roundabouts 1141

gazzafield On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 10:11:01 +0100, Cessna172 In another thread it is very apparent that lots of drivers on this group do not know the correct way to negotiate a roundabout. The HC is clear on road positioning and indicating, so why the confusion? Drivers also have completely the wrong mindset when approaching roundabouts - they have "Go" in their heads when they should have "Stop"! The average driver approach is a fast approach because of the "go" mentality, very often leading to heavy braking when a vehicle appears from the right. Much better is to approach a roundabout planning to stop, making the decision to go if the roundabout is clear when you get to it. This will lead to a smoother approach and remove the need for heavy braking. I do not like the habit of indicating right, then left when going straght on. The HC is quite clear about this - When taking any intermediate exit - select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary. What does "as necessary" mean? Well the HC says to indicate left when turning left and indicate right when turning right. If you indicate right when going straight on, other drivers WILL buttume you are NOT going straight on. Another poster describes how they indicate right when turning right, but cancel the indicator once on the roundabout. This is not good because drivers will buttume a car not indicating will be leaving at the next junction UNLESS that car has entered the roundabout to their immediate right. In this case a driver will buttume you are going straight on. Jesus! It's simple. Taking first exit? Indicate left. Taking second exit? Do not indicate entering roundabout, indicate left when leaving for your exit. Taking a third or subsequent exit? Indicate right until you have pbutted all the exits you don't want then indicate left and get off the roundabout.

Well it would be simple if it wasn't for the fact that someone parallel and to your left decides *not* to leave at the next exit, which means that you can't in fact get off the roundabout. The HC ought to have told him to approach in the RH lane if going straight on, and to keep out of the LH lane, but instead it tells him to select the 'appropriate' lane. There is even a picture showing the path of a car carrying out this dubious procedure - suggesting that it is okay when it is in fact a recipe for disaster.

-- Rob