Why can't drivers think of others and indicate on roundabouts?

EssexExile

Roundabouts really aren't that hard. Take all indications with a pinch of salt, never try to go round beside anyone else, keep your wits about you.

JP1978

almillar wrote: »

Very worn road markings but it looks like some of the give-ways have 2 lanes. You shouldn't straight line a roundabout if there's someone beside you, of course, but if no-one is beside you it doesn't really matter. If you approach together you need to co-operate. And you shouldn't enter a roundabout a such a speed that you need to straight-line it, you need to slow down as it's a junction and people could drive out in front of you. It would likely go 50-50 with insurance as they won't care. Simply expecting space from someone who may or may not be paying attention isn't a good plan.

Agree with this - straight lining a roundabout means that a driver can maintain their speed - so any other motorist waiting at a junction to the approaching cars left will struggle to get out. R/b's are designed to slow people down to a reasonable speed to allow others to safely pull out themselves.

Straight lining when there is good visibility and zero other cars waiting is fair enough but we should all remember that others about to enter the roundabout may expect you to be slowing down and not to straight line.

I was always taught that those on the r/b already have right of way, which, with us driving on the left means those on a junction on the right of us, have RoW. However, if I was on the r/b itself before a car approaching from the right at speed, I have RoW as on it first - hence the expectation that one should not straight line the r/b to maintain speed.

Of course, none of this operates in practice and you need eyes up your !!!!!

I had a bump on a r/b several years ago - chap to the left of me exiting the same junction as me, despite the road markings suggesting he should be turning left or straight on, decided he was going to take the 4th exit. I was, as per the road markings (which indicated straight on, or right) going straight on. I was actually half a car length in front of him, his front right wing contacted my left rear wing (not rear door) - just completely oblivious.

My insurance did start off saying it was 50/50 - but I had to speak to the council and managed to discuss the junction with the chap whom designed it - they wrote a letter to my insurance to advise on how it was designed - ie, as per the markings - the road we exited, and the road I was going to had the same road name / number and the signage had that road as the 'thicker' line on it, showing it was the continuation of said road and indeed 'straight on'.

Eventually, insurance decided it was fully 3rd parties fault.

Zandoni

I'd prefer it if noone indicated on roundabouts, rather than indicate incorrectly.

almillar

Straight lining when there is good visibility and zero other cars waiting is fair enough but we should all remember that others about to enter the roundabout may expect you to be slowing down and not to straight line.

Yep, what if 2 people come from different directions not planning to slow down?!!

EssexExile

almillar wrote: »

Yep, what if 2 people come from different directions not planning to slow down?!!

You drive at the roundabout fast, blow your horn & open the window. If you hear no response then it is clear to proceed, if you hear a response speed up to get there first.

Ergates

foxy-stoat wrote: »

Rule number 1 - trust nothing and noone, not even indicators.
Rule number 2 - assume EVERYONE on the road doesn't know how to drive and is a moron.

Happy motoring.

Rule number 3 - Everyone else is assuming the same thing about YOU

no1catman

What annoys me with roundabouts, is when I approach one and want to turn right (by the way my example is a single carriageway), when I look right at approaching traffic - if they signal left - I can go straight away.
But if they are too lazy to signal left, I think they are going straight on, so can't move, fine if they do go straight on, but ***** annoying if the turn left!!

EssexExile

no1catman wrote: »

What annoys me with roundabouts, is when I approach one and want to turn right (by the way my example is a single carriageway), when I look right at approaching traffic - if they signal left - I can go straight away.
But if they are too lazy to signal left, I think they are going straight on, so can't move, fine if they do go straight on, but ***** annoying if the turn left!!

That would be very unwise.