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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why people don't understand that the rules for mini-roundabouts are the same as for "normal" ones?

90 replies

Salmotrutta · 06/05/2011 22:44

Twice in two days I've seen people behave as if they have taken leave of their senses at mini-roundabouts:
a) Old lady blasted our horn at us because we were approaching from her right on a mini-roundabout and she was ready to go straight ahead. She clearly thought she had right of way when she didn't and was about to drive out in front of us. Actually she looked very old so maybe she was confused .
b) Witnessed the same thing happening when a car ahead of me cut across the path of a car turning right (and travelling in the opposite direction to us, so coming from our right) at a mini-roundabout.

Do people think rules are different for mini-roundabouts??

I see this regularly - why??

OP posts:

working9while5 · 07/05/2011 00:34

Re: the indicating. Only on a miniroundabout, not a roundabout.. and I know I did this on one test and wasn't pulled up on it so it can't just be instructors.

Also it was two very different instructors who told me this.

HighHeidYin · 07/05/2011 00:37

I drove over a mini roundabout once. With a police car behind me. Got pulled over and told that it could incur a £60 fine and 3 points on my licence

They let me off (with a stern warning) and I will never do it again. Honest guv.

working9while5 · 07/05/2011 00:40

Just looking this up (as it's been a while since I've been in a car as am waiting to retake theory test totally out of cash) and I am overstating it - you don't indicate to come off the miniroundabout.

God, I can't remember anything.

www.ukadi.co.uk/2006/02/dealing-with-mini-roundabouts.html

GoodDaysBadDays · 07/05/2011 00:40

Oh this is something I come across daily!

Am always moaning about how many people don't understand them.

My mum says its because there never used to be mini roundabouts, she doesn't see that is irrelevant as they have the same rules!

startail · 07/05/2011 00:44

Help, I must owe some one a fortune as must every other driver at this end of the County. Our local Mini roundabout has been dropped vaguely off centre in a complicated staggered junction. No one is quite sure what to do with it and for some routes I'm not sure if you could go round it except on a bike.

befuzzled · 07/05/2011 00:45

Are they? I thought you just drove over the middle?

madhattershouse · 07/05/2011 00:49

Try our "magic roundabout". It used to be a big, normal, roundabout..it now sports 5 mini roundabouts around the perimeter. There is bugger all room to manouvre to the corrct lane between mini roundabouts and many people go in the wrong lanes as now you can go either left or right at what was a standard roundabout!! There is much coloured plastic to be found here

PaWithABra · 07/05/2011 00:58

drive over them

if they were needed they would put in a proper one

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 01:08

Ah but if we all drive over them there will be one almighty pile-up.

I'm tempted though when I see some of the fuckwits silly people who are actually allowed to drive.

Obviously, I myself am an incredibly good driver who must never be crossed or incovenienced by the fuckwittery daftness of others.

OP posts:

Tiredmumno1 · 07/05/2011 01:22

We were hit and run on a roundabout a couple of weeks ago, an idiot speeding lost control, smacked us and sped off, i got the plate, and guess what he didnt report it, turns out its only a woman on the insurance, but it was a man driving, the police wont even go round there, they think a letter is sufficient.

Dh saw the car again, he asked through the window why he hadnt reported it, and the bloke tried ramming him again, and it was at the same roundabout, but dh had his wits about him, and didnt get smacked again.

Tesco insurance are putting up all kinda barriers to hold off repairing, so much for fully comp eh

(So tesco my clubcards have been cut up and are winging there way to ya, oh and no we dont want your insurance no more, you are crap)

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 02:00

Tiredmum - that's awful!

The police don't get into it unless someone is hurt/injured. Not saying that's right but that's how it is.

I got knocked off the road years ago by another driver - no injury but it was the other driver's fault. I had a witness, and advice from a police officer (unofficially) who gave me the relevant section of the Road Traffic Act for my solicitor to quote to the guilty party's insurance company. All it took then was a "threatening" letter from my solicitor to get us the repair costs etc.

OP posts:

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/05/2011 02:10

Mini roundabouts absolutely boil my piss, or rather the drivers coming form the right who treat them like they aren't there, ignore the give way lines and drive straight through them at speed meaning that you are effectively sitting waiting to turn right at a junction.

If there is a gap in traffic from the right then the point is that you should be able to pull out and the other car slows down. But no, the fucker speeds up to make sure you dont move, flies straight across it and gives you the finger if you dare to pull out.

midlandsmumof4 · 07/05/2011 02:13

No other traffic-ignore. But if it's busy treat as usual. Traffic from the right have right of way IF they have already entered the island.

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 02:13

Hello mam!!

OP posts:

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 02:15

That was to Gwendoline in case midlandmum thought I was a mad space cadet.

OP posts:

GwendolineMaryLacey · 07/05/2011 02:37

Ahem?

PenguinArmy · 07/05/2011 02:59

I've moved to America to a town with only one (recent) roundabout. The locals have no idea what to do with it. Is very amusing watching it while I wait for my bus. Doesn't help that people don't generally indicate here either.

Sirzy · 07/05/2011 07:43

Living in a town with no traffic lights and hundreds of roundabouts/mini roundabouts it never fails to astound me how badly people drive on them and how small things like lanes mean nothing to so many drivers.

The best has to be the car that I saw going the wrong way around the roundabout - that was pretty scary!

ameliameerkat · 07/05/2011 08:55

I've seen people go the wrong way around roundabouts.....

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 07/05/2011 10:19

ameliameerkat... I did that, only once when I was learning, and did it very well if I say so myself... but never again

Sirzy... Eeek.

I seem to find myself at mini roundabouts waiting for people at three road sections, all of them seemingly waiting for the other to move off...

megapixels · 07/05/2011 10:29

I think it is ok to drive over a mini roundabout (not fully, but a small required amount) if it is very tight. There are some places around here where it is impossible to avoid it completely.

I'm still at not needing to indicate at mini roundabouts. That means to pass it safely you'd have to sit there forever waiting for the traffic to clear because you have no idea which way the others are going.

HighHeidYin · 07/05/2011 11:12

It's not ok to drive over a miniroundabout. As I said above it can incur a £60 fine and 3 points on your licence as a stern policeman told me.

It is difficult not to though when you are driving a people carrier the size of a tank

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 11:15

Or a car with a turning circle the size of a small country.

OP posts:

HighHeidYin · 07/05/2011 11:18

Exactly! I'm sure we could argue the point in court!

There are hundreds of the damn things round here. Hate them. And when you have cars all sitting waiting for each other to move it's like a game of russian roulette!

Original poster

Salmotrutta · 07/05/2011 11:21

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