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Roundabouts!

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I've mentioned this before in the 'I don't like' thread but I'm beginning to wonder if I'm doing it wrong and everyone else is doing it right! 

 

Below you'll see a pic of our latest roundabout. What, in your opinion, is the correct way to indicate to leave by the road at the top? ie the second exit. 

 

I know how I do it but seemingly most other drivers have been taught differently!

IMG_20170810_115444506_BURST011.jpg



Select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout.
Stay in the lane until you need to alter your lane to exit.
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to take.

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That would also be my answer Clive, although there seems to only be one lane on the approach. We have several 'odd' roundabouts around here, one of which being at the local retail park. On this roundabout you can be in the left hand lane to take the exit at your 9o'clock position as well as the right hand lane. There is an exit at your 3o'clock to pass but you can remain in the left hand lane. As Michael Caine would say 'not a lot of people know that'


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7 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

Select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout.
Stay in the lane until you need to alter your lane to exit.
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to take.

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Yep! That's what I do but a lot of folk seem to think that because it's past the 12 o'clock mark they indicate right until they pass the first exit and then indicate left(sometimes) at the last minute! ☹️🙄

If it was me, not knowing the roundabout, I would be indicating right on approach to the roundabout as I can't see any lane markings and the exit I'd want is not indicated as the through route by a fatter line.

I'd cancel the right indicator as soon as I'd gone passed the first exit or found a lane dedicated to it on the roundabout, then be moving over and indicating left for my intention to turn off at the next exit if there is no lane for it.

I would he signalling right as the the exit is more than 180 degrees from where you're entering it. That's what I was taught anyway, and would be how I would see it. Also then signal left after passing first exit.

Edited by mike6688

  • Author
13 hours ago, alexp999 said:

If it was me, not knowing the roundabout, I would be indicating right on approach to the roundabout as I can't see any lane markings and the exit I'd want is not indicated as the through route by a fatter line.

I'd cancel the right indicator as soon as I'd gone passed the first exit or found a lane dedicated to it on the roundabout, then be moving over and indicating left for my intention to turn off at the next exit if there is no lane for it.

 

32 minutes ago, mike6688 said:

I would he signalling right as the the exit is more than 180 degrees from where you're entering it. That's what I was taught anyway, and would be how I would see it. Also then signal left after passing first exit.

But according to Clive, and I respect his judgement as an officer of the law,, you would both be wrong. 

 

All I can say is that as a driver of an HGV it is really REALLY annoying to be sitting at an entrance to a roundabout watching cars entering from the opposite entry and indicating right ie to go past me, only for them to exit at my road, whereas if they had indicated correctly I could have entered the roundabout earlier and not be sitting there holding up the traffic! 

How else should you indicate when there are no lanes? Otherwise you can't tell if you are taking 1st or 2nd exit.

How I described it how I was taught, if no lane markings and beyond 12 o clock.

stoney has given a link to the highway code but remember that women and cyclists have their own versions.

  • Author
11 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

How else should you indicate when there are no lanes? Otherwise you can't tell if you are taking 1st or 2nd exit.

How I described it how I was taught, if no lane markings and beyond 12 o clock.

1st exit, I indicate left.

2nd exit, no indication until you pass the first exit then indicate left.

3rd exit, indicate right until the 2nd exit then indicate left.

The angle of the exit shouldn't, in my opinion, make any difference. 

Highway code says:

 

When taking an exit to the right or going full circle (unless signs or markings indicate otherwise):

    Signal right and approach the exit in the right hand lane
    Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to reach your exit
    Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take

1st exit, I indicate left.
2nd exit, no indication until you pass the first exit then indicate left.
3rd exit, indicate right until the 2nd exit then indicate left.
The angle of the exit shouldn't, in my opinion, make any difference. 
Exactly right.
The highway code makes no statement as to the angle of the second junction with regards to indicating.
If a roundabout only has 3 entrances / exits then you only indicate right if you intend to recip to your original entrance junction or want to go back around if you missed your originally intended exit point.

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"When taking an exit to the right"

Sounds very much like a statement regarding angle/direction to me.

In my head I've always gone by the rule of 'beyond halfway indicate right' (so if you're not straight off or straight on)

I'm not sure if I've read that or was taught it, so anything beyond 12 o'clock I'd probably indicate right,

Obviously if the second exit is about 1 o'clock and there is a dedicated lane for it then I won't.

I think it all depends on the roundabout, whether it has dedicated exit lanes or crazy roundabouts where traffic is flying at you across 3 lanes.

 

I would indicate right on the roundabout in question, it's a single lane so those behind me know my intention.

  • Author
2 hours ago, RAIDER32 said:

 

I would indicate right on the roundabout in question, it's a single lane so those behind me know my intention.

Surely it's more important to let the drivers in front of you ie on the roundabout, your intentions? And by indicating right you are suggesting that you will be taking the third exit not the second! 

 

Here's a scenario for everyone. If the second exit was before the 12 o'clock position, would you indicate left before you entered the roundabout? 

39 minutes ago, Turvey said:

Surely it's more important to let the drivers in front of you ie on the roundabout, your intentions? And by indicating right you are suggesting that you will be taking the third exit not the second! 

 

Here's a scenario for everyone. If the second exit was before the 12 o'clock position, would you indicate left before you entered the roundabout? 

No. I was always taught left for first exit when it's to the left. No indicator for 2nd exit or straight on and right indicator for any exit to the right, unless it's the first exit or has a fat line on the board to say it's the through route. Highway code agrees with that. Once on the roundabout others can see your intention as you'll be indicating left to say you're coming off at the next exit.

44 minutes ago, Turvey said:

By indicating right you are suggesting that you will be taking the third exit not the second! 

Here's a scenario for everyone. If the second exit was before the 12 o'clock position, would you indicate left before you entered the roundabout? 

Was just going to mention you can get 2 Exits before 12 o'clock, you wouldn't indicate right for 'Exit 3' in this image, it's straight on.

The basic rule of indicating after the last exit you don't want applies to all, we are just arguing between on Exit's and Direction's lol.

Highway-code-roundabout-third-exit.jpg

I use the rule of indicating right beyond 12 to indicate I'm going around not off or through, beyond 12 you are going around it.

Come and have a go at a roundabout in the Highlands, its smoke signals only and every man for himself! It's very obvious that 'island dwellers' who are visiting the 'mainland' have passed their test where there are zero roundabouts or junctions. I've never driven anywhere in the country that is as bad for roundabouts as it is here in Inverness and surrounding areas.

Every RA is different and signalling seems to be very subjective and sporadic. I think @Turvey was right with his interpretation with the addition of; any exit before the 12 o'clock position should have no indication until after the exit before yours, where you should then indicate left.

When doing a speed awareness course (voluntarily of course) i was told that as per the letter of the law you do not ever need to indicate. An indicator need only be used if it would be of benefit to other road users. I'm not sure how correct that is though.


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Was just going to mention you can get 2 Exits before 12 o'clock, you wouldn't indicate right for 'Exit 3' in this image, it's straight on.
The basic rule of indicating after the last exit you don't want applies to all, we are just arguing between on Exit's and Direction's lol.
Highway-code-roundabout-third-exit.jpg
I use the rule of indicating right beyond 12 to indicate I'm going around not off or through, beyond 12 you are going around it.


You typed quicker than I could lol. I would happily share the road with you [emoji846] I think you may have explained it better then I have been able to though.


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Can someone copy this post to the BMW and Audi owners club forums [emoji23]


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www.tomholroydphotography.co.uk

Why bother?
4a42ef87f216954520a50d741f0bd2b0.jpg

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21 hours ago, Turvey said:

But according to Clive, and I respect his judgement as an officer of the law,, you would both be wrong. 

Agreed, obviously Clive knows better than we do as a police officer.  I wonder where this idea of indicating if the angle is more than straight ahead to indicate right has come from?  Some of us seen to have been taught it others not, but highway code has no mention of it that I can see other than saying if turnong right - but seems open to interpretation. 

 

21 hours ago, Turvey said:

All I can say is that as a driver of an HGV it is really REALLY annoying to be sitting at an entrance to a roundabout watching cars entering from the opposite entry and indicating right ie to go past me, only for them to exit at my road, whereas if they had indicated correctly I could have entered the roundabout earlier and not be sitting there holding up the traffic! 

I can imagine that would be annoying, especially as HGV's can't pull out as easily or quickly as a car.

 

There is a roundabout like the one show near me (I know roundabout are all different so can't really compare), but lanes are marked.  In this instance the the first exit is marked as straight on (lane 1) and second and third exits are marked as right by a right arrow (second lane).  So in this instance I would indicate right and take second lane.

There is a roundabout near me where the first exit (assuming you come from the busiest direction) is a dual carriageway, though geographically it is straight on, you barely enter the roundabout really.

The problem comes when someone in the left lane wishes to take the second exit, but someone in lane 2 wants to head down the dual carriageway in the outside lane.

Lot of accidents there but no lane designations...

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Can someone copy this post to the BMW and Audi owners club forums [emoji23]


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Can they read?

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