Signalling left to go straight on?

Signalling left to go straight on?

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21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Friday 13th October 2023
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I've been driving in France on holidays, road trips etc for about 40 years, but I can't remember this being a thing, at least not like it is now?

I've just returned from a four week 5000km circuit of France and I've noticed that when approaching a regular 4 way roundabout, the majority of drivers going straight on now signal left onto the roundabout and continue to signal left as they proceed and then switch to signaling right just before their (straight on) exit, what's more, they also do this when there are two lanes onto and off the roundabout, so if I'm in the left lane to go straight on and they are in the right lane to go straight on, I have to hold well back just in case they cut across me if they actually are turning left by going all the way around the outside from the right lane, but so far unnecessarily so, as they've all been simply going straight on but signalling left as they go.

Why do seemingly the majority of drivers now signal left to go straight on? It seems bloody stupid to me.

21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Saturday 14th October 2023
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rdjohn said:
After 18-years, I still have difficulty with French drivers turning left from the nearside lane
Yes, it's quite rare in the UK and is so clearly wrong and bad driving that a blast of protest on the horn is certainly acceptable, but in France it seems commonplace. I don't mind if they're signalling left to go all the way around, even from the nearside, at least they're signalling their intentions in their error, it's all the false alarm/jeopardy from those who are going straight on but signalling left that irks me.

Nobody in the UK entering a roundabout at 6 to exit straight ahead at 12 would enter signalling right, continue to signal right as they go around and then quickly switch to a left signal just as they exit. It would rightly be considered as a bit of a wtf!? I thought you were turning right? Did you change your mind?



21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Saturday 14th October 2023
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When I say nobody, I mean enmasse and as a matter of course, rather than the odd individual.

As for offset multiple exits, fair enough, but that ain't 6 to 12.

21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Sunday 15th October 2023
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But I wasn't talking about not signalling before the exit, I was talking about signalling to the contrary to go straight on.

21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Sunday 15th October 2023
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Thank you Sam.

21st Century Man

Original Poster:

40,988 posts

249 months

Tuesday 17th October 2023
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It also means that an opportunity to join the roundabout is missed too, as the first time one catches sight of oncoming traffic coming around the roundabout they're signalling left as if to turn left across your path, so one doesn't pull out, then they switch to the right indicator and go straight on and one could've pulled out after all.