Indicating on a roundabout

chnelomi

I just wish people would indicate at all when at roundabouts. I pass the same roundabout everyday and it is always a nightmare as very few people ever indicate and the few that do are usually overtaken from behind at speed by ar@e wipes who can't wait a second. Who then proceed to give you abuse for not driving correctly and giving way lol. When i wait because i see them overtaking i get abuse from the vehicle behind for not going when i should.

Honestly some days i feel like parking the car and walking.

Throbbe

picnic wrote: »

doesnt that depend on the size of the roundabout???? and what about these 'mini roundabouts'? there are several on the B road I live near and the confusion over these.... I assume (righty or wrongly) that as its a roundabout that normal rules apply and to give way to traffic coming from the right.....??
not every one agree's on this and that they are 'traffic calming measure'.... who is right...
would love to know.......

Strictly, mini's are a free for all, as the thick give way line used is an advisory marking. You do sometimes see the more common double give way line though, which is enforcable.

The 'safe' interpretation is to treat it as any other roundabout. Where the mini-roundabout junction used to be a T-junction you do get quite a few people treating it as if the previous priority rules apply, and cutting up people emerging from the 'minor' arm. Scary.

harveybobbles

It annoys me when people indicate left to go straight on! Whats that about !!!!!!...?!

At busy roundabouts like where I live, I get in the left lane to go right. Sounds silly, but it works as all the traffic in the right lane is exiting at the last exit and I want the previous one.

Mark_Hewitt

BritRael wrote: »

A few weeks ago, I had a discussion with the new head of traffic control at work about how to handle roundabouts.

As he is an advanced driver he informed me of his (correct) method;

1) Turning left, get in the left lane and indicate left - we agreed.
2) Going straight ahead, either lane, do not indicate - we disagreed.
3) Turning right - either lane, do not indicate - we disagreed.

I told him that my method is to indicate at all times to show everybody what I'm doing. i.e. if going straight ahead, I indicate right (showing that I'm going around the roundabout, and more specifically, that I am not turning left), and after passing the junction before the one that I want, I indicate left. This is to help anybody behind me and also anybody waiting to come out of the junction that I am about to turn in to (saves them waiting for nothing).

Any thoughts/comments?

Sorry I'm late to this thread. But you are entirely wrong! One of my pet hates on the road is people who signal right at a roundabout when they are going straight on. For the love of $DEITY why??!?!

andygb

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

Sorry I'm late to this thread. But you are entirely wrong! One of my pet hates on the road is people who signal right at a roundabout when they are going straight on. For the love of $DEITY why??!?!

The worst thing is, that they indicate right, and are in the outside lane, and you are in the inside lane to go straight on. They then cut violently left to go straight on, oblivious to the fact that everyone else thinks they were going around the roundabout.

GSXRCarlos

i got bored of reading, but here' my 2p worth:

left lane for left or straigh on (ie upto 180 degrees)
right lane for right (after 180 degrees)

however, right lane can be used for straight on if there are two lanes on the exit (and you're quick enough/willing to get a shift on)

once you're on the roundabout you DO NOT need to indicate to stay on it, you have right of way (give way lines dictate this on the junctions to the roundabout) you do however have to indicate to come off the round about

DaveF327

BritRael wrote: »

Nobody thinks "he's going straight ahead because he's not indicating".

Yes, they do.

When I'm waiting to enter a roundabout and there is a car to my right on the roundabout I have only two questions; is he going to turn before me or go past? Therefore if he is indicating I know, if he is not indicating, I have to guess.

If he is not indicating, you should judge, not guess. If you were emerging from a T-junction, would you be stuck in this quandry with a car approaching without indicating? Of course he'll be going ahead. Only if he indicates to his left would he be possibly turning left, but you would always wait for the vehicle to begin to turn to make sure.

BritRael wrote: »

I do however, get annoyed at inconsiderate drivers who while driving around a roundabout (and not indicating), can see that I'm giving way to them, only to then turn into the junction that I'm waiting at! w***ers!! :mad:

Me too. The problem here is their lack of LEFT indicator, nothing to do with indicating right to go ahead.

As an advanced driver myself, I can see where your friend is coming from with the 'straight ahead' procedure, but I would definitely signal right when turning right to assist the joining traffic (as well as prevent some muppets pulling out on you). If the road were deserted and the view open and clear for miles, then the indicators become unnecessary as no-one would see them. Everything depends on the circumstances.

Throbbe wrote: »

the thick give way line used is an advisory marking. You do sometimes see the more common double give way line though, which is enforcable.

Not quite true; both markings are enforceable. See the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002, regulations 16(1) and 25(5).

kriss_boy

I dont see where the confusion is... you always indicate on roundabout.

Even when going straigt on you must indicate left to exit the roundabout. This is to alert drivers giving way to you at the next adjoining road that you are exiting the roundabout and not driving around it and past their vehicle.

Its really pretty simple.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

kriss_boy wrote: »

I dont see where the confusion is... you always indicate on roundabout.

Even when going straigt on you must indicate left to exit the roundabout. This is to alert drivers giving way to you at the next adjoining road that you are exiting the roundabout and not driving around it and past their vehicle.

Its really pretty simple.

No, you don't always have to indicate.

scheming_gypsy

BritRael wrote: »

As I said earlier, this is really my point; turning right is turning right relative to your starting point. Particulary on a large roundabout, you are the only person who will know your starting point.
I see no difference between straight ahead and taking any other junction (obviously some large roundabouts have 6 or more exits). The idea of indicating is simply to tell drivers that you are either exiting or going past a junction.

If you put your right indicator on when you're going straight ahead all you're doing is telling the people to your right that you're turning right. The people coming out of the left can't see the drivers side of your car.
If you indicate right when you're in the first lane, you're telling the person in the middle lane that if they want to go straight ahead on the roundabout that you're going to hit them. They only realise they don't have to go around the roundabout twice when you turn off, seeing as they can't see you indicate left when you decide to go straight on.