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Original poster

A mini roundabout driving question ...

82 replies

GeorgeSpeaks · 20/09/2023 19:43

I was honked at the other day for dithering/giving way on a mini roundabout. Was I wrong?

I was approaching the roundabout and signalling right, opposite me another car was not signalling, so going straight on. I slowed down to let him go because I would have to cross his path to get to my exit and therefore he has right of way. Obviously if he were on my right he'd also have right of way. Anyway, car behind me honked because I hesitated to let opposite car across before I turned right. Who is correct, me or honker?

OP posts:
HunterHearstHelmsley · 20/09/2023 20:51

ColleenDonaghy · 20/09/2023 20:33

I'm going to go against the grain OP and say you were in the right.

He was to your right, and you were to his, so you each needed to give way to the other. This happens a lot at mini roundabouts because they're so small. I would have let the other car go first if I was turning too.

My driving instructor covered this - he said you often get multiple cars arriving together at a mini roundabout, and they all have equal right of way. His advice was that it's better to just go, because once one person goes then that sorts it as everyone else can give way in turn.

How can they both be on each other's right if they're facing each other?

Original poster
GeorgeSpeaks · 20/09/2023 21:02

@ColleenDonaghy exactly this, we were on each other's right. We approached the roundabout at the same time. So they were going north to south, I was going south to east. So if I turned right as he went straight on then I'd hit him, so I paused and so did they and honker honked me.

OP posts:
HereForTheFreeLunch · 20/09/2023 21:05

So who entered the roundabout first?
Ultimately that car is on the right. As pp have said you can't both be on the right as otherwise neither of you will move

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Driving & parking
ColleenDonaghy · 20/09/2023 21:05

I'm assuming 4 exits so they were completely symmetric to each other.

Original poster
GeorgeSpeaks · 20/09/2023 21:07

@HereForTheFreeLunch we both waited momentarily at the line as we arrived at the same time.

OP posts:
InterFactual · 20/09/2023 21:09

If everyone paused at roundabouts to let others in on the basis that you can't trust their signals then roundabouts would never work. It would be pointless having them as people would simply sit and park and stare at each other. You had right of way and you dithered. Get on with it and drive.

Original poster
GeorgeSpeaks · 20/09/2023 21:10

@HereForTheFreeLunch we were both pausing because it wasn't clear who would go first. I'd say they have priority though because I would have to cross in front of them and it's safer for them to go first.
@ColleenDonaghy yes, 4 exits like 4 compass points! I wanted to go east from the southern exit, they wanted to go south from northern exit.

OP posts:
Original poster
GeorgeSpeaks · 20/09/2023 21:11

@InterFactual but why did I have the right of way?

OP posts:
HereForTheFreeLunch · 20/09/2023 21:13

Then next time go slow so you don't need to stop. Technically if you both started at the same time they should be halfway across and out of your way by the time you reach their starting point.

HereForTheFreeLunch · 20/09/2023 21:17

Or you turned too soon. But if you were already on the roundabout and they hadn't stepped on it, then you are on their right and they should have stopped.

CobraChicken · 20/09/2023 21:18

HereForTheFreeLunch · 20/09/2023 21:13

Then next time go slow so you don't need to stop. Technically if you both started at the same time they should be halfway across and out of your way by the time you reach their starting point.

Yes! This!

Neither of you should have stopped. You were both unnecessarily hesitant and I definitely don't agree with the person behind you honking the horn, but you weren't "in the right" either.

DuesToTheDirt · 20/09/2023 21:21

OP, you wouldn't be "crossing the other driver's path." Just like a big roundabout, whoever is already going round the roundabout has priority, and people joining have to give way.

However, not everyone signals when they should, so for that reason it's not a bad idea to wait till it's clear where the other driver is going.

ColleenDonaghy · 20/09/2023 21:26

HereForTheFreeLunch · 20/09/2023 21:13

Then next time go slow so you don't need to stop. Technically if you both started at the same time they should be halfway across and out of your way by the time you reach their starting point.

