Turning Nearside with a Filter Arrow

When you turn right at traffic lights with a filter arrow, turning nearside to nearside will generally help flow. This doesn't mean that this will always happen on every junction with the filter arrow. Please have a look at the follow up video to this same Crossroads which could actually be life saving!
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[@hjx01]

Saw this video in my recommended because I've watched a bunch of yours lately. I got nervous for my driving test and then remembered I passed last week! Feels strange not having lessons anymore.

[@galvinized1jg]

They should create waiting boxes so there is no confusion and it should be nearside to nearside and I feel this is safer and is more logical, as the 2 lanes off traffic wanting to go right are not blocking eachothers path. Yet again a good video the DVSA needs to create a rule so everyone is on the same page.

[@na-up6gs]

Thanks for making us safer drivers, you seriously deserve more than one million subscriber. It was a blessing I found your channel. Thanks again my dear sir ⚘🕊🌷⚘🕊🌷⚘🕊🌷

[@Dominate955]

Great video as always. I don't think I was taught this in my lessons and most the junctions I've come across are marked. The few that aren't I think I naturally do nearside to nearside as you get a better view of the traffic flow.

[@pauledwards9493]

Nicely explained, thank you.

[@_arabic.teacher]

Thank you for posting this instructive video 👍

[@cw2126]

Absolute Goldmine this channel, Thank you 👍👍👍

[@mekatriona]

Ah Thank you for this and for showing us quite a few times with a great explanation. I fully understand it now. From North London. Well shot/clear video. 👍🚗

[@andrewlim3842]

Hey Ashley, thank you for the effort you put into these videos for the common good and to help out complete strangers, they're awesome and they REALLY help learners like me! I realise this is an old video and you must get a LOT of questions in the comments but I'm hoping you can answer a question for me. On my last lesson we were driving a test route from the centre where my test is booked and at a junction just like this one, there were road markings actually instructing cars to turn nearside so I positioned further back to allow cars coming the other way to position in front of me. A driver coming the other way clearly had other ideas! She came in as if to turn in front of me but then straightened back up again, looked me in the eye then started creeping straight towards me as if trying to force me around her offside ( I'm not sure if it was stubbornness or incompetence) ending up with our cars only about 6' away and facing straight at each other very nearly causing a deadlock. My instructor's reaction was to wind his window down and start shouting at her to stop and go around us nearside as she should have done to begin with. In a test situation what should my response to that have been? I obviously couldn't have controlled her actions and there were cars queueing behind me so I couldn't have reversed to give her more room, on a test what would have been the safest way for me to try and resolve this? I appreciate your time mate, and keep up the good work!

[@LordSandwichII]

Even though I have already passed my test 8 years ago, I still like to watch these. It is said that 80% of people believe that they have above average driving abilities, which is statistically impossible. I think I am part of the 20% of drivers that know I am terrible at driving, and as a result want to get better. I don't think I've ever done offside to offside, and I always assume that people want the more familiar nearside to nearside, making me too scared to try it. That said, most of the junctions I use on a daily basis are more appropriate for that anyway.

[@benlrogers1986]

Thanks for this upload... best example I've seen by far,

[@iwanjoness]

Crossroads make me thankful for roundabouts

[@pwhnckexstflajizdryvombqug9042]

This is why in australia when entering an intersection to turn right, only one vehicle is allowed to enter at a time, and you only go so far as your back wheels are on the stop line. If I hadn't seen this video and went to drive in the UK I would have had no idea in this situation, that this can even happen. In australia it's much more common to have fully protected and controlled right turns. You never go offside to offside except roundabouts (obviously) and hook turns, but they are their own thing.

[@fluffyfetlocks]

Almost every light controlled intersection here in NZ has filter arrows. They generally do a rotation of turning lanes, straight lanes, then the same for roads on the other direction. All traffic lights here have pressure plates under each lane so that timing works depending on the cars queued.

[@paull7725]

I love this part of British legislation where the rule is 'there is no rule, just proceed with care, make eye contact and sort yourselves out:-). Having driven there quite a lot, I must admit… It works! I personally prefer offside to offside as I see clearer and, if there is a misunderstanding, I'm not the one cutting in front of the other one. But in other countries there are rules though - better not aim for the nearside to nearside where everyone expects you to go offside to offside otherwise the misunderstanding could turn into a BANG!

[@paull7725]

@Jan Schlossar it dépends where on the continent. Offside to offside in France, nearside to nearside in Italy. If you're used to one, the other one is obviously tricky.

[@paull7725]

@Jan Schlossar I am sure. I don't hold a British licence. In my experience with driving abroad, quite often, locals don't let the foreigner get away with it!!! :D I started to Watch Ashley's videos after a couple of scary situations in the UK (especially as a pedestrian) and learnt that it was better, before Driving abroad to know the local rules, see how the locals drive (Watch dashcam videos) and also see how they actually learn to drive!

