Roundabouts, What lane?

Question

I have been driving for 10 years now, There is one big thing that annoys me is, When I go right round a roundabout, say from the first exit to the 4 th, I take the right lane (outside) follow the road rout round on the outside, merge in to my turn off and then, when it is safe to do so I merge back into the inside lane. (hope you understand?) IS IT ME THAT IS WRONG/ but alot of people as the above manover just as they approach th turn off the quickly just go in the inside, so cutting up many drivers, is this the correct practice? or have I been wrong all this years? I have also seen police cars doing both so who is right?

Answer 1

The roundabout will have two lanes usually, if you were to turn left, you would stay on the outer lane, and right would be the inner lane. Straight on would also be the inner lane.

On the slightly busier junction system roundabouts, each lane will be marked (in white letters) in accordance to your intended destination. For example, if it said A120 London, and that is where you destin, then that is obviously the correct lane to be in.

If you accidently take the wrong exit, you will have to drive on as you normally would, then re-enter the roundabout, or a different one to get back on.

Answer 2

Try to imagine the road layout as if the roundabout wasn't there and take up your lane position accordingly.

Many motorists are clueless when it comes to roundabouts, but you seem to have the right idea.

Answer 3

the less u move in and out the safer...just stay outside ...go slow and the heck with right or wrong....be happy...by by

Answer 4

10 years on a roundabout. Boy, how'd you find time to write? Do the inside tires wear faster?

People that cut to the inside and then back to the outside to exit are just in a hurry, they're tightening their 'line', and are just being rude.

Answer 5

Lisa you are right, but are you contributing to the problem?

Do you check your left mirror and change your indicator to left at the correct time? Are you staying slightly too long in the right hand lane before heading off towards your exit - thus leaving a gap on your left hand side that other drivers (incorrectly i might add!) are exploiting - thus cutting you up?

I had a pupil do this just once on a Driving Test, staying to the right too long before coming over, and she failed with a major fault - she couldn't understand what she had done wrong!

Answer 6

Try these sites.............

http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/austr...

http://www.wibw.com/blogs/briand/1900744...

Answer 7

you are right as long as you are using your indicators correctly for instance as you are just pasing the third exit then you should cancel your right indicator and imediatly put your left one on. ps just carry on doing it your way you are right so stick to it and keep it up if only there was a few more drivers like you it would be a pleasure to drive more ;;;

Answer 8

You're right however on a quieter day people do cut across the lanes remember also the right side for going straight over tends to be the fast lane

Answer 9

The correct way is to enter in the inner lane, indicating right

( if in the in the UK)

stay in that lane till the exit before the one you want, then indicate left, and move over into the outer lane, and exit.

Answer 10

On a standard 4 exit roundabout (3 exits if you don't include the one you are approaching on) it's as follows (UK):

For left turn: Approach in the left lane. Check mirrors on approach and signal left. Stay in the left lane through the roundabout - remember to give way to traffic already on the roundabout!

For straight ahead: Approach in the left lane (unless road markings show otherwise). Check mirror. No signal. Stay in the left lane through the roundabout. As you pass the exit BEFORE the one you want, check mirrors and signal left. Stay in the left lane as you exit the roundabout. Cancel signal after leaving.

For right turn: Approach roundabout in right lane (unless road markings show otherwise). Signal right on approach. On the roundabout stay in the right lane (unless road markings show otherwise) and continue signalling right. As you pass the exit BEFORE the one you want, check mirrors, change signal from right to left and leave the roundabout in the left lane if it's safe to do so - otherwise stay in the right lane until it's safe to move over once you've left the roundabout. Cancel your signal after leaving.

Hope this helps!

Answer 11

Drivers just randomly going from outer to inside lane during roundabouts are just as clueless as you are, probably.

But you are not doing the wrong thing, as long as you follow your lane there is nothing to worry about.

But most of the time, I've seen cars that does merge from outer to inner lane and that is because the result of going too fast that they cannot control their handling in a 360 degree turn.

Just drive slow and take your time in a roundabout, roundabouts are new to many people and people still has yet adapted to it's concept.

For example, one time, I saw this driver driving straight past through the roundabout and I just thought that was the craziest thing ever...

So don't worry, you are not doing anything wrong, you can't expect every driver to think alike, as long as you maitain your speed and lane control and going to wherever you have to go to, you are fine.

Answer 12

ihate roundabouts iagree with you but i dont know if you are right,driving for 40 years

Answer 13

You have got it dead right. I know just what you mean about other drivers. Its very annoying when people dont know how to use a roundabout. Wish there were more drivers like you!!

And i'm not just agreeing with you cos i want 10 points! lol

Answer 14

as a master roundabout instructor, I can honestly say that .....................YOU ARE CORRECT..........................

What you can also do is, instead of merging into your inside lane you may travel further on that road ( if there is a 2nd lane to do so) and then when your car is on a straight stretch and away from r/a you can then return to the inside lane.

now if only everyone was like that.

Today, a tourist decided to do a lap of honour  (3 times ) round one of our busiest roundabouts.  My pupil was going ahead, 2nd exit and along with a bus on our left hand side turning left, another to our right going round we had to wait.....and  wait...... once I realised where he was heading we made our way.  As we moved off I could hear the metal crunching sound of a R.T.A.. Not wanting to break my neck to look, we carried on to the route and then we managed to come back to that roundabout. Looked like our tourist was in the right hand lane of the dual carriageway but did not see the small smart car in his inside and struck it, the smart car was on the pavement with a red scrape down the offside of it. Some people do wear blinkers when they are driving.

I take my advance driving test every few years and I feel that every driver and I do mean every driver should retake their driving test.  Who on this site can honestly, and I mean honestly ,  right hand up to you know who, on their kids lives, etc.... can say that they could pass their driving test tomorrow.

I know I could.  

If everyone drove like they did on their test day, we would be very good drivers....