ADUK Archive

Coming from a semi-rural area, I didn't get a chance to do this sort of junction when I was learning to drive, so I have no confidence at all that I'm doing it right.

St James' Boulevard (<--link to google maps) in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is a dual carriageway with a series of traffic light controlled box junctions. There are filter lanes.

How would I turn right on this road, when coming from the south?
Can I wait in the box when the road to the right is clear?
If so, where exactly?
If the road to the right is not clear, where do I wait then?
How do I avoid being hit by traffic coming from my left when the lights change?
When can I go?

It all seems so dangerous when there are two carriageways instead of one!

it's difficult for me to see but it looks as though the lights that would be in front of you if waiting to turn right on the box junction may have a right turn arrow light alongside the green to assist the junction clearing after all lights, in both directions, have gone to red.

Thanks for your answers so far.

It does look like a junction that would have filter arrows for a right turn, doesn't it? But as far as I can recall, none of the box junctions on this road have them for a right turn. Or am I missing something here where you turn right onto Westmoreland avenue? Can I pull forward past the cycle bay and pedestrian crossing here, in order to wait for the road on the right to be clear? I'm not sure at all where I should be waiting on this one.

The reason I'm confused is that the last time I tried it, I thought that the lights would have a delay to give me a chance to make the turn. But a car from the left almost hit me. He hadn't jumped the lights - there were other cars going too. So I assumed that I had to watch for cars from all directions and would be in the way if I pulled into the yellow box. I will admit that I'd not been driving for long at this point, and could have made any number of mistakes that led to this. I had ended up there by accident and was quite scared.

Your lights are green so you look over into your exit and if clear you move into box

If no oncoming traffic you turn but if there is then you wait in the box with all your wheels still pointing straight on (safety in case hit from rear) - no problem now because you are over stop line and are now in a give way scenario

Oncoming traffic clears or stops so you then proceed to turn right

Traffic from your left (or right) must give way to you as you are already in the junction

A green light means proceed if the way is clear or in this case as far as you can because only the oncoming traffic is preventing you from exiting the box

If the road you want to turn into is not clear then wait behind the stop line on a green light

"Traffic from your left (or right) must give way to you as you are already in the junction"

Well well. So maybe I didn't do it wrong the day a car almost hit me from the left after all. I didn't know about this rule.

Thank you so much for all your answers. It's much clearer to me now.