Roundabouts? AARGH!

[Dodgy69]

I'm sure they're teaching car drivers something different these days regarding roundabouts.

Today in the car, I'm taking 3rd exit, it's about 2 o clock from my entrance. Left lane on my approach road is for 1st exit only, right lane is for exit 2 3 4. I indicator right and as I pass exit 2 i indicate left for exit 3.

However, a young lady in on my inside and blocking my exit. I have to almost stop, let her through and then turn. She must of joined from 1 or 2.

So, who's at fault, me or her. ???

[Rockburner]

I'm sure they're teaching car drivers something different these days regarding roundabouts.

Today in the car, I'm taking 3rd exit, it's about 2 o clock from my entrance. Left lane on my approach road is for 1st exit only, right lane is for exit 2 3 4. I indicator right and as I pass exit 2 i indicate left for exit 3.

However, a young lady in on my inside and blocking my exit. I have to almost stop, let her through and then turn. She must of joined from 1 or 2.

So, who's at fault, me or her. ???

Why were you indicating right after entering the r/a?

Sounded to me like you were going pretty much straight on.

[Horse]

However, a young lady in on my inside and blocking my exit. I have to almost stop, let her through and then turn. She must of joined from 1 or 2.

So, who's at fault, me or her. ???

What's the lane markings at those entries? And, sometimes, lane markings are poor. At this roundabout the lane markings are obscured if there are other vehicles. No other signing ahead of the lane split. Or, simply, she made a mistake.

20231110_195746.jpg (292.08 KiB) Viewed 809 times

[Dodgy69]

Indicating right shows entering vehicles your staying on and not turning off. 3rd exit is about 2 o'clock.

Left lane is marked Left turn only, so right lane for all other exits. She wasn't on my left on entry, so joined from exit 1 or 2.

[Horse]

She made a mistake, you were aware. No collision.

If you hadn't then a collision would have been... whose fault?

[The Spin Doctor]

Why were you indicating right after entering the r/a?

Sounded to me like you were going pretty much straight on.

ANY exit after 12 noon is a right turn... so signal right on the way in, left as the previous exit is passed. That's the way it's taught.

[Mr. Dazzle]

If you hadn't then a collision would have been... whose fault?

Attempting to exit a roundabout from the 'right' lane (out of two), thus hitting someone on your left...I know which way most people would see it

Maybe I'm misreading, but you said the entrance you joined at was marked "left lane to turn left" but then she joined at a later (from your POV) entrance? So surely it's irrelevant what the entrance where you joined said?

Fortunately no such collision occurred, so all it fine.

BTW I was taught not to stop/slow right down in your situation (for fear of being rear ended) but to go all the way around again. Big brownie points with the examiner if you do that apparently. Or it was in 2001 at least.

[Dodgy69]

If you move left an exit early, waiting vehicles will think I'm exiting on their road. I suppose there's a lot of variables regarding islands, multi lanes island can be a bloody nightmare. Paint markings varying from one island to the next etc.

I blame the muppets who design them. There's a pattern emerging in this country.

[iansoady]

The way I've always approached roundabouts in the past when turning "right" is to use a sort of spiral course - enter in the RH lane indicating right, then as I pass the exit before the one I want indicate left and move across to the outer lane - with approriate shoulder / mirror checks of course. However it's increasingly the case that vehicles join as I pass one of the earlier entrances and then, as in the OP case, sit on my LHS so I can't actually move across. If they would wait to join till I'd passed it wouldn't be a problem.

If I did what Mr D suggests I could be circulating round the thing for hours.....

I don't think it's the design at fault in general - although signage is often poor and only on the road surface where there should be clearly visible roadside signs. It's more about behaviour. I've no idea what driving schools teach these days.

[Horse]

Sometimes it's better to think of them as a one-way system rather than a roundabout.

[Horse]

If I did what Mr D suggests I could be circulating round the thing for hours.....

Presumably you are looking at two acceptable alternatives:

- Stop and wait for a gap
- Go anyway, whether or not there's another vehicle on your left

Or do you have a third option?

[Dodgy69]

I think @iansoady explains it better than me. Cars joining before I've passed, so there on my inside and blocking my exit.

[Horse]

I think @iansoady explains it better than me. Cars joining before I've passed, so there on my inside and blocking my exit.

So what would you do?

[iansoady]

If I did what Mr D suggests I could be circulating round the thing for hours.....

Presumably you are looking at two acceptable alternatives:

- Stop and wait for a gap
- Go anyway, whether or not there's another vehicle on your left

Or do you have a third option?

Slow down a bit and tuck in behind. Not always possible I grant you but usually possible on bigger RABs. Of course if I see the offending vehicle start to encroach I may be able to accelerate in front but that could be a bit fraught.

[Dodgy69]

Cut them up next time.

[Horse]

If I did what Mr D suggests I could be circulating round the thing for hours.....

Presumably you are looking at two acceptable alternatives:

- Stop and wait for a gap
- Go anyway, whether or not there's another vehicle on your left

Or do you have a third option?

Slow down a bit and tuck in behind. Not always possible I grant you but usually possible on bigger RABs. Of course if I see the offending vehicle start to encroach I may be able to accelerate in front but that could be a bit fraught.

OK

It's a fair guide to avoid being alongside anyone at any time, stay 'diagonal'.

Although tucking in behind means being aware of any further vehicles to your left - and that you may be in the driver's A pillar blind spot.

[The Spin Doctor]

OK

It's a fair guide to avoid being alongside anyone at any time, stay 'diagonal'.

Although tucking in behind means being aware of any further vehicles to your left - and that you may be in the driver's A pillar blind spot.

You can usually spot the driver who's going to accelerate into the nearside gap alongside you (Guardian says watch out for Subarus, BMWs and Porsches, but you should be OK with Skodas... oddly, they didn't include Deliveroo riders).

An arm signal MAY help too.

But do a lap / take a different exit are both options.

There are a few roundabouts I tend to avoid because of awkward manoeuvres... there may be an easier route.

[iansoady]

There are a few roundabouts I tend to avoid because of awkward manoeuvres... there may be an easier route.

Where I used to live there was a small suburban roaunsabout half a mile or so from my home. As I approached, the view into the road on the right was completely obscured by a tall hedge. However, vehicles arriving on that road had a very clear view of both the roundabout and the approach to their right so tended to steam onto it without slackening speed. After a few near misses I tried to avoid it when possible.

[Dodgy69]

Yep, I see far too many drivers entering roundabouts far too fast. Then they think folk have pulled out in front of them. I think the common phrase for these sorts is...fcuking arseoles.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You alls need to get ya arses to MK Pretty much every roundabout here is a two laner and there are, you might say, a few.

I never have any of these problems.

Maybe I radiate the aura of authority with my road positioning and people stay out of my way.