Drivers cutting up on the left (inside) on a roundabout

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

This is one of the most irritating things on the road.

Normally if a person can be overtaken on the left, they are normally in the wrong, but not always.

On a roundabout, if you intend to take the exit after 12 o'clock,

you indicate right as you approach the roundabout,

use the right lane to go around,

as you pass the exit before the one you want to take you indicate left and move into the left lane and exit the roundabout.

It's at this stage that I sometimes see other drivers barging past on the left and preventing me from changing lanes. I've seen it happen to other drivers too, not just me.

Do people not realise any of the following?:

It's a roundabout, not a corner about, you need to exit using the left lane (unless road markings says otherwise).

Overtaking a driver on the left (especially when the driver you're overtaking is indicating left) is an idiotic move. I'm not talking about overtaking lane hoggers on the left btw, a whole other discussion.

TheW1zard

Are you taking the second or third exit?

colm_mcm

TheW1zard wrote: »

Are you taking the second or third exit?

Doesn’t actually work like that now. That’s the way I learnt too back in the late 90s but they’re going purely on the 12 o clock system now.

Not sure why you believe you need to change lanes on the roundabout before your exit?

But yeah, people who don't know how to use roundabouts are annoying

colm_mcm

bubblypop wrote: »

Not sure why you believe you need to change lanes on the roundabout before your exit?

But yeah, people who don't know how to use roundabouts are annoying

You change lane on a 2 lane roundabout where the exit has only 1 lane.

Grolschevik

colm_mcm wrote: »

Doesn’t actually work like that now. That’s the way I learnt too back in the late 90s but they’re going purely on the 12 o clock system now.

Requires you to have experience of the actual physical layout of the roundabout, then. Not just the sign's visual representation of it.

TheW1zard

colm_mcm wrote: »

Doesn’t actually work like that now. That’s the way I learnt too back in the late 90s but they’re going purely on the 12 o clock system now.

You approch in the left lane if your going 12 O clock, or first or second exit.

eusap

You need to consider the road markings

Where there are two lanes approaching a roundabout, often the left (9) and Straight Exits (12) the road marking indicate to stay in the left lane, the right lane on approach is to exit right (3) but of course this is not set in stone as per the different road markings.

Its actually a penalty point offence to not follow the lane direction arrows

timmyntc

TheW1zard wrote: »

You approch in the left lane if your going 12 O clock, or first or second exit.

The 1st/2nd/3rd exit terminology doesnt work when roundabouts have more or less than 4 exits.

12 o'clock is always straight ahead, 2nd exit is not always straight ahead (or before).

irish_goat

Are you talking about a 2 lane or 1 lane exit?

timmyntc

eusap wrote: »

You need to consider the road markings

Where there are two lanes approaching a roundabout, often the left (9) and Straight Exits (12) the road marking indicate to stay in the left lane, the right lane on approach is to exit right (3) but of course this is not set in stone as per the different road markings.

Its actually a penalty point offence to not follow the lane direction arrows

if theres 2 lanes on approach and 2 exit lanes at 12o'clock then you can use both lanes to go straight.

biko

Unfortunately there is only one rule for driving - expect the driver next to you to do something stupid.

eusap

timmyntc wrote: »

if theres 2 lanes on approach and 2 exit lanes at 12o'clock then you can use both lanes to go straight.

not if its indicated otherwise by the road markings

The OP is clearly referring to being blocked from changing lane to exit the roundabout by a car that is (presumably) taking a later exit than the OP. Thus forcing the OP to do a full circle back to their exit.

They way they have described using a roundabout above is fairly 'by the book'.

TheW1zard

timmyntc wrote: »

The 1st/2nd/3rd exit terminology doesnt work when roundabouts have more or less than 4 exits.

12 o'clock is always straight ahead, 2nd exit is not always straight ahead (or before).

Exactly, If youre going 12 O clock and its the third exit you should be in the right hand lane.

sydthebeat

if you havent enough time / space between the second last exit and your exit to cross lanes, then youve done it wrong.

irish_goat

Deleted User wrote: »

The OP is clearly referring to being blocked from changing lane to exit the roundabout by a car that is (presumably) taking a later exit than the OP. Thus forcing the OP to do a full circle back to their exit.

They way they have described using a roundabout above is fairly 'by the book'.

I think they're talking about a 2 lane exit where they start in the right lane and want to leave in the left lane.



They are the green car and are annoyed that the blue car ends up going around and blocking them from changing lanes. Question is why they want to change lanes at all...

timmyntc

TheW1zard wrote: »

Exactly, If youre going 12 O clock and its the third exit you should be in the right hand lane.

