Signalling on roundabouts

Mojisola

Richard53 wrote: »

My question is: why do so many drivers signal right on the approach to the roundabout when they are going straight on? I pass over several of these simple roundabouts on my way to work, and the number of drivers who do this is more than just the odd few. Was this ever taught as the correct method?

Yes, my Dad was taught this way - indicate left if you're taking the first exit; for any other exit, indicate right until you've passed the last exit before the one you want and then indicate left.

It took me ages to convince him that he was confusing other drivers by indicating right when he was going straight on - especially on mini roundabouts!

Mrs_Imp

Tilt wrote: »

Personally, I don't see the point indicating left after passing the turn off prior to the one you are taking on a normal non-motorway type round-a-bout. If you are turning right then obviously you should indicate right on the approach then cancel when you have passed the previous turn off.

There is a round-a-bout near where I live that has an entrance to a garden centre just after it. Drivers that indicate left coming off the island simply give the impression they are going into the garden centre which can cause confusion when they aren't.

It helps the other roundabout users know where you're going and also lets pedestrians know if it's safe to cross. I get tired of waiting to cross when drivers don't bother to indicate, or indicate incorrectly.

As for the garden centre, why is there confusion? If you're waiting to pull out from it then just wait until you're sure it's safe to do so. Otherwise, what's the problem?

Tilt

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

It helps the other roundabout users know where you're going and also lets pedestrians know if it's safe to cross. I get tired of waiting to cross when drivers don't bother to indicate, or indicate incorrectly.

As I said, at this particular island, it sin't really suitable for pedestrians to cross there anyway.

Mrs_Imp wrote: »

As for the garden centre, why is there confusion? If you're waiting to pull out from it then just wait until you're sure it's safe to do so. Otherwise, what's the problem?

Sorry, you obviously miss-understood. It is not an exit, it's an entrance. Cars indicating left off the island give the impression they are going into the garden centre. It is quite a wide exit so i have seen following cars attempt to go past an indicating car on a few occasions resulting in horns and flashing lights!

Joe_Horner

2 simple rules for indicators:

Learn to use them correctly so you always give others accurate info about what you're intending.

Never take a decision (such as pulling out) that might put you in conflict with another carf based on someone else's indication because they're probably not as good at it as you've learnt to be.


As long as you drive by those, none of these things are annoying (or dangerous) when they happen

Ultrasonic

Tilt wrote: »

How does that work on small round-a-bouts when by the time you start indicating left, you have most likely straightened up thus making it very tricky for any cars to the right of you seeing your n/s indicator anyway.

I agree it's of limited use on mini-roundabouts, but not on anything bigger.

As for pedestrians, most round-a-bouts I can think of are not suitable crossing points for them anyway.

It is very common for roundabouts to have pedestrian islands by them designed specifically as crossing points.

Some drivers don't indicate at all when there are no other cars around though, and partly I made reference to pedestrians for this reason, as it is very much a pet hate of mine.

globalds

Coming from one of those roundabout capitals ..I can say the biggest 2 niggles are people not signalling ,especially a left turn ..leaving you waiting for them to pass only to find you could have pulled out.
the other is people driving in a straight line across a 2 lane roundabout.

I am aware though that a nation that can get drivers to use roundabouts has pretty good drivers.
I know lots will think differently ..But I have driven in many countries where a roundabout would and did bring traffic to a standstill.
One thing required at roundabouts is to be pragmatic ...I would think this is why insurance claims on roundabouts usually end up 50/50....Crashing into someone and saying they were not obeying the rules won't get your claim honoured ..so I just drive with that in mind ..

CKhalvashi

longbowgilly wrote: »

When I lived in the UK we had a roundabout in the town I was born in (Hemel Hempstead) which was known as " the magic roundabout" it was a large roundabout with several small ones around it, you had to treat each as an individual one but you could technically go round it the wrong way!! Always good fun!

I've driven this, and didn't really enjoy it at all!

knightstyle wrote: »

I recognised one parking so I stopped and asked why, she said that her driving instructor told her that on a roundabout it is courteous to indicate right to show drivers approaching from the left that you are going past their road and they should give way. She mentioned something about "defensive driving"
AAARRRGGGHHH

What an absolute load of cr*p!

If one looks like it's going to do something dangerous, I'll nudge the left peddle (brake in my car) and let them do it, not create a potentially hazardous and confusing situation.

I'll indicate into the lane before entering the roundabout, and signal when I'm going to come off; 90% of the time on a right hand turn, there should be no signal on at all; it's not necessary. I'll do that whether I'm in my Jag, or one of the fleet Fiestas, so it's nothing to do with what I'm driving.

The last driving test I took, however, was a Russian one (I needed to exchange a UK license when I went to uni), so that also possibly has something to do with it.

CK

elsien

I think you've been driving behind my mother. She generally doesn't bother indicating at all, but yesterday while going straight across an island stayed on the outside lane indicating right. She did wonder why the bloke going right on the inside lane was hanging back looking confused.
Having said that at least she stayed in the same lane - she normally cuts people up swinging across. I had high hopes for the speed awareness course she went on, but the effects only lasted a couple of weeks then it was back to normal.
I do think there's a case for people having to do refreshers once they've been driving for a certain number of years. I just get grief if I try to say anything.

Ultrasonic

CKhalvashi wrote: »

I'll indicate into the lane before entering the roundabout, and signal when I'm going to come off; 90% of the time on a right hand turn, there should be no signal on at all; it's not necessary.

I don't entirely follow what you mean there, but strongly suspect that I disagree with it, as would any driving test examiner or police officer...

Mrs_Imp

Tilt wrote: »

It is quite a wide exit so i have seen following cars attempt to go past an indicating car on a few occasions resulting in horns and flashing lights!

That's the fault of the following car being impatient rather than the person indicating correctly for the roundabout. You should be getting irked at them. If everyone drove for the convenience of the impatient then there would be chaos.

They shouldn't really be using their horns and lights in an aggressive manner either, as mentioned in the highway code.