Birdlip Junction - A417/B4070 advice

[meatballs]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could clarify the following junction.

Turning right out of the B4070, I believe traffic turning right on the A417 should giveway to me because of their giveway lines. However this feels unnatural because I should also be giving way to vehicles on the road I am joining? Also unsure because don't think everyone would interpret it the same way leading to two vehicles getting into trouble in the single carriageway with fast moving traffic coming!

Last time when I arrived there was 4 cars queuing right from the A417, so I let them go first. The next two cars that went to turn right from the main carriageway went past their giveway and sat in the middle of 'my' waiting area as seen here. I guess that was to prevent doubt that they were going first, but there was room to squeeze in behind them into that waiting area as well.

Any ideas? Any junction veterans/locals shed some light?

[ExadiNigel]

It is a slightly unusual junction isn't it. Extra giveway lines have been added to change the normal priorities.

You are quite right, the cars turning right into the B road you are exiting should give way to you. It definately feels odd though doesn't it? Both turning right into the B road and turning right out of it!

[IVORTHE DRIVER]

Hi,

Interesting junction right enough, almost like a mini r/bout without the r/bout!.

I wonder though where the Merc in the picture has come from, if you look at his position he has obviously not come down the slip off the main road, has he maybe done a U turn from the side road and back again or is his road positioning really that bad?

If you have queing cars to your left as you wait in the correct position to turn right (by the give way lines in the middle) how good is your visibilty?

Although it looks odd you do have priority over those turning from the main road though, must be interesting on a busy day!

Ivor

[ROG]

I know they are trying to keep the main 417 flowing freely but I would have thought a roundabout would have been a better idea

[Big Err]

I'd have thought that the give way in the central reserve is to reduce the risk of the A-road right turners cutting across the opposing A road flow, and the give way on the B road is to give way to the main road traffic regardless if it is right turning or not.

Sadly the Traffic Signs Manual shows this arrangement (fig.7-8 and Paragraph 7.17), but without any indication on how it should operate!

A roundabout would sort it, but at a substantial price.

[meatballs]

I wonder though where the Merc in the picture has come from, if you look at his position he has obviously not come down the slip off the main road, has he maybe done a U turn from the side road and back again or is his road positioning really that bad?

Ivor

I saw two cars do this from the A417 main road, think it might be a local custom... Removes the conflict of whether the person on the main carriageway waits for the person from the B road or vice-versa.

[ExadiNigel]

A roundabout would sort it, but at a substantial price.

A far cheaper option would be to disallow right turns, there are roundabouts a short way in either direction. Only problem with that would be that the road get jammed up fairly easily and regularly!

[hanse cronje]

Hi,

Interesting junction right enough,

its an interesting area after dark. the junction is better than it use to be and going to the r'about is impractlcle due to the volume of traffic

[Gareth]

the junction is better than it use to be

I liked it better before there was a junction - that narrow road was a lot of fun

[hanse cronje]

the junction is better than it use to be

I liked it better before there was a junction - that narrow road was a lot of fun

i am suprised how much it had changed over the years. Until 2005/6 i had not use it for many years, now its the preffered route to southampton/bournemouth/portsmouth etc where i find myself going a lot