Roundabouts...

[Boredguy]

You should try our local attraction.

Na, should have used this image @sippo http://techblog.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Magic-Roundabout.jpg

 

Shame they didn't add in the tourist route. I remember taking some US mates across it at rush hour... they were flabbergasted and that was after living in the UK for the last 5 years.

[Andrew_C]

When I first me that, I was in the middle lane of Queen's Drive and heard sirens behind me. I couldn't see them, so moved off to find plod on both sides of me in a tearing hurry... I'd not been driving long, quite unnerving...

[Steve21]

Haha our lovely magic roundabout Everyone seems to get upset with it, but it's simples tbh Just mini roundabout after another.

 

Steve

[sonofsanta]

I agree with the idea that right lane is only there if your turn off is past twelve o' clock, unless otherwise directed.

 

The two bad habits that annoy me:

* Using the right hand lane to try and overtake me on the roundabout when we're both going straight on. Usually happens to me at Partney Pumps.

* Being more important than everyone sat patiently in the left lane and flying up the right hand lane, only to go round the roundabout 1¼ times so you can go left. Just slows everything down massively because everyone has to wait for you, the special bloody snowflake, to go round before they can enter the roundabout.

[themightymrp]

Being more important than everyone sat patiently in the left lane and flying up the right hand lane, only to go round the roundabout 1¼ times so you can go left.

 

THIS ^^ Definitely a pet hate!

@kennysarmy - at that time of day, abillybob would say the right lane But I wouldn't be sure myself on that, with it being the third exit I would go for the right lane..... I think

[6Foot2]

Hemel's Plough roundabout in operation:

 

http://i.snag.gy/woOfd.jpg

[Duranis]

This really bugs me. There are two roundabouts I used to take daily (both of them I would go straight over at). The amount of people that get it wrong and almost killed me was insane. What is worse is they then have the nerve to beep at you when they where in the wrong lane, cutting you up.

 

One question though. What do you follow when the sign for the roundabout (just the sign, ,no road markings) shows your exit as being straight on (so left lane) but the actual exit is more like 1 o'clock mark (so right lane?). I have a roundabout like this near me too and always take the right lane but have never been 100% sure I was right.

[Hawkeyez]

Ah well that could do with explaining, 12 o'clock is a time and when I read it I saw it as just that.

 

Heard the phrase "On your 6" say in a dogfight?

[LeMarchand]

By default left hand lane for left and straight on and right hand lane for turning right.

 

*However* road markings will tell you the actual rule for that particular roundabout.

 

That's what I always go by, but the problem is that too many people think they're more important than everyone else and apply the "lane with fewest cars gets me to any exit" rule - or occasionally the "there's not even a queue, but my phallic substitute can overtake that one guy in who is in the correct lane whilst traversing the roundabout" or possibly the "in Germany they use both lanes and it works" rules.

[Andrew_C]

Hemel's Plough roundabout in operation

Looking at it from above, rather than through the windscreen, I now see it is just like the Magic Roundabout, but without the free-for-all in the middle.

[TIOAOA]

Everyday I travel down a duel carriageway with multiple roundabouts. My route is straight ahead so I more than often use the left lane. Its truly amazing how many people presume you are therefore turning left and pull out in front of you. Don't even get me started on the people who use the left lane and as they are going straight ahead go straight ahead, using both the left and right lanes and cut me up. Its a loose loose situation. How these people passed their tests I will never know.

[Davit2005]

Hemel's Plough roundabout in operation:

 

http://i.snag.gy/woOfd.jpg

 

Live near to hemel so that roundabout gets visited a few times.

 

The trick is to teach every little roundabout individually, it's not actually that bad.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Davit2005

[dry]

If I want to turn left but there's a queue in the left/straight lane and not in the right turn lane, I always do the '5th exit' trick, where you do an entire ring of the roundabout until you get to the desired exit. Completely bypass the queue but technically do nothing wrong!

[sonofsanta]

If I want to turn left but there's a queue in the left/straight lane and not in the right turn lane, I always do the '5th exit' trick, where you do an entire ring of the roundabout until you get to the desired exit. Completely bypass the queue but technically do nothing wrong!

 

But completely selfish and slows the flow of traffic down for everyone else as they wait for you to finish your Special Snowflake manouevre?

