To think that people don’t use this mini roundabout correctly? (Diagram and picture)

[AndiOliversGlasses]

This is on a regular route I drive and I am always approaching it from the angle seen in the photo, to turn right. My approach road is short so no time to build up any speed. As you can see, it is really a T junction of a smaller road in to a bigger one, but it has been configured with a mini roundabout.

Nine times out of 10 traffic coming from the right or the left doesn’t slow down, so even if a car coming from my right is not on the roundabout yet it will beep at me if I pull out and cause it to slow down. I know that the rule is give way to traffic coming from the right, but doesn’t that only apply to traffic already on the roundabout?

I can see that the problem with a mini one is that there is much less time that the car is actually “on” it, but surely everyone should be slowing down as they approach a roundabout?

At this one, usually the only way to get out is by waiting for a pedestrian to cross at the zebra and stop the traffic from the right that way.

AIBU to think that a mini roundabout is still a roundabout and the normal rules should apply? Or am I misunderstanding the rules?

No, it is not already on the roundabout. You shouldn’t be speeding out to get round infront of someone approaching the roundabout. If someone is approaching to your right, you stop. I guarantee that you nipping out because they’re not yet on the roundabout has caused more than one driver to have to brake. You’re driving like a dickhead.

Of course I am indicating!

Yes, they should. You give way to the right, those people give way to their right (not you on their left) and so on all the way around.

As there are three exits, it should be straightforward, but as you say, these mini roundabouts are plonked where it could be a T-junction from the minor road and people don't like it because things end up opposite from what you expect (because basically cars from the minor road can turn right on to the major road with priority over those already on the main road and intending to continue straight on!)

No, you drive to the appropriate speed for the particular roundabout. Totally flat surroundings with clear views of the roads to your right and you can see it’s clear before you’re near it then you don’t need to slow right down because you can see it is clear. A more congested area with limit visibility then you approach at a crawl, but you go and get back up to speed if it is clear. You should not be driving into someone trying to nip out at your left, because no one should be nipping out ahead of you.

OP, you are a bad driver. You do not try and get out ahead of traffic coming from the right. You are causing other drivers to have to slow or brake. No one should have to brake because you’re cutting them up so stop doing it.

In a road designers ideal world yes a roundabout out woukd have this constant flow of cars on the move but not hitting eachother but that's just not how it works in practise all the time. Roundabouts of so many different sizes and yeah on a huge quiet roundabout you are yielding to traffic already on it because frankly you usually cant see their entrance anyway to the roundabout, and there's alot of distance on it.

A mini roundabout by nature is small so theres a tiny amount of time on it for cars so you give way to any traffic from the right even if its not on the roundabout by judging if they are far enough away that you have time, not that they should slow down and give you time. If you're popping out in front of a car on the right and a car to your left is beeping they've done what most would and looked to your right and saw a car coming so assumes you would give way, and they'd have time due to it being a further exit away.

You keep mentioning sensible speeds - no one is suggesting approaching the roundabout at 50mph - but if cars approaching the roundabout from the right have to slow down / hit the brakes because you're pulling out on them, that's not a "sensible speed" issue, that's you causing an issue.

You say traffic can flow as intended with no need to give way - the intent of a roundabout is to yield to people with priority to the right, not for everyone to just match a sensible speed you've imagined would help traffic flow better.

How did you get that from what's been said 😂

How would you get out if it was a T junction? Do that

Or lobby your council for traffic lights.

Nobody has said that - but you must approach with caution - what speed that is will depend on the roundabout, the visibility and the road/weather conditions (amongst other things).

You should always be prepared to stop if needed, but in some situations you can see clearly enough that slowing down isn't necessary.

Nobody should be driving straight into a roundabout at the top speed limit. You should be slowing down a bit and looking to see what other traffic is approaching.

But yes, car B will probably drive straight across if there is no oncoming vehicle signalling right, because they don’t have to give way to any other vehicles.

You don’t sound like a safe driver. Roundabouts where multiple A roads cross often have 50mph limits but these only apply to people who don’t have to give way. You must always give way to traffic on your right.

I think a few refresher lessons would benefit you if you're needing to ask on the Internet how to approach roundabouts. It's dangerous. How long have you been driving?

Everyone should approach a roundabout with caution but someone approaching from your right only needs to give way to a car coming from your left who is turning onto your approach road. If you are going out in front of them so they need to slow down then you are in the wrong. The cars approaching from your left should give way to you, but I use a roundabout like this and have found that if I hesitate cars coming from the left will take advantage and just go anyway. It's not a great road design because cars coming from your direction are disadvantaged by the road layout. If I was you I'd be forcing my way out in front of cars coming from the left rather than the right, because that's who you have right of way over.

Well, in all driving situations (eg pulling out at a T junction) the question as to whether traffic is “approaching” is matter of judgment by the driver- that is what you have to decide every time you pull out. Just because you can see a car doesn’t mean you have to wait for it to pass if you have time and space to pull out before it gets to you. You obviously have to be aware that some drivers will behave badly- eg you are pulling out in to a 20 limit and the car in the distance is approaching at 30 so you know it’s not safe to pull out.

The point I am making is that for a roundabout to work as intended everyone should be approaching at speeds that allow the traffic to flow. Otherwise it may as well just have remained a T junction.

34 years. No accidents.

Sorry OP, as much as you want to argue about it, you're in the wrong. And the Highway Code is clear, it's not just written for large roundabouts, it covers both. You need to stop and give way to traffic approaching from your right. If it means waiting until someone coming from your left indicates right and stops the traffic from your right then so be it.

And of course not everyone drives full speed onto a roundabout, although plenty of people do seem to behave like that!

Just because you can see a car doesn’t mean you have to wait for it to pass if you have time and space to pull out before it gets to you.

No, you do have to wait if your manoeuvre is going to cause the other car to slow down to avoid crashing into you.

All traffic doesn't flow at all times on a roundabout. You need to give way to the right.

Yeah but you’re clearly misjudging it and pulling out when you don’t have time to do so. Otherwise you wouldn’t be getting beeped at.

Only because other drivers are paying attention!

Cars approaching from the right must slow down and be ready to stop if a pedestrian steps onto the zebra crossing so no they shouldn’t continue at speed.

There's two mini roundabouts by me. For one of them, the people on the main road seem to think they have priority over those coming out of the side road, not giving way to the right as they should. For the second one, the same drivers follow the rules. It's baffling! I'd understand if it was different drivers but it's the same people!

I also know someone who thinks people on the main road have priority as above. She won't listen to reason, that there would be no point in there even being a roundabout if that were the case. How she hasn't had multiple accidents I'll never know.

That’s not a good measure. Lots of people out there who hesitate at roundabouts or drive at 20mph & so get dodged or overtaken by other safer drivers. It’s when you meet someone like you that the accident will happen

What part of “if you have time and space to pull out” wasn’t clear?

so even if a car coming from my right is not on the roundabout yet it will beep at me if I pull out and cause it to slow down

This part.

There’s a mini roundabout near me where it’s a bit different to OP scenario as it’s 3 exits going off in separate directions and whenever I drive through it, I seem to arrive at the same time as cars coming from both the other exits and we ALL are indicating right. So everyone sits there waiting politely like a numpty till someone takes the initiative and goes…