No you shouldnt.

Del2005

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

This is one of the most irritating things on the road.

Normally if a person can be overtaken on the left, they are normally in the wrong, but not always.

On a roundabout, if you intend to take the exit after 12 o'clock,

you indicate right as you approach the roundabout,

use the right lane to go around,

as you pass the exit before the one you want to take you indicate left and move into the left lane and exit the roundabout.

It's at this stage that I sometimes see other drivers barging past on the left and preventing me from changing lanes. I've seen it happen to other drivers too, not just me.

Do people not realise any of the following?:

It's a roundabout, not a corner about, you need to exit using the left lane (unless road markings says otherwise).

Overtaking a driver on the left (especially when the driver you're overtaking is indicating left) is an idiotic move. I'm not talking about overtaking lane hoggers on the left btw, a whole other discussion.

What do the arrows entering the roundabout show? There's one on my way out of work where 2 lanes exit at 9 and the 2 entry lanes are marked so that you can use either lane to exit at 9. So I'm sure that plenty of drivers think I'm taking the p1ss when I go around from the left lane and exit at 9 but I'm following the markings so am allowed to.

colm_mcm

TheW1zard wrote: »

You approch in the left lane if your going 12 O clock, or first or second exit.

Nope. There were two methods being taught up to about 20 years ago, and the 1st, 2nd etc thing was dropped quietly.
To my knowledge there is no mention of 1st or 2nd exit any more.

First exit could be at 3 o clock for example.

TheW1zard

colm_mcm wrote: »

Nope. There were two methods being taught up to about 20 years ago, and the 1st, 2nd etc thing was dropped quietly.
To my knowledge there is no mention of 1st or 2nd exit any more.

First exit could be at 3 o clock for example.

I hear ya.
If there are two exits, at 3 and 4 O clock, you go in the right lane for both?
Id go in the left lane for the 1st exit myself.

Squeaksoutloud

irish_goat wrote: »

I think they're talking about a 2 lane exit where they start in the right lane and want to leave in the left lane.



They are the green car and are annoyed that the blue car ends up going around and blocking them from changing lanes. Question is why they want to change lanes at all...

I have had the situation occur several times around. Swords where some guy in a rush thinks he can be the blue car and follow me around and take the 3rd exit with me forced me to exit onto lane 2 of the exit. One time when I Tried pulling into the left lane as I came into the exit i, gave them a gentle beep and they just decided to stop and block me then!

colm_mcm

TheW1zard wrote: »

I hear ya.
If there are two exits, at 3 and 4 O clock, you go in the right lane for both?
Id go in the left lane for the 1st exit myself.

Unless it's specifically signposted otherwise then you'd be wrong.

I can see why you would do that alright, but it wouldn't be right.

JustJoe7240

Deleted User wrote: »

The OP is clearly referring to being blocked from changing lane to exit the roundabout by a car that is (presumably) taking a later exit than the OP. Thus forcing the OP to do a full circle back to their exit.

They way they have described using a roundabout above is fairly 'by the book'.

Or the same exit maybe?

i57dwun4yb1pt8

ah jaysus not roundabouts a fu*king gain

just accept that roundabouts are the twilight zone of the irish roads ,
you go in , looking around wildly like a young boy in a seminary
hope for the best and generally escape to the other side in one piece if you are lucky

it NEVER going to change, even the self drives will smash each other up in 20 years time on irish roundabouts

irish_goat

irish_goat wrote: »

Is that diagram correct, though? When I was doing my lessons and test (about 7-8 years ago) I was told you shouldn't change lane mid-junction, and a roundabout is effectively a junction.

The way I was informed, that green car should be exiting only into the right lane. Once in the right lane, he can then decide to move to the left (after clearing the junction, but not whilst on the junction)?

(obviously in real life, you can vary this to suit the roundabout, but i was under the impression that official 'rules' diagrams wouldn't portray changing lanes like that)

JustJoe7240

JustJoe7240 wrote: »

Or the same exit maybe?

But if there was a car on the left lane, and you were in the right lane, both taking the same exit, you wouldn't be changing lane anyway? In that case, the right lane on the exit becomes redundant, if everyone is going to try and exit onto the left lane anyway?



I read it as the person is taking an exit after the OP, and therefore their positioning on the road has blocked OP from leaving the roundabout.

khaldrogo

Left lane for left or straight
Right lane for right or straight

Unless road signs state otherwise

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I love roundabout threads on boards. It really exposes the people who haven't one clue about going around them. Every single time.

johndaman66

The opening poster is making too many assumptions and over simplifying roundabouts to be fair.
Far from all roundabouts are simple 4 exit roundabouts with each entry - exit being 90 degrees to each other just as in the Rules of the Road. I have seen roundabouts with the first exit being after 12 o' clock....you wouldn't indicate right as you approach the roundabout then would you? I think it also seems to be assumed that there is only one lane on the exit of the roundabout which of course is not always the case.
Opening poster is right though that people's misuse of roundabouts is appalling.