 

From section 186 of the Highway Code:

186

 

Signals and position

When taking the first exit to the left, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

 

• signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
  
• keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
  

So using the right hand lane to turn left is against the Highway Code. Not technically illegal, no, but clearly against the spirit of the rules.

[NB9457]

I never mentioned someone hit me on a roundabout too around 3 weeks ago, it was a mini roundabout and I essentially needed to do a u-turn as I had missed the exit earlier on so needed to turn around. Indicator on right the whole and the Mazda that pulled out assumed nobody ever does that on a roundabout, caused a crash and wrote my car off! Splendid that was, best bit is he still hasn't admitted liability! My insurance has said it's indefinitely his fault, but I have to wait for the tennis game they'll be playing for 'up to 90 days'

[ChrisH]

I'm always amazed that it seems virtually nobody understands that one entrance is always marked differently on a mini roundabout to indicate priority if there is traffic waiting in all directions, I have this every day at the end of the road from school!

[mthomas08]

Left lane - turn left and straight on.

Right lane - turn right.

 

The way my instructor said was anything before 12 o'clock on the roundabout is left lane. Anything after is right lane.

 

This is spot on in the highway code. Some roundabouts are slightly different but tend to be marked, the OP sounds like he is essentially being cut up.

 

Some times I wished I didn't care about the hassle of some one crashing in to me, sadly that yet again is Morons of todays society. I have been cut up 90% of the time by Audi, VW Golf, Beemers and Merc drivers. I tend to spot them coming, breaking the speed limit, no one else on the road but still waiting till they are right up my arse before overtaking on a DUAL carriageway. They then cut me up - this is where I have begun increasing my speed when they are along side me. If they turn and clip me - its their fault and it will be shown by witnesses behind that he turned in.

[Steve21]

How'd you mean marked differently? On the line markings? All three are the same around here unless I'm missing what you mean

 

Steve

[Andrew_C]

that one entrance is always marked differently on a mini roundabout to indicate priority

Wut? News to me!

[Boredguy]

Marked differently depending on marquee of car I believe.

[LeMarchand]

I have been cut up 90% of the time by Audi, VW Golf, Beemers and Merc drivers. I tend to spot them coming, breaking the speed limit, no one else on the road but still waiting till they are right up my arse before overtaking on a DUAL carriageway. They then cut me up - this is where I have begun increasing my speed when they are along side me. If they turn and clip me - its their fault and it will be shown by witnesses behind that he turned in.

 

Glad I'm not the only one to notice something the worst offenders have in common! I got neg-repped for making light of this (admittedly in an inflammatory way).

 

Not sure why you are speeding up when they're overtaking though, seems a bit risky to me.

[ChrisH]

Wut? News to me!

 

A single dashed line rather than a double dashed line, maybe not all then? They all seem to be that way round here (bottom left):

 

[Andrew_C]

Highway code shows both, but doesn't seem to differentiate between them. Both mean "Give Way to the right", but I've not got time to read through it. Got some work to do... Blast.

[kennysarmy]

THIS ^^ Definitely a pet hate!

@kennysarmy - at that time of day, abillybob would say the right lane But I wouldn't be sure myself on that, with it being the third exit I would go for the right lane..... I think

 

It seems no matter which one I choose I always either have someone on my left getting annoyed with me or someone on my right carving me up.....

 

I guess it needs road - markings - generally I go for the left hand lane as that seems safer.....

[Ant]

Some times I wished I didn't care about the hassle of some one crashing in to me, sadly that yet again is Morons of todays society. I have been cut up 90% of the time by Audi, VW Golf, Beemers and Merc drivers. I tend to spot them coming, breaking the speed limit, no one else on the road but still waiting till they are right up my arse before overtaking on a DUAL carriageway. They then cut me up - this is where I have begun increasing my speed when they are along side me. If they turn and clip me - its their fault and it will be shown by witnesses behind that he turned in.

You're kidding, right? What a thing to say and admit to. We just have to hope the over-taker is using their mirrors properly before pulling in to avoid a collision. And just to add I detest tailgaters and those who cut people up just as much as the next guy.

 

 

The sad fact is people these days only care about the few feet in front of them and where they want to go. Road markings and the Highway Code mean nothing and nor do other road users. The trick is anticipating these 'poor' drivers' actions and taking avoidance measures before it becomes an issue.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Ant