Some Learner Questions - Roundabouts, gears, yielding

lucernarian

Hey guys, I have some niggling doubts about my driving and I'm hoping to do my test within a month or so.

Firstly, this roundabout: https://goo.gl/maps/pkZWK

When I'm approaching from the south, the only exit from the roundabout as such is over 180 degrees around the roundabout. As I approach the roundabout, my exit is a little right of 12 o'clock. It also has two lanes. I'm pretty sure I must stick to the left hand lane but I'm not sure if I should be indicating right. Also, if I am indicating right, at what point should I switch from indicating right to indicating left for my exit?

Next, gears. In some corners and especially things like right hand turns from a major road onto a minor road (e.g. at a T-junction) - when all ways are clear of traffic and pedestrians, I can take the turn in second gear. I've been doing lessons in a petrol car but the car I practice in with my licenced family members is a diesel car. But in making sure I'm turning into the lane without clipping the central line at all, the speed drops below 15 kph. In the diesel car, the car starts to struggle in second gear. My question: can I clutch control in second gear (and therby make an easy and smooth turn onto the minor road) or do I have to drop to first gear, and take one hand off the wheel and try to smoothly go into first gear for 3 seconds and then change back up to second gear after turning the corner?

Yielding at parked obstacles when there is oncoming traffic in the other lane: I am not sure of how far back I should stop a car that's parked on my side of the road, when I'm waiting to turn into the other lane so that I can pass it. I've read people having problems with avoiding road obstacles in their test here. Also, am I right in saying that I should simply stop before a parked car, if there is not enough room to pass while staying on my side of the divided line without giving the car a door's width of space? I had an interesting situation during lessons where I came across a parked rigid truck just before the island in the road (https://goo.gl/maps/WxzLi) and I wouldn't have been able to take the left hand lane without coming within 0.5 metres of the door of the truck.

Sofa King

lucernarian wrote: »

Hey guys, I have some niggling doubts about my driving and I'm hoping to do my test within a month or so.

Firstly, this roundabout: https://goo.gl/maps/pkZWK

When I'm approaching from the south, the only exit from the roundabout as such is over 180 degrees around the roundabout. As I approach the roundabout, my exit is a little right of 12 o'clock. It also has two lanes. I'm pretty sure I must stick to the left hand lane but I'm not sure if I should be indicating right. Also, if I am indicating right, at what point should I switch from indicating right to indicating left for my exit?

Next, gears. In some corners and especially things like right hand turns from a major road onto a minor road (e.g. at a T-junction) - when all ways are clear of traffic and pedestrians, I can take the turn in second gear. I've been doing lessons in a petrol car but the car I practice in with my licenced family members is a diesel car. But in making sure I'm turning into the lane without clipping the central line at all, the speed drops below 15 kph. In the diesel car, the car starts to struggle in second gear. My question: can I clutch control in second gear (and therby make an easy and smooth turn onto the minor road) or do I have to drop to first gear, and take one hand off the wheel and try to smoothly go into first gear for 3 seconds and then change back up to second gear after turning the corner?

Yielding at parked obstacles when there is oncoming traffic in the other lane: I am not sure of how far back I should stop a car that's parked on my side of the road, when I'm waiting to turn into the other lane so that I can pass it. I've read people having problems with avoiding road obstacles in their test here. Also, am I right in saying that I should simply stop before a parked car, if there is not enough room to pass while staying on my side of the divided line without giving the car a door's width of space? I had an interesting situation during lessons where I came across a parked rigid truck just before the island in the road (https://goo.gl/maps/WxzLi) and I wouldn't have been able to take the left hand lane without coming within 0.5 metres of the door of the truck.

1. As there is only one junction exiting the roundabout, you should still follow the roundabout as if there was 4 exits.

I always approach those type of roundabouts with the term 'Left 1,2 - Right 3,4' - in other words:

Left lane of exits 1 & 2

Right lane for exits 3 & 4

Therefore as the exit is to the right I would stay in the right hand lane indicating to the right and when I go pass 12 o'clock I would proceed to indicate to the left in order to exit.





2. Petrol or Diesel vehicles should not make a difference. I'm still trying to figure out what you actually mean but I would suggest that when coming to a junction in order to turn that you should be approaching the junction by slowing down by lowering your gears with the aim to stop and to be in first gear.

Take off in first gear and go into second gear as you are turning. I can't exactly remember my tests perfectly but I think I made a point of stopping at every junction before turning.

3. You should stop before a parked vehicle that's parked somewhere that's intruding onto the road such as the rigid you mentioned (and there being double yellow lines in the picture). Stop, indicate and proceed with caution when clear to do so.

You should stop (in the case of the rigid) where the driver can see you and again, indicate and proceed with caution.