Spook_ie

bubblypop wrote: »

Not sure why you believe you need to change lanes on the roundabout before your exit?

But yeah, people who don't know how to use roundabouts are annoying

Surely depends on lane and road markings for example
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4503815,-6.2237785,3a,75y,237.23h,67.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1st5hF1OXYELGDTZk7Z8_ljQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

You should be in the left hand lane to leave
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4498877,-6.2254478,3a,75y,323.43h,66.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svGMbPAKH-gXWJ9usZz2GhQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

and yes people will try to overtake on the left even when you're indicating to exit the roundabout when they enter from here
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4496744,-6.2246539,3a,75y,293.21h,66.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTuqC_0huwmcgSMHdU9IfDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is that diagram correct, though? When I was doing my lessons and test (about 7-8 years ago) I was told you shouldn't change lane mid-junction, and a roundabout is effectively a junction.

The way I was informed, that green car should be exiting only into the right lane. Once in the right lane, he can then decide to move to the left (after clearing the junction, but not whilst on the junction)?

(obviously in real life, you can vary this to suit the roundabout, but i was under the impression that official 'rules' diagrams wouldn't portray changing lanes like that)

That would be my understanding as well. Afterall, another car could enter from your 12 o'clock and be taking the first exist

khaldrogo

khaldrogo wrote: »

Left lane for left or straight
Right lane for right or straight

Unless road signs state otherwise

No, you shouldn't go straight in the right lane unless it's posted that you can. There's a diagram in the thread

Markcheese

What if the junction isnt signposted as a roundabout ... It just happens to be a 2 lane one way circular junction with 6 exits and 3 signalized pedestrian crossings going to central island .... And most traffic will happily go round past 4 or 5 exits in the left lane ..

Not a fictional junction ...

punisher5112

This happens a lot... Last guy done it in an Audi, then brake checked, pulled over waited and said he would report.e and have my job...

I laughed and stated the law and CCTV was all over the bus... He still was adamant he was in the right.... Shocker.... I still have my job...

irish_goat

Squeaksoutloud wrote: »

I have had the situation occur several times around. Swords where some guy in a rush thinks he can be the blue car and follow me around and take the 3rd exit with me forced me to exit onto lane 2 of the exit. One time when I Tried pulling into the left lane as I came into the exit i, gave them a gentle beep and they just decided to stop and block me then!

But why are you trying to switch lanes on the roundabout?

amadangomor

irish_goat wrote: »

But why are you trying to switch lanes on the roundabout?

Two lane roundabout and one lane exit I presume. Why wouldn't he change lanes in this situation?

Markcheese

irish_goat wrote: »

But why are you trying to switch lanes on the roundabout?

To get to the exit ? , Maybe ? 2 lane roundabout multiple single lane exits maybe ..

garv123

Blue is wrong in that pic...You'd add hours onto your journey going out to the outside like that?

We all know this is how straight on works in Ireland..

zg3409

Deleted User wrote: »

The OP is clearly referring to being blocked from changing lane to exit the roundabout by a car that is (presumably) taking a later exit than the OP. Thus forcing the OP to do a full circle back to their exit.

They way they have described using a roundabout above is fairly 'by the book'.

The OP needs to yield when going from inner ring to outer ring. An indicator does not change this or give right of way. 90+% of people don't know how to use a roundabout properly.

The arrows at the entrance, if any, tell what lane to be in. The 12 o click rule is confusing as sometimes the sign for the roundabout in advance shows the exit as before or after 12, while the actual exit may be opposite, just before or after 12.

I assume all road users are trying to crash into me, and are busy texting or on the phone on roundabouts (I have seen this myself)

The OP is right that the other motorist should realise their actions are creating an immediate pinch point, but they may be taking first exit, and be on outer ring, and perfectly in the right to give right of way over car in inner ring.

johndaman66

garv123 wrote: »

Blue is wrong in that pic...You'd add hours onto your journey going out to the outside like that?

We all know this is how straight on works in Ireland..

Brilliant, love it! That is most likely the biggest bugbear of mine on the road just there and I would say at least 7 out of 10 commit this offence. Doesn't matter if there is a car in the inner lane, just lace it through in the most sloppy manner possible and make sure to cut up the guy on your inside.

