Roundabouts & Third Gear

Kintarō Hattori

When I was having my lessons the instructor stated that roundabouts had to be taken in 2nd gear. This was grand as I was in a small 1 litre car. My missus car is a pokey 2 litre BMW and she will take a large roundabout in 3rd as it seems like a crawl to go around it in 2nd..... possibly down to gearing perhaps?

So my question is this:

Do roundabouts need to be taken in 2nd only?

Is it a question of making sure the car is under control and each model is different so 3rd may be fine for some?

Thanks.

J_R

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

When I was having my lessons the instructor stated that roundabouts had to be taken in 2nd gear. This was grand as I was in a small 1 litre car. My missus car is a pokey 2 litre BMW and she will take a large roundabout in 3rd as it seems like a crawl to go around it in 2nd..... possibly down to gearing perhaps?

So my question is this:

Do roundabouts need to be taken in 2nd only?

Is it a question of making sure the car is under control and each model is different so 3rd may be fine for some?

Thanks.

Hi,

You are correct.

There is no such "Rule". You drive through a roundabout at a speed suitable to the conditions and then in the appropriate gear for that speed, be it 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Kintarō Hattori

J_R wrote: »

Hi,

You are correct.

There is no such "Rule". You drive through a roundabout at a speed suitable to the conditions and then in the appropriate gear for that speed, be it 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Thanks for that. He was very explicit about the 'rule' so I've questioned it since I've been practising in the missus car as 2nd just seemed too low and slow for her car.

readytosnap

Maybe he was referring to when you are doing the test?, I mean if you are stopped at the roundabout you are not going to going in 2nd. above advice sounded right (suitable to conditions)

Kintarō Hattori

readytosnap wrote: »

Maybe he was referring to when you are doing the test?, I mean if you are stopped at the roundabout you are not going to going in 2nd. above advice sounded right (suitable to conditions)

For sure if you were stopped but he had meant while in motion.

ohnonotgmail

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

When I was having my lessons the instructor stated that roundabouts had to be taken in 2nd gear. This was grand as I was in a small 1 litre car. My missus car is a pokey 2 litre BMW and she will take a large roundabout in 3rd as it seems like a crawl to go around it in 2nd..... possibly down to gearing perhaps?

So my question is this:

Do roundabouts need to be taken in 2nd only?

Is it a question of making sure the car is under control and each model is different so 3rd may be fine for some?

Thanks.

the short answer is yes. My current car can take roundabouts in 3rd gear comfortably. My last car couldnt as the engine would be chugging. There is no way you should be taking a roundabout in 3rd gear in a 1 litre car.

wobbles

Your instructor is basing your lessons around the car you are in (and more than likely doing your test in). He is advising you on how to drive that particular car.

I passed my test in my girlfriends car, and got all my lessons in the same car. It was a 1.3 with 5 gears and like you, I was advised to always be in second as its a suitable speed for the roundabouts. My own car now is also a 1.3 but with 6 gears. Third is the ideal gear for the same roundabouts. If I drop to second, I have to change gear while on the roundabout as its too slow.

So while there is no rule as such, your instructor is trying to get you in the habit of which is the correct gear, which for your car is second.

Kintarō Hattori

wobbles wrote: »

So while there is no rule as such, your instructor is trying to get you in the habit of which is the correct gear, which for your car is second.

I had taken lessons in his which was a 1 litre while I did the test in the missus car which is a 2 litre with six gears..... so that's why I had asked initially. A roundabout in it, in second just didn't seem right.

Thanks.