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Original poster

I have a roundabout question

26 replies

Yorkie127 · 04/09/2020 20:42

I’m just trying to get my driving mojo back and wondered if anyone could help with a specific roundabout question.

I want to go straight over the roundabout. There are two lanes on entry and I need to join in the right hand lane to go straight over because that’s what the markings say - the left lane is for left first exit turns only. There are two lanes at the exit (the right hand one merges into the other shortly after exit but that’s not massively important). When I enter the roundabout in the right hand lane do I then cross over to the left lane immediately after the first (left) exit (indicating to do so) or do I just stay in the RH lane and exit in the right hand lane??? In theory I don’t think anyone should be undertaking me but I don’t really understand what the ‘right’ thing to do is!!

Thanks in advance x

OP posts:
FunorFitness · 04/09/2020 20:46

I think you stay in the right lane and come off in the right lane? The left lane would be for people joining the round about at the point immediately before (which would have been first exit to you).

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 04/09/2020 20:58

hold your right hand lane position until you are beyond the first turn/exit and then centre yourself to exit into the left hand lane of your exit....unless you have to accommodate someone zipping out in front of you (when really they should have given way), in which case you'll stay right and filter in behind them.

Elieza · 04/09/2020 21:24

The road markings should be left hand lane for coming off the first exit and the second exit if that one is straight through the roundabout or before.

The markings on that one are non standard.

I’d sit in the right lane and move into the middle after the cars have left at the first turning. However I would be very careful as most drivers would expect standard lining and you may well find they are in the left lane for the straight through exit also and you’ll get peeped at even though you are following the markings, as they have not and are expecting the lanes to be standard.

I look over my shoulder for these things as I don’t trust my mirrors!

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Driving & parking
WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat · 04/09/2020 21:27

Look at your Highway code. It shows you in pictures...

Bluemooninmyeyes1 · 04/09/2020 21:27

If the lane markings indicate that you need to go straight ahead using the right hand lane then that’s what you do. If you tried moving across into the left hand lane on that particular roundabout to go straight ahead then you could collide with a vehicle which is using that lane to take the left turn.

Original poster
Yorkie127 · 04/09/2020 21:36

Thanks everyone!

Yes the markings are non-standard but there are a few like that round here so it's not unusual of itself - just the lane layout once you're on and trying to exit.

There's some mixed views here (why I love MN Smile).

I think I need to either stay in the right lane and indicate after the first exit and move left to exit in the left, or stay in the right, indicate after the first and exit in the right lane. In theory no one should join from the first exit until I've exited so it shouldn't matter but I can't work out if I should really stay right as I exit. It feels less comfortable as it merges really quickly, but hey ho!

xx

OP posts:
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 04/09/2020 21:38

You should move to the left hand lane after the first junction, the same as if you were going right on a roundabout. The right hand lane is for going right.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 04/09/2020 21:40

the same as if you were going right on a roundabout

Obviously I mean after all of the junctions you don’t want, not after the first.

JetBlackSteed · 04/09/2020 21:43

You stay in your lane, until it is safe for you to move back over to the left of the road. However, once you get to your first exit that you are not taking, you indicate to come off the roundabout for the benefit of those cars on your right hand side.

lljkk · 04/09/2020 21:48

OP's situation, but What if there are 3 lanes on the RAB.
I hate 3 lane RABs.

Original poster
Yorkie127 · 04/09/2020 21:49

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

You should move to the left hand lane after the first junction, the same as if you were going right on a roundabout. The right hand lane is for going right.
Thank you!! But on this basis who would ever leave the roundabout in the right hand lane? Sorry, possibly a confusing question. I'm probably overthinking.
OP posts:
ladybee28 · 04/09/2020 21:51

Was I the only one who clicked on the title of this thread expecting a lengthy story-style question packed with tangential details?

Original poster
Yorkie127 · 04/09/2020 21:54

@ladybee28

Was I the only one who clicked on the title of this thread expecting a lengthy story-style question packed with tangential details?
Sorry to disappoint Smile! Far more tedious question I'm afraid. x
OP posts:
Elieza · 04/09/2020 21:56

The leaving in the right lane, If you enter the roundabout with two lanes and the straight ahead exit had two lanes coming off at that exit then you could be in either lane or even two cars could go round the roundabout parallel having come from the same place parallel and take the same exit parallel.

The problems happen when there are two lanes going in but only one coming off at the other side, with two parallel cars fighting over it!

ladybee28 · 04/09/2020 21:58

@Yorkie127 gosh no, I love a good driving query (I live in a country where nobody EVER uses the inside lane of a roundabout and it makes me FURIOUS).

Was just a curveball (like when you take a sip of your coffee and realise it's actually tea) Smile

AdditionalCharacter · 04/09/2020 22:00

Unless specifically marked or the left hand lane is a merge lane, I'd go into the left when exiting.

QuestionableMouse · 04/09/2020 22:02

I'd stay in the right hand lane until I'd exited the roundabout then move over when it's safe.

But I've had a couple of near misses when people haven't stopped and if I'd moved over before then they'd have hit me.

RB68 · 04/09/2020 22:03

I am with the if there are two lanes on exit (Straight over) then you stay right and leave the roundabout in the right hand of the two lanes of the exit. If it is only one lane to exit once you are past the first left you should look to move to the left lane indicating of course, and then exit. You don't leave the left lane free for those joining as they need to wait till you pass anyway.

The one that causes chaoes round here is you should not enter a roundabout unless you can see your exit is clear, especially on smaller roundabouts this causes mayhem in case a car should sneak on into the queue - god forbid

Original poster
Yorkie127 · 04/09/2020 22:08

@Elieza

The leaving in the right lane, If you enter the roundabout with two lanes and the straight ahead exit had two lanes coming off at that exit then you could be in either lane or even two cars could go round the roundabout parallel having come from the same place parallel and take the same exit parallel.

The problems happen when there are two lanes going in but only one coming off at the other side, with two parallel cars fighting over it!

There's one lane to enter for the 2nd exit and beyond so it doesn't quite work like that. It's a mystery Hmm
OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 04/09/2020 22:10

Are there 2 lanes coming off that then merge into one, do you mean? If so, I would come off in the right lane and then it should be a zip merge I think.

BluebellsGreenbells · 04/09/2020 22:14

Can you google map the roundabout?

Then we can understand better

Elieza · 04/09/2020 23:38

Yeah, it’s just theyve used non standard road markings. You’d asked who goes off in a right hand lane. That’s just an example.

Torvean32 · 05/09/2020 02:45

If you go from 2 lanes on entry and one on exit... Then I'd indicate right then after passing the last exit before yours I'd indicate left ( checking noone undercutting), then I'd be exiting on the left.

DebbieFiderer · 05/09/2020 04:33

Can I hijack to ask a similar question? We have a roundabout here that has 5 exits (so the one I am joining from plus 4 more). There is a filter lane to the first exit which directs that traffic away from the roundabout, leaving two more lanes approaching the actual roundabout. If I then want to take the third exit, do I use the left hand of those two, or the right hand?

DearPrudence · 05/09/2020 06:08

There are loads of brilliant YouTube videos about roundabouts - where driving instructors, cover the various rules and configurations.
I found them incredibly helpful when DS was learning to drive recently.

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