-- I hope this helps and if anyone feels what I say may be incorrect then please feel free to correct me.

lucernarian

Thanks for that! What you said for 2 and 3 makes sense. Regarding petrol and diesel, I find that I can move slowly (like 10kph or less) in a petrol engined car I'm learning in, while the diesel I usually drive would strain or jolt in second gear if I went below 14 kph. I should say this also applies to simply taking left turns around corners or proceeding through yield signs with no oncoming traffic.

For 1, the problem is that there's one exit and its only slightly to the right of twelve o'clock direction. If I was in the right lane by 12 o'clock, I'd miss the turn. I guess streetview will show it best.

Also, when should I start indicating to the left if I am on a roundabout where the first exit is the 12 o'clock direction one?

J_R

Sofa King wrote: »

1. As there is only one junction exiting the roundabout, you should still follow the roundabout as if there was 4 exits.

I always approach those type of roundabouts with the term 'Left 1,2 - Right 3,4' - in other words:

Left lane of exits 1 & 2

Right lane for exits 3 & 4

Therefore as the exit is to the right I would stay in the right hand lane indicating to the right and when I go pass 12 o'clock I would proceed to indicate to the left in order to exit.


-- I hope this helps and if anyone feels what I say may be incorrect then please feel free to correct me.

Hi,
Apologies, but that is very bad advice.

The four exit roundabout "rule" can only be applied to a basic four exit roundabout which has the four exits equally spaced apart by ninety degrees.

The rules for all roundabouts (including 4 exit ones) are :-

If the exit is at or before 12 o'clock stay left, if after 12 o'clock indicate right, go right. The actual exit number is immaterial, the only important factor is its position. The ONLY exception to that rule is for the 1st exit, irrespective of its position you stay left.

Consider your advice

I would stay in the right hand lane indicating to the right

Traffic can now legally undertake you in the left lane, traffic which you will have to contend with when you come to exit.
Full explanation of the roundabout rules:-
Roundabouts

Carraig Fhearghais

When approaching that roundabout (going by google street view & if I am looking at the correct roundabout!), the road sign indicates that the 'straight ahead exit is at the '12 O'clock' position, this is what I alway go by (unless road painted markings show different) because, even if you know (because of familiarity or local knowledge) that the exit is physically further round than 12 O'clock, anyone who is approaching for first time or not local/tourist etc. will expect (because of the signage) the exit to be 'straight ahead.


My 2c

lucernarian

Carraig Fhearghais wrote: »

When approaching that roundabout (going by google street view & if I am looking at the correct roundabout!), the road sign indicates that the 'straight ahead exit is at the '12 O'clock' position, this is what I alway go by (unless road painted markings show different) because, even if you know (because of familiarity or local knowledge) that the exit is physically further round than 12 O'clock, anyone who is approaching for first time or not local/tourist etc. will expect (because of the signage) the exit to be 'straight ahead.


My 2c

What?! Going by Google Streetview? The sign indicates it's not at the 12 o'clock position and according to Streetview, this has been the case since 2009 https://goo.gl/maps/C5Oca

J_R

Hi,

can I reiterate, it does not matter a jot where the 1st exit is , 7, 8, 9, 12, 1, 2, 5'oclock whatever, you stay on the left hand side. If lanes in the left most lane, no lanes then your normal drivinng position - a safe but not excessive distance from the left hand side of the road.

The same basic common sense rules apply to all types of roads and junctions.

In the above example to propose that just because the next left you are going to take is around a bend in the road it is necessary to leave the safety of the left hand side of the road, change over to the right then back again is simply ludicrous.

lucernarian

J_R wrote: »

In the above example to propose that just because the next left you are going to take is around a bend in the road it is necessary to leave the safety of the left hand side of the road, change over to the right then back again is simply ludicrous.

Thanks for your earlier post, I think that's been well established now:P. If the first exit is after 12 o'clock, when do I start to indicate left for the exit?

J_R

lucernarian wrote: »

Thanks for your earlier post, I think that's been well established now:P. If the first exit is after 12 o'clock, when do I start to indicate left for the exit?

Hi,

I followed the Chief Tester of Ireland into a somewhat similar roundabout once and he only indicated left when about half way round. No left on approach.

However there would be no harm in giving a "left" signal on approach .

One thing, some pupils I had indicated left before entering, then when they started following the curve of the roundabout the indicator would of course cancel. Some would then get quite upset at this (specially the wimmin) and would start fighting with the indicator - sometimes to the exclusion of everything else. (As there was a right lock on the car the indicator would immediately cancel).

So no big deal, give a left before entering, let it cancel then left again about half way around or so.

Carraig Fhearghais

lucernarian wrote: »

What?! Going by Google Streetview? The sign indicates it's not at the 12 o'clock position and according to Streetview, this has been the case since 2009 https://goo.gl/maps/C5Oca

Apologies, I was looking at the wrong roundabout & sign

Gavin2403

Hi, Im just wondering how many questions can you get wrong on the rigid driving test?