Roundabouts, does inside lane have priority onto it's left lane?

londonTiger

Bit nervy sometimes on roundabouts, a lot of the times when im on the inside line or right(er) lane and I have to go on the left(er) lane to position myself for the exit, I'd indicate left and the car on the inside wont slow down or give me a large enough gap for me to feel confident about slipping onto the lane.

A lot of the times on very small roundabouts you can't actually see the car clearly from your wing mirror.

Just wondering what the DVLA/insurance rule are on this. If I need to drop to the left lane for my exit, and do so in as safe of a manner but the car on the inside lane does not slow down and collides into me whose at fault?

Foxy-Stoat_3

Roundabouts = split liability

Best try to avoid hitting someone to be on the safe side. I see terrible driving on the 3 roundabouts every single day when I drive to work and back. I always assume no one has seen me, no one has the slightest idea how a roundabout works and ignore all signals.

Good luck !

bris

Once on the roundabout you have no priority, clearly you should stick to your lane until safe to move off. This would be unnecessary if you were in the correct lane for your exit anyway, so perhaps a better understanding on how roundabouts work would be more your learning curve.

skivenov

londonTiger wrote: »

A lot of the times on very small roundabouts you can't actually see the car clearly from your wing mirror.

That's your blind spot. You need to check it. Turn head, look out of window.

Are you signalling properly? Turning right, that's right indicator until you're commited to passing the exit before, then left indicator.

fivetide

This is a bit of a piece of string question.

Some roundabouts will have lanes that automatically take you out to your exit. Get it right on the way in and in theory... it should all go ok.

On a smaller round about, no one should really pull out to be alongside you (i.e. they want to go straight on into the lane you are turning right towards) as long as you are indicating properly.

Again, that's the theory but there are a lot of numpties out there in practise!

I regularly get this issue on a roundabout near my house. There are two lanes at the bottom of the motorway slip road, both with the same road number. The roundabout has no lanes marked and both exits are past twelve o'clock. there is an exit to get back on the motorway at twelve o'clock too.

No end of people put themselves in the right side lane then try to leave at the first exit for this road. They do get rather uppity when they find another car next to them going round properly!

Best thing, if you aren't sure is simply to keep indicating and go round again. I find humming the magic roundabout helps if you have to do this. Remember, there is no need to try to force an exit or panic and get off the roundabout, you can take your time and be sure your exit is clear.

5t.

mrcow

If it's not safe to move into another lane, then don't move into it. Go round the roundabout again if you have to.

NBLondon

fivetide wrote: »

Again, that's the theory but there are a lot of numpties out there in practise!
5t.

I see plenty - look at this one.

I approach in the right hand lane of the slip road because I am leaving by the 3rd exit at 3 o'clock position. At least once a fortnight I see someone approach in the left lane and then accelerate around the outside of the curve to take the same exit. There are 2 lanes at that exit so even though I want to exit in lane 1 ready to turn left, I can escape into lane 2.

vikingaero

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

Roundabouts = split liability

Best try to avoid hitting someone to be on the safe side. I see terrible driving on the 3 roundabouts every single day when I drive to work and back. I always assume no one has seen me, no one has the slightest idea how a roundabout works and ignore all signals.

Good luck !

^
Best bit of advice. Too many drivers now are part of the ME! ME! ME! generation and they don't look at lane markings, don't indicate and swoop if they have to. It doesn't help that there are so many instructors who are equally useless.

DaveF327

londonTiger wrote: »

the car on the inside wont slow down or give me a large enough gap for me to feel confident about slipping onto the lane.

I can't help wondering how you get yourself into such a situation where you allow a car to begin to pass you on the left.

Are you justified in being in the right hand lane in the first place? And are you making adequate progress around the roundabout or dawdling at a pace that provokes drivers to pass on your left to take the same exit you want?

To answer your question, you do not have any priority to collide with a vehicle next to you during any lane change (roundabout or not). If you are aware of a risk of collision, you must not carry out the manoeuvre.

zagfles

londonTiger wrote: »

Bit nervy sometimes on roundabouts, a lot of the times when im on the inside line or right(er) lane and I have to go on the left(er) lane to position myself for the exit, I'd indicate left and the car on the inside wont slow down or give me a large enough gap for me to feel confident about slipping onto the lane.

A lot of the times on very small roundabouts you can't actually see the car clearly from your wing mirror.

If you can't see the car in your wing mirror then they're probably not adjusted properly. You shouldn't have a blind spot. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBj89kyTvWo (it's American but the same applies, just swap left & right!)

forgotmyname

If there is a car to your left taking your exit then you were probably in the wrong lane.
As above not being able to see them in the mirror. You turn your head and check your blind spots BEFORE making the move.

I just wonder why there is a car to your left though? Are you in the wrong lane?