Am I using this roundabout correctly?

Squall Leonhart

I'd like some help on the attached image...

On my way to work, the red line is me.
On my approach to the roundabout, at the green circle, I indicate right.
I go around until I reach the pink circle, then indicate left.
I pull off the roundabout in the right of two exit lanes.

It has happened on occasion that I get beeped at by somebody following the blue line, and there have been a few close calls. I always check mirrors and blindspot as I'm exiting.

Should I be taking the purple line when exiting, and then switch to the right lane once off the roundabout... or should I take the yellow line??

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

wonski

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I'd like some help on the attached image...

On my way to work, the red line is me.
On my approach to the roundabout, at the green circle, I indicate right.
I go around until I reach the pink circle, then indicate left.
I pull off the roundabout in the right of two exit lanes.

It has happened on occasion that I get beeped at by somebody following the blue line, and there have been a few close calls. I always check mirrors and blindspot as I'm exiting.

Should I be taking the purple line when exiting, and then switch to the right lane once off the roundabout... or should I take the yellow line??

You should always give way to the traffic on your left when exiting roundabout.

I guess what happened someone was close behind you on left lane and that's where the beep happened.

challengemaster

edit: see following post

Squall Leonhart

Okay, great, no problem.

I can fully accept that I'm wrong, and will stick to the yellow line from here on out.
If it's the safer, correct route, yellow it is.

Thanks!

CelticRambler

You have the right of way when in the outside (yellow) lane; when in the inside (red) lane, you must give way to traffic already in the yellow lane. Both you and the "blue" vehicles are competing for the same slot; first one to get onto the yellow line has priority over the other.

Edit: as the others have said.

njs030

From my memory of the highway code at the point where your pink circle is you should indicate left and move into the left lane and be in the correct lane for taking the next exit. That would also stop people in the blue pulling onto the roundabout and blocking you.

While you do have to give way to the right if there was a crash it's potentially your fault for cutting across a lane.

I learned to drive in England where the highway code could be slightly different so I'm open to correction!!

njs030

http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/roundabouts_uk.html

Just to clarify here is the part of the highway code dealing with roundabouts. if you look for the part dealing with your query it's more or less what I said.

joeysoap

You are in the correct lane. Just move over to the ' yellow' Lane before the 'pink' circle thus preventing any motorist in the 'blue' junction from thinking you are going straight ahead and not taking the next exit. They can then enter the roundabout after you have cleared their junction.

dilallio

You're leaving it too late to indicate your intention to exit, as the cars entering the roundabout will be looking behind you for additional oncoming traffic as they enter the roundabout and may not be aware of your indication.
You should indicate left as soon as you reach the blue circle in this picture and move promptly to the left-hand lane if safe to do so. this gives cars entering the roundabout adequate warning of your intention.

Zirconia

challengemaster wrote: »

Red line is incorrect, you shouldn't be changing lanes mid-roundabout tbh. Even just look at the painted lines, that tells you where each lane should be exiting.

You should be following the yellow line. The correct red line path (inner lane) is for the exit heading back in the direction you came from.

I'm sorry but this advice is completely incorrect, the rules regarding roundabouts is covered from page 129 in the official Rules of the Road: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Rules_of_the_road.pdf

What the OP described is exactly the correct way to behave under the circumstances. If you are going further around than 50% of the roundabout, you should be in the right-most lane entering the roundabout, and you should be changing to the left-most lane after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take.

It's also worth noting that you should only indicate "Right" if you are going more than 50% around the roundabout (and then indicate left after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take), but if you are taking the first or "Straight ahead" exits, you shouldn't use your right indicator at all, and only indicate left, at the appropriate time before you reach that exit.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I do not miss this roundabout one bit. It's an absolute joke. Every day id be dreading it. Fine if you're taking the first or second exit but anything after that you're taking your life in your hands whether you know how to use it or not.

Squall Leonhart

I'm confused now ha ha, mixed messages on this place.

From the link notjustsweet posted I look to be correct... (dillalio, I take your point re indicating earlier, to be honest, i usually would indicate where you'd shown, my sketch was slightly erroneous)

roverrules

How complicated can things be, there is a broken dashed line indicating where you should be following?

Assuming that the lines you are drawing are your actual travel lines, then you are leaving it way too late to change into the lane that feeds into the right hand lane exiting the RaB.