Wetbench4

People should not be changing lanes on the roundabout, theres nothing worse then when people try to do this half way through in heavy traffic and end up blocking inner and outer lanes of roundabout. I see it everyday, wrecks my head.

Lets say they are the green car and are taking the 3rd exit, they get in the rightside lane coming up to roundabout, cross into inner ring, they pass the 1st exit, then when they are passing the 2nd exit they indicate and try to change from the inner ring to the outer ring, and get stuck behind traffic and end up partially in both rings.:mad:

When taking 3rd exit or the greater than 12 o clock exit, you should get in rightside lane on approach, cross over outer ring into inner ring, stay in inner ring passed 1st and 2nd exit, then cross back over the outer ring to get off at the 3rd exit, not before it. If the 3rd exit is single lane, then the merging should be done going into the 3rd exit, not on the roundabout itself and making sure not to block the roundabout.

TheW1zard

Third exit is 12 o clock. What lane should i be in approaching RB

dsmythy

TheW1zard wrote: »

Third exit is 12 o clock. What lane should i be in approaching RB

Either. Left if you want less risk.

Spook_ie

Wetbench4 wrote: »

People should not be changing lanes on the roundabout, theres nothing worse then when people try to do this half way through in heavy traffic and end up blocking inner and outer lanes of roundabout. I see it everyday, wrecks my head.

Lets say they are the green car and are taking the 3rd exit, they get in the rightside lane coming up to roundabout, cross into inner ring, they pass the 1st exit, then when they are passing the 2nd exit they indicate and try to change from the inner ring to the outer ring, and get stuck behind traffic and end up partially in both rings.:mad:

When taking 3rd exit or the greater than 12 o clock exit, you should get in rightside lane on approach, cross over outer ring into inner ring, stay in inner ring passed 1st and 2nd exit, then cross back over the outer ring to get off at the 3rd exit, not before it. If the 3rd exit is single lane, then the merging should be done going into the 3rd exit, not on the roundabout itself and making sure not to block the roundabout.

It depends on the RaB

jimmycrackcorm

The problem with roundabouts in Ireland is that there are too many combinations of single/double - entry/exits with a mix of the left entry being, either straight and left exits, or left exit only. It would be much simpler to simply instate a common rule that you stay on the right until your exit is on the left and only then move to the left, do the markings also and have every roundabout consistent.

As well as the existing confusion, SDC has added another type to the Fonthill business estate roundabout. Coming from the direction of the N4, you need to stay on the right lane to go around the roundabout to enter, however just as you pass the first left exit they have painted a continuous line. It's there to stop drivers coming from the Coldcut road to use both lanes to enter the retail park but means that people legally on the inside lane turning right, have to illegally cross this continuous line to exit. To do it legally, you would basically have to drive as though you are going straight and make a sharp cut right to avoid the line and get into the left exit.

If they just simplified the rules for roundabouts with different entry and exits combinations, then we'd never have to have this annual thread topic again.

irish_goat

amadangomor wrote: »

Two lane roundabout and one lane exit I presume. Why wouldn't he change lanes in this situation?

He said there was 2 exit lanes.

cruizer101

irish_goat wrote: »

He said there was 2 exit lanes.

I may be wrong but I'm guessing it is the pavillions roundabout in swords, there is often issues there.



It is a traffic signaled roundabout and when approaching from the north there are two lanes. The first exit is more or less null and void as there is a separate feeder lane (that said if you missed the feeder lane you could still take the exit). The next exit is a single lane one, blue car only.

The next is two lanes and is the continuation of the dual carriageway. At this exit blue should exit and red can exit the roundabout. Red also has the choice to go into two other lanes which will exit at the next roundabout exit, one for pavillions one for swords. What often happens is the blue car will continue on, black line, to go to the pavillions, thinking that they can continue on in the outer lane when in fact their lane has exited the roundabout.
So in effect red isn't changing lane they are just choosing which lane to continue on in.

GarIT

The real annoying thing here is people thinking the left is the inside, it's the outside lane.

Spook_ie

GarIT wrote: »

The real annoying thing here is people thinking the left is the inside, it's the outside lane.

Nearside/Offside

irish_goat

cruizer101 wrote: »

Red also has the choice to go into two other lanes which will exit at the next roundabout exit, one for pavillions one for swords. What often happens is the blue car will continue on, black line, to go to the pavillions, thinking that they can continue on in the outer lane when in fact their lane has exited the roundabout.
So in effect red isn't changing lane they are just choosing which lane to continue on in.

There's no reason for red to go into the outerlane, especially as cars from the Swords and Drynam road could be in that lane heading towards the Pavillions(Malahide Road) exit.