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

prowla

Lanes on roundabouts are subject to the same rules as on the rest of the road:
1. If there are road markings, then do what they say.
2. If a car is overtaking you (ie. in front), then they have priority over you.
3. If you are in the right lane then you have priority over cars that you are in front of.

jase1

Surprised no-one has mentioned the scourge of roundabouts everywhere...

Those who are going right (third or more exit, >12 o'clock) who nonetheless use the left lane without indicating.

I know why they do it, they don't like traversing the roundabout properly or don't like following the rules, so they punt responsibility onto those drivers who are driving correctly.

One more group of motorists headed for the meat-grinder if I ever find myself in charge

System

The one snag I see every day is a roundabout where, as you approach and look at the sign, there is an exit shown at 12 o'clock. In reality the exit is at 2 o'clock.

This is fine if you know the roundabout but newbies will quite legitimately be in the 'wrong' lane for the exit and cause problems.

This has been reported but it's a case of money to correct the sign

zagfles

skivenov wrote: »

Perhaps right on the mirror adjustment. But, all vehicles have blind spots. If you don't believe me, sit in your car looking at your nearside mirror and get a friend to stand by your nsr bumper, and walk to a spot about 2/3 feet left of your mirror. Notice the amount of space they cover between leaving your mirror and appearing in a part of your passenger window that you'd maturally notice when looking at the mirror.

Just annoyed the wife by trying this. Yes there is a person-sized blind spot, but very small, less than the length of any car or even bike. So by the time the back of any vehicle disappears from the side mirror, the front is noticeable in peripheral vision while looking at the mirror naturally.

I've tested this loads of time when driving abroad, I wait for a car (or preferably motorbike) to overtake me on the left, and check that before it disappears from my rear view mirror, it's visible in the wing mirror, and before is disappears from the wing mirror, it's visible in my peripheral vision when looking at the wing mirror.

And similarly for the right wing mirror when here.

Guess some bigger vehicles may have a bigger blind spot, but the real problem with blind spots is that some people haven't got a clue how to set their wing mirrors, they have them so far in that they can see down the side of their car! Which gives them a massive unnecessary overlap with the rear-view mirror and a massive blind spot.

AlexisV

This is my nightmare roundabout. You set off from the lights together, but people have an inexplicable habit of following the red arrow, cutting into people who are going straight on.

The number of times I've nearly been hit by these idiots.

reeac

jase1 wrote: »

Surprised no-one has mentioned the scourge of roundabouts everywhere...

Those who are going right (third or more exit, >12 o'clock) who nonetheless use the left lane without indicating.

I know why they do it, they don't like traversing the roundabout properly or don't like following the rules, so they punt responsibility onto those drivers who are driving correctly.

One more group of motorists headed for the meat-grinder if I ever find myself in charge

Well I've already mentioned "keeping left" as a fail-safe method if you don't know the area, the signage is poor, etc., etc..Really I can't see what's so terrible or dangerous about it as a technique.

Lum

!!!!!! wrote: »

The one snag I see every day is a roundabout where, as you approach and look at the sign, there is an exit shown at 12 o'clock. In reality the exit is at 2 o'clock.

This is fine if you know the roundabout but newbies will quite legitimately be in the 'wrong' lane for the exit and cause problems.

This has been reported but it's a case of money to correct the sign

I was taught that the correct way to apply the 12 o'clock rule is to follow what is on the sign, not the actual road layout, so the newbies are correct and those who "know the roundabout" are in the wrong.

zagfles

reeac wrote: »

Well I've already mentioned "keeping left" as a fail-safe method if you don't know the area, the signage is poor, etc., etc..Really I can't see what's so terrible or dangerous about it as a technique.

What complete rubbish! At a roundabout if signage is poor and you're not sure where you're going, keeping right is the "fail safe" option. Then if you see you should have turned left, you go once round the roundabout and get off on the second go! Far safer than staying on the left and then realising you need to go right, cutting up traffic which was in the middle lane wanting to go straight!

jase1

Lum wrote: »

I was taught that the correct way to apply the 12 o'clock rule is to follow what is on the sign, not the actual road layout, so the newbies are correct and those who "know the roundabout" are in the wrong.

Surely that rather depends on number of exits, not just position on the sign/layout.

I have some sympathy for people who are caught out by one or the other to be honest, and in a second exit situation I can see the pros and cons for either lane. I also make allowances wherever possible but that doesn't stop the irritation.

I was always under the impression that if the lane is >12 o'clock, or the exit is 3rd or more after the entry point, right-lane is correct unless signposted otherwise. 12 o'clock dead, second exit is a grey area and either are generally acceptable, especially in dual carriageway situations.

Is this wrong?

Really the ones that grind my gears are those who go all the way around in the left lane, past three or four exits, without indication. It's lazy and dangerous and needs to be educated out of people, either the nice way or the big boot is fine by me

jase1

AlexisV wrote: »

This is my nightmare roundabout. You set off from the lights together, but people have an inexplicable habit of following the red arrow, cutting into people who are going straight on.

The number of times I've nearly been hit by these idiots.

That is just evil. The hand would be resting on the horn if anyone tried that trick on me :rotfl: