Why are roundabouts being used incorrectly so often?
Discussion
Okay, so, there are 2 main roundabouts on my daily commute to work that are constantly getting used completely wrong every morning without fail. The main worry is that there's more people doing this than following the correct procedure, which is even more frustrating. The problem then turns to people becoming sheep and following what everyone else is doing, regardless of right and wrong.
On the first, for example, is people in the left lane indicating to turn right and then staying in the left lane all the way round until pulling off. This is a right turn and needs to be performed in the right lane. This is a 2-lane round about with a left turn, a straight forward, and a right turn
The second is the same but with 3 lanes. The issue with this one being people getting in the middle lane and then indicating right and then staying left all the way until turning off. Again, needing to be in the right lane.
The result of this is that the people that are following the Highway Code correctly end up being the minority and are the ones that get funny looks and abuse for doing the right thing. I've refrained from posting this for a while but it's just constant now. Does anyone else encounter this on a daily basis?
On the first, for example, is people in the left lane indicating to turn right and then staying in the left lane all the way round until pulling off. This is a right turn and needs to be performed in the right lane. This is a 2-lane round about with a left turn, a straight forward, and a right turn
The second is the same but with 3 lanes. The issue with this one being people getting in the middle lane and then indicating right and then staying left all the way until turning off. Again, needing to be in the right lane.
The result of this is that the people that are following the Highway Code correctly end up being the minority and are the ones that get funny looks and abuse for doing the right thing. I've refrained from posting this for a while but it's just constant now. Does anyone else encounter this on a daily basis?
Yes.
I often get abused for being in left lane going straight on (12 o'clock as per sign) most recent a few hours ago. There's no obvious reason to get it wrong, people just seem to do it regularly on a string of roundabouts.
I just accept it and try not to get into an accident. I have explained on two occasions to gentlemen the correct lane, one where he narrowly missed removing the front of my vehicle. Both seemed genuinely not to understand, the most recent was just angry and embarrassed.
Just try not to let it get to you. Not everyone cares about doing it properly.
I often get abused for being in left lane going straight on (12 o'clock as per sign) most recent a few hours ago. There's no obvious reason to get it wrong, people just seem to do it regularly on a string of roundabouts.
I just accept it and try not to get into an accident. I have explained on two occasions to gentlemen the correct lane, one where he narrowly missed removing the front of my vehicle. Both seemed genuinely not to understand, the most recent was just angry and embarrassed.
Just try not to let it get to you. Not everyone cares about doing it properly.
hornetrider said:
The issue is a lot of roundabouts now no longer follow the convention, and you have to pay attention to the road markings/signs. Not saying it is in this case, but it's not as clear cut as it used to be, therefore perhaps contributing to the free for all appraoch.
Was just about to say exactly this. There is a sequence of two very standard 4 exit roundabouts on my route home, one has a 'left and straight on' arrow painted on the left lane, and a right arrow in the right hand lane. The next one has a left arrow in the left lane, and a 'right and straight on' arrow in the right hand lane.Putting aside my hatred of painted road arrows (which in traffic are invisible until you've reached them, and it's too late), there is no logical reason I can see for the inconsistency in arrows on near identical roundabouts. I presume it's down to traffic flow.
I will always use the left lane to go 'straight on/second exit' unless otherwise indicated, been caught out several times by painted road arrows that tell you to do something else, that were not visible because a car was over the top of them.
Either way, in my experience on any roundabout most drivers seem to get it wrong, when turning right either driving around without indicating and then finally indicating left at their exit, or indicating right all the way around and not indicating left at exit! Worse than those is straight-lining (over the right hand lane) when going straight on without indicating to exit.
Edited by ukaskew on Wednesday 7th December 12:12
culpz said:
The result of this is that the people that are following the Highway Code correctly end up being the minority and are the ones that get funny looks and abuse for doing the right thing. I've refrained from posting this for a while but it's just constant now. Does anyone else encounter this on a daily basis?
Yep. Every day I see people immediately take the right hand lane off roundabout 1 to go straight over (or 2nd exit for the sticklers) at roundabout 2, which is a single lane exit. And they indicate right too. And often they will do this at 20mph, in a 40. So I take the (correct) left lane, undertake them, go straight over and then get the usual flashing lights, horn blowing abuse.It is utterly pointless trying to reason with these people, even when shoving the Highway code in their face. They just don't get it. People just drive how they want these days and there is zero police presence too, which compounds the problem.
