Going across mini roundabouts
Discussion
There's a mini roundabout I often encounter where it's easier to go over it rather than round it if there's nothing coming towards me. I have seen others doing the same.
I am wondering - what is other people's thoughts on the subject?
Link to google map here
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2494858,0.727973...
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2494119,0.728201...
I am wondering - what is other people's thoughts on the subject?
Link to google map here
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2494858,0.727973...
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2494119,0.728201...
mawallace said:
There's a mini roundabout I often encounter where it's easier to go over it rather than round it if there's nothing coming towards me. I have seen others doing the same.
Going which way?Eastgate St -> Barton Rd or Hollow Rd -> Eastgate St, then - yep - no reason not to.
Like you and millions of others, as long as it's safe to do so I go straight over.
Though off the top of my head the Highway code says something like vehicles *MUST pass around the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so.
Though off the top of my head the Highway code says something like vehicles *MUST pass around the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so.
- Pretty (99%) sure its MUST, but could be should. Would need to check
Ryan-nunm9 said:
Like you and millions of others, as long as it's safe to do so I go straight over.
Though off the top of my head the Highway code says something like vehicles *MUST pass around the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/using...Though off the top of my head the Highway code says something like vehicles *MUST pass around the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so.
- Pretty (99%) sure its MUST, but could be should. Would need to check
The Highway Code said:
Rule 188
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1) & 16(1)
And, of course, we all do everything that's a MUST all the time, don't we? It's a judgement call. If it might possibly inconvenience anybody else, then you'd be a complete nugget to do it. If nobody else is about, then...Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts. All vehicles MUST pass round the central markings except large vehicles which are physically incapable of doing so. Remember, there is less space to manoeuvre and less time to signal. Avoid making U-turns at mini-roundabouts. Beware of others doing this.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10(1) & 16(1)
TooMany2cvs said:
And, of course, we all do everything that's a MUST all the time, don't we? It's a judgement call. If it might possibly inconvenience anybody else, then you'd be a complete nugget to do it. If nobody else is about, then...
Hence saying I do it, allong with millions of others and if it's safe to do so. I've not even heard of it being enforced, just if giving advise and there's a difference between what should be done and what people do, highlihting both is best.TooMany2cvs said:
Mabbs9 said:
I watched someone do this. They missed the fact that the car ahead swung wide to do a 180, cut over the roundabout then smashed into the car that was correctly on the roundabout.
I'm not sure driving over the paint was the biggest issue there.Ryan-nunm9 said:
TooMany2cvs said:
And, of course, we all do everything that's a MUST all the time, don't we? It's a judgement call. If it might possibly inconvenience anybody else, then you'd be a complete nugget to do it. If nobody else is about, then...
Hence saying I do it, allong with millions of others and if it's safe to do so. I've not even heard of it being enforced, just if giving advise and there's a difference between what should be done and what people do, highlihting both is best.vonhosen said:
If there is no-one to see/catch you doing it it's of little consequence. If you do it when someone does see you & you end up getting prosecuted (whether it resulted in conflict or not) then you rolled the dice & lost on that occasion. The result of being prosecuted isn't down to whether you regard it as safe or not to do.
I wonder if there are other rules of the road that might apply to?TooMany2cvs said:
vonhosen said:
If there is no-one to see/catch you doing it it's of little consequence. If you do it when someone does see you & you end up getting prosecuted (whether it resulted in conflict or not) then you rolled the dice & lost on that occasion. The result of being prosecuted isn't down to whether you regard it as safe or not to do.
I wonder if there are other rules of the road that might apply to?
vonhosen said:
If there is no-one to see/catch you doing it it's of little consequence. If you do it when someone does see you & you end up getting prosecuted (whether it resulted in conflict or not) then you rolled the dice & lost on that occasion. The result of being prosecuted isn't down to whether you regard it as safe or not to do.
Of course, at no point did I say or infir that it being safe made it legal. As above, applies to lots of things we (I) do on the road...speed being the obviouse one
Ryan-nunm9 said:
vonhosen said:
If there is no-one to see/catch you doing it it's of little consequence. If you do it when someone does see you & you end up getting prosecuted (whether it resulted in conflict or not) then you rolled the dice & lost on that occasion. The result of being prosecuted isn't down to whether you regard it as safe or not to do.
Of course, at no point did I say or infir that it being safe made it legal. As above, applies to lots of things we (I) do on the road...speed being the obviouse one
As well as there being the legal argument against this, I've noticed that at mini roundabouts near me that people habitually drive over instead of around, out of laziness (some even making a right turn by bypassing the roundabout completely and cutting across in front of it) the marking gets worn out pretty quickly and then has to be repainted far sooner than it would have been, at everyone's expense.
I also find that the people who do this are also the ones that definitely don't bother indicating at them (I'm not talking full-on roundabout style indicating, just a simple left for first exit and a right if taking an exit beyond 12 o'clock) so I tend to lump them all into the category of 'muppet'...
In some scenarios mini roundabouts are introduced purely as traffic-calming devices, and while I'm not sure how much I agree with this as an effective measure it certainly isn't so if people just charge across them without slowing down!
I also find that the people who do this are also the ones that definitely don't bother indicating at them (I'm not talking full-on roundabout style indicating, just a simple left for first exit and a right if taking an exit beyond 12 o'clock) so I tend to lump them all into the category of 'muppet'...
In some scenarios mini roundabouts are introduced purely as traffic-calming devices, and while I'm not sure how much I agree with this as an effective measure it certainly isn't so if people just charge across them without slowing down!
Edited by jchesh on Saturday 7th July 18:18
In Southampton on driving tests the examiners mark differently....which does not help
So I teach that where possible you should slow to a speed where you can at least make an effort to look like you are driving partly around it.
If the "dot" is too big you can't avoid sometimes driving over it a bit
If the road is too narrow you can't avoid the dot....
On one road in Southampton, if you don't cut across the dot deliberately you physically can not get a car around the dot, or you would hit the kerb (the kerb it well beaten up!
There are thousands of examples, negotiate carefully what you see, better to give way than to hit something?
So I teach that where possible you should slow to a speed where you can at least make an effort to look like you are driving partly around it.
If the "dot" is too big you can't avoid sometimes driving over it a bit
If the road is too narrow you can't avoid the dot....
On one road in Southampton, if you don't cut across the dot deliberately you physically can not get a car around the dot, or you would hit the kerb (the kerb it well beaten up!
There are thousands of examples, negotiate carefully what you see, better to give way than to hit something?
Mabbs9 said:
I watched someone do this. They missed the fact that the car ahead swung wide to do a 180, cut over the roundabout then smashed into the car that was correctly on the roundabout.
no-one with at least half their faculties would do a U at a mini roundabout without anticipating it being mis-read, not that its much use after the event I guess and liability would be argueable. Problem with many mini roundabout setups is if you're too prim ie don't take at least a slice of the centre it can be read as taking the first not second exit by impatient waiting drivers.
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