Most mini roundabouts would make this pretty tight, and both of them moving at the same point would mean a collision or evasive action.

MistyMountainTop · 20/09/2023 22:02

Honking your horn is very useful when the driver at the front hasn't realised that a left filter has turned green. A quick bip is sufficient!

CobraChicken · 20/09/2023 22:04

ColleenDonaghy · 20/09/2023 21:26

Most mini roundabouts would make this pretty tight, and both of them moving at the same point would mean a collision or evasive action.

Show quote history

Disagree (unless the OP decided to really floor it, or the other vehicle was a larger vehicle or was towing something.) If they just drove at the same speed as each other, she'd be exiting after the other vehicle had already reached the point where OP entered the roundabout.

Herbiebanannas · 20/09/2023 22:04

Wrong reply

Herbiebanannas · 20/09/2023 22:06

donquixotedelamancha · 20/09/2023 19:51

The honker. You give way to cars coming from the right, like any other roundabout.

That is very basic. I think you may need to at least read a highway code if you are going to continue driving in the UK because there may be other areas you don't know.

I hope I never meet you on a roundabout.

The fact that people believe this to be true is really scary, and is also the reason why those of us who actually know how a roundabout works have to be super cautious in case there is a “give way to the right” idiot on the other entrance.

JaneIntheBox · 20/09/2023 22:09

CobraChicken · 20/09/2023 22:04

Disagree (unless the OP decided to really floor it, or the other vehicle was a larger vehicle or was towing something.) If they just drove at the same speed as each other, she'd be exiting after the other vehicle had already reached the point where OP entered the roundabout.

Show quote history

Yes, I thought this too! That's why I'm confused.
Also let's say OP had entered first, if the other person hadn't already moved they've have to wait as OP was already on the roundabout.
If they had then they'd be ahead of the OP anyway, unless she's got a habit of speeding through mini roundabouts.
So what's the problem?

JaneIntheBox · 20/09/2023 22:10

Also we need a diagram OP!

D1nopawus · 20/09/2023 22:11

I live near a 4 way mini roundabout. 2 of the entrances have double give way lines and the other 2 have single lines.

It would prevent a lot of stand offs if people a) remembered way to the right and b) noticed they have one line and not too so if they arrive at the roundabout at the same time as someone behind the double lines, it's the single line person's priority.

CobraChicken · 20/09/2023 22:11

Herbiebanannas · 20/09/2023 22:06

I hope I never meet you on a roundabout.

The fact that people believe this to be true is really scary, and is also the reason why those of us who actually know how a roundabout works have to be super cautious in case there is a “give way to the right” idiot on the other entrance.

Show quote history

By "a give way to the right idiot" do you mean someone who knows how to correctly use a roundabout? As in, actually knows their highway code?

greengreengrass25 · 20/09/2023 22:12

I think it's best to err on the side of caution

We have mini roundabouts like this

dementedpixie · 20/09/2023 22:13

The car wasn't on her right though it was opposite her. If I got to the roundabout first then I'd do my manoeuvre and wouldn't wait for a car that was opposite me rather than to the right of me.

eurochick · 20/09/2023 22:16

I was wondering the same thing @CobraChicken !

The honker was wrong to honk but right to suggest you should have gone. At a roundabout you give way to vehicles approaching from the right. As you were approaching from the south to go east, you had to go past the car at the north entrance (approaching from his right) so he needed to give way to you. He was going north to south so at no point would have crossed your entrance to the roundabout by approaching from the right, so you had nothing to give way to.

donquixotedelamancha · 20/09/2023 22:16

Herbiebanannas · 20/09/2023 22:06

I hope I never meet you on a roundabout.

The fact that people believe this to be true is really scary, and is also the reason why those of us who actually know how a roundabout works have to be super cautious in case there is a “give way to the right” idiot on the other entrance.

Show quote history

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/roundabouts.html

When reaching the roundabout you should

  • give priority to traffic approaching from your right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights
Mini-roundabouts. Approach these in the same way as normal roundabouts.

Are you from outside the UK or something?

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