KenjiOdo

dilallio wrote: »

You're leaving it too late to indicate your intention to exit, as the cars entering the roundabout will be looking behind you for additional oncoming traffic as they enter the roundabout and may not be aware of your indication.
You should indicate left as soon as you reach the blue circle in this picture and move promptly to the left-hand lane if safe to do so. this gives cars entering the roundabout adequate warning of your intention.

This!

Vic_08

Squall Leonhart wrote: »

I'm confused now ha ha, mixed messages on this place.

From the link notjustsweet posted I look to be correct... (dillalio, I take your point re indicating earlier, to be honest, i usually would indicate where you'd shown, my sketch was slightly erroneous)

Following the red line; you are NOT correct.

It is not acceptable to exit the roundabout directly from the inside lane, if you hit the person on the blue line you would be in the wrong.

Following the yellow line is also incorrect.

You should enter the roundabout from the rightmost lane (red) and change to the outside lane as soon as possible after the second exit (before the pink circle) then you are in the correct lane to exit the roundabout.

bee06

Vic_08 wrote: »

You should enter the roundabout from the rightmost lane (red) and change to the outside lane as soon as possible after the second exit (before the pink circle) then you are in the correct lane to exit the roundabout.

This is what I do. Once I pass the glasheen exit but before I pass the entrance from glasheen I'll indicate and move into the outside lane.

Damien360

This is one of those local knowledge roundabouts. Why can't we standardise all of them.

Dublin changes lane as you go around and is marked that way. Limerick seems to be the same.

Galway ones (for those that are remaining) has 2 lanes going all the way around and local knowledge dictates that you do as you please.

Cork roundabouts generally do change lane but they are not marked as such. They require local knowledge and appear to be halfway between Dublin norms and Galway norms. It makes cork driving very difficult at times.

NiallBoo

What's being ignored is that it's a roundabout with two lanes at the second exit.

Because this is the case both the red and yellow lines are correct(as its indicated by the road markings), but you should pick one and stick with it.

Zirconia wrote: »

I'm sorry but this advice is completely incorrect, the rules regarding roundabouts is covered from page 129 in the official Rules of the Road: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Rules_of_the_road.pdf

The relevant diagram is the one on page 130

Pops_20

Whenever I use this roundabout coming in this direction, I always indicate at the pink circle and change lanes, following the purple line. If you follow the red arrow then someone coming from the light blue direction always beeps at you because they think you're going around again because they have already started to move and they're looking right.

It's even worse coming from Sarsfields road because everyone thinks that tiny most inner lane is for going all the way around when in fact its not - its for taking the third exit.

The fact that it's not even properly round doesn't help either. I once saw a woman spin her Mondeo 180 degrees at the tip of the 'roundabout' because she was going too fast and it was too late by the time she realised how tight the turn is.

Vic_08

NiallBoo wrote: »

What's being ignored is that it's a roundabout with two lanes at the second exit.

Because this is the case both the red and yellow lines are correct(as its indicated by the road markings), but you must pick one and stick with it.

:rolleyes:

NO.

What YOU are ignoring is;

The rule to give way when changing lanes so if there is a stream of traffic on the blue trajectory are you going to sit stationary in the inside lane of a roundabout waiting to exit? Or would you just steam on and cut up the person inside you?

The rule to use the right entry lane for the third exit so (yellow) is wrong lane and you will be blocking anyone correctly trying to change lanes after exit 2

The road markings on the entrance showing lane 1 left/first exit, lane 2 straight/2nd exit and lane 3 right/3rd exit.


This thread illustrates perfectly why driving in Ireland is such a fukking chore.

An endless stream of muppets who pick which rule they find easiest to stick to while ignoring the rest. Then when they cause a crash they will get all indignant and start roaring their rule at you.

challengemaster

Zirconia wrote: »

I
What the OP described is exactly the correct way to behave under the circumstances. If you are going further around than 50% of the roundabout, you should be in the right-most lane entering the roundabout, and you should be changing to the left-most lane after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take.

It's also worth noting that you should only indicate "Right" if you are going more than 50% around the roundabout (and then indicate left after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take), but if you are taking the first or "Straight ahead" exits, you shouldn't use your right indicator at all, and only indicate left, at the appropriate time before you reach that exit.

Yeah, I went back and re-looked at the image (well, actually I found an unmolested version on google maps :pac: ) and it's not a 3-lane roundabout like I had assumed from my first look. Ops squiggles were confusing me slightly. Earlier comments withdrawn.

