Traffic Island indication

[NS66]

Can someone explain to me why some people ( happened twice today hence the post ) on approaching an island in left lane indicate right ( heeds caution at this point) but go straight on? seems to me they think they its an island so need to indicate their direction but does seem odd to me.

[Pica-Pica]

Haven’t a clue what you are on about. Diagram, or photos may help.

[vonhosen]

I think he's talking about indicating right whilst following the road ahead at a roundabout.

[NS66]

vonhosen said:

I think he's talking about indicating right whilst following the road ahead at a roundabout.

thats correct

[J__Wood]

I had a feeling back in the 80s the highway code was:

signal right
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.

Not how Rule 186 is now though.

I do quite like it as the right indicator does sort of say I'm not taking the exit you are waiting at so don't pull out...

I did some ACU thing with the Plods as a 16 year old and I'm sure they taught it, however 40 years and a lot of damaged brain cells.
They also taught me how to speed every day without getting caught which has been priceless and how to spot where a horse may be in the road, not used so often.

[NS66]

Thanks for that - thought it might be an old style habit,

Trouble is or possibly a good thing is you dont know if they are going all the way around the outside of the island - so caution is very much required!!

[Muddle238]

Occasionally, depending on road layout/lane layout/markings and traffic conditions, I may do this. It’s basically a signal to those waiting to join the RAB ahead that I’m going to be continuing round to pass in front of them, before taking the next exit after, which is when I give a left signal.

Not always but sometimes, some RABs near me have lane markings that from a positioning perspective appear to be sending you off towards the previous exit, before continuing around the RAB in close proximity to the front of vehicles waiting to join. Without a signal it can look to those waiting to join that you may be taking the previous exit. This creates the risk of them pulling out straight into your path, which the signal is trying to mitigate against.

[nonsequitur]

NS66 said:

vonhosen said:

I think he's talking about indicating right whilst following the road ahead at a roundabout.

thats correct

Many keep indicating right as they are turning left to exit the RAB. Now that is poor driving and confusing to all and sundry.

[Majorslow]

If signalling right entering a roundabout, and went left you would be looking fail a driving test for "incorrect" use of signal if it "effected" another road user.

Signals must be correct, necessary, and properly timed.... so the op... is getting none of those messages from the offending driver.

When I carry out "Taxi assessments" for my local authority, I often find many "foreign" born drivers do this, and "older" native born drivers. It has often caused drivers in lanes to their off side to brake, and in some instances change lanes believing they are going to get side swiped.....followed by horns sounding and fingers giving "salutes"

[Armchair_Expert]

Its' because people are cretins.

It happened to me last weekend in Dorset. front of a queue merging onto a roundabout, car in circuit which I deduce is taking the first exit and not crossing my path. As I start to merge the car then turns on his right indicator, in order to take the exit I thought he was going to take, meaning I had to brake as I thought he had a last minute change of heart and was going to circuit the roundabout across me. Utter moron.

[OverSteery]

Armchair_Expert said:

Its' because people are cretins.

It happened to me last weekend in Dorset. front of a queue merging onto a roundabout, car in circuit which I deduce is taking the first exit and not crossing my path. As I start to merge the car then turns on his right indicator, in order to take the exit I thought he was going to take, meaning I had to brake as I thought he had a last minute change of heart and was going to circuit the roundabout across me. Utter moron.

Most drivers do not have a very good understanding of how they should drive. Calling them cretins is harsh, but they don't think about their driving and don't really care about their driving. They passed their test years ago and haven't thought about it since.

For example - most drivers (including many class 1 HGV) don't know what a yellow traffic light means (nor where is comes in the sequence).

[Pica-Pica]

OverSteery said:

Armchair_Expert said:

Its' because people are cretins.

It happened to me last weekend in Dorset. front of a queue merging onto a roundabout, car in circuit which I deduce is taking the first exit and not crossing my path. As I start to merge the car then turns on his right indicator, in order to take the exit I thought he was going to take, meaning I had to brake as I thought he had a last minute change of heart and was going to circuit the roundabout across me. Utter moron.

Most drivers do not have a very good understanding of how they should drive. Calling them cretins is harsh, but they don't think about their driving and don't really care about their driving. They passed their test years ago and haven't thought about it since.

For example - most drivers (including many class 1 HGV) don't know what a yellow traffic light means (nor where is comes in the sequence).

… and those that wait at a pedestrian crossing with a flashing amber, but a cleared crossing.

[Om]

OverSteery said:

Most drivers do not have a very good understanding of how they should drive. Calling them cretins is harsh, but they don't think about their driving and don't really care about their driving. They passed their test years ago and haven't thought about it since.

For example - most drivers (including many class 1 HGV) don't know what a yellow traffic light means (nor where is comes in the sequence).

To be fair I would also be confused by a yellow traffic light. In the UK at least.

[StalledClio]

If the exit is more than halfway around, for example at the 1 o’clock position on the board, a right indicator should be used.

That’s my interpretation of 186, and how I was taught. Lots of drivers seem to disagree.

[LunarOne]

StalledClio said:

If the exit is more than halfway around, for example at the 1 o’clock position on the board, a right indicator should be used.

That’s my interpretation of 186, and how I was taught. Lots of drivers seem to disagree.

I would agree. If turning left, indicate left. If going straight on, do not indicate until you have passed the exit preceding the one you want to take, and then indicate left. If turning right of straight ahead, indicate right until you have passed the exit preceding the one you want to take, then indicate left.

https://youtu.be/e7uYp0sUq3o?t=258

[StalledClio]

StalledClio said:

If the exit is more than halfway around, for example at the 1 o’clock position on the board, a right indicator should be used.

Eh? What are you talking about?
A straight on can be at 1 o’clock on the board.

See https://youtu.be/TU4Ty4HgLyI at 13:18