[@paull7725]

Jan Schlossar kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4O7ioiKg7loiJY @3:06 - in France at least it is offside to offside unless marked otherwise or impossible of course.

[@paull7725]

Jan Schlossar exactly we were saying the same thing, just lost in translation 😉ahoj !

[@anglaismoyen]

@@paull7725 Definitely something to look up before you go travelling (if you want to drive on your hols). You're unlikely to forget which side of the road to drive on but the nearside/offside thing seems like it would only become clear when it's too late.

[@stanciuflorin5087]

Great video, thanks!

[@gordonmatkin9388]

Near to near side works well but like you say adapt, also near side works better for long vehicles approaching you. Good post

[@TRP-ATPS]

Great helpful thanks so much sir 🙏

[@masterwindowtintinginstitu9622]

Your videos has sense 👏

[@NewBuildmini]

Here in Russia and most of Europe, if the main traffic light is red and filter arrow is on, the road rules state that you must give way to anybody proceeding through the junction. Though they're mostly used for protected turns, some junctions have right turns on red permitted (we drive on the right) this way. And I'm not sure if this is Russia-specific, but in most cases where there's a filter arrow, the main traffic signal will have arrow outlines showing moves you can move without an arrow, and if the filter arrow is off, you cannot proceed in the filter arrow's direction.

[@frankhooper7871]

I initially learned to drive in California, but when returning to live in England, I took a few lessons to familiarize myself with differences; I remember my instructor insisting on offside-to-offside, which felt completely alien to me at the time.

[@richardbates1993]

Excellent as always! Exactly what I've been teaching this afternoon: "which set of rules do you want to use", and "how can you tell the opposing traffic which rules you want to use"

[@andrewrussack8647]

This issue was fixed years ago in Australia, well before I started driving over 30 years ago. The only permitted approach is near side-to-near side, UNLESS there is some weird segregated median arrangement, which rarely arises.

[@Keithbarber]

When I took my driving lessons in 1988, it was offside to offside that I was taught, and tried to keep to

[@edf6607]

Same here when i did mine in 85. I think the HC said imagine driving round an imaginary flag pole or something like that. It did work if there was only 2 cars involved but now traffic levels are much higher, nearside looks more efficient

[@seblewis6275]

In Orpington, the junction of Cray Avenue, Chelsfield Road and Poverest avenue. Coming out the latter two, painted on the road is an nearside to nearside arrows. Though there are no filter lights for coming out the latter two. One time I was coming to turn right out of Chelsfield to go nearside to and the car coming from Poverest turning right still went off to off and he looked annoyed with me. Lucklily I took action and went near to near as well. H quite clearly was locking on elsewhere and didn't see it or he didn't care. So just because it's there painted on the road never take it at face value any driver is going to comply with the road marking. When driving never just assume.

[@CristianCH]

Hi, Thank you for your videos. I have one question though. After you turn right why do you stay on the left lane? Is it specified in the highway code and I am missing it?

[@ashley_neal]

Simple lane discipline. If you are not overtaking or turning right, keep left.

[@grumpygit447]

As you say depends on the other driver as you say nearside to nearside is better a lot of junctions are now marked as thus

[@keith6400]

Nearsides produce poor vision of oncoming traffic initially. However once the green filter arrow is displayed the oncoming traffic should be stopped. This allows far more rapid clearing of the junction. The offsides system allows for much better view of the oncoming traffic and safe spaces between the vehicles allowing earlier clearance of the junction prior to the green filter. Once the green filter displays you have two curved queues of traffic trying to pass through each others routing. Space at the junction is one thing but also how busy a road is for the superior system to be used. Road markings could help but the problem here is where two large equally important roads form the crossroads markings would be needed for two different turns.

[@johnkeepin7527]

Not quite; some junctions (e.g. the one who’s co-ords are mentioned above in an earlier comment by myself), do NOT stop the oncoming traffic. At that one, the green arrow only allows one to proceed to the ‘stop’ line painted in the middle of the junction, so yes, visibility can be a problem for one’s right hand move; essential to be sure that there isn’t an oncoming one. Signalling all the possible moves sequentially would tend to reduce the traffic capacity of the whole lot, and it may depend on the pattern of traffic at certain times of day as well.

[@johnkeepin7527]

And here’s an example of one with lane markings (until they wear out!): 51°35’58.4”N1°48’08.2"W It allows parallel moves in both directions, at the expense of limited visibility of conflicting moves which are allowed so that one has to stop at the line halfway through the junction.

[@ld8483]

I don't have anyone to practice with .my instructor takes me to a crossroads once then on mocks it's always different , so not confident in different scenarios . I'm in Liverpool doing test in garston , it's pretty hard .

[@markwright3161]

Would these junctions have had lines at one time that have now been worn away or would they have always been like this? All crossroad style traffic light controlled junctions I've experienced have had turning lanes to follow. Maybe that's just because the areas I drive here in Northern Ireland don't have many and the only one I can think of is slightly staggered in favour of offside to offside. I'm just wondering why these junctions aren't marked. They seem to easily cause confusion or conflict by not being marked.