You're not entirely correct either though - road markings always take precedence over the default after 12 o' clock rule. Road markings for this roundabout are actually somewhat confusing, in that both right hand lanes at the OPs entry point only have straight ahead arrows. The rest of the road markings (which were hidden by the OPs drawhings) indicate that either the red & yellow lines are acceptable lines to take.

Also on double lane roundabouts, you can exit directly from the inner lane providing the road markings indicate it.

matt-dublin

The yellow line is completely incorrect.


What you did is correct

You should indicate to exit the roundabout between the exit and entry point of there the blue line begins.

This notifies the driver on the blue line of your intent to exit the roundabout.

You are perfectly allowed to exit the roundabout and because of the Shape of the roundabout the blue line has to give way to you as you were on the roundabout first with notification of intent to take the next exit.

The lane where the blue line should really be a left turn only but the road markings are very poor.

The issue is compounded by the fact that every other entry into the roundabout is three lane include a mandatory left turn and this entry doesn't have the third lane.

Bad planning IMO

wonski

matt-dublin wrote: »

The yellow line is completely incorrect.


What you did is correct

You should indicate to exit the roundabout between the exit and entry point of there the blue line begins.

This notifies the driver on the blue line of your intent to exit the roundabout.

You are perfectly allowed to exit the roundabout and because of the Shape of the roundabout the blue line has to give way to you as you were on the roundabout first with notification of intent to take the next exit.

The lane where the blue line should really be a left turn only but the road markings are very poor.

The issue is compounded by the fact that every other entry into the roundabout is three lane include a mandatory left turn and this entry doesn't have the third lane.

Bad planning IMO

You have to give way to the traffic in left lane. Full stop.

I am out of this thread now

Voodoomelon

Vic_08 wrote: »

Following the red line; you are NOT correct.

It is not acceptable to exit the roundabout directly from the inside lane, if you hit the person on the blue line you would be in the wrong.

I'd take issue with this.
Virtually all "regular roundabouts", ie, those with 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock exits require you to exit the roundabout from the inside lane if taking an exit after 12 o'clock, why would this one be any different?

The issue here is people taking the blue line and assuming they have right of way, right when you are trying to make the exit. You are correct that you would be potentially liable if you hit someone in the blue lane, but they should not be pulling out in front of you if have indicated early enough.

Yes, changing to the outside lane just before taking the exit makes it "cleaner" for everyone, but you are perfectly entitled to exit the roundabout from an inside lane. It's just that twats in the blue line will ignore this and bomb on ahead.

NiallBoo

Vic_08 wrote: »

This thread illustrates perfectly why driving in Ireland is such a fukking chore.

An endless stream of muppets who pick which rule they find easiest to stick to while ignoring the rest. Then when they cause a crash they will get all indignant and start roaring their rule at you.

Must be the other guys fault...

Ask yourself this. Why are there two lanes exiting at that exit?

Oh and what rule have I ignored...seeing as I've picked my favourite?

TBi

I drive this roundabout. Op is correct. His lane exits at that point. The person coming the other way should yield.

Also this is a signalised roundabout. So op is already in junction before the other car that beeps comes on.

Pops_20

TBi wrote: »

I drive this roundabout. Op is correct. His lane exits at that point. The person coming the other way should yield.

Also this is a signalised roundabout. So op is already in junction before the other car that beeps comes on.

This roundabout isn't signalised.

JBokeh

I do what OP does when I use the roundabout, and I know what you mean about the people taking the blue line, problem is the distance that they're driving in the outside lane, on a normal shaped roundabout the entry from exit 2 and the exit for exit 3 would nearly be adjacent, so there isn't really a risk of cutting across someone, but here there is a good stretch so there is a risk of that happening.

I spun my old beemer on that roundabout too, the LSD was a bit eager and it sent me backwards towards glasheen on a super frosty january morning, a lot of people steer wide on it anyway due to not expecting it to tighten as you go around it

Delira

This roundabout's on the driving test route which I did a few months ago. My instructor taught me (more like drilled into me!) to enter on the red line, then when you have passed the exit before your exit (i.e. just before your pink circle) you must indicate & move out to the yellow line.

Exiting on the red line really doesn't look right to me.

Really is a nasty roundabout though. Rumours were the testers rarely take students on it during the test as it's so dodgy.

savagethegoat

it looks to me as if the dotted line to your left veers over as a guidance of where you should be.

bladebrew

TBi wrote: »

I drive this roundabout. Op is correct. His lane exits at that point. The person coming the other way should yield.

Also this is a signalised roundabout. So op is already in junction before the other car that beeps comes on.