Three days in a row last week I've been established on a perfectly conventional four exit roundabout (12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock exits) making a right turn from 6 to 3 o'clock with indicator on only to have traffic from 12 o'clock enter the roundabout and force me to stop. Three days in a row. I actually checked the highway code in the end to see if I was in the wrong.
Always default to defensive driving, it's the only way.
Always default to defensive driving, it's the only way.
Morningside said:
Lets see if I can get this right.
Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
Unless road markings say otherwise. Also on smaller roundabouts large vehicles may need to use the left lane to turn right. Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
Try living near Wallingford. People haven't got a clue. There are three roundabouts either on or joining the A4130 where you only have the option of either turning left or going straight on, and two lanes joining the roundabout. EVERYONE, including police vehicles, uses the left lane to go straight on, and you get abused if you try to use the permanently empty right-hand lane. Do they honestly think that the right-hand lane leading up to the roundabout was put in for the tiny number of people who want to go all the way round the roundabout and back the way they came?
Should add, the roundabouts don't have two lanes exiting them, and there isn't enough width for a car in the left lane and one in the right lane to go straight on at the same time.
Should add, the roundabouts don't have two lanes exiting them, and there isn't enough width for a car in the left lane and one in the right lane to go straight on at the same time.
Edited by Spumfry on Wednesday 7th December 12:40
Morningside said:
Lets see if I can get this right.
Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
My understanding too, but the highway code isn't that explicit...Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise, select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout
The diagram given shows a car using the left hand lane to go straight over, but it doesn't explicitly say this, presumably because of the huge variation in roundabouts.
And "appropriate lane" is clearly open to interpretation, because I would say a quarter of the roundabouts around my local town have arrows painted on the road, and at least half of them have straight on painted in the right hand lane only. Interestingly almost all painted since Google Streetview photos, so presumably some sort of initiative.
Edited by ukaskew on Wednesday 7th December 12:58
Try living in Milton Keynes!!!
More and more people just don't seem to give a s
t with roundabout discipline... Some examples but by no means an exclusive list!
1. A normal person such as we would expect to find on PH. Indicates, moves to the right hand lane of the dual carriageway to turn right when appropriate and uses the correct speed. Checks the roundabout is clear before entering it (oh-er) and signals intent and acts in a manner consistent with the highway code.
2. A person who does not indicate, moves to the right hand lane of a dual carriageway to turn right on a roundabout 4 roundabouts away and does 50 MPH and glares when you dare pass them in the left lane. Sometimes the check the roundabout is clear and sometimes does not but never signals.
3. A person who sees you are already on the roundabout approaching there joining route and still goes causing you to take avoiding action (I refer to these people as the "I'm going to go and it is your choice as to whether we have an accident"). These people get extra tosser points for slowing to a stop at the entrance, seeing you, making eye contact with you and then pulling out right in front of you and then get angry when you display your displeasure at there maneuver.
I encounter 2 and 3 almost every trip. 1 is a rare person these days.
Even worse there are a few roundabouts where you can go right in the left hand lane, this causes all manner of fkery and abuse!
More and more people just don't seem to give a s
t with roundabout discipline... Some examples but by no means an exclusive list!1. A normal person such as we would expect to find on PH. Indicates, moves to the right hand lane of the dual carriageway to turn right when appropriate and uses the correct speed. Checks the roundabout is clear before entering it (oh-er) and signals intent and acts in a manner consistent with the highway code.
2. A person who does not indicate, moves to the right hand lane of a dual carriageway to turn right on a roundabout 4 roundabouts away and does 50 MPH and glares when you dare pass them in the left lane. Sometimes the check the roundabout is clear and sometimes does not but never signals.
3. A person who sees you are already on the roundabout approaching there joining route and still goes causing you to take avoiding action (I refer to these people as the "I'm going to go and it is your choice as to whether we have an accident"). These people get extra tosser points for slowing to a stop at the entrance, seeing you, making eye contact with you and then pulling out right in front of you and then get angry when you display your displeasure at there maneuver.
