Confused on roundabouts

Iceweasel

I'm finding the references to inside or outside very confusing.

Is it not better to talk about left lane or right lane?

Retrogamer

With a roundabout
Inside lane = right hand side.
Outside lane = left hand side.

googler

Retrogamer wrote: »

With a roundabout
Inside lane = right hand side.
Outside lane = left hand side.

Which is the exact opposite of the designation for the approaching road, where

inside = lane 1 = LH lane
outside = lane 2 = RH lane

... which is where I think some of the confusion is coming from...

For the OP, Highway Code sez;

186
Signals and position.
When taking the first exit, .... snip

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

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

select the appropriate lane on approach to and on 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.

Iceweasel

googler wrote: »

Which is the exact opposite of the designation for the approaching road, where

inside = lane 1 = LH lane
outside = lane 2 = RH lane

... which is where I think some of the confusion is coming from...

Dead right - that's why I'm confused.

googler

https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/roundabouts-184-to-190

mgdavid

Iceweasel wrote: »

Dead right.

so you approach in the outside lane and go onto the roundabout in the inside lane and you haven't changed lanes, and that's not confusing?
left lane and right lane does the job for me

Iceweasel

googler wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/roundabouts-184-to-190

Good post - this is NOT confusing at all.

Only problem is some local authorities think they know better and paint arrows on the road that do not conform to this advice.

That's all very well and dandy when the road is not busy - but often you can't see the arrows because of queuing traffic - and if you're not a local then .....

SAHD_Jim

butterfly72 wrote: »

I use a local roundabout with the same number of exits, enter at 1 and exit at 4!

I used to stick to the inside and move out to the outside to exit but found that drivers at exit 3 often assumed I was continuing around the roundabout rather than exiting, despite indicating in good time, and would leave their exit cutting in front of me and stopping me moving out and exiting. Its difficult to move out from the inside lane at any point as its just so busy. So now I enter on the outside lane and just drive round to my exit staying in this lane. I feel safer doing this.

Unfortunately due to the influence of other bad drivers, you have now joined their ranks and are one of the drivers blocking someone driving correctly from making their exit.

Driving_Instructor

Check Highway Code Rules 184-187 for basic guidance. You can access the online version at gov.uk (can't post link)

The post regarding seeing a local instructor is brilliant as roundabouts come in all shapes and sizes.

There is no 'one size fits all' technique for roundabouts, you have to take into account the signs, markings and even the behaviour of other road users.

Iceweasel

Driving_Instructor wrote: »

Check Highway Code Rules 184-187 for basic guidance. You can access the online version at gov.uk (can't post link)

See post #26