Indicating on A roundabout

Teacherman

As you approach a roundabout are you meant to indicate the direction you are getting off? Exactly what are the rules?

Dacelonid

Details here
http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts.html

Nightwish

If you are going left, keep left and indicate left
If you are going straight, keep left and indicate left after you pass 1st exit
If you are going right, keep right and indicate right and then left as you pass 2nd exit.

I never realised before I started driving how many people here do not know how to indicate or even use a roundabout.

Alanstrainor

Nightwish wrote: »

If you are going left, keep left and indicate left
If you are going straight, keep left and indicate left after you pass 1st exit
If you are going right, keep right and indicate right and then left as you pass 2nd exit.

I never realised before I started driving how many people here do not know how to indicate or even use a roundabout.

That's it in a nutshell, just remember to check your left wing mirror before pulling off the roundabout to lookout for other motorists, cyclists etc.

johndaman66

My understanding of roundabouts (and I stand to be corrected on any point) is as follows. However, I do believe I have the basic fundamentals right.

If you are taking the first exit off a round about you indicate left as you approach on the outer most lane and only cancel your signal once you exit the roundabout.

If you intend to take the second exit you would approach on the outside lane also but don't indicate at all until you have passed the first exit at which point you indicate left and again cancel your signal once you exit the roundabout.

If you intend to take a third or subsequent exit you should approach on the inside lane with the right indicator on. Proceed around the roundabout on the inside and as you pass the final exit (before the exit you intend to take) you should move out to the outside lane (while checking mirrors) and also change idicators from right to left.

These rules are the basic rules of roundabouts. However, road markings or signs at a particular roundabout would take precedence to these rules. Also local conditions at a particular rondabout at a particular time may dictate a new procedure. For example if there was an accident on a roundabout and Gardai were on point duty directing traffic in a particular manner. It also goes without saying also that the rules would differ where there are more than two entrance lanes onto a roundabout

Really and truly I think from my own experience that Irish cars should not be fitted with indicators for the most part. Most people don't indicate at roundabouts at all and worse still indicate incorrectly. For examlple indicate as if they are coming off the roundabout and then proceed to come on around. At which point you will invarbly pull out onto the roundabout and they are almost into you. Looking at them then you are on the wrong by the way <SNIP>. Also, if you are approaching a roundabout and don't know which exit you are taking err on the safe side and take the inside lane I would suggest.

Alanstrainor

please use standard font.
And absolutely no swearing, it's not needed or called for on this forum.

johndaman66

Apologies on these counts Alanstainor...

bigpinkelephant

Teacherman wrote: »

As you approach a roundabout are you meant to indicate the direction you are getting off? Exactly what are the rules?

The rules are all in the Rules of the Road. www.rotr.ie

Wishbone Ash

Just bear in mind folks that the instructions posted above generally refer to standard roundabouts or those with no markings. Many roundabouts have alternative set-ups or alternative signage/markings.

johndaman66 wrote: »

Proceed around the roundabout on the inside and as you pass the final exit (before the exit you intend to take) you should move out to the outside lane

'Inside' and 'outside' are poor terms to describe roundabout lanes as many consider to the 'inside' lane to be the lane on the left and the 'outside' lane to be the right.

It's better to use 'right' and 'left'.

johndaman wrote:

indicate as if they are coming off the roundabout and then proceed to come on around. At which point you will invarbly pull out onto the roundabout and they are almost into you. Looking at them then you are on the wrong by the way <SNIP>.

You should never depend on someone's indicator to decide whether to proceed or not.

prodigal_son

A few of the posts above assume the roundabout has a left exit, a straight ahead, and a right exit. Most dont, so the first exit, second exit rules are meaningless, as the first exit, might be a right, it might be straight on..

If youre taking the first exit, and its a left, stay left on your aproach and indicate left before reaching the roundabout.

It lets the people behind you, and the people on the roundabout that you are taking the first exit.

If you are taking the second exit which is also a left, I would treat it as a straight ahead, though am unsure on the correct way to do it. I would take the left position on aproach to the roundabout, i would not indicate until i passing the exit before the one i wished to exit on. (the reason i would do this, is because if i aproached with the left indicator on, people on the roundabout, and waiting to go onto the roundabout would assume i was exiting at the first exit and that could be potentially dangerous)

Straight ahead, you aproach left, you dont indicate, you enter the round about and indicate left to exit as you pass the exit before yours.

Going right, you aproach on the right side lane, or to the right of the lane, and indicate right before reaching the roundabout, You leave your right indicator on as you take the inside lane on the roundabout and leave it on until you reach the exit before yours, you then indicate left and leave.

My general rule of thumb, is to indicate left as i pass the exit before mine. To aproach on the left if going left or straight, and right if going right, and to leave my right indicator on, until i pass the exit before mine & then indicate left to show my intention to exit.

johndaman66

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You should never depend on someone's indicator to decide whether to proceed or not.

