Who was in the wrong driving?near miss

[Snowplacelikehome26]

Near miss today. There was a car approaching the mini roundabout from the right but he was a while off and wasn’t near the line yet so I entered the roundabout as I had time. However he sped up very very fast to intimidate me. He was so close going to the side of me. I do know it’s give way to the right but I thought as I’d already entered before him and I was already on the roundabout and he was not yet entering then I thought I would have had the right of way?

TinkerTiger · Today 12:03

This type of situation happens at a particular roundabout a lot as the design of it places a building at an awkward angle blocking the view to the right until the car is at the roundabout.

There's a very similar one near me and if I'm going straight on from the right, I slow down to a speed at which I can stop, if an unfortunate driver on my left pulls onto the roundabout. Similarly, if I'm turning right from the side road, I creep on, until I see it's clear, or if it's best to wait.

This time of year there are a lot more drunk and drugged drivers around. I try to drive a lot more carefully as a result.

I think he was a dick though. Even if you were in the wrong, a wiser approaching driver would simply have slowed down.

On mini roundabouts, It's also important to check the lines - often one or more is a single dotted line and the others double lined to prevent a Mexican standoff. It's astonishing how few people take any notice though.

To be fair you often can’t see them. Muddy roads, other cars on them. They’re often not visible. If anyone drove into the back of me I’d ask my insurance company to appeal a 50/50 decision, it’s inevitably caused by the car behind driving too close.

That is incorrect (about entering the roundabout). Read the Highway Code, you are a dangerous driver.

See, I read that as 'give way to people approaching you from the right' ie already in the roundabout not 'give way to people approaching the roundabout from the right'. The second makes no sense. Approaching from how far away? Where's the cut off? If it meant that the HC would give advice on that.

I can see it can be interpreted in different ways, but would assume it would say approaching on the roundabout if that's what it meant. Otherwise you use your normal judgement about whether you have got time to continue without inconveniencing others whose right of way it might be, same as judging whether you've got time to pull out of any junction

Mini roundabouts need to be approached with a give-and-take attitude. The other driver obviously didn't but I'm not sure the OP did either! Where I live, you either sit and eyeball the other two stationery drivers until one goes for it and creeps forward, or you can stop and let the idiots (on the straight-ahead bit) sail past without even noticing it's a roundabout!

In which case the vast majority of drivers are dangerous because that’s what virtually all of us do - and were taught to do.

@BIossomtoes you absolutely were not taught to do it. Yes, the vast majority of drivers are dangerous.

I bet you don't merge in turn either.

In which case the vast majority of drivers are dangerous because that’s what virtually all of us do - and were taught to do.

Do you really believe there are thousands of instructors out there teaching people to drive illegally?

I only passed my test six years ago and I don't remember anything my instructor said in any detail. Do you, really?

I absolutely was taught to do it. And of course I merge in turn - why on earth wouldn’t I? We can’t be that dangerous, I’ve been driving for nearly 40 years, my only accident was when I had a blow out at speed on a deserted motorway.

I have been driving for 20 plus years and was always taught that you give way to your right. Not that you only give way to vehicles already on the roundabout.

@BIossomtoes why on earth wouldn't you? Because by all accounts you don't understand the rules of the road. You haven't had an accident but people coming at you from the right are fuming at having to slam their brakes on every time while you're blissfully unaware.

No they’re not because I quite obviously don’t pull out in front of cars already on the roundabout. I don’t sit and wait for cars approaching the roundabout to my right.

@BIossomtoes so your nose is on the giveaway line, you're at the roundabout. A car on the right is one/two/three second travelling distance away from the roundabout. Do you stop?

You just want a bun fight, don’t you?

Well I think you do! Either you do stop and you've been arguing your case for nothing because you do give way to cars approaching from the right or you don't and you're an awful driver. Your choice... but please do answer otherwise I'll assume you're just being argumentative for no reason as that's the better option than the carnage you have likely caused. Again, without even knowing.

I think if I’d caused carnage I’d have noticed, don’t you? One of the key elements of being a competent driver is being observant and aware of your surroundings and if numerous other drivers were constantly jamming on their brakes for me they sure as hell would let me know. You’ve spent days being argumentative on this thread!

So you do stop for cars approaching from the right and you've now realised you were wrong?

Yes I have. So have you!

I wonder if there's a correlation between tetchy keyboard warriors and aggressive driving... someone should do a study....

Depends on the context.

He's an idiot for speeding up to prove a point, but you should have gone AFTER his car if he was close enough to almost hit you by increasing his speed.

Unless they were all an equal distance, driving the same speed, and giving no space at all, in which case everyone accepts even a small gap is enough, otherwise your side can't move.

No need. I can confirm 😂😂😂 I'm clearly both.

Only if they’re on the roundabout. Not if they’re not. 🙄

Yes, his response was arsey. But you probably should have waited.