Roundabouts

want2play

Can anybody explain to me why people think to go straight through a roundabout they have to change to the inside lane as if they want to go around the roundabout, then just cut you off and not even think about it?

NeMiSiS

Because most of them have no idea how to drive ?
TK

Tabnabs

Just to add, I have noticed an increasing amount of driver indicating right when going straight (i.e. the second exit) through a roundabout, is there an amendment to the rules that no one has told me?

Tabnabs

want2play wrote:

Can anybody explain to me why people think to go straight through a roundabout they have to change to the inside lane as if they want to go around the roundabout, then just cut you off and not even think about it?

They are obviously getting mixed up with this:

"Stay in the left hand lane, but do not indicate "left" until you have passed the first exit/the exit before the one you intend to take.
Where conditions permit, usually on larger roundabouts, you may follow the course shown by the broken line."
http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts.html

crosstownk

Yep - some people just don't grasp the concept of roundabouts. Imagine something like this > http://www.strum.co.uk/wessex/brunpic.htm

Savman

crosstownk wrote:

Yep - some people just don't grasp the concept of roundabouts. Imagine something like this > http://www.strum.co.uk/wessex/brunpic.htm

Christ. Please tell me that's a photoshop jobbie :eek:

Stark

Nope, it's real. http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_%28Swindon%29

There are a few others like the Hemel Hempstead roundabout.

godtabh

crosstownk wrote:

Imagine something like this > http://www.strum.co.uk/wessex/brunpic.htm

Holy crap!

One big roundabout with 5 small ones. People here wouldnt know what to do!

quarryman

Dyflin wrote:

They are obviously getting mixed up with this:

"Stay in the left hand lane, but do not indicate "left" until you have passed the first exit/the exit before the one you intend to take.
Where conditions permit, usually on larger roundabouts, you may follow the course shown by the broken line."
http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts.html

so basically, you can use the inside lane entering the roundabout (when going straight through) when there are two exit lanes, is that what that is saying?

Stark

That's my understanding of it.

manor15

If you are learning to drive then this site is great for everything you need. For roundabout click on the following link: http://www.irishmotoring.ie/car/drivingyourcar/roundabouts.php

Pherekydes

manor15 wrote:

If you are learning to drive then this site is great for everything you need. For roundabout click on the following link: http://www.irishmotoring.ie/car/drivingyourcar/roundabouts.php

This website gives advice that disagrees with the official Rules Of The Road version, to wit:

ROTR wrote:

Treat the roundabout as a normal junction which means you yield right of way to traffic approaching on the roundabout.

Irish Motoring wrote:

In Ireland you drive clockwise and yield to traffic on the right.All traffic entering a roundabout MUST yield to traffic from the right.

Note that in the official version, traffic coming from the left may be already on the roundabout before you, and therefore you must give way. Also, a lot of drivers wait at the entrance to a roundabout for traffic approaching the roundabout from some distance away on the right when there is no need to.

maidhc

Slow coach wrote:

Note that in the official version, traffic coming from the left may be already on the roundabout before you, and therefore you must give way.

Both of those quotes are essentially saying the person on the roundabout has right of way and the person wishing to join the roundabout must yeild?

seamus

Slow coach wrote:

Note that in the official version, traffic coming from the left may be already on the roundabout before you, and therefore you must give way.

It's semantics really though. Since the traffic moves clockwise on the roundabout, it could be argued that traffic which has entered the roundabout from a junction on your left, is still traffic which is approaching from the right.
Remember that when you're at a roundabout, you're not at a junction with four other roads, you're at a junction with a roundabout. Each entrance/exit is a separate junction on that roundabout.

That said, phrasing it as "Give way to traffic entering or already on the roundabout" is much clearer than on that website.

cormac_byrne

want2play wrote:

Can anybody explain to me why people think to go straight through a roundabout they have to change to the inside lane as if they want to go around the roundabout, then just cut you off and not even think about it?

But arent they on your right and shouldn't you be giving way to them?
Isn't that what the rules say?

colm_mcm

manor15 wrote:

If you are learning to drive then this site is great for everything you need. For roundabout click on the following link: http://www.irishmotoring.ie/car/drivingyourcar/roundabouts.php

I'm not happy with their use of phrases such as "turning right" it misleads people on roundabouts with more than 4 exits. exits should be identified by their number or order, rather than their position on the roundabout.

