Roundabout - Advice

The Sparrow

Ok can maybe somebody here can explain what the right way to approach this roundabout is...

Am heading towards the motorway so have to navigate past three roundabouts. First one is fine and I turn onto the road leading onto the second one. Now I`m taking the first turn off the next roundabout so I stay in the left lane and that works fine. However at the third roundabout I need to go around it all the way to the final exit. Therefore I need to be in the right hand lane approaching it, right?

SO when I`m taking the first turn off coming off the second roundabout how do I go about getting in the right hand lane to approach the final roundabout? Can I go straight into that lane? Or should I go into the left hand lane when approaching the last roundabout and then try and switch lanes before getting to the roundabout even though the traffic is sometimes heavy and it would be impossible?

Or do I need to go to the outside land of the roundabout even though its the first turn off?

Sorry if this is a bit confusing, but any advice would be greatly appreciated!

colm_mcm

where is this roundabout, and how many lanes are there on the roads?

plasto

hi,

If you want to get into the right lane after the second roundabout, you must indicate and make sure the way is clear before switching lanes.

If you cant get into the right hand lane approaching the third roundabout,(this is a bit mad...but) approach the second roundabout in the right lane, go all the way around, then it would be easier to get into the right lane heading for the third roundabout!

I never tried it, it could work.

try not get killed!

The Sparrow

colm_mcm wrote:

where is this roundabout, and how many lanes are there on the roads?

The roundabouts are at the kilternan exit to the M50. There is one lane as you approach the second roundabout and two as you approach the third roundabout which is where I have the problem.

Basically the reason I`m asking this is because I always assumed that when I am coming off the roundabout I have a right to choose the right lane if that is the one I need to be in for the next roundabout. But tonight when I did just that another car overtook me on the outside (the other side of the road) and was beeping at me and gesturing at me so I beeped back at him assuming he was in the wrong. So he pulls back into the lane in front of me and and stops and gets out of the car and comes back ranting at me and when i said why the fcuk are you overtaking me on a roundabout he starts shouting that I should have been in the inside lane of the roundabout to go into that lane coming of it. That just sounded ludicrous because its the first turn off and surely it would just confuse everyone else if I went to the inside of the roundabout only to immediately turn off it!

This has happened to me before on this roundabout so I just wanted to know if I am doing it completely wrong or not?!

andrew_ireland

When I was reading your first post I knew exactly where you were talking about, I come up off the M50 And take the third exit (to cross the bridge) then the right-hand lane to enter the second roundabout on the inside then take the 2nd exit to get to the third roundabout. Recently, although I hate this, I've had to take to going around the 2nd roundabout in the outside lane because inevitably some eejit won't let me out into the outer lane when I need to take the exit.

Maybe I'm wrong but isn't the outer lane only for your first exit? Don't flame as I'm only trying to do what's right!:o

The Sparrow

andrew_ireland wrote:

When I was reading your first post I knew exactly where you were talking about, I come up off the M50 And take the third exit (to cross the bridge) then the right-hand lane to enter the second roundabout on the inside then take the 2nd exit to get to the third roundabout. Recently, although I hate this, I've had to take to going around the 2nd roundabout in the outside lane because inevitably some eejit won't let me out into the outer lane when I need to take the exit.

Maybe I'm wrong but isn't the outer lane only for your first exit? Don't flame as I'm only trying to do what's right!:o

Andrew I`m pretty sure the outside lane is for taking the first and second exit and the inside lane is only for when you are taking the last exit. Check it out here:

http://www.2pass.co.uk/roundabout.htm

andrew_ireland

I think the exit I was confused over should be treated as the last exit and according to that site I should stay on the inner lane but then again it does say to use the outer lane for first and second exits. Maybe it's the case that the last exit could be the road I've just entered the roundabout on like as if doing a U-Turn?!

Aaaaaaaaaagh....I'll be up all night thinking about that- cue nightmares about oulwans on the Walkinstown roundabout:eek:

BostonB

If you consider a roundabout that has say 10 exits, all of them only one lane wide, Then IMO you can only be in the outer lane to exit. The inner lane is only for not turning off. Once in the outer lane you should exit. That works with any number of exits, and any number of lanes on a roundabout. Of course with bad markings, and too small roundabouts people take short cuts, because there isn't enough road to switch lanes between exits. Also allow for large vehicles that will span more than one lane to get around it.

craichoe

BostonB wrote:

If you consider a roundabout that has say 10 exits, all of them only one lane wide, Then IMO you can only be in the outer lane to exit. The inner lane is only for not turning off. Once in the outer lane you should exit. That works with any number of exits, and any number of lanes on a roundabout. Of course with bad markings, and too small roundabouts people take short cuts, because there isn't enough road to switch lanes between exits. Also allow for large vehicles that will span more than one lane to get around it.

First and Second Exit - Left hand lane
Subsequent exit (Everything after) Right hand lane

Unless roadmarkings say otherwise, there may even three or four lanes depending on how much traffic its designed to carry.

BostonB

I know that whats in the guides. Dunno what the law is though. The problem with that is...

andrew_ireland wrote:

...inevitably some eejit won't let me out into the outer lane when I need to take the exit.....

As you say road markings often say exit only in the outer lane. But you can't see this in heavy traffic.

craichoe

If you have a problem getting into the left hand lane then just go around the roundabout, once on it you have right of way and have plenty of time to get to the outer lane to make your exit.

joolsveer

From 2007 Rules of the Road

Going straight ahead;
Approach in the left-hand lane but do not signal yet.
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
You may follow the course shown in the illustration by the broken red line
in situations where:
¥ the left-hand lane is only for turning left or is blocked or closed, or
¥ when directed by a Garda.

Taking any later exits;
Signal right and approach in the right-hand lane.
Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to
exit the roundabout.
Check your mirrors, signal left and proceed to your exit when it is safe to
do so.
Signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want to
take.

BrianD3

It's really confusing when people start talking about the "inner" and "outer" lanes on roundabouts. Much easier to say left, right, leftmost, rightmost, middle etc.

OldmanMondeo

I would always keep to the outside lane, but I would let people on the inside lane pull over to get there exit.

As for what the op is asking, after reading his second post, it sounds like either,
A. Both him and another car were taking the same exit from the same entrance, but the other car entered the roundabout fromt the righthand lane. If this is the case the other car was wrong to do this, but the op was wrong to lane change without checking.
B. The other car was already on the roundabout and the OP did not give way.

When exiting a roundabout you should keet left, unless the roundabout is dual lane and the exit is also dual lane, then you should keep to the lane you are already in.

GreeBo

Roundabouts on motorway exits/entrances dont work in my opinion.
I come up from Beacon Hospital most days on the right most lane as you approach the roundabout. This is the one signposted for M50 (S). This exit has two lanes. The M50 is the third exit so after I pass the second exit I indicate to move in the middle lane to take the right most lane onto the M50 slipway.

By my understanding anyone on the lane immediately to my left should be moving to the left most lane for their exit as they pass the exit before their yet no one ever does and they all beep/flash/abuse if you try to get into your correct lane.
Most days the rightmost lane comes to a stop as people sit waiting to get into their lane even though they were in the correct lane to begin with.

Wishbone Ash

BrianD3 wrote:

It's really confusing when people start talking about the "inner" and "outer" lanes on roundabouts. Much easier to say left, right, leftmost, rightmost, middle etc.

Yes, RIGHT, CENTRE and LEFT is much clearer.

What do posters mean when they refer to the "outside" lane on a roundabout? Presumably they mean the LEFT lane but then again the "outside" lane on a road usually refers to the RIGHT lane! See why it's confusing!

andrew_ireland

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Yes, RIGHT, CENTRE and LEFT is much clearer.

What do posters mean when they refer to the "outside" lane on a roundabout? Presumably they mean the LEFT lane but then again the "outside" lane on a road usually refers to the RIGHT lane! See why it's confusing!

I see what you mean, I was referring to the lanes in a 2 lane roundabout as inner and outer rings- just felt a bit easier for me to visualise it that way!

BostonB

joolsveer wrote:

From 2007 Rules of the Road

You can interpret that as you can go around the round about in the outside lane until you come to the "straight ahead exit". So there could be 2 or 3 exits before that point. But you can also exit at any point from the inner lane. "Keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout". On a small roundabout you can't move into the outside lane, its not big enough. Its poorly written and too open to interpretation. IMO.

BostonB

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Yes, RIGHT, CENTRE and LEFT is much clearer.

What do posters mean when they refer to the "outside" lane on a roundabout? Presumably they mean the LEFT lane but then again the "outside" lane on a road usually refers to the RIGHT lane! See why it's confusing!

The lane furtherest away from the center is the outside on a roundabout. Its the opposite on a straight road. its only confusing if you don't know the context. Probably right left and center is better, unless theres more than 3 lanes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swindon_Magic_Roundabout_eng.png

The Sparrow

So is the general consensus that if I want to exit the roundabout in the right hand lane of the first exit that I need to do a full lap of the roundabout?

hi5

Use the 12 O clock rule on roundabouts,any exits before and including 12 use the left lane after 12 use the right lane.
The roundabout signs before are for the most part laid out this way.

BostonB

woooo232 wrote:

So is the general consensus that if I want to exit the roundabout in the right hand lane of the first exit that I need to do a full lap of the roundabout?

Not if you enter it in the left lane.

Its another example of poor road layout. I assume there should be road markings to say you can only turn left in the left lane on the roundabout not continue through to the 12 O'clock exit as per the rules of the road. Fat chance of seeing it in traffic though. I guess your meant to just know this from experience. Hopefully its not bitter experience. Something like a long truck might need to use the left lane to get around to the 3 o clock exit.

In all things, use your common sense and don't simply blindly follow the rules of the road, and have some empathy for others.

hi5 wrote:

Use the 12 O clock rule on roundabouts,any exits before and including 12 use the left lane after 12 use the right lane.
The roundabout signs before are for the most part laid out this way.

Some roundabouts theres no 12 oclock or its not the 2nd exit. The rules should work for all roundabouts not some of them. IMO.