Signalling at roundabouts

[EltonRoad]

This is a particular bugbear of mine, and I'd like to know what others think.

I have always approached roundabouts so that if I'm going left (first exit), I signal left before entering the roundabout and keep the signal on until I've exited; for straight on (second exit) I don't necessarily signal but may signal left just as I'm about to leave the roundabout; for third or subsequent exits I signal right before entering the roundabout, and after I've passed the exit before the one I'm taking, change the signal to left.

There may be exceptions where the roundabout isn't a conventional one, but I'll always try and signal my intent to avoid confusion about whether I'm staying on or exiting.

It really annoys me when people turn right at roundabouts, either without signalling at all (very common these days) or only turn the indicator on at the point they're about to exit. If I see a car coming round without a signal, I always think they're going straight on, but they often continue coming round, leading me on occasions to almost drive into them. Likewise, I often see someone approaching from the exit to my right, wait for them to come round the roundabout because they're not signalling, then they turn left.

Grr! Please signal!

 

[strange6]

This is a particular bugbear of mine, and I'd like to know what others think.

I have always approached roundabouts so that if I'm going left (first exit), I signal left before entering the roundabout and keep the signal on until I've exited; for straight on (second exit) I don't necessarily signal but may signal left just as I'm about to leave the roundabout; for third or subsequent exits I signal right before entering the roundabout, and after I've passed the exit before the one I'm taking, change the signal to left.

There may be exceptions where the roundabout isn't a conventional one, but I'll always try and signal my intent to avoid confusion about whether I'm staying on or exiting.

It really annoys me when people turn right at roundabouts, either without signalling at all (very common these days) or only turn the indicator on at the point they're about to exit. If I see a car coming round without a signal, I always think they're going straight on, but they often continue coming round, leading me on occasions to almost drive into them. Likewise, I often see someone approaching from the exit to my right, wait for them to come round the roundabout because they're not signalling, then they turn left.

Grr! Please signal!

I agree 100 percent with you on this. I do exactly what you do and always indicate in the direction of travel that I'm heading in. If I'm going straight on, I will not indicate at all because I'm going in a straight line. There are two reason why people don't indicate at roundabouts:
1) They're totally inconsiderate people
2) Out of ignorance and generally poor all-round driving skills
Most people in the first catagory don't give a stuff about their fellow road users and most people in the second catagory think you're a mind reader.
It really does p*ss me off too

 

[rail-britain]

Indicators are fashion accessories (as quoted from a recent BMW brochure)
Therefore always assume the vehicle is not going where it is indicating, if they are being used

Vehicle manufacturers then "improved" indicators with the intermediate option of a "quick flash"
However, this assumes other drivers have their full attention at all times, and does not even take into account blinking!

 

[Sun Chariot]

Turn left = I signal left, I turn, I exit the roundabout.

Turn right / bear right on third/fourth exit = I signal right, I filter, I turn, I exit the roundabout.

Straight ahead / bear left on second exit = I signal left just after I've passed the previous left exit.


I do the same whether for mini-roundabouts or for larger roundabouts; and whether single- or multiple carriageways around the roundabout.

I've been a motorcyclist in past years and I've seen some astonishing driver interpretations of "mirrors, signal, manoeuvre"...

 

[deltic1989]

I'm the same as the OP, people's behavior at roundabouts really gets on my nerves, what particularly annoys me is people forgetting that on joining a roundabout you must give way to the right, i've had a few hairy moments on my little 125 where a 44 ton truck has pulled out on me whilst navigating a roundabout. my procedure for round abouts is the same as the OP's so I won't repeat it here, It seems to be junctions in general not just roundabouts that bring out the worst in drivers. The 125 I have now is my third since 17 (i'm 22 next week) , the other 2 were written off as a result of frankly dangerous drivers, 1 a hit and run driver evading the police, and 2 a driver that decided traffic lights did'nt apply to him and went straight through a junction I happened to be in (my insurance company loves me). I'm sad to say that its not only young drivers that are guilty of this drivers that really sould know better do it too. Another one of my bug bears is the opposite of this one though far from not using indicators failing to cancel them, there is nothing more annoying than a 90 year old woman (no offence ment to anyones mum or grandma) driving up the A1 at 30 MPH with the right hand indicator going.