J_R

quarryman wrote:

so basically, you can use the inside lane entering the roundabout (when going straight through) when there are two exit lanes, is that what that is saying?

That is what the old and the new proposed ROTR says

Diagram 2 - Travelling Straight Ahead. Stay in the left hand lane, but do not indicate "left" until you have passed the first exit/the exit before the one you intend to take.

Where conditions permit, usually on larger roundabouts, you may follow the course shown by the broken line.
Travelling Straight Ahead

The department requested feedback on the new rule book. I gave them some on about 6 points. That was the first. IMHO, the bald statement that you may follow the course of the broken line without any quantifying rider leads to some of the confusion experienced.

They may just as well say "Where conditions permit, you may use the overtaking lane of a dual carriageway".

So, advised the Dept, they should add something like, " you may use the dotted line shown only if you are overtaking traffic in the left lane or turning right a short distance ahead".

The very basic road position rule in Ireland is "Keep Left". (Unless turning right). Why should this be abandoned suddenly for a roundabout. ??

AMurphy

Roundabouts are faulty by design and installation. they are designed to insure traffic will cross and inevitably cut across each other either entering or leaving. That there are not a lot more crashes on them is a great mystry, probably because people recognise danger when they see it.

I know no way of indicating correctly in one as you can only let it blink once or twice at most before you need to indicate the opposite direction.

So I figure the best way to approach one is at speed and thread through whatever other object occupy it at the time.

Larry David

AMurphy wrote:

Roundabouts are faulty by design and installation. they are designed to insure traffic will cross and inevitably cut across each other either entering or leaving. That there are not a lot more crashes on them is a great mystry, probably because people recognise danger when they see it.

I know no way of indicating correctly in one as you can only let it blink once or twice at most before you need to indicate the opposite direction.

So I figure the best way to approach one is at speed and thread through whatever other object occupy it at the time.

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

J_R

AMurphy wrote:

So I figure the best way to approach one is at speed and thread through whatever other object occupy it at the time.

Know a few people who hold that philosophy, the "Faster you go, the faster you get out of trouble"

hi5

Stark wrote:

Nope, it's real. http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_%28Swindon%29

There are a few others like the Hemel Hempstead roundabout.

There are two connecting roundabouts in Portlaoise which is the same theory as the Hemel hempstead.(your exit is also your next entry)

People dont know how to use roundabouts in Ireland because many have never done a driving test and hence never read a rules of the road book.

Alun

I don't know whether they're still there, but years ago near Harwich (EDIT: actually it might have been the next big town, Colchester, my memory is a bit hazy!) where the ferry comes into England from the Hoek van Holland, they used to have a couple of double roundabouts. Nothing wrong with that, but these ones had the two halves so close to each other, that they effectively did away with the pretence of having any kind of short connecting road between the two and just merged them into one big junction. It looked like a single roundabout with two islands and a big dashed line between the two.

Now, even though if you thought about it, it was obvious how to use them, there was nevertheless an overwhelming urge to take the second one in the opposite direction to the first for some reason, causing great hilarity all round. Add to that the fact that a lot of the drivers had just come off the boat from the continent, and you can imagine the chaos.

Stark

hi5 wrote:

People dont know how to use roundabouts in Ireland because many have never done a driving test and hence never read a rules of the road book.

I gave out to a guy who had recently passed his test the other week for not bothering to indicate on roundabouts. His response was "Pfft, I only bothered with the indicators so I could pass the test". Inconsiderate git.

commited

Dyflin wrote:

Just to add, I have noticed an increasing amount of driver indicating right when going straight (i.e. the second exit) through a roundabout, is there an amendment to the rules that no one has told me?

Saw an AMBULANCE driver doing this today. Was really really really surprised.

AMurphy

crosstownk wrote:

Yep - some people just don't grasp the concept of roundabouts. Imagine something like this > http://www.strum.co.uk/wessex/brunpic.htm

Now imagine it with a 205ft truck towing a 25ft trailer.... and trying to observe the nice "stay in lane" rules.....

Nuts. Defective by design, what do you expect.:rolleyes: