AIBU to a 450 degree turn at a roundabout to take 1st exit more quickly?

[Scrumple]

I think i've got those calculations right - basically a circle and a quarter.

My usual roundabout home from work has been extremely busy all week because of road works and diversions nearby . Two lane roundabout with 4 exits.

I normally take the first exit, and have been sitting in the left lane for up to twenty minutes each evening because of a big queue of traffic all the way up the street towards the roundabout. Right lane maybe has the odd few cars in it - 3rd exit only leads to a small car park for some shops.

So yesterday i just went right into the right lane, did a full circle round and then left at my usual 1st exit. Only three cars were in front of me. I waited less than a minute.

Roadworks are expected to last all next week too. I'm wondering if I can carry on doing this or if I'm technically doing something wrong. If it's perfectly legal - why isn't anybody else doing the same?

[FannyWisdom]

Depends on the road markings.

[SusanTheGentle]

There's usually a sign if you're not allowed to do U-turns, or U-and-a-bit-turns at roundabouts - there's one near me that has one.

I know this due to getting lost A Lot and therefore rarely meeting a roundabout I don't go all the way around.

[Scrumple]

Hi, 2 lanes: left for straight on and ahead. Right lane for turning right.

[cakesandphotos]

I would come off the third exit, turn round in a car park then rejoin the roundabout. Then, whether or not what you’re doing is legal, no one can have an issue

[Scrumple]

Thanks, so as long as there is no sign prohibiting this, then I'm okay?

[OlennasWimple]

You'll be OK until everyone sees you doing it and decides to do the same...

[NotAUserNumberSoNotATroll]

I do this all the time, you're basically doing a lap of the roundabout then the next exit? It's so satisfying, especially if you beat the queue behind a tractor or something

[cakesandphotos]

I don’t think the OP is using the right hand lane, she’s avoiding it by using the left hand lane then whizzing all the way round

[LurkingHusband]

You'll be OK until everyone sees you doing it and decides to do the same...

Good. Better use of valuable road space.

If we can afford to have square miles of road standing empty at rush hour, with the emissions and energy waste that implies, because of some arbitrary markings, then maybe the planet isn't in quite the state we are told ?

[redsquirrel2]

Completely reasonable and legal, you can go round and round a roundabout all day if you want, the clue is in their name! Just watch out for people not realising what you're doing and trying to pull out onto the roundabout thinking you're going off it. But I guess you know that already, you sound quite savvy!

[Scrumple]

No - i'm using the right hand lane as soon as the road splits in to 2 lanes (following a little traffic island half way up the street). I wouldn't use the left lane to turn right as the markings state clearly that the left lane is for straight on or turning left. I stay in the right lane all the way around then switch to the left just as I'm coming to my exit again after a 360 lap (indicating, of course, and making sure it's safe).

[safariboot]

YABU. It might be legal but you're still a cheeky fucker queue jumper.

[Bettyspants]

You're fine and helping traffic flow! ! Using right hand lane to turn right as you go around , just indicate left when you intend to go off.seems common sense really instead of sat in a queue with engine going which in my old bangers case will likely overheat 😄

[PatMullins]

I do this OP- no signage to say otherwise an saves a lot of time!

[Imnotaslimjim]

Wish I'd thought of doing that in roadworks recently! No it isn't illegal, you're in the right lane going right. If a few more people did it that queue would go down quicker.

[mrsmayitstimetogo]

fine so long as it's not a stud roundabout - is a pain, and quite dangerous, when pple go all the way round them.

[mrsmayitstimetogo]

(well, maybe not dangerous, but disconcerting - not what you expect/plan for)

[safariboot]

If the queue to turn left is because of slow traffic after the exit, and a lot of people start doing the loop round trick, then the whole roundabout will end up blocked causing jams on all the other entries too.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

I'd do it.

I have also been known to take the off slip to rejoin the same road further ahead via the on slip on a particularly shite stretch of the M27. I'm not the only one either.

[Desperad0]

I do this all the time- just look out for idiots pulling out on you

[1Vandal]

I do this all the time. More fool the too polite people sat in the queue wasting time they could be at home

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

Some of you are hard of thinking 😖🤣

It's queue jumping. It's NO different than driving up the right hand lane at a 2 lane T junction then pushing in.

It's not going to make the queue shorter, it's just making other people wait longer.

Wait in the queue like everyone else and beep at queue jumpers shitty entitled fuckers.