[@ashley_neal]

Marks would definitely help here. Ashley

[@Paintheshed]

interesting video

[@superiorbeing95]

A lot of the time it depends on who got to the junction first, if a car waiting to turn right coming the other way often they've come too far into the junction to have a choice.

[@themanfromvolantis]

I'm a professional driver and I loathe these junctions. I literally go out of my way to avoid them because everyone thinks they know best and most drivers are thick. Staggeringly there is only a gaelic shrug from those who make the rules. Your videos are brilliant BTW. They should show them at the end of the news each night. And NOT only for learners.

[@fburton8]

Couple of questions... Did the filter arrow actually light? If it didn't, what's the point of having it there in the first place? The sequencing of these lights doesn't seem right to me.

[@markwright3161]

I think there might be a sensor back at the line. There weren't any back there from what I could see so nothing to activate the sensor, so the lights just go to the next in the sequence with traffic activating their sensor(s).

[@alexandersimpson3638]

If there’s is room to do so, opposites turning should pass each other, or at least that is what I was told to do.. Visibility being key, I want to see what’s oncoming .. If there’s a car or two in front of me already wanting to turn right, I would not enter the junction as this would block oncoming traffic turning right.. Obviously, when the right arrow does appear, one still has to be cautious as there are nearly always oncoming turning right or going straight on that enter on amber or even red, so I tend to just give a moments pause before turning right, even if the arrow indicates it should be safe…

[@JackBrown56]

Surly all these junctions would be better as roundabouts. Crossroads seem so inefficient.

[@JackBrown56]

@@BobMarley-wh4sb cough Milton Keynes

[@JackBrown56]

@@BobMarley-wh4sb The point I'm making is from Ashley's videos, Liverpool appears to have a lot of cross roads controlled by traffic lights that I feel would flow a lot better if replaced with roundabouts. I use Milton Keynes as an example as the town is famous for them. However I have never been to Liverpool so maybe I am wrong. I just know roundabouts keep the traffic moving better.

[@timothyjohnston4083]

What is the point of a filter arrow if oncoming traffic still has a green light to go straight through ? Here in Canada, when a filter arrow is green, oncoming straight-through traffic has a red light. And opposing filter arrows can make their turns without crossing paths at all. If that junction was set up as it is in Canada, both directions of right-turning vehicles would be able to make their turns knowing that no traffic is permitted to go straight through. The idea of making turns offside-to-offside just doesn't exist here -- they are always nearside-to-nearside where the paths never cross.

[@misstangshan95]

Why did you go when the green light was on. That greenlight doesn't apply to you. The right filter light wasn't on so you shouldn't have turned right?

[@SueThomason1]

No idea what nearside or offside mean.

[@TDMFAN]

I don't even think this 'offside to offside' style of turning past eachother is even legal in my country. Looks like an absolute mess.

[@TDMFAN]

Scratch that, apparently it is legal here - it's just that nobody does it.

[@jedileroy8214]

or, never cross the streams!

[@scottlaaa]

The local authorities need to paint lines to simplify it for the dumb drivers

[@SurgeDashcam]

There's one in my area with markings telling you to do Offside to Offside.

[@scottlaaa]

Surge we have a light system in Cardiff where drivers do this and there’s no space for them to do it, I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had someone head on in my lane because they can’t be bothered to wait.

[@xCrazzzzy]

@@scottlaaa I live in Cardiff and want to know which junction this is... so I can avoid it hahahaha

[@scottlaaa]

Luxion it’s the traffic lights across the top of cathedral road heading towards leckwith

[@xCrazzzzy]

@@scottlaaa Oh yes you're quite right then! I've seen people try offside to offside and hold up the queue of traffic, and then they get stuck behind the lights lol

[@Eat_it_while_its_hot]

3:29.. I think you created a risk there, by hanging back before the pedestrian squares, if black car had been keener he would have gone and tripped you up...just my take

[@hasnat9]

Will an instructor follow this common sense in a test? Given all the theory learning and actual “rules” say you shouldn’t do this despite the efficiency.

[@terryhampso5800]

So the smart thing to do is let the other person decided.

[@Asdayasman]

I think I'm stupid and gay. Why would you ever go offside to offside? It seems like it ONLY stifles traffic. Filter arrow or not.

[@Asdayasman]

@@nuntius1933 ... What? "Offside" means the side of the car away from the pavement, meaning to go offside to offside, you HAVE to cross the path of the vehicle you're going offside to offside with.

[@Asdayasman]

@@nuntius1933 I always thought it was pretty stupid, and we should just refer to "driver's side" and "passenger's side", but then I realised import cars and specialty vehicles don't fit that.

[@Dominate955]

Yeah I get confused with the terminology sometimes. Offside to Offside = driver side to driver side