Very true Wishbone Ash. I would fully agree with you. Indicate is as is 'says on the tin', an intention and should never be considered absolute by another road user. The point I am meerly trying to make is that there is a flagrant disregard on he part of Irish road users when using them/ not using them or using them incorrectly as the case may be. People will inevitabely act upon another road users indicator and hence accidents are caused.

However, I really don't see how one would consider the 'inside' lane to be the lane on the left and the 'outside' lane to be the right... Unless we drove on the right hand side of the road of course.

Wishbone Ash

johndaman66 wrote: »

I really don't see how one would consider the 'inside' lane to be the lane on the left and the 'outside' lane to be the right... Unless we drove on the right hand side of the road of course.

Many motorists refer to the overtaking lane of a dual carriageway type road as the 'outside' lane. The problem is when the road leads into a roundabout, the 'outside' lane would be nearer the centre of the circle and therefore, becomes the 'inside' lane.

'Right' and 'left' are so much simpler.

wil

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Just bear in mind folks that the instructions posted above generally refer to standard roundabouts or those with no markings. Many roundabouts have alternative set-ups or alternative signage/markings.

'Inside' and 'outside' are poor terms to describe roundabout lanes as many consider to the 'inside' lane to be the lane on the left and the 'outside' lane to be the right.

It's better to use 'right' and 'left'.

Until this thread I have never heard anyone refer to the "inside" lane or "passing on the inside" as anything other than the left side of your car, Even on a roundabout, passing on the inside means overtaking them on the lefthand side, something which should generally not be done.
As below, it is ignorance and lack of adherance to conventional set of rules and terms that leads to so much confusion.
Considering I recently met someone coming anticlockwise on a roundabout, do we need a whole new set of terms for our roads?:rolleyes:

Nightwish, who apparently just recently passed, gave a clear and concise explanation of the rules governing the usual roundabout that replaces the typical crossroads.

I was totally confused by the subsequent roundabout explanation until WA clarified (thank you:)) the upsidedown inside out confusion;), could have lead to people doing the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do (just like they do now)

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You should never depend on someone's indicator to decide whether to proceed or not.

It is very sad that we live in country where a simple signal is rendered almost useless due to the ignorance of others.
It works fine in most other countries, why do we need to be different:(

What people need to consider is that giving a wrong or confusing signal (or lack) approaching or on a roundabout could result in someone pulling out in front of you while you are travelling at speed.:eek:

sweetbubbly

johndaman66 wrote: »

Really and truly I think from my own experience that Irish cars should not be fitted with indicators for the most part.

Irish cars are fitted with indicators as standard??? I always thought they were an optional extra!!

Ciaran500

Theres one thing I haven't seen a good answer to yet.


When going around a roundabout like that and there is two lanes on the exit, which lane do you exit onto?

johndaman66

wil wrote: »

Nightwish, who apparently just recently passed, gave a clear and concise explanation of the rules governing the usual roundabout that replaces the typical crossroads.

Nightwishes rules are grand for basic roundabouts where there are four entrances onto them all at 90 degree to one another and where are are only two lanes on each entry/ exit to the roundabout but I think they are too simplistic and as I say only cover the afore mentioned roundabouts. Many roundabouts are much more complex than this however.

There are situations for example where the third exit may be straight ahead in which case it would be more appropriate to take the right lane (assuming two entry lanes). As such the suggestion by Nightwish "If you are going straight, keep left" is inappropriate. Also the second exit may be a right turn and so on.

Furthermore peoples interpretation of what is left/ right/ straight ahead will differ if the roundabout is not one as simple as I previously mentioned. For example if an exit is 160 degree ahead as opposed to 180 degree is that going straight ahead?

As such I believe it is better and more in keeping with the rules of the road to use 1st/ 2nd exit etc to attempt explain the rules governing roundabouts as oppossed to going left/ going right/ going straight ahead etc.

johndaman66

sweetbubbly wrote: »

Irish cars are fitted with indicators as standard??? I always thought they were an optional extra!!

Sweetbubbly I have it on very good authority that all Irish cars are indeed fitted with indicators;). Its using them that is the optional extra obviously:D.

J_R

Hi,

The most concise clear and simple explanation, which should leave no room for argument comes from the:- Driving Test Examiners Marking Guidelines - Roundabouts

Position at Roundabouts

Where an applicant intends to take any exit in the 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock position, subject to road markings, the approach should normally be in the left-hand lane.

The approach should normally be in the right-hand lane for any exit after the 12 o'clock position, or a fault may be recorded for 'Position at Roundabouts'.

However, where road markings are provided and they require an applicant to use a different approach lane from the above, the applicant should use that 'marked' approach lane, or a fault may be recorded for 'Position at Roundabouts'- (not for 'Road Markings' in this case.)

And

When going around a roundabout like that and there is two lanes on the exit, which lane do you exit onto?

The left hand lane of course. (If clear). Why should you make two manoeuvres, i.e exit in the overtaking lane, then change back to the left hand lane. Only time you would exit in the overtaking lane is if you were turning right a short distance ahead. left lane blocked or you were actually overtaking traffic in the left lane.