Mini roundabouts 337

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message

It depends on what the law says rather than the simplified version in the Highway Code. TSRGD2002 section 16 says about the warning sign for a roundabout (611.1):

'(a) A vehicle entering the junction must give priority to vehicles coming from the right at the transverse road marking shown in diagram 1003.3 buttociated with the sign or, if the marking is not for the time being visible, at the junction;'

Diagram 1003.3 is the 'give way' line.

So it does include vehicles approaching the roundabout from the right as well as those actually going around the roundabout.

Earlier versions of the Highway Code (1978 and 1993) also said 'on reaching the roundabout, give way to traffic on your right'. Which is more or less what the current version says.

What I do notice is that the words 'give way' have changed to 'give priority to'. This is the same with the line at the end of approach slips to motorways too in the Highway Code (HC233). The notes accompanying diagram 1003.3 use the words 'give way' but Section 16 uses 'give priority to'. To me 'give way' is an actual legal requirement which is described in section 25 of TSRGD2002, and that used to be the case for the marking at the end of a slip road. 'Give priority to' sounds less formal and in the case of the end of slip road marking the word 'MUST' indicating a particular law is not used in the current version of the Highway Code. Why use two phrases where one used to be enough?

Ian