This is the Wilton roundabout, I think you may be thinking of Sarsfield road roundabout?

Squall Leonhart

Vic_08 wrote:

An endless stream of muppets who pick which rule they find easiest to stick to while ignoring the rest. Then when they cause a crash they will get all indignant and start roaring their rule at you.

Hopefully you're not including me in this? I'm trying to ensure I navigate this roundabout (ovalabout!?) safely

Voodoomelon wrote:

Yes, changing to the outside lane just before taking the exit makes it "cleaner" for everyone, but you are perfectly entitled to exit the roundabout from an inside lane. It's just that twats in the blue line will ignore this and bomb on ahead.

Thanks, this was my thinking....

NiallBoo wrote:

Ask yourself this. Why are there two lanes exiting at that exit?

For me this is kinda the main reason I feel I have been using the roundabout correctly. The second lane is to accommodate exiting too.

TBi wrote:

I drive this roundabout. Op is correct. His lane exits at that point. The person coming the other way should yield.

Thank you! I'd rather be wrong and not crash than be right and be in a crash though.

Delira wrote:

Exiting on the red line really doesn't look right to me.

I agree it doesn't look right, but based on road markings and lanes it feels the right path.

jimgoose

KenjiOdo wrote: »

This!

+1.

bladebrew

I had my rigid truck lessons around this roundabout, we always used the inside (red) lane, then indicate and move over maybe a bit earlier than the OP is.
I looked in the left hand mirror one day and a Micra had pulled out (taking first exit from blue line direction) and was heading up the left hand side of me! I didn't expect it there at all, I had to let them pass on the left then move back across,
It's a tricky roundabout when busy, but don't take the yellow line!

NiallBoo

I'm beginning to wonder if this roundabout divides Cork people more than that spat between Dev and the big fella'.

pheelay

This.

bladebrew wrote: »

I had my rigid truck lessons around this roundabout, we always used the inside (red) lane, then indicate and move over maybe a bit earlier than the OP is.

This situation has bothered me a lot recently as loads of these large 2-lane roundabouts have appeared in recent years with the new motorways, and large numbers of drivers are using them incorrectly. For example, the M3 exit at Dunboyne/Bracetown, M4 at Kilcock and countless others on motorway exits. The 'local knowledge' seems to be to use the yellow line when taking the 3rd exit.

Rules of the road say:
1. Approach in the right-hand lane (unless road markings say otherwise), indicate 'right' on your approach and leave your indicator on until you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take.
2. Then change to the ‘left’ turn indicator. Move over towards the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to
leave.

So, use the red line, then indicate and change lane when possible, just before the pink dot, then exit the roundabout on yellow line.

sunnysoutheast

pheelay wrote: »

This.




This situation has bothered me a lot recently as loads of these large 2-lane roundabouts have appeared in recent years with the new motorways, and large numbers of drivers are using them incorrectly. For example, the M3 exit at Dunboyne/Bracetown, M4 at Kilcock and countless others on motorway exits. The 'local knowledge' seems to be to use the yellow line when taking the 3rd exit.

Rules of the road say:
1. Approach in the right-hand lane (unless road markings say otherwise), indicate 'right' on your approach and leave your indicator on until you have passed the exit before the one you intend to take.
2. Then change to the ‘left’ turn indicator. Move over towards the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to
leave.

So, use the red line, then indicate and change lane when possible, just before the pink dot, then exit the roundabout on yellow line.

I think you would also be OK to exit via the red route as there are two lanes off the roundabout, as long as you were signalling correctly?

JBokeh

NiallBoo wrote: »

I'm beginning to wonder if this roundabout divides Cork people more than that spat between Dev and the big fella'.

You should see what the one on the end of the straight road does, mainly going from Ballincollig to the ModelFarm road. That discussion turns messy fast

xabi

You're leaving it too late to exit, the dashed line that's to your left as you go around the roundabout is what you should be following, that's why they are there.

Turtle-TM

What's the point of having 2 lanes exiting the roundabout then?

Surely it makes far more sense to enter the roundabout in the right lane, continue around in the right lane, indicate you intention to leave the roundabout before the junction where cars can enter the round about, then leave the roundabout in the right lane, as you have indicated you are leaving the roundabout, no one should be entering the roundabout as they need to yield to traffic already on the roundabout.

If you are continuing around to another exit in the right lane, then they can enter in the left lane, provided they are taking the first exit, or an exit straight ahead

xabi

Turtle-TM wrote: »

What's the point of having 2 lanes exiting the roundabout then?

