, for your safety and theirs other road users need to be able to understand what you are doing.

So your junction now becomes (1) A left turn from the left lane into the first lane of the three lane road, once completed, and you are established in that lane, then (2) You can consider moving into the second lane, if you have a valid reason to do so.
With appropriate signals, everyone around you will understand what you are trying to do.

[Drivingforfun]

I've had to do lots of city driving in the last 3 months, which I've never really done before, and I've learnt that in the more populated areas it's often wise to simply make yourself as predictable as possible, while expecting everyone else to do unpredictable things

At least once a day I've had situations where I could have hit someone (or been hit) while "being in the right" but it's easier not to collide at all, and just make allowance for those who are less conscious of their surroundings

[Rolebama]

I would just say that I used to drive regularly down a local dual carriageway with roundabouts roughly every mile or so. Most of these I drove straight across, so only indicated for my turn off. I got really fed up with being cut off by other traffic on the roundabouts. Then one day the penny dropped. I was the only one indicating. I stopped indicating and everybody just left me alone. On a similar note, there is a roundabout in Langford, Beds, where it seems that everybody goes the wrong way around it. My first reaction was to wonder what was going on, and I got tooted and sworn at. I had to stop quite abruptly a couple of times too. Then I got the idea so now follow the locals and have no problem. There is a mini roundabout in South Oxhey that people treat in the same way. I have found alternate routes to avoid that one.

[Drivingforfun]

I know the roundabout you mean well @Rolebama since my grandmother has moved to Langford

In truth I can deal with being hooted or sworn at for following the Highway Code, but when it comes to avoiding a crash I prefer to make myself predictable and go along with the locals like you say. We're not talking violations like speeding or running red lights, more things like creative use of indicators!

[olduser]

That reminds me of an incident many years ago, I was asked to take my car and drive to Liversedge (west yks) from the factory in Goole (west yks) to collect the weeks wages.
This was pre motorways or satnavs, and I had never been before.

After getting on my way, I think I drove into low cloud, mist and fine drizzle.
In effect I joined the caravan of lorries, and tried to keep an eye out for direction signs, I knew the boss said it took him about 60 -70 mins on a good day.

I got there and collected the wages, and I was told neither me or the wages were insured, and I would be expected to make up any losses, I was not happy.

I hid the wages under the seat cover on the passenger's seat, and set off back, the mist cleared a bit but now it was raining stair rods.

I think it was in Castleford, there was a series of one-way bends and turns with various road numbers and arrows painted on the road but the local traffic was very heavy nose to tail, and they knew where they were going.
All I could do was pray and go with the flow, it was impossible to see the road markings.
As I am being carried along in the flow, I noticed a police car had joined in behind me.
Once we got out of this wild part, I spotted a road sign for my direction, good I am going in the right direction.

Police car overtakes with lights, and signals for me to pull over, now what?
Did I know where I was going sir, me surprised, Goole, well I hope?
Well through the section back there sir, you changed lanes several times sir.
Come and sit in my car sir, I explain I have to take the seat cover off because I cannot leave the wages in my car unattended.
Our two cars at the roadside are causing chaos but eventually I get sorted out and dash to his car, he was very wet, and his car steams up.

We talk, I explain, he says he will show me how I should have driven through the bad bit.
My car and his are now covered in road muck on the offside.
But off we go, there is lots of space around his car though the traffic is still heavy.
He drives past the offending section, is let into the stream as soon as he signals, and the traffic opens up, nothing in front, and nothing close behind, we returned to my car, and I thanked him for the help.
The moral of this story I think is, if you want to drive in a strange place, and want time and space to read road signs, get a marked police car.😀

[Rolebama]

When I worked at a particular motorcycle dealership, I was asked if I would accompany the young lady, who went to the bank every Friday to collect the wages. On the second or third time I accompanied her, about a ten minute walk up the road, she said maybe I should carry the money, as I was a big lad and seen to be able to look after myself. I told her that as far as I was concerned if anyone was to try to rob us, I expected her to just hand the money over, because I saw myself as being her guardian and the money could always be replaced. I was not interested in risking anything for a few quid. She made an endearing remark about having my protection. She told the boss of our conversation who tried to tell me I was supposed to be protecting the money. I told him where to go in no uncertain terms and he smiled. The only pay rise I ever got for my 'chivalry'.

[Santa]

@Rolebama Back in the 60s, I worked in a pub on Wembley High St. It was very busy on match days and the takings could be as much as £1500 (over £30k today).

I was a fairly big lad so me and another guy were sent to the bank with the cash on Monday. The other guy had done it before and I asked him what he would do if someone tried to rob us. "Hand it over," he said. "It's not our money. Why should we risk getting hurt for it?"

Later on, as a lorry driver, I had the same attitude. We did sometimes carry valuable loads and if someone had threatened me, I would have handed the keys over.

[olduser]

A very sensible sentiment.

The odd thing I discovered about the wages (above), was they were insured whilst at head office, and insured once in the factory office but not while in transit.
According to the company secretary, it was specifically mentioned in the agreement!

[Rolebama]

@olduser It doesn't surprise me that they would not give cover for transportation. I collected a handful of commendations in the early 70s, because what I thought was an attempted bank robbery, turned out to be a mickey mouse security company delivering wages to the shop next door. Apparently their garb of motorcycle helmets, donkey jackets, jeans, working boots and pick handles was a uniform! And the money was held in a Milletts-style canvas haversack.

[olduser]

For a while, I had a weekend job, traveling the motorway system servicing soft toy cranes in the motorway services, I was employed by the owner of the machines.
As the day wore on, I would be carrying more and more money from the machines.
I asked about security, the boss said words to the effect, I have to trust you but push it too far, and you will be handed over to the police.
As to the public, there are two approaches that work, one expensive, is to make it secure, and show it (security van) or make no fuss at all, in plain sight (well not quite, the money was in cash bags in the boot), he was using the latter.

It seem that your security firm was trying to have a foot in both camps.