 

[me123]

This is a particular bugbear of mine, and I'd like to know what others think.

I have always approached roundabouts so that if I'm going left (first exit), I signal left before entering the roundabout and keep the signal on until I've exited; for straight on (second exit) I don't necessarily signal but may signal left just as I'm about to leave the roundabout; for third or subsequent exits I signal right before entering the roundabout, and after I've passed the exit before the one I'm taking, change the signal to left.

There may be exceptions where the roundabout isn't a conventional one, but I'll always try and signal my intent to avoid confusion about whether I'm staying on or exiting.

It really annoys me when people turn right at roundabouts, either without signalling at all (very common these days) or only turn the indicator on at the point they're about to exit. If I see a car coming round without a signal, I always think they're going straight on, but they often continue coming round, leading me on occasions to almost drive into them. Likewise, I often see someone approaching from the exit to my right, wait for them to come round the roundabout because they're not signalling, then they turn left.

Grr! Please signal!

I wholly concur. Indicating isn't all that difficult. All you need to do is move your hand slightly in order to move the lever in the correct direction to activate the lights. You must always indicate the direction in which you wish to travel at a roundabout.

Indicate left for the first exit (except for the odd roundabouts where your 1st exit is to the right). Indicate right for any exit to your RHS. And always indicate that you intend to leave the roundabout by using your left indicator. There is only one exception that I've ever come across and that is here, where indicating left suggests to other motorists that you intend to go down towards Coatbridge Town Centre.

For larger junctions (eg Gyratory junctions or spiral roundabouts), it's a bit more complex; but I always follow the arrows on the road and indicate left or right as required where the lane splits in two. For example, here I'll indicate left if I'm in the middle lane and am bearing left.

In fact, this morning, I had a taxi driver in the wrong lane and not indicating. I was going right (3rd exit out of 4, about 2/3 of the way round). I think it was fair to assume that he was either taking the 1st or 2nd exit. Imagine my surprise when he was suddenly behind me on the way into the car park. He obviously wasn't very happy when I cut him off as I left the roundabout, but he did absolutely nothing right. And it was on the way into work, so I know the road at least as well as anyone else!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm the same as the OP, people's behavior at roundabouts really gets on my nerves, what particularly annoys me is people forgetting that on joining a roundabout you must give way to the right...

As a rule of thumb, all priorities are altered/reversed on a roundabout. So traffic turning right tends to have priority over everything else etc. That's why they work well in some places and not others... I promise I'm going somewhere with this!

There's a junction I use regularly here that used to work fine. Note that there aren't any arrows in the lanes or any indication of where you should be; it can therefore be assumed that the LH lane is for exits 1&2, and the RH lane is solely for exit 3. And that's what used to happen. Since then, a set of traffic lights has been installed at a junction further up the road which means that there are now two lanes of traffic heading towards the roundabout. Whilst the lights have been good for a number of reasons, the poor implementation means that people now (incorrectly I think) use both lanes to continue straight on, leading to a few hairy incidents. When leaving a roundabout, I've always been told that the left hand lane has the priority (so in the case of two people going round at the same time, the car on the left should leave first, followed by the car on the right where the exit road has only one lane). They don't do this. The car on the right usually accelerates off the roundabout cutting the LH car off and nearly causing an accident.

Thankfully, the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that there is a fire station just at the other end of the roundabout, so any major incidents can be attended to rapidly.

(Sorry if you need to read that a few times; I can't word it any simpler!).

 

[djw1981]

You should indicate left when you have past the previous exit according to highway code. Thus providing maximum notice to other traffic that you intend to take the next exit.

 

[strange6]

You should indicate left when you have past the previous exit according to highway code. Thus providing maximum notice to other traffic that you intend to take the next exit.

