Please, when approaching a roundabout and your way is clear, don't just gun it and zip around it as fast as you like. It stops people on other exits being able to get out. If you just took it [b]slightly[/b] more slowly, then far more people would be able to get onto the roundabout and get on their way, and congestion would be much reduced.
I really don't feel I should have to wait for a couple of minutes whilst you lot enjoy yourselves pretending to be racing drivers.
Your problem may be that you're trying to get onto a roundabout from an exit, rather than from an entry. Using an exit as an entry can get you into all sorts of trouble.
[b]*INDICATORS*[/b]
👿
Please, when approaching a roundabout and your way is clear, don't just gun it and zip around it as fast as you like. It stops people on other exits being able to get out. If you just took it slightly more slowly, then far more people would be able to get onto the roundabout and get on their way, and congestion would be much reduced.I really don't feel I should have to wait for a couple of minutes whilst you lot enjoy yourselves pretending to be racing drivers.
You really do have too much time on your hands. You on a constant tea break?
I bloody well indicate!
And yes Jamie I do.
Please, when approaching a roundabout and your way is clear, don't just gun it and zip around it as fast as you like
Unless you're on a motorbike, then it's ok [b]providing[/b] you shake your head slowly as you do it
I think we should be more scientific about this. What speed is defined as "gunning it"?
On one of my commutes there's a roundabout at the bottom of a hill, that then leads into a long flat straight road. If my way is clear, I don't have to brake at all from the hill and can gun it across the roundabout and down the straight, all at about 30mph. Otherwise I have to brake and that means I have to pedal more..
Apparently..
Gunning it is just enough speed to block me from getting out. Btw this is in the car not on the bike (hence chat forum). Usually people not slowing from 30mph.
It's perfectly legal as they do not have to give way to me waiting to enter the roundabout. But it's thoughtless and selfish.
Please, when approaching a roundabout and your way is clear, don't just gun it and zip around it as fast as you like. It stops people on other exits being able to get out. If you just took it slightly more slowly, then far more people would be able to get onto the roundabout and get on their way, and congestion would be much reduced.
Ahh but it doesn't work like that!
EG
I'm coming up to a roundabout, one other vehicle approaching (From the right, say), and I can see there's space for me to get on if I speed up a bit. So I do. Neither of us have to stop. Lovely! 🙂
If there's also someone waiting at the left turning and I stop and let them go (When I acutally don't need to) then either they have to wait for the car coming from my right, or if not, I've stopped and they've gone rather than me keeping going and saving more time and fuel than them staying satationary for 5 seconds extra. In which case it's ,err, all swings and roundabouts! (Groan!)
🙂
But waht usually happens is you get 3 people stopped waiting at a roundabout, dumbly looking at one another, and I zip round in front of all of them! 🙂
If you are at the roundabout before they are just go.
So they should be going slow enough to allow you to pull out in front of them, but not so slowly that they cause more traffic, and not so quickly they just go into the side of you.
I'm assuming the speed will have to be dependant on the acceleration the car that is pulling out can do, is there a formula? I'm thinking around 25.62mph? I guess it also depends on the size of the roundabout..
But because they are going too fast and if you pull out, due to your standing start, you get in their way and get beeped.
Plus sometimes they get to the roundabout before you but there WOULD be plenty of room if they weren't going fast.
It does depend on the size of the roundabout yes. And of course they might be nipping out infront of someone else but that is not always the case.
The worst one I know for this is in Cardiff. It's quite blind, so people have to step on it to get out of their exit, but the problem is they KEEP the pedal down and end up screaming around, thereby blocking everyone else trying to get on.
The thing with driving in general and roundabouts in particular is that most people only drive to what they can see 20 yards in front of them. Look as far ahead/righ/left as possible and you can usually adjust your speed (Up or down) and not have to stop.
But lots of people drive up to roundabout, stop at the line, THEN start looking. It doesn't bother me though. I'm on my way and gone! 🙂
If they get to a roundabout before you, and are going quickly, what's the problem. Are you moaning that you have to wait a second or two? News flash: other people use the roads. Get used to it lol.
But because they are going too fast and if you pull out, due to your standing start, you get in their way and get beeped.
And rightly so. You give way to traffic coming from the right, end of story. If they are under the limit, then what's the problem? If they are over it, do you [i]really[/i] want a speeding nutter coming towards you as you pull out (And pulling out in front of them to slow them down would be a fundamentally dumb thing to do!) or stuck behind you if they take the same exit? No. You don't. Just chill and let them go. 🙂
molgrips - Member
I bloody well indicate!
I wasn't meaning you - it was a general complaint about most roundabout users.
A few weeks back I was behind a woman who was indicating right but positioned on the road in such a way to suggest she was turning left.
She went straight on.
MF - A flashing indicator only proves the bulb is working!
MF - A flashing indicator only proves the bulb is working!
? Your point being?
MF - A flashing indicator only proves the bulb is working!
or that there's an intermittent fault 🙂
? Your point being?
I think his point is most drivers don't know WTF they are for and how to correctly use them.
So go on, at roundabouts whats the rule? "You give way to people on your right" apparently, but if i'm waiting to get onto a roundabout and there's heavy traffic from the right going straight across I could be sat there for aeons. Is it supposed to be turn based? i.e. If I'm in the flow of heavy traffic and I see someone waiting to my left am I [i]supposed[/i] to let him go first? highway code doesn't seem to have an opinion.
my personal favourites are the numpties that think its alright to pull out just in front of you, causing you to brake on the roundabout, and then they saunter off, deliberately not looking at you at any point because:
a) They are clueless morons that only ever look straight ahead....
b) They're fully aware of their rubbish driving but don't want to see my seething face as I pull on the anchors in my car, or on my bike, when I shake my head slowly at them...
