Please help me with driving round this roundabout every day. It's all going wrong!!

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There is a rubbish roundabout near us and I have to negotiate it regularly.

I'm an experienced driver but it's started to be a real problem lately, and I don't know how to get it right. I've been beeped at several times, cut up nearly every time recently. It must be me I think.

Ok bear with me.

This is a fairly hefty roundabout. It has four exits...the one I approach from, has three lanes.

You can either turn left, by going into the left hand lane/bus lane at the last few metres. This is popular.

You can go straight ahead, which is what I usually want to do.

Or you can go right, which isn't popular as it doesn't go anywhere much.

So people going straight ahead tend to use both the central and right hand lanes on approach.
With me so far? Good

Ok, so I am approaching the roundabout in the right hand lane. The way is clear, there is a gap in the traffic coming from my right.
I start to enter the roundabout, remaining in the inside lane (closest to the middle island). However the person on my left also wishes to go straight across, and cuts in front of me as I go forward - so I have to wait for them to go before I can, thus missing the gap or getting hooted from the now-present car coming from my right.

It is also fairly difficult to get into this lane from the previous roundabout so I tend to use the central lane, which is even worse:

I'm now approaching in the central lane. Some cars in my lane are turning off into the bus lane to take a left turn - fine. Others are behind me wanting to go straight across. There are plenty of cars on my right, also wishing to go straight ahead.

I wait for a gap, and start to drive into the roundabout. At this point I am now given to total panic. This is because the car on my right wishes to take the inner lane (next to the central island) and the car on my left, which is going left, is taking the outer part of the roundabout. So I am stuck, being cut up on both sides by other cars. I just generally STOP now and wait for them to move, whilst getting hooted at by all of them plus the cars behind me.

I seemingly cannot win. I think the problem is that there are three lanes of traffic going into a two lane roundabout.

What can I do? It's making me want to give up driving completely as I feel so unsafe, it's kind of dog eat dog especially at rush hour.
I must be doing something wrong.

I stop at the roundabout, and wait

The magic roundabout in Hemel is the reason I go to Watford to shop!

I would start in the middle lane with no indicators on.

I would focus on the traffic in the lane to the left of you as you go on to the roundabout. As soon as you have passed the first exit indicate left and if there is no one to the left of you move to the left and then turn left off the roundabout into the left hand lane of the dual carriageway. If there is someone to the left of you will have to stay to the right of them and turn in to the right hand lane of the dual carriageway and then indicate left to move back into the left lane.

I would not use the left hand lane to go onto the roundabout as it sounds as though it is heavily used for turning left and you would have people to your right turning into your space.

I would not use the right hand lane as this should be for people turning right if there is a third exit. If there were only two exits I suppose the right lane would be for going on to the right lane of the dual carriageway.

I do think your solution is to go in the RH lane and go all the way round the roundabout.

I agree with the poster who says it's a confidence thing with you.

Taking the RH lane would mean:

1. Less traffic on the approach (you'd get to the roundabout sooner)
2. You'd feel confident that you were in the correct lane, because fewer cars were trying to get in it.
3. When you're angling for your exit, YOU have right of way because you're on the roundabout.

I see what you mean...going right round would feel a bit silly, but it would mean less conflict - although I would still have to vie for position with the person in the middle lane as they cut across the central part of the roundabout.

I do feel confident that I'm right, (apart from my own lane switching attempts which tend to be disastrous) but I also feel everyone else in the situation is wrong.

I can't do much about their behaviour, so look to employ defensive driving but get stuck between two loonies most of the time.

IF I was thinking about you and your roundabout plight on the school run today ( It consists of lots of roundabouts ) LOL

I was sorely tempted to use the new straight ahead signal.. but thought better of it

I took the bike this arvo. I'd have been in deep doo doo otherwise, I envisaged going round and round and round until I had got it sorted in my mind just Exactly how wrong everyone was driving

don't STOP on the bloomin roundabout you will cause an accident!!

at Paula and stripey both namin gthe same roundabout. Bet you both cut each other up daily!

There is a magic roundabout in Swindon too. The first few times I had DH saying "stop" "go" and just did as I was told, but once you get used to it, it is fun - you can go round the big roundabout the 'wrong' way whilst still going round each little roundabout correctly.

For a masterclass in roundabout usage, go to Rome and watch the traffic. Not only do they not stop, they don't even slow down, and it works.

This sort of thing is why I don't drive. I think you're very brave for even attempting to get round it

Gawd, ROME what a nightmare, I've seen it!! Surprised they're not all dead the way they drive.

Well you'll be surprised to know I cleared the rond-point this morning, without a peep from anyone!

I did the middle lane, thence into the outer lane, which was odd as I had to drive right round the edge instead of straight across. This was only possible due to there being for once no tailback from the left turning to prevent usage of said outer lane.

In fact there was hardly any traffic at all, for some reason . There were a few dodgy looks from the people coming OUT of that left turning, as they realised someone was coming round in front of them and they couldn't just join the outer lane like they probably usually do, nobody being in it for above reasons.

Also I then had to change lanes on the other side, but that's a slightly calmer affair.

Thankyou all for your incredibly useful brainstorming yesterday! It really helped me sort it out mentally.

Funny!! Was also about to ask whether you are talkign about the London Colney roundabout.

For straight on stick in middle lane and hold your ground with the people on your right!