Second exit: How would you approach this roundabout??

As the poll says, heading for Corfe Castle on the Wareham bypass if it's moderately busy so no late brake, dab of oppo possibilities.

Here's the roundabout: A351
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9pjZ9iaPm9ybPEsQ8

What would you do?

ETA bear in mind the is the approach. I assume people would indicate left after the first exit whatever else they did.


(Mainly asking as I was behind someone who indicated right, took the right hand lane on entry and then when I'd decided he was actually turning right to the 3rd exit took the 2nd without indicating left, cutting me up in the process.)

It's also weird how many people do this roundabout indicating right from the right hand lane then turn right at the next roundabout from the left lane with no indication.

Your poll doesn't have the necessary answer, so here's mine: Either entry lane OK, indicating left only after passing exit 1. Would choose left lane unless there are cars already in left lane indicating left so intending to take first exit. As going straight on rather than left or right, I would not be indicating at all until I pass the exist preceding the one I wish to take. Then indicate left.

Some driving instructors say to indicate right when entering a roundabout if the exit you wish to take is more than 180 degrees round the roundabout from where you are. This may explain what you saw. I disagree with this as I think it's likely to lead to confusion.

I was thinking about the approach, and had assumed people would indicate left after the first exit whatever else they did.

I've edited my response with a possible explanation of why you may have witnessed what you did.

I think so. Imagine that exit 2 didn't exist. That would more or less make the roundabout a choice between turning left or turning right, even though it's as much a straight on as it is a right. In that situation, you'd expect someone to only use the left entry lane to turn left, and the right entry lane to turn right. In which case they would be indicating either left or right before they enter the roundabout. If turning right, they should switch the indication to left after passing the first exit to discount the possibility that they may be coming back the way they came. You can see why it's not clear to some drivers. It's a matter of what you were taught, and whether you perceive the exit as being "straight on" or "turning right".

Even so, I’d expect them to be taught to indicate left after they pass the first exit to let people on the roundabout (and about to join the roundabout) their intentions. May have to put their phone down for that though

Btw, OP - Dave’s roundabout mantra about never being alongside other vehicles on roundabouts is a good one to aim for.

Chris

This feels like a junction where local knowledge and traffic conditions are very relevant.

If a lot of cars are going to be turning left at the first exit, and potentially waiting for the road to be clear then it definitely makes sense to use the right lane and avoid them.

And all those brown road signs on approach suggest the roundabout will be used by a lot of drivers lacking local knowledge.

This has to be the correct answer.
The required route through this roundabout, is effectively to be going straight-on.





The 11% of voters suggesting, approach left lane indicating left are introducing a danger. A driver waiting to join the roundabout from exit 1, seeing the left indicator, might believe the indicator meant what it was indicating and pull-out.

When teaching my children to drive, I asked what they would do, waiting to exit a side turning and seeing a car approaching from the right, indicating to turn left. Their answer was pull-out. WRONG. A light bulb flashing, only means electrical current is flowing through a filament. Never trust it to mean anything else. I am also famous for instead of saying, "Drive safely", saying "Keep space around you".

There's always a possibility of a collision. That's why competent drivers (and even incompetent ones) are expected to know what's around them and to take necessary action. If I am in L2 planning on taking exit 2 and driver of car in L1 is indicating left but also intending to take exit 2, the driver of car in L1 is in the wrong. He should not be indicating left if he is not intending to take the first available exit from current position. However as a competent driver, I take it upon myself to avoid collisions if at all possible even when I am not at fault.

If you want to take your argument to the extreme, then having two entry lanes introduces a risk of collisions and one should therefore be eliminated. Which is exactly what has been done at a roundabout (albeit not a very round roundabout) in Windsor that I use quite often.