Hello,
I am hoping some experienced members could give some insight as this morning I almost had an accident with a council truck driver and wondering whether I was at fault, or the council driver or both.
So I was driving along the A435 Alcester Road near Birmingham and looking to get onto the M42 going east. As you can see from the google maps link, the A435 has two lanes leading up to the roundabout (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...7!4d-1.8931188).
Google maps shows the inside lane show as M42 East whereas the outside lane shows M42 West. I was driving on the outside and didn't notice those road markings due to standstill traffic at the time but on approach (which has traffic lights) I could see that there was a two-lane exit for the M42 East but other than lane markings on the roundabout, I could not see any other markings, though I admit the lane markings look badly worn but still visible.
So, traffic light goes green and I am on the outside of the roundabout and then indicate left to exit onto the M42 East until suddenly the council driver (what I believed) attempts to cut across my lane as I go to exit the roundabout as if he's in the wrong lane. Fortunately I wasn't going too fast and we both managed to stop before a crash could occur.
However, on looking at google maps, the inside lane that the council driver was in only allowed you to either take the first exit or second exit only (which is the M42 East) whereas the outside lane, despite showing M42 West seems to give the impression that you can exit onto the M42 East from that lane.
To me, it seems like a very dangerous roundabout which can give a false impression in that the approach suggests the outside lane is M42 West but allows you to exit on to the M42 East. Would I have been to blame, or the council driver, or both of us? Equally, could there be any argument for blaming the authority who manages that roundabout in the way it is marked out i.e. would they owe a duty of care towards drivers in making sure its clear and not confusing?
Any comments greatly appreciated.
I am hoping some experienced members could give some insight as this morning I almost had an accident with a council truck driver and wondering whether I was at fault, or the council driver or both.
So I was driving along the A435 Alcester Road near Birmingham and looking to get onto the M42 going east. As you can see from the google maps link, the A435 has two lanes leading up to the roundabout (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...7!4d-1.8931188).
Google maps shows the inside lane show as M42 East whereas the outside lane shows M42 West. I was driving on the outside and didn't notice those road markings due to standstill traffic at the time but on approach (which has traffic lights) I could see that there was a two-lane exit for the M42 East but other than lane markings on the roundabout, I could not see any other markings, though I admit the lane markings look badly worn but still visible.
So, traffic light goes green and I am on the outside of the roundabout and then indicate left to exit onto the M42 East until suddenly the council driver (what I believed) attempts to cut across my lane as I go to exit the roundabout as if he's in the wrong lane. Fortunately I wasn't going too fast and we both managed to stop before a crash could occur.
However, on looking at google maps, the inside lane that the council driver was in only allowed you to either take the first exit or second exit only (which is the M42 East) whereas the outside lane, despite showing M42 West seems to give the impression that you can exit onto the M42 East from that lane.
To me, it seems like a very dangerous roundabout which can give a false impression in that the approach suggests the outside lane is M42 West but allows you to exit on to the M42 East. Would I have been to blame, or the council driver, or both of us? Equally, could there be any argument for blaming the authority who manages that roundabout in the way it is marked out i.e. would they owe a duty of care towards drivers in making sure its clear and not confusing?
Any comments greatly appreciated.