Annoying roundabout habit

jase1

I've been noticing an annoying habit that more and more drivers seem to be adopting recently.

Turning right (usually second-exit roundabouts this happens on), in the correct right-hand lane for the roundabout (>12 o'clock and signs on the road to use the right lane). Exit is a two-lane dual carriageway.

As I'm due to exit the roundabout, the person waiting to my left just pulls out, forcing me to join the DC on the RH lane.

I've even had one do that, then try to pull into the right lane, almost bumping into the side of me.

All the while I have been indicating by the book.

I have a right hand lane to enter, but that's beside the point -- these drivers should be waiting until there is a gap, not assuming I'll get out of their way.

On a couple of occasions, because there is a further junction up ahead I've been forced to either slow to a crawl to file in behind them or accelerate to get past them and other vehicles so I can get back into lane.

Never noticed this until around 6 months ago and I've now experienced it more than a dozen times. What is it will these people?

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Perhaps having had a problem you are noticing it more - checking your left mirror before exiting is recommended practice and I was picked up on not habitually doing that on a driving assessment.

I think the trick is to do with at what point do you move to the left - I like to pull into the left lane (plenty of right lane addicts do not) so I normally try and move left as soon as I have passed the previous exit, so you are (partially) in the left lane.

Some roundabouts make this easy by spiralling out the lane markings to make it obvious where to go.

Some people are incapable of following lane markings - a classic being southbound on the A34 at J4 of the M42, where the middle lane is clearly marked for the A3400, and you follow the lane markings and it takes you to the left hand lane over the bridge. However, it is not "the driving line" so some people deviate on the bridge and then having established themselves in the wrong lane, seem put out when you have occupied the space they now want to be in, and then there are those who feel a lane marked for M42 North is a much better lane to be in and are surprised to find that as they change lanes there is a car in the way (cue much hooting and fist waving from driver in the wrong and much swerving and cursing from me who was watching for the possibility).

motorguy

jase1 wrote: »

I've been noticing an annoying habit that more and more drivers seem to be adopting recently.

Turning right (usually second-exit roundabouts this happens on), in the correct right-hand lane for the roundabout (>12 o'clock and signs on the road to use the right lane). Exit is a two-lane dual carriageway.

As I'm due to exit the roundabout, the person waiting to my left just pulls out, forcing me to join the DC on the RH lane.

I've even had one do that, then try to pull into the right lane, almost bumping into the side of me.

All the while I have been indicating by the book.

I have a right hand lane to enter, but that's beside the point -- these drivers should be waiting until there is a gap, not assuming I'll get out of their way.

On a couple of occasions, because there is a further junction up ahead I've been forced to either slow to a crawl to file in behind them or accelerate to get past them and other vehicles so I can get back into lane.

Never noticed this until around 6 months ago and I've now experienced it more than a dozen times. What is it will these people?

It sounds like you arent moving to the outside lane of the roundabout after the previous exit, but before the one you want to come off at, but instead are sitting in the inside lane then moving across to the exit you want to take?

EDIT: Previous poster beat me to it, but is saying the same thing.

jase1

motorguy wrote: »

It sounds like you arent moving to the outside lane of the roundabout after the previous exit, but before the one you want to come off at, but instead are sitting in the inside lane then moving across to the exit you want to take?

These are roundabouts that don't have lanes as such.

The cars are actually pulling out in front of me -- I don't have time to pull into the left before they're there without actually effectively going around the whole thing in the left lane. If I were to pull to the left 'early' I'd go into the side of them.

This happens at specific roundabouts where there is only one exit that's two-lane.

My view is that these drivers believe it's correct to go around the roundabout to second exit in the left-side 'lane' -- despite the fact that the road signage specifies the opposite. They see someone in the right 'lane' (which is correct at the point they pull out) and just decide to go.

I don't have any issue with roundabouts generally and am always very careful to check the left before moving out -- it was what I was taught, and I've witnessed too many drivers going all around in the left lane to not check.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

In heavy traffic conditions, people will try their luck.

There is another way to look at this with the revised description, if you insist on staying left, the traffic within the junction is delayed, whilst if you stay right and then merge, the capacity of the junction is increased. Therefore the cooperative and helpful thing where there are single lanes in and there are two lanes out would be to stay right and allow more traffic to use the roundabout.

motorguy

IanMSpencer wrote: »

In heavy traffic conditions, people will try their luck.

There is another way to look at this with the revised description, if you insist on staying left, the traffic within the junction is delayed, whilst if you stay right and then merge, the capacity of the junction is increased. Therefore the cooperative and helpful thing where there are single lanes in and there are two lanes out would be to stay right and allow more traffic to use the roundabout.

+1

I'd say in heavy traffic, stick to exiting in the RH lane.

jase1

IanMSpencer wrote: »

In heavy traffic conditions, people will try their luck.

There is another way to look at this with the revised description, if you insist on staying left, the traffic within the junction is delayed, whilst if you stay right and then merge, the capacity of the junction is increased. Therefore the cooperative and helpful thing where there are single lanes in and there are two lanes out would be to stay right and allow more traffic to use the roundabout.

I accept that completely, it's the assumption on the part of the other driver that annoys me.

As I mentioned, I've seen plenty of drivers who go around roundabouts in the left lane... if someone pulls out like this it immediately puts me on guard, in case they decide to go round the roundabout rather than merely going straight on and end up crossing my path.

Whether I need to stay left, or continue in the right lane is not for the other driver to judge, particularly when there is a left turn ahead.

jase1

motorguy wrote: »

+1

I'd say in heavy traffic, stick to exiting in the RH lane.

We're not talking about heavy traffic here.

facade

jase1 wrote: »

Turning right (usually second-exit roundabouts this happens on), in the correct right-hand lane for the roundabout (>12 o'clock and signs on the road to use the right lane). Exit is a two-lane dual carriageway.

As I'm due to exit the roundabout, the person waiting to my left just pulls out, forcing me to join the DC on the RH lane.

most people round here exit from the inside/right lane of the roundabout into the right lane of the DC, the people taking the first left can use the outside/left lane without hold up.

If you are driving in the outside/left lane round the roundabout, you exit to the DC left lane, if you are driving in the inside/right lane of the roundabout you exit to the DC right lane.

What's the problem?

motorguy

jase1 wrote: »

I accept that completely, it's the assumption on the part of the other driver that annoys me.

As I mentioned, I've seen plenty of drivers who go around roundabouts in the left lane... if someone pulls out like this it immediately puts me on guard, in case they decide to go round the roundabout rather than merely going straight on and end up crossing my path.

Whether I need to stay left, or continue in the right lane is not for the other driver to judge, particularly when there is a left turn ahead.

Totally agree.

I think they need to bring back the driving adverts they had in the 1970s. People are clueless about how to take rounds.

OR for that matter even how to perform a simple turn. Instead of

• Mirror
• Signal
• Maneuver (brake and turn)

nowadays it seems to be

• Brake
• Signal
• Maneuver

So you've no idea when they brake whether they're stopping, about to launch into an emergency stop, turning right, or turning left. :eek:

jase1

facade wrote: »

If you are driving in the outside/left lane round the roundabout, you exit to the DC left lane, if you are driving in the inside/right lane of the roundabout you exit to the DC right lane.

What's the problem?

The fact that the road signage explicitly prohibits joining the roundabout in the left lane (which is for left-turn only), which coupled with the fact that the right turn is only second exit, mandates the use of the inside/right lane up to the point where you pass the first exit.

Your 'solution' would involve ignoring the road signage.