Which lane at round about

[TheChuckling]

Hi all, me and DP have gone away and that meant a long drive. Queue lots of arguing and bickering along the way about lane changes and directions lol.

Anyway we are currently arguing about which lane we would use if we were going third exit at a round about but third exit happened to be 12 o’clock.

I have tried to attach a pic of what I mean. Would you use inside or outside lane? We saw people using both lanes for this so didn’t help either of us prove our argument.

I would always use the left lane for going straight ahead...

Who, specifically, is telling people about this '12 o'clock rule'?

My driving instructor taught me this.

I would have stuck left unless road markings said otherwise as it's technically straight on.
Struggling to see how it would've got you killed in any event

Just checked the highway code (because I'm procrastinating doing other stuff). It says left to go left, right to go right, appropriate lane for intermediate exits.. Clear as mud.

Left lane unless marked otherwise.

We have quite a few of these locally, unmarked where the fist two exits are local roads and straight over is a through route so both lanes are used.

I think there is usually a preferred way that locals do these kind of roundabouts but heard to know if not local. I find it safer to stay left but be very aware someone might take the other lane and cut you up. Sometimes I indicate right until about to go left so other road users are aware I am continuing round and also to those waiting to join the roundabout is clear.

No wonder driving standards are so low nowadays.

Not all roundabouts are circular. What about the roundabouts where you cannot see the other side?

Using the example in the OP, would you really drive past 2 exits in the left hand lane? Are you bothering to use indicators? If so, are you signalling left constantly, increasing the risk of someone pulling out on you, thinking you are turning left?

What about someone in the right hand lane wanting exit 2? If you are signalling left, they may move over to exit 2 and you end up running into their passenger side.

The method I outlined earlier was taught in 1985 and that minimises any collision risk, subject to everyone following the method, regardless of the size of the roundabout, number of exits and the actual shape of the roundabout.

I think either lane unless marked. Your partner sounds like an absolute dick by the way

No wonder driving standards are so low nowadays
The method I outlined earlier was taught in 1985
Interesting you should say that because I was taught in 1988 and I was definitely taught, as PPs said, everything up to and including 180degrees is left lane, more 180 is right hand lane. And that was by an old guy who had probably been driving for forty odd years before that.

Sitting in the left hand lane, signalling right but not moving over is downright dangerous.

I was taught left hand lane unless going anywhere after straight ahead.

You don't indicate if you're going straight over.

I passed my test in 1982.

Incidentally, you're much more likely to have an accident if you're in the right lane and swerve across in front of a car in the left lane than you are if you stay in the left lane up to and including straight on.

But as I said, what about those roundabouts that are not actually round, or the ones where you cannot see the other side, say there is a flyover, for instance?

It is right hand lane for after 12 (imagine rd about is clock face) so left hand lane for that scenario, unless otherwise stated in run up to rd about

Even when I can’t see the other side my satnav still shows an icon when coming up to one showing what position the turning is and this helps with my lane positioning as do road signs. If it looks 12 o’clock or before then I’ll get in the left lane. If I’m not too sure then I’ll get in the right lane and merge when it’s time to exit, although I hate doing this because I live in a busy city and people are rushing and don’t like letting you in. My Grandad follows the 12 o’clock rule and he’s been driving for 60+ years, he taught me how to drive.

and it wouldn’t be them cutting you up!

I used to use a round about like that daily. I and most other road users used the right hand lane (there were no signs), sometimes someone would use the left lane and cut up other drivers.

I'm not the greatest driver, and struggle to visualise things, but I don't get how you would be cutting people up if you're in the left hand lane?

Presumably anyone getting off at the first two exits is in the left hand lane too, so you're not getting in their way, and most people (judging by this thread) in the right lane would be going to an exit after the 12 o clock position (as it were)? I would approach this in the left hand lane and signal left after the second exit. As I said - not the greatest driver, and luckily I live in the world of road markings, so happy to be corrected!

When do you sit in the left hand lane signalling right?
People on the roundabout wont know where youre going!
I was taught if you’re going left, left lane indicating left. If straight on, left lane no indication until after first exit.

I've never heard this 12 o'clock 'rule'. As pp said, the Highway Code is vague on this. Personally, if it's the third of four exits (as in your picture) and all are reasonable sized, not little side roads, I'd be using the right hand lane on approach, but I would expect to be cut up by people who had come round on the left.

No one using the left lane is cutting up other drivers. That's only possible to do if you're in the right lane on a roundabout

Should have added, that was only where there were no specific road markings or road signs directing you which lane to use. And non round (oval or even double) roundabouts are usually large enough to always have those specific directions.

Depends on markings but I'd say it doesn't matter, you can use either. How many lanes coming off of it, 2 or 1? If one I'd probably stay left, if two then right unless I needed to come off in the left lane.

Well for a start you'd be blocking the left hand lane for people who wanted to join the roundabout at the first or second junctions.

But mainly you'd be cutting up the people who took the right hand lane for the same exit as you. Who are the people like me who have never heard of a 12 o'clock rule.

What I find really hard is driving in France. They have two systems, one for roundabouts and one for 'circular intersections' (which are identical to roundabouts except with road markings telling you to give way). Circular intersections are new and work in the same way as roundabouts in the UK: people wanting to join the roundabout have to give way to people already on it. Roundabouts however, keep the general rule of 'priority to the right', which means that drivers already on the roundabout have to give way to drivers joining the roundabout. Except that sometimes they don't bother, so when you're approaching a roundabout you have to kind of hover around knowing that you have right of way but not sure whether it will be respected. It's a blooming nightmare. Be grateful that in the UK at least we know who has right of way on the roundabouts even if we don't know which lane to choose!