Question about driving

[youngwhippersnapper]

My friend told me that her son who has just passed his driving test said that you only need to indicate on a roundabout when you reach your exit and not on approach.
Is this correct?

Depends on the roundabout.
On a mini roundabout, everyone should be indicating intention on approach.
On a huge roundabout, the lane you're in should determine the general direction and then you indicate to say you're exiting.

I would say not, especially at mini roundabouts. If you're approaching a roundabout at the same time as other drivers are approaching from the opposite direction, those drivers need to know whether you're turning left or right, so that they can either proceed or give way to the right. If you weren't indicating at all they would presume you were going straight ahead. If you then kept going, in front of them (to turn right), there could be a collision. Leaving it until the last moment to indicate, ie when you reach the second exit, to continue round the roundabout is extremely dangerous.

Even at large, multi-exit roundabouts, you should indicate your intention to other road users.

It didn’t sound right to me.

Yes, my son is taking lessons just now and this is what he has been told, only when approaching exit. It's not how I drive!

Ive been driving since 2000 and yes this is how is do it only when approaching exit . You'd confuse other road users indicating when you are not

If you're going straight through the roundabout (eg. 2nd exit on a roundabout that has 3) then you would not indicate on approach. You'd indicate left after you pass the 1st exit. Maybe that's what he means? But as a blanket statement, he's not correct.

No, that only applies if you are going straight on, where you start to indicate left as you are passing the first exit.

If you are taking the first exit you indicate left as you approach the roundabout.

If you are going further round, you indicate right until you are passing the exit immediately before the one you want, then indicate left.

You confuse people more if you aren't indicating. How are other road users supposed to know where you are going if you don't tell them?

I've been driving since 1981.

It’s really clear in the Highway Code, rule 186 is the main part:

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

@SilenceInside That confirms what I said, only it goes into more detail. Seems like I've been doing it right for the last 45 years then.😂😂

That's not how I drive 😂 I think it depends when you passed your driving test. I know that at 4-way traffic lights I was told by my instructor to turn offside to offside - but some people turn in front (if that makes sense!).

I think there are driving tutorial videos on YouTube now.

I'll stick to how I drive now though! It works for me. Never crashed so far!

45 years on the road for me too.
Thanks for replies, which have reassured me that I’m not out of date and will continue as I always have.

Yep, that part of the Highway Code hasn’t changed and that’s what it was taught when I passed my test ages ago. It’s quite clear from my daily driving that many people seem unaware or to have forgotten that part of their lessons or their test.

If you are not going left (at the next exit) then you should not be indicating left
If you are not going beyond directly ahead then you should not be indicating right
Therefore if you are going directly ahead then you should not indicate until it is time to indicate left

As linked above rules 184 & 186 cover the use of indicators

In rule 184 “you should give an appropriate signal” and “Time your signals so as not to confuse other road users”

Note that no part of rules 184 and 186 have a “must”
which relates to the law. I was taught that the only must was to indicate left for the appropriate exit
This fits in with the original post

A very key point in the rules is to use the appropriate lanes, which default to left for turning left, right for joint beyond the half way mark and “whichever is appropriate” for anything else

There are many roundabouts that differ from the “normal” of a simple roundabout

Locally we have a few roundabouts that have signs to use all lanes if turning right (because of the volume of traffic that goes to the right)
That means traffic in the left lane could be going left, (including two left exits) ahead, right, potentially to a 5th exit after the right and also could be going all of the way back
If turning 90 degree left you should not indicate left on approach. So there are two exits where you should not indicate on approach, but use the left lane and wait to indicate before the exit

Not sure what the HC says but even approaching a mini roundabout I’ll always signal, not so much on the exit but as I approach Been driving for decades.

It’s more important imo if you’re on a two lane or more roundabout; to indicate on the exit particularly as the entrance is often lane designated ie you turn right you should be in this lane.

"There are many roundabouts that differ from the "normal" of a simple roundabout" No shit, Sherlock.

Try reading the Highway code again. You will see that it aligns exactly with my abridged version that I posted earlier. It also mentions signs and multiple lanes & exits, and what to do in those circumstances.

Do pay a visit to Hemel Hempstead and go round the Magic Roundabout.😂

Are we arguing the same thing ?

The Highway Code says when to “not indicate”
and you’ve referred me to that

is it not the case that rule 186 does not say “must” because it also has to refer to the fact that signage and road markings may differ on individual roundabouts, so you can’t have a blanket “must”. However it does clearly say that if you are turning left that you signal left and approach in the left lane (unless road markings etc say otherwise). Ditto and opposite for turning right.

I was taught this 15 years ago - Indicate left or right as you pull up if taking first or last. Not if you’re going for a middle turn off, then you only indicate before you go to turn.

Probably!!

I merely referred to the link a pp posted upthread, which goes into considerable detail about roundabout usage overall.

You don't indicate at all if you are following the markings on the road where there is only one way to go. Driving instructor told me I would fail and my DD actually did fail when she did this turning right. But, that is another can of worms.