MisterMMM.com: A filter light

June 15

It may be the only green light at the bottom, because that would be the only way you could go, or it might be an extra one on the side. They can point up for forwards, to the left for left, and right for right, of course.

If they are an adjunct to a green circle, the filter light can come on at any time! If the red light is on, the green filter light gives priority in the direction of the arrow only.

On the ring road, coming from the barracks roundabout at the end of Victory Road, we were heading in the direction of the spider island roundabout, and the examiner asked the driver to take the next right. It's the one that goes to Royce's past Moorways sports centre and the swimming pool.

There are two lanes, the one on the left going forward with an up arrow green filter light, and the one on the right being a right turn only, with a right arrow green filter light. There is a written sign for right-turners telling them to wait until the green arrow comes on before attempting to turn right. This is the junction!

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So the light was red as we approached and so we stopped at the line. Then the up arrow filter light came on for the forward going traffic. We waited! So far, so good.

Then the right arrow filter light came on and we started to move off. The on-coming traffic was some way off, but we had priority over them because of the arrow, so they had a red light.

The driver on test looked and saw them coming and stopped the car in the middle of the junction, waiting for the on-coming cars to pass, which of course they wouldn't.

The drivers behind were all expecting to go, and so when we stopped, the one directly behind us nearly crashed into the back of us.

We got back to the test centre about 5 minutes later, very disappointed as the driver realised that they had stopped in the junction, blocked the traffic flow, and had stopped a few other drivers getting through on that change of lights!

They failed because they hadn't taken their priority at the filter light!