I encounter 2 and 3 almost every trip. 1 is a rare person these days.
Even worse there are a few roundabouts where you can go right in the left hand lane, this causes all manner of f
kery and abuse!Here
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7670316,-1.93053...
People use the 2nd lane to go straight across, even thou the road is not marked up as such.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7670316,-1.93053...
People use the 2nd lane to go straight across, even thou the road is not marked up as such.
Edited by The Spruce goose on Wednesday 7th December 13:20
On the way home from work. Normal roundabout with four exits. Lane markings indicating right lane for turning right, left lane for left and straight ahead. I was going straight ahead and in the right lane was a dame in a MINI indicating right.
So far, so good. Not so when I was entering my exit to find that she was now indicating left and was inches from my offside rear wing. Cue horn blowing, headlight flashing and obvious verbal abuse from her.
This continued for the next mile.
The worrying thing is that theses seem to think that they are in the right!
So far, so good. Not so when I was entering my exit to find that she was now indicating left and was inches from my offside rear wing. Cue horn blowing, headlight flashing and obvious verbal abuse from her.
This continued for the next mile.The worrying thing is that these
s seem to think that they are in the right!There's a roundabout in Coulsdon that is used in a similar way.
When you get to it from a certain direction you have two lanes, left to go up to the M23, straight ahead to a junction and right to come back on yourself or take the right hand exit.
There are no arrows on the ground but people take the left lane, go right and take the right hand exit. I would say that 50% of drivers using the roundabout do this.
When you get to it from a certain direction you have two lanes, left to go up to the M23, straight ahead to a junction and right to come back on yourself or take the right hand exit.
There are no arrows on the ground but people take the left lane, go right and take the right hand exit. I would say that 50% of drivers using the roundabout do this.
Some people do it on purpose - just as a way of queue jumping.
I used to commute this roundabout in Harlow.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7851272,0.087177...
A lot of traffic going into Harlow would cause the right hand lane to queue back.
There were a vast number of tossers who would intentionally run up the left lane (marked straight ahead only) then go onto the roundabout and stop indicating right towards Harlow - thereby blocking the roundabout to any traffic actually wanting to go straight on or that was turning right out of Harlow. It also slowed things down massively for people actually sat in the queue.
The police should monitor this intermittently - they could make an absolute killing handing tickets out.
I used to commute this roundabout in Harlow.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7851272,0.087177...
A lot of traffic going into Harlow would cause the right hand lane to queue back.
There were a vast number of tossers who would intentionally run up the left lane (marked straight ahead only) then go onto the roundabout and stop indicating right towards Harlow - thereby blocking the roundabout to any traffic actually wanting to go straight on or that was turning right out of Harlow. It also slowed things down massively for people actually sat in the queue.
The police should monitor this intermittently - they could make an absolute killing handing tickets out.
Main roundabout in the middle of High Wycombe (next to the Eden Centre).
Two lanes on entry over the flyover, four lanes on the roundabout - the two left lanes are for straight on and the two right lanes are for turning right.
Everyone (apart from me because I try and do things correctly) who is in the left lane approaching the roundabout, straight lines it, cuts across 3 lanes and then back again for the straight on exit and even try to turn right from the left lane crossing 4 lanes.
I always turn right to go to work and EVERY day I have to be super careful not to get side swiped by some idiot who then looks at me like I am in the wrong.
Two lanes on entry over the flyover, four lanes on the roundabout - the two left lanes are for straight on and the two right lanes are for turning right.
Everyone (apart from me because I try and do things correctly) who is in the left lane approaching the roundabout, straight lines it, cuts across 3 lanes and then back again for the straight on exit and even try to turn right from the left lane crossing 4 lanes.
I always turn right to go to work and EVERY day I have to be super careful not to get side swiped by some idiot who then looks at me like I am in the wrong.
Morningside said:
Lets see if I can get this right.
Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
I thought you signalled left once you'd passed the exit before your exit. So before you get to your exit. Single lane entry.
1st left - left hand lane, signal left and exit
upto 12 o'clock - left hand lane, no signal, signal left when taking exit.
Past 12 o'clock - right hand lane, signal right, signal left when taking exit.
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