I'll be honest roundabouts and indicators confuse me. Can someone explain how you are meant to position yourself and indicate on them to me please.
if you can make it easier for someone at a busy roundabout to get out by being a bit more relaxed as you go around then why not do it, its the nice thing to do. Plus also the fact that you are going a bit slower might make it easier to actually use the steering wheel to stay in lane rather than drifting across them all- theres no racing line on a roundabout.
So go on, at roundabouts whats the rule? "You give way to people on your right" apparently, but if i'm waiting to get onto a roundabout and there's heavy traffic from the right going straight across I could be sat there for aeons. Is it supposed to be turn based? i.e. If I'm in the flow of heavy traffic and I see someone waiting to my left am I supposed to let him go first? highway code doesn't seem to have an opinion
As far as I have ever understood it, it is not turn based and you give way to your right. If that means waiting then you wait.
I'll be honest roundabouts and indicators confuse me. Can someone explain how you are meant to position yourself and indicate on them to me please.
If there are three exits it is easy: Left (left indicate); Straight on (don't indicate till you are past the first exit then indicate left); Right (Indicate right until you are past the turn before the one you are turning into, then you indicate left.
Gets more complimicated when there are multiple exits but *essentially* the same rules apply.
Jinnyshand, see [url= http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338 ]here[/url]
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Well with the good natured driving style thats popular in the UK I'm sure someone will let me through shortly.............As far as I have ever understood it, it is not turn based and you give way to your right. If that means waiting then you wait.
Dammit. I was always told that it was right indicator to go onto the roundabout and left indicator to come off and just take whichever lane you wanted.
buy a BMW or an Audi and never have to worry about etiquette ever again
Already have the Audi.
I love roundabouts, especially double mini roundabouts, I can usually spin through at 30mph while hordes of dopey motorists wring hands and flap about trying to figure out what to do. It all stems from being seemingly unable to look beyond the end of their noses.
rest in blissful ignorance
NOTHING TO SEE HERE
Try living in Milton Keynes then....it's all roundabouts.
my philosaphy is if you are stuck in this situation which to be fair i often am in MK i just floor it and make the buggers brake a little!! You get some gesticulating from the driver but they always seem to let you in rather than trashing their BMW.
Otherwise stay on the bicycle it's less stressful.
Are you moaning that you have to wait a second or two?
Well quite obviously not. I object to having to wait 2 minutes [b]completely unnecessarily [/b] just because people like to zip about.
Some of this is down to bad road design.
I pass through a nasty one most days at the Edinburgh bypass. It is way too small for the number of entrances/exits and the amount of traffic, by the time you get a good view of the car and can make your educated guess on it's path you have very little time to react. That combined with numpty selfish people who believe the fairy tale that you don't have to indicate if you are going straight over (and what is "straight over" on a starfish roundabout anyway ?).
And don't lecture me on planning ahead I know that and act on it, but this ridiculous thing has the herbiage of the giant roundabout it should be, so you can't see across.
Not to mention the lane markings are faded so its a combination roundabout and slalom course.
Your point being?
That a flashing indicator does not mean the car will be turning in that direction.
As a case in point a mate of mine once pulled out of a junction (Turning right) when a car was indicating left to turn in, the car went straight on and hit him. It was my mates fault, according to the insurers.
Some of this is down to bad road design
Agreed - there's one by us that is much too small. The problem there is not with speeding but the fact that you jsut can't get on due to too many people coming up. If it were bigger and the entrance sharper (causing further slowing) then it'd help I think.
That's why town planning is a degree subject.
I never trust people's indicators. I always wait till they've slowed and are clearly about to turn before believing that they really will. Indicators are not a contract.
That a flashing indicator does not mean the car will be turning in that direction.
I agree.
As a case in point a mate of mine once pulled out of a junction (Turning right) when a car was indicating left to turn in, the car went straight on and hit him. It was my mates fault, according to the insurers.
I agree with the insurers.
Again, as far as I have ever understood it, you only proceed when you are confident it is safe to do so and don't assume an indicator flashing means they will make a manoeuvre to correspond. It doesn't mean it is okay not to indicate though - that is just laziness.
EDIT: I look at an indicator as a bit like an amber light - it means 'stop' but get ready to go when you are sure it is safe to do so.
Roundabouts are give-way features, if you can't get out yet you can't get out yet. My gunning it would probably be different to yours, you can't define who is right. Likewise your not gunning it could be too fast for doddering old lady.
I object to having to wait 2 minutes completely unnecessarily just because people like to zip about.
same here but more from a pedestrian point of view - typical bizarre reversing back and forth in junction manoevre near school gates yesterday - then driver parks in front of me and the kids who are waiting to cross road - iguess didn't see me because it was raining
same ****ts that enjoy the thrill of country lanes/carve up cyclists/park on pavement to go to cash machine/pull across junctions/drive at on mobiles/use two parking spaces/grow leylandi/smoke/complain about other drivers and are Thatchers spawn
All this talk of roundabouts and you've missed the most annoying / dangerous motoring habit. Lane drift.
On small roundabouts with two lanes, a lot of people going straight on will straight-line both lanes; ie, with reference to the diagram above, start in the blue lane, be in (or halfway across) the green lane at the 'apex' of the roundabout, and exit back in the blue again.
There's one of these little buggers that I have to turn right at on my way home, and having a driver on the left [i]not [/i]try to run me off the road is an exception rather than the rule.
Related to this is bigger roundabouts where people think that lane markings are a rule of thumb and just drift around across them as they go round. Grr, argh.