Not indicating at roundabouts

SHIPSHAPE

knightstyle wrote: »

I don't know why but recently there seem to a number of drivers who when approaching a roundabout with two lanes go into the left lane and indicate right! Why? It seems to be mainly younger drivers.

Because they are correct.

If you are on approach to a roundabout that has two lanes, and the roundabout has three exits (discounting the exit you are approaching from) and you wish to leave at the second exit, then one should approach in the left hand lane, indicate right (which would indicate to other drivers you don't want the first exit), and then indicate left which shows you want the second exit.

If you don't indicate right on approach then those approaching from the first exit would simply see your car with no idea if you wanted to leave thier approach (the first exit) or use the second exit. (Obviously, had you wanted the third exit, or the exit you are approaching from, you would have been in the second lane to turn right. Again, indicate right, then left when you wanted the third or fourth exit)

Which is the basis of this whole thread on annoying drivers who don't indicate their intention at roundabouts.

I guess you are one of them!

liney

You shouldn't be signalling right when approaching a roundabout in the left lane. You should only be signalling when approaching in the left lane if you are taking the first exit.

Highway code 187



When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

• select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
• you should not normally need to signal on approach
• stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
• signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want

When there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it.

SHIPSHAPE

liney wrote: »

You shouldn't be signalling right when approaching a roundabout in the left lane. You should only be signalling when approaching in the left lane if you are taking the first exit.

Highway code 187




When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

• select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
• you should not normally need to signal on approach
• stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
• signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want

When there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it.

Of course you know that the Highway Code for the above is only advisory? (ie should not normally need to signal on approach)

Which is different to your 'shouldn't be' assertion.

I find people approaching from the left, especially if that is the main approach for a busy, popular destination at rush hour, are all too eager to nudge forward and onto the roundabout disrupting the flow for where I would have right of way.

Signalling right in this instance, for the 2nd exit, leaves no doubt I wish to pass by, and their eagerness is usually contained.

I would like to know in what instances the Highway Code would recommend doing this if the conditions are not 'normal.'

knightstyle

Thankyou liney!!!!! That is what I am talking about. Those who think it is correct to indicate right when in the left hand lane please explain what the car behind you but in the right hand lane is meant to think? Are you turning right, are you going straight or have you left your indicator on from a previous turn?
Surely the whole roundabout thing is that you don't enter the roundabout till it is clear so wait till a car indicates to leave or turns to leave before entering it.

SHIPSHAPE

knightstyle wrote: »

Thankyou liney!!!!! That is what I am talking about. Those who think it is correct to indicate right when in the left hand lane please explain what the car behind you but in the right hand lane is meant to think? Are you turning right, are you going straight or have you left your indicator on from a previous turn?
Surely the whole roundabout thing is that you don't enter the roundabout till it is clear so wait till a car indicates to leave or turns to leave before entering it.

The car in the right hand lane is not obliged to give way to the driver signalling right from the left hand lane anyway.

Why would this bother you?

In any case one only needs to start signalling right once one is on the tilt of the roundabout. I very much doubt you would even notice the indicator as both drivers would be looking mostly to their right.

DCFC79

knightstyle wrote: »

Thankyou liney!!!!! That is what I am talking about. Those who think it is correct to indicate right when in the left hand lane please explain what the car behind you but in the right hand lane is meant to think? Are you turning right, are you going straight or have you left your indicator on from a previous turn?
Surely the whole roundabout thing is that you don't enter the roundabout till it is clear so wait till a car indicates to leave or turns to leave before entering it.

speaking from experience i encounter drivers who have no idea how on earth roundabouts work, it is a nuisance but not much 1 can do about it

liney

I would imagine "Not normally" would mean that you may wish to use additional indication when lanes are narrowed, or obstructed due to snow on the ground, for example.

"Not Normally" does confirm it's not routine, regardless.

I personally love people who use the left lane for all exits...

SHIPSHAPE

liney wrote: »

I would imagine "Not normally" would mean that you may wish to use additional indication when lanes are narrowed, or obstructed due to snow on the ground ( or for when cars from the 2nd exit are nudging onto the roundabout disrupting flow), for example.

"Not Normally" does confirm it's not routine, regardless.

I personally love people who use the left lane for all exits...

Yes, but 'not normally' is very different to your earlier 'shouldn't,' which isn't in the Highway Code.

And which is certainly not in the Road Traffic Act which is the legislation that matters most to govern.

I rarely, if ever, see people use the left lane for every exit.

Do you drive regularly in a 'roundabout nightmare world?'

How awful.

liney

The fact remains that most people, if you were signalling right when in the left lane, would assume you were in the wrong lane soyou would be causing other drivers to slow down or change direction, therefore disrupting the traffic yourself.

I know that when being taught to navigate roundabouts my instructor never suggested that signalling right in the left lane was acceptable under any circumstance. Is it a generational thing? Is it something that is not taught by instuctors in more recent years?

Mark_Hewitt

Roundabout near me, most traffic goes straight on, so doesn't indicate, however you can't tell the difference between someone going straight on and someone turning left who can't be bothered indicating.. If they can't be bothered indicating then they probably can't be bothered looking to see if anyone is crossing the road either. So we have to wait for a gap in all traffic..