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 !

[Old_Geezer]

I was informed when they first came out that those with just an arrow were named mini roundabouts and you had to treat them as if they were a roundabout (implying they aren't really). I take that to mean to give way to those about to enter and slam into you from the right. It would be simply beyond the Pale to be expected to trying to actually drive in a circle around them. I amazes me to sometimes see someone doing that. (One does have to check for those doing a 180° (or more) though.)

[retrocop]

For god's sake Mikey never let your SIL drive in France. Some RABs you find that those actually in the RAB have to give way to those entering it. Not all but enough to catch the unwary.
Again. In Beds there is a large RAB with about 5 smaller satellite type RABs around it. That used to cause some confusion for the novices at Hendon Driving school. It looked like the cog wheels in a giant alarm clock from above. :-)

[Old_Geezer]

Got one in Hemel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_%28Hemel_Hempstead%29

[johnny37]

we have a roundabout which aways has a queue in the TURN RIGHT (outside) lane. This is not good enough for some clever *** who come haring down the inside lane signalling right to get round as quick as they can. What really annoys me is having to look both ways at a roundabout T junction checking for traffic in both directions when it is your right of way.

[Hypognosis]

@mikey

If I were approaching along the east road and I wanted the NW exit, I would be in the right hand lane and indicating right. This is a positive indication to
(i) cars to my rear, telling them my plan, enabling them to change to an inside lane, ready for their planned exit
(ii) cars already on the inside lane, confirming I am not about to switch lanes, cutting in front of them
(iii) cars approaching at speed or waiting to enter the roundabout from the south road, showing I will be crossing their path
(iv) ditto for cars on the western road.

Switch indicator to left, passing the west exit. Barring idiocy, there should be nothing in the inside lane, so I could turn into the northwest exit, cutting across the roundabout lane to my left, in doing so.


I happen to find the usage of terms "inner" and "outer" lane ambiguous in some of the above posts because there is the generic sense of "inside lane" which is to your left, wherever you may be and there is the special sense of inner (smallest radius) middle and outer (largest radius) of a roundabout (or any curve, for that matter).

For instance, I was unable to understand how you could be trapped by someone who was exiting opposite their entrance but using middle or inner lane to do so when you wanted the same exit. That is to say I can't picture which lane you were in such that you were obstructed.

[marval]

Don't come to Milton Keynes, we have a lot of roundabouts, and any etiquette seems to go out of the window. Sometimes you take your life in your hands.

[Baldric]

Swindon's 'Magic Roundabout'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/e4f1fc1f25b0b67060fb30615bbcd2fc52e4a4bb.jpg

[ummmm]

OG...the one in Hemel is actually really easy to use. When I seen the sign driving up to it for the first time I thought 'bloody hell'...Once you're on it it's simple. I have family not far from that roundabout.

[Old_Geezer]

And it is interesting that you can go around the main 'structure' apparently in the wrong direction, not in actuality going the right way at each mini one.

[whiskeryron]

// Avatar Image
Baldric

//Swindon's 'Magic Roundabout'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/e4f1fc1f25b0b67060fb30615bbcd2fc52e4a4bb.jpg //

Obviously the stuff that nightmares are made from. Designed by someone who is chauffeured & therefore completely without a clue, resulting in the classic '' every man/woman for him/her self & devil take the hindmost ''.

[Baldric]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Swindon_Magic_Roundabout.svg

[mikey4444]

Hypo...( 13:42 ) perhaps I didn't make myself clear.

If I am going straight over a roundabout, I will be in the left-hand lane...I will signal left, AFTER I have passed the first turning left and then exit.

But some idiots take the right-hand land and then exit ahead of me causing me to serve and stop suddenly.

In other words they change lane suddenly, to try to exit the roundabout before me.

I hope that is clear now.....it would be so much easier if I could draw a diagram and put it on here !

[Zacs-Master]

Silly woman.

[CrapAtCryptics]

You almost expect that, if someone even bothers to indicate, they are going to get it wrong. I`ve seen it so many times.

[mikey4444]

Zacs ...if you are referring to my SIL....you are 100% correct...she is a tad on the thick side !

[Zacs-Master]

Mmm.

[CrapAtCryptics]

If the Highway Code covers it clearly maybe buy her a copy.

[Zacs-Master]

Common sense covers it!

[Prudie]

I'm with you but think some of you are being harsh, I'm pretty sure that right then left indicating for straight on at roundabouts used to be taught yonks ago. After all those who do it must have learnt from someone else.

[mikey4444]

Prudie...this is exactly what my SIL says ! But common sense should tell her that the way she does it can be misleading and confusing. I have tried to explain to her but but she is adamant that she is right.. ( about everything actually)