Exactly. it's all about consideration; something sadly lacking in people these days

 

[Spaceflower]

Yes, I agree and do the same. Whilst cars that do not signal at all aren't too much of a problem (you can assume they are continuing round the roundabout), cars which signal left too early can cause problems. This is down to motorists not knowing the highway code properly and hence can't drive properly. There has been alot of times when ive been waiting at a roundabout and cars coming round have been signalling left (indicating to leave at the exit im trying to enter), then continue round and take the next one.

 

[90019]

I find a good rule to go by on the roads is that indicators mean nothing until the person starts making the manoeuvre.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I find a good rule to go by on the roads is that indicators mean nothing until the person starts making the manoeuvre.

And conversely, that an absence of indicators mean anything might happen.
(as it often does)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Round here indicators are rarely used at all.

In our road, there lives a police officer. Once I took the opportunity to discuss the lack of use of indicators locally with said officer.

The officer's reply?

"Oh, I never use mine either!"

:roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[O L Leigh]

There is a particular problem I have frequently witnessed that appears to be just local to me. This is the driver that enters the roundabout signalling right and who then changes to a left indicator after passing the first exit and then takes the "straight ahead" exit.

The first time I encountered this I was on the bike and almost had a massive accident because I assumed from the indicator that the driver was turning right and that it would be safe to go around the outside of them as I was going straight on. I only avoided a collision due to braking heavily when they suddenly indicated left and moved across to close me off. I've even come close to having a stand-up row with someone (not on the road, incidentally) who had the gall to try and tell me it was an advanced driving technique. It really is nothing of the sort!!

O L Leigh

 

[LE Greys]

Somebody nearly killed my recently at Corey's Mill Roundabout. I was walking home after a bit of linesiding at Halfpenny Bridge, and had to cross the slip road onto the northbound A1(M). Someone was rounding the roundabout in the middle lane (it's three-lane, all marked) and not signalling, so I assumed that they were continuing round. I set off, only to see them jink left and head right for me. I had to turn like a cricketer going for his century and head back, nearly getting flattened by a second car as well. Middle lane, not signalling, nearly killed me. At least I would have been close to the Lister had I survived it.

 

[Crossover]

I agree with the OP fully on this, although I have to admit I have had the odd occasion where for one reason or another I have forgotten to indicate.

It is a pain the backside when on foot (as at the moment I often am) and people don't indicate. We have a roundabout outside university and crossing the junctions off it at peak times can be a hair raising experience at times!

 

[deltic1989]

To clarify my previous post as looking at it again i seem to have worded it in a rather confusing manner. What I was getting at with priorties at roundabouts is that traffic joining the roundabout according to the Highway code must give way to traffic already navigating the roundabout, hence my use of the phrase give way to the right. I've had a few near misses on my motorbike where (In broad daylight, with me wearing a hi-viz wasitcoat, and my headlight on dipped beam, cars have pulled out onto the roundabout as I was coming round, seemingly acting as if I wasnt there, When I took my CBT and my test, I was continusly reminded to ride like im invisible, and assume everyone else on the road is a) stupid or b) out to get me, (hows that for an intructor trying to make a student paranoid?) and i frquently find that most drivers seem to be just that. It seems to me that for every 1 careful, considerate driver there are 20 idiots, or maybe I ride the wrong roads at the wrong times.

 

[BlythPower]

I really can't understand the people (usually in German cars) who, when turning right at a roundabout, don't indicate at all under just before they exit, when, even though they're about to turn left to exit, briefly flick the right-hand indicator on. WTF do they think they're doing?!?

 

[Royston Vasey]

I've become less irritated by this over time purely because I'm so used to it. I find rather than assume something and getting cross, just assume everyone is going to pull across you, and go about your business but be ready to either brake, power or steer out of trouble. It's a defensive state of mind where you're always ready for someone to do something inconsiderabe/stupid/dangerous but you remove the emotion/anger from it, you end up just dealing with it a lot more safely.

Several times I've been on roundabouts or motorways and said to my girlfriend "he's going to pull out on me, he's going to cut me up, he is turning right, that lorry is going to drift into my lane" and sure enough it happens. There is a lot to be deduced from very small directional changes, positioning in the lane, speed or changes in speed, and things like whether the car is left or right hand drive. You can't be taught it, you just learn it from regular distance driving.

