Roundabout Etiquette

[mikey4444]

I am having a disagreement with my sister-in-law over this.

We have a simple roundabout...ie with exits east, north west and south.

When she is going straight on at a roundabout, she signals right and then changes to signal left, just as she about to exit the roundabout.

That sounds daft to me ! I stay in the left lane ( if there is one ) and then signal left as I pass the penultimate exit. I maintain that by signalling right, she is confusing the driver than may be coming behind her, who might be led to believe she is really turning right.

But I may be wrong of course !

[retrocop]

You are correct. If you travel straight across you signal after the penultimate.
Signalling right MEANS turning right.

[-SharonA-]

Blimey, has she caused any accidents at this roundabout?? Changing signals at that point is a no no. Other drivers would get confused thinking she is turning off.

I would just stay in appropriate lane and just indicate once.

[ummmm]

Yes...signal to exit.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm surprised it is an issue, but there again the roundabout described doesn't have a true straight on so I can see there could be different opinions.

I'd agree it is a misleading signal but my rule is to try not to blindly trust the signals other drivers make. They forget to cancel and signal their turn off, or signal too early and speed past their next exit.

[horselady]

I agree, you are correct.

[mikey4444]

Well...I always thought so Retro, and given your background, you would know, so thanks !

The great tragedy though is that most people don't seem to know the rules of roundabouts at all !

[dannyk13]

If you are in exit south then you would signal after passing exit west to turn into exit north.

[douglas9401]

You're right Mikey, your sis-in-law is obviously a tory voter giving off confusing signals. :-P

[jakep]

You are correct. Some people in our town do the same as your sil. I find it confusing and unnecessary.

[Togo]

I am with you on that mikey. My road rage is reserved for the fools who are turning right, but do not indicate as they approach the roundabout. If you are approaching from the opposite direction you naturally think it is safe to proceed, the idiot then turns right and indicates left to exit. Dangerous and so ignorant.

[mikey4444]

Roundabouts are really not very complicated things you know, and I am constantly amazed at how difficult some people find them.....they are the bane of my ruddy life....that and someone following too close behind, at 60-70 mph on a Motorway ( that really scares me ! )

[Old_Geezer]

It reminds me of a disagreement I had with a friend about 40 odd years ago. There was a slightly staggered junction (cross roads) at the end of a long road, where one had to wait for the lights. I never signalled right and thought it was dangerous. He insisted he should signal right and be in the right hand lane. Luckily I never heard of someone trying to go by on his left having seen the right turn signal, and having an accident with him.

[Old_Geezer]

I find most people don't find them complicated. They just get in the inside lane and go all the way around trying to trap folk in the outside lane and preventing them from getting off.

[mikey4444]

Dougie....if you only new my SIL !...she wouldn't recognise a politician unless he had appeared on the J Kyle show !

[mikey4444]

OG....lol ! I see that all the time !

[jno]

depends on the physical size of the roundabout, doesn't it? If it's a big one it may be useful to tell the drivers at the first junction which way you're going. If it's a little painted circle on the road, you only need to signal on exit.

[mikey4444]

The people that I really hate are the ones that enter the roundabout in the middle or in the right-hand lane and then try to exit at the turning directly opposite the one from which they entered, thus trapping people like me who are trying to exit as well !

Much sounding of horns normally results !

[dannyk13]

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/changes-and-answers/-highway-code-for-roundabouts

[Tilly2]

If it's just a little circle in the middle of the road, I drive straight across. :-)

[Old_Geezer]

Been a while since I read the highway code but I think you are entitled to use either lane for straight on, with left being preferred/advised.