Mini Roundabouts - Right of Way

Pflano

Apologies if this has been answered already but I have done a search and nothing conclusive has come up.

Can anyone tell me who has right of way when entering a mini-roundabout? These things drive me nuts. I am aware of the "treat them as normal roundabouts" and "give way to traffic coming from the right" rules - which I take to mean traffic just about to join the roundabout from the approach road to my right and traffic already on the roundabout - but in a scenario where all vehicles from all approach roads reach the mini-roundabout at exactly the same time, who has the right of way to proceed. I sometimes find myself waiting for someone to make a move and as soon as someone does, everyone moves and it's every man for himselfl!!!!

Normal size roundabouts are not a problem because you can see in plenty of time who is on the roundabout and who is approaching and they are big enough to take evasive action if need be, but these mini ones are so small that there is very little time to react once you have committed to a manoeuvre.

This morning I approached my "favourite" mini-roundabout on a T-junction - I am approaching from the south and want to turn right so I slowed down, indicated right and although the vehicle who was intending to travel from north to south was stopped at the roundabout when I entered, he pulled out in front of me to go straight on, forced me to brake in the middle of the roundabout and then proceeded off swearing and gesticulating! Now, I am open to correction here, but I thought I was in the right?

Any thoughts?

BUACHAILL

I would think you have answered the question yourself however, some of them mini round abouts have yield signs at them especially at a Tjunction etc so you need to be very careful. Biggest hazard on the road are other people !! I would suggest your first paragraph is the correct answer and the reason you cannot find anything else is because they are treated the same.

Pflano

I would think you have answered the question yourself however, some of them mini round abouts have yield signs at them especially at a Tjunction etc so you need to be very careful. Biggest hazard on the road are other people !! I would suggest your first paragraph is the correct answer and the reason you cannot find anything else is because they are treated the same.


thanks. I know the road I approached from has a Yield sign as does the one I was turning into (there is a Yield sign there when you approach it coming up to the roundabout) so as there were no vehicles on the roundabout and the other traffic had "yielded" to me, I proceeded but then that guy pulled out just as I was about to complete the right turn. I'm not sure if there was a Yield sign on his road as I have never approached the r'about coming from that direction. The question is, when there are vehicles stopped at all three approaches, who has the right of way and who should move first? At busy times, it doesn't feel right to sit at the junction whilst vehicles coming up to the roundabout sail on as they get the impression you are "letting them go" but I usually find myself doing that just to avoid a collision

atomicent

Depending on how small the mini roundabout is, it can be quite difficult to judge, especially in your situation of everyone sitting at their own junction waiting to see who makes the first move. The rule for roundabouts in general as you know is to give way to traffic that is already on the roundabout(traffic coming from the right). If their is a yield sign at your junction, then you must give way if something is already on the roundabout.
In the case of nothing is on the roundabout, then it stands to reason that the first car to leave their junction is on the roundabout and the others must give way.

Pflano

Yes, that's what I thought too but that guy pulled out whilst I was on the roundabout and when I had to brake to avoid hitting him he screamed abuse at me implying that I had no right to be there :rolleyes: God, I hate those things. I guess proceed with extreme caution at a snail's pace is the order of the day on these tiny roundabouts

brian076

Pflano wrote: »

Yes, that's what I thought too but that guy pulled out whilst I was on the roundabout and when I had to brake to avoid hitting him he screamed abuse at me implying that I had no right to be there :rolleyes: God, I hate those things. I guess proceed with extreme caution at a snail's pace is the order of the day on these tiny roundabouts

You have to treat mini roundabouts the same as any other r/a, ie you give way to traffic on your right.

The problem is that a lot of people get confused as the mini r/a may look like an ordinary junction.

If you're driving down a road and you intend turning right into a side road, you will have right of way over traffic coming out of the side road. However if there's a mini r/a at the junction, the traffic coming from the side road, or what you may think is a side road, have right of way.

Pflano

And what about oncoming traffic? The problem was that the guy who pulled out in front of me was coming in the opposite direction i.e. north to south. I think he should have waited for me to complete my turn. When I went onto the roundabout he was stationary but he moved off as I was turning. I guess my question is, when all vehicles are stopped at their junction, who moves first or who has the right of way to move first?

Wishbone Ash

Pflano wrote: »

I guess my question is, when all vehicles are stopped at their junction, who moves first or who has the right of way to move first?

If I was in a similar scenario I go for it if the vehicle on my right wasn't moving. I would then have right of way.

A roundabout is no different from a crossroads with roads of equal importance but without any STOP/YIELD signs. These crossroads are very rare nowadays but the rule was that one had to yeild to the vehicle on one's right. If four vehicles arrive together, it's just a matter of who decides to go first.


Personally, I think those mini-roundabouts cause more confusion and delays than they're worth. Suburban Dublin seems to be littered with them. The one's out along Strand Road in Sandymount are a joke as very few drivers heading south actually yield to those exiting from the residential roads on their right! There are lots of unnecessary ones around Coolock, Raheny and Beaumont which should be converted back to standard T-junctions IMO.

brian076

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Personally, I think those mini-roundabouts cause more confusion and delays than they're worth. Suburban Dublin seems to be littered with them. The one's out along Strand Road in Sandymount are a joke as very few drivers heading south actually yield to those exiting from the residential roads on their right! There are lots of unnecessary ones around Coolock, Raheny and Beaumont which should be converted back to standard T-junctions IMO.

Totally agree, they are very dangerous and unnecessary.

WexCan

I imagine much of the problem is related to drivers not having a clue how to use them.

Here in the UK, they're everywhere, and they range from sizeable humps to barely-there circles which look like someone's spilled some Tippex on the road. But the drivers here are used to them and know how to use them.

Those who don't tend to assume that traffic on the major road still have unrestricted right of way. Just make sure you signal in good time.