Who's being U here? Driving question.

[WelshMoth]

Everyday I navigate a small roundabout to get onto DC's school road. It has 4 roads running onto it and is just big enough to be a 2 lane roundabout.

For the 3rd time since school restarted just last week, I've had a fist shaken at me (hairy arsed lorry driver), head shaken and shouting at me (hairy arsed van driver) and today a middle finger accompanied by yelling (stroppy blonde woman in shiny car). Sorry for the labels - helps me remember.

Anyhow, I always use the left lane to go straight on, aka the 2nd exit off the roundabout. Those going to the right, or doubling back onto the road they came from, take the right lane.

I'm assuming these 'pissed off drivers' think I'm turning left into the road they are waiting to pull out of, so make to pull out and then have to jam on as I'm actually going straight on.

Am I following the Highway code here? As far as I'm concerned, I think I am. I'm getting cheesed off for getting yelled at. I can hardly indicate to go straight on can I, so why the grief?

I await the MN jury.

Am intrigued LunaticFringe

Please elaborate

Local convention bollocks. Who decides such things?

Perhaps the OP isn't driving quite assertively enough? If you go rather slowly far into the left your car's 'body language' might be deceptive.

Yanbu

Lane use sometimes depends very much upon local custom and circumstances.

There is a roundabout I know where, approaching from the West the right lane is marked: "right lane right turn only, left lane left turn / straight" on but approaching from the East (i.e. the opposite direction) the left lane is marked: "left turn only, right lane straight on / right turn".

But at least they are clearly marked with road signs and also painted on the road whereas sometimes it's a free for all.

Another roundabout is not marked at all and local custom dictates that from the South everyone gets in the right hand lane to go straight on but from the North everyone gets in the left hand lane to go straight on.

Confused? Many drivers are, very , especially tourists. :)

In your case OP it seems to me you were quite correct not to signal. A left signal would have definitely been wrong but a right signal would have been just as bad because it would indicate (no pun) that you intended to turn right.

I think the Highway Code states that a signal should be given when passing the junction just before the one you want to exit i.e. if you are passing J2 then you signal and leave at J3.

Highway Code is abundantly clear on this:

Signals and position.
When taking the first exit to the left, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave
When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want
When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise
select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
you should not normally need to signal on approach
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want

YANBU. We have a roundabout where a single carriageway crosses a dual carriageway. I approach on the single carriageway to turn right onto the dual carriageway. Two lanes on the approach, no arrows, so I use the RH lane and move left after second exit. People frequently use the LH lane from my entry road to go all the way round to the third exit, which I think is not only dangerous but completely wrong. Even if it is a so-called local convention.

I was taught to do exactly what you do. Don't indicate right fgs, then you will be yelled out of town.

When I did my careless driving course after crashing my car, I was told that on mini roundabouts you only use the left lane if you are turning left. The right lane is for right and straight on.

Have you tried getting to near the left exit then indicating left? This might help, but basically people are just so rude, it annoys me when people don't indicate left and then go left on a roundabout as I have just wasted an opp to get into the right lane. What you are doing wouldn't piss me of though as that is what I would be expecting.

Taken from Direct Gov website:

Roundabouts (184-190) 186
Signals and position.

When taking the first exit to the left, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

?signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
?keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave
When taking an exit to the right or going full circle, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

?signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
?keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
?signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want
When taking any intermediate exit, unless signs or markings indicate otherwise

?select the appropriate lane on approach to the roundabout
?you should not normally need to signal on approach
?stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
?signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want
When there are more than three lanes at the entrance to a roundabout, use the most appropriate lane on approach and through it.

They are wrong, but you should indicate after you have passed the first exit

Yeah, do the middle finger screwing gesture or the wanking head gesture as you go past next time.

x post with almostfifty due to being harangued by a small person about yoghurt

from directgov [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070338 picture] I'd say you were doing everything correctly, and presumably you indicate when you are about to exit the roundabout, ie just past the first left exit?

Doh! here it is

Thanks all

I know of a roundabout which is similar to how you describe, although mine is a far bigger one with traffic lights to control the flow around the island. It has 5 exits and half of the roundabout has 3 lanes, the other half only 2 lanes. I used to get blared at constantly for taking the middle lane onto the roundabout as I intended to go straight on, but straight on was the third exit. The road markings clearly show where your car ought to be and I followed them, but some times I would get drivers honking at me, which I never understood because there were three lanes to get ON the roundabout, and three lanes ON the roundabout, and I stayed in the middle lane both before and after getting on the roundabout...

Omg you're never gonna get any help from what I just wrote are you?

Ok, I think some roundabouts are poorly marked or not marked at all. The majority of drivers seem to think that if a roundabout is too small to contain more than one lane - despite road markings indicating two separate lanes - then they expect single file traffic on the roundabout because they don't want to slow down and be more careful. If you do what is right and legal and try to share the roundabout, they get pissed.

I am one of the knobheads that squeezes past in the middle lane to go straight on even if the road is rather narrow, simply because I'm allowed to.

OP you are entirely in the right here (or left!)

What the morons can't grasp is that you aren't in the middle of two lanes, not indicating ever, and talking on your mobile, while smoking a fag. You confuse their tiny minds by doing it properly!

I can't stand the people who zoom up the right lane so they can overtake on roundabouts, and think that a last minute left signal will make it ok as if they just forgot they were actually going straight on!

Shake your own fist right back at them.

Left hand lane is for turning left at 1st exit ONLY ! You should be in the right hand lane and indicate and move over to the left after the 1st exit if that makes sense. That is exactly how I was taught to drive 16 yrs ago and it astounds me how many people go all the way around a roundabout in the left hand lane ! obviously that isn't you but you are in the wrong, sorry x

You don't go round a aroundabout in the same lane unless it indicates on the road, you should have to move to the left before your exit.

topknob it may be how you were taught to drive but the highway code says differently

Really?? It's how dh drives and everyone else I have ever been in a car with..the way that has been suggested and from the attitude of drivers op has experienced that we are correct. I shall have a look at the highway code and see :) I do see so many people going round in the left hand lane that almost course accidents from people indicating from the right hand lane who can't exit at the exit due to the person going all the way round on the left...clear as mud that lol x