If you're aware of everything around you, you tend to be able to avoid even very stupid manoeuvres of other drivers.

 

[red circle]

Ah.My favouite rant.A mini roundabout I have to use every day,junction of three A roads and a residential street.Car to my right no indicators so I give way,car then turns left...grrr.Car to my right indicating right and just sits there until I lose patience and just go,no matter who's right of way it is.Cars left right and centre and nobody moves,usually Nissan Micras.

 

[rail-britain]

In our road, there lives a police officer. Once I took the opportunity to discuss the lack of use of indicators locally with said officer
The officer's reply?
"Oh, I never use mine either!"

Sounds like this officer has been called to court a few times and then found out what the courts response was
It would be something like, "signals and indicators are not mandatory"

Many years I was summoned for failing to indicate at a roundabout (where there was no traffic)
The Sherrif just laughed and dismissed the case

 

[strange6]

I've become less irritated by this over time purely because I'm so used to it. I find rather than assume something and getting cross, just assume everyone is going to pull across you, and go about your business but be ready to either brake, power or steer out of trouble. It's a defensive state of mind where you're always ready for someone to do something inconsiderabe/stupid/dangerous but you remove the emotion/anger from it, you end up just dealing with it a lot more safely.

Several times I've been on roundabouts or motorways and said to my girlfriend "he's going to pull out on me, he's going to cut me up, he is turning right, that lorry is going to drift into my lane" and sure enough it happens. There is a lot to be deduced from very small directional changes, positioning in the lane, speed or changes in speed, and things like whether the car is left or right hand drive. You can't be taught it, you just learn it from regular distance driving.

If you're aware of everything around you, you tend to be able to avoid even very stupid manoeuvres of other drivers.

I know what you mean. After years of experience, you just get this 3rd instinct and you know what people are going to do before they do it. This has saved me and my car quite a few times let me tell you, because I have taken avoiding action before the idiots have done their reckless move. People pulling out of side streets in front of you is a good example of my instinct saving my bacon, so to speak.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Sounds like this officer has been called to court a few times and then found out what the courts response was
It would be something like, "signals and indicators are not mandatory"

Many years I was summoned for failing to indicate at a roundabout (where there was no traffic)
The Sherrif just laughed and dismissed the case

If that's the case, then I would guess that the local courts also dismiss any cases of protecting the parking space outside one's house by putting your wheely bins and traffic cones there...:roll:

 

[Deerfold]

At least I would have been close to the Lister had I survived it.

You see that as a positive?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I really can't understand the people (usually in German cars) who, when . . . . . WTF do they think they're doing?!?

That's interesting.
On my little bit of amateur market research, I found that its German cars (particularly red and black ones) that are the best at overtaking long lines of invisible vehicles on the inside and middle lanes of motorways.

They must have some impressive gadgetry on-board to achieve all that - I've never seen them having to decellerate to avoid collision with those invisible users of the inside lanes. But the very same gadgetery also seems to inhibit the operation of the flashing orange lights, so maybe its not as advanced as I thought it was.

 

[LE Greys]

You see that as a positive?

They saved my life once!

 

[Eng274]

A friend of mine recently got pulled over for using the bus lane at peak time - the officer said he'd undercut ten cars and zipped away at the lights to get past them all. 99 times out of 100 he gets away with it too, just bad luck.

Its funny that the type of car you drive is also a key factor in how suspicious you are to the police. Someone in a battered 106 with a broken tail light is more likely to not have tax, ins, mot etc than someone driving a sensible saloon, for instance. Similarly 5 yoofs in a Saxo, or a nitwit in a BMW driving like morons will ring alam bells. The person mentioned above had never been pulled over before, and he's driven a VW Passat most of the time.

It's fairly easy to remember the indicating at roundabouts system (driving test still fresh) although it gets tricky if roundabouts have more than 4 roads converging and individual judgement as to what counts as 'straight ahead' or 'right turn' can vary!

 

[Deerfold]

They saved my life once!

You had a better experience than I did - I saw a specialist there who was able to tell me less than my GP.