Surely it makes far more sense to enter the roundabout in the right lane, continue around in the right lane, indicate you intention to leave the roundabout before the junction where cars can enter the round about, then leave the roundabout in the right lane, as you have indicated you are leaving the roundabout, no one should be entering the roundabout as they need to yield to traffic already on the roundabout.

If you are continuing around to another exit in the right lane, then they can enter in the left lane, provided they are taking the first exit, or an exit straight ahead

The painted lines on the road are dictating what you should do in this case, not all roundabouts follow the same rules.

Turtle-TM

xabi wrote: »

The painted lines on the road are dictating what you should do in this case, not all roundabouts follow the same rules.

No, but on a roundabout where there are 2 entry lanes, and 2 exit lanes, then the lane you enter in is the lane you should exit in. Rather than crossing lanes mid way around a roundabout. Now I'm sure I'll be told how wrong I am, but to me, it's common sense.

xabi

Look at the diagram I added, the red line is exiting in the right lane. It's the elongated shape of this one that makes it look different

sunnysoutheast

xabi wrote: »

The painted lines on the road are dictating what you should do in this case, not all roundabouts follow the same rules.

I think if you follow the rule that you should keep the dashed white line on your immediate left this will actually result in you leaving the roundabout in "lane 2" if entering it from the left of the picture? I think that's what you meant? That would be the way I would navigate it.

xabi

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

I think if you follow the rule that you should keep the dashed white line on your immediate left this will actually result in you leaving the roundabout in "lane 2" if entering it from the left of the picture? I think that's what you meant? That would be the way I would navigate it.

Exactly

sunnysoutheast

xabi wrote: »

Exactly

Cheers yeah just saw your update after I posted!

esforum

wonski wrote: »

You should always give way to the traffic on your left when exiting roundabout.

I guess what happened someone was close behind you on left lane and that's where the beep happened.

Eh, no. In Ireland you give way to the right ie traffic already on the roundabout. the OP is correct in his / her driving but then so is the blue if they enter after the OP has passed their junction (but probable driving faster and therefore they meet at the OP's exit).

Whats happening here is its an oval-about. In order to cover all bases the op should probable indicate a little sooner and follow the purple line at that stage.

whiterebel

Zirconia wrote: »

I'm sorry but this advice is completely incorrect, the rules regarding roundabouts is covered from page 129 in the official Rules of the Road: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Rules_of_the_road.pdf

What the OP described is exactly the correct way to behave under the circumstances. If you are going further around than 50% of the roundabout, you should be in the right-most lane entering the roundabout, and you should be changing to the left-most lane after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take.

It's also worth noting that you should only indicate "Right" if you are going more than 50% around the roundabout (and then indicate left after you pass the last exit before the one you intend to take), but if you are taking the first or "Straight ahead" exits, you shouldn't use your right indicator at all, and only indicate left, at the appropriate time before you reach that exit.

Why do you talk of percentages, when percentages are not mentioned anywhere in the rules of the road with regard to roundabouts. As if there isn't enough confusion already.

Shep_Dog

Voodoomelon wrote: »

The issue here is people taking the blue line and assuming they have right of way, right when you are trying to make the exit. You are correct that you would be potentially liable if you hit someone in the blue lane, but they should not be pulling out in front of you if have indicated early enough.

What's missing from this discussion are the rules on overtaking. It's not permitted to overtake if to do so would endanger or inconvenience anyone. So, the traffic in the blue lane should not overtake if it prevents people from exiting. Likewise, you must not overtake anyone in the blue lane and then cut across them.

It works well when people don't overtake on the roundabout, take it easy and play nice.

wonski

esforum wrote: »

Eh, no. In Ireland you give way to the right ie traffic already on the roundabout. the OP is correct in his / her driving but then so is the blue if they enter after the OP has passed their junction (but probable driving faster and therefore they meet at the OP's exit).

Whats happening here is its an oval-about. In order to cover all bases the op should probable indicate a little sooner and follow the purple line at that stage.

If both cars are already on roundabout you give way to the traffic on your left when you are about to exit.

You can't just make your way to the exit just because you indicated, can you?

I do agree there is a bit of road courtesy involved. I personally never overtake / undertake on a roundabout and if everyone followed this simple rule and leave other cars enough space, there would be no thread about this.

Not the case, unfortunately. Which is surprising given how many roundabouts are in the country.

That is me of the thread again:D