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?

Not always true. Depends on road markings.

But the person coming from the right only has to give way to the person on his right if that person is turning right. If the person on his right is not turning right, then the person on your right can just carry on.

Likely down to other peoples good driving rather than your own.

You are definitely in the wrong here. You should not be forcing your way of traffic is approaching on your right - and if they smashed into you, you’d be at fault (so says my insurance after some silly boy racer did exactly what you do and got side swiped by me).

If you see a car 100 yards away on your right then you don't need to stop as you'll have completed your manoeuvre and be on your way before they get there. See the same car 5 yards away, then you need to stop.

It's frustrating sitting at a roundabout and more and more traffic coming and having to wait. But that's what you have to do if it's busy.

Sometimes roundabouts don't work at certain junctions and traffic lights would work better.

Unless a pedestrian steps onto the zebra crossing…

Whatever size roundabout (mini, small normal, big normal, huge gigantic one) you give way to the right - whether that be a car approaching the roundabout from the right or already on the roundabout. They have right of way.

I mean, it was perfectly clear, but you clearly don't have time and space if people are constantly beeping at you!

They should be but if they can see you can’t go because someone is approaching on your right, they can go.

The problem is that to get to the place where you can force drivers on the left to give way you have to be on the roundabout, but you can’t get in to it because of all the drivers speeding through from the right!

I wonder whether this is another of the things that’s being taught differently, now.

I also remember that people are supposed to slow and pause as they approach the roundabout- there’s double white dotted lines after all.

It’s the same at all road junctions- double white dotted lines. I was taught to slow on approach and pause before pulling out, even if there’s plenty of room. DS was taught to approach at a steady pace and drive straight through. Gives me the heeby jeebies.

"For one of them, the people on the main road seem to think they have priority over those coming out of the side road"

We have one just like that as well. When moving onto the mini roundabout from the side road I always keep a close watch on what people on my left are doing.

That was a completely separate post.

Yes, I forgot about the crossing, I was thinking about the mini roundabout that I approach in the same direction as the OP and I have to wait for a clear gap to my right before I enter the roundabout.

Thank you!

I learnt a few years ago and was taught to slow to have time to look but not to pause if you can see it’s clear

This is online as well-

• “Other vehicles: Be aware of other vehicles and give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

Already on the roundabout.

This is my point. People are supposed to slow down. My question was whether those speeding straight through were using the roundabout correctly.

I’m not causing cars to screech to a halt. I don’t pull out when it’s completely unsafe. The beepers are just pissed off they had to slow down, even though they were meant to do that anyway.

Interestingly this as well-

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.

I’ve see it argued on here that you must use the left lane to go straight on (and I think that’s what’s currently taught), but that is not what the Highway Code says- it’s says appropriate lane.

The drivers on your right never have to give way to you. They aren’t “speeding through”. They have right of way!

You should never force anyone to give way. You wait till the road is clear and you actually have right of way.

Honestly it just sounds like you don’t want to wait till the road to your right is clear, so you cut people up and get beeped at.

I was taught to slow down on approach to a mini roundabout.

Continuing at the same speed as you approach was incorrect.

Obviously it’s not good for any of us to I’ll out in front of someone, but they are supposed to slow- which is obviously no longer taught.

I now behave according to what people do, rather than what I was taught they would do!

I was responding to the PP who said they would force their way out in front of the traffic approaching from the left.

And they are speeding through if they do not slow down at all on approach to the roundabout.

Yes, but the zebra crossings are important here, and I’m my mind badly positions. There does not seem to be space between the crossing and the roundabout so drivers need to stop before the zebra crossing - you must not block a pedestrian crossing. Drivers from the right must also be alert to pedestrians approaching that zebra crossing and slow down in order to stop if they step onto the crossing.

If they can see the road ahead is clear and there is no vehicle that they have to give way to, then they are perfectly entitled to speed straight through. You have to give way to them because they’re coming from your right.

Of course they are pissed off that you cut them up and made them to have to slow down! You aren’t supposed to cause any other road user to change speed or direction.

Anyway there is another similar T junction roundabout on my route where I am the one approaching from the larger road on the right. I’m going to stop slowing down on approach as an experiment and see what happens.

But if they can see it’s clear they don’t have to slow down.