Driving Issue

bod1467

Some people just cannot compute how a roundabout works; some simply seem to not even see them. I had the latter this morning.

I was on a roundabout turning right, and had indicated left to take the exit. Someone with blinkers on drove straight on to the roundabout (from my left) almost straight in front of me and took the exit I was taking. (Fortunately I could see it coming and was prepared for it). At the next roundabout (almost immediately after the first) they did exactly the same thing - straight on to the roundabout in front of someone else (who had to slam on their brakes) and took the first exit.

And then they turned in to the parking area for the project offices for the motorway improvement works. (I thought this was somewhat ironic ... such a poor driver being involved with road improvement works).

Google Maps link. They came down the B799 and turned left then left on to Greenside Road.

Fluff15

Never ever trust indicators as to where people will be driving on roundabouts - it's a real shocker how many people don't seem to know how to use them correctly, or not at all!

Same goes for lanes for specific ways. Drives me crazy when unless the lanes specify otherwise, left hand lane for straight and left, right hand lane for right - at least once a week I go across these roundabouts and I either see somebody on the left then trying to cut across and go right, or right hand cutting in for straight ahead.

jase1

boliston wrote: »

Definitely never pull out in front of someone indicating left until you actually see them commit to the turn. Good move not getting involved in a road rage incident - a lot of people like arguing for the sake of it!

Agreed. I actually follow the mantra of only moving on when I see the indicator *and* confirmation by road position etc. One or other missing = don't trust the idiot.

It can be infuriating being left sat like a pudding as the car exits to your right, but it's a lot better than pulling out in front of them.

dannyrst

Hands up out of the people that say they ignore indicators, how many go mental when they see a BMW that doesn't indicate?

jase1

dannyrst wrote: »

Hands up out of the people that say they ignore indicators, how many go mental when they see a BMW that doesn't indicate?

I don't think it's a question of ignoring the indicator, just that it cannot be taken, in and of itself, as a reliable, well, indicator of what the driver is about to do.

Taken alongside other observations (car position, direction etc) they can be used to prime the thought processes for a quicker entry to the roundabout.

That's why it's infuriating when people don't bother -- you end up in a situation where you have to stop because the lack of indication has left you with no choice.

It's why I *always* indicate left before leaving roundabouts, if there are other road users about (or if there may be around a tight one that I can't see). Even when other drivers would deem it 'unnecessary'.

bod1467

Agreed. Had a similar thing (also this morning). Was waiting at a junction (behind another car) to turn right onto the "main" road. Car coming down the road (from our right) had no indicators on so we assumed it was going straight on. About 5 yards from the junction they indicated left to take the junction!

If they'd indicated earlier we could have been out. As it was we then had to wait for a gap in traffic coming from our left.

---lee---

They have priority, you wait. It does not matter how they are indicating. I presume they don't teach anyone how to use roundabouts these days and I always assume that everyone I encounter has never seen or used one before. I am rarely surprised. Even this morning, my dashcam recorded a van which failed to give way on a mini-roundabout even though I had priority and was behind a van which had just completed the same maneuver. I had plenty of time to (nearly) stop and did, so no drama but irritating.