Question about indicators on a roundabout

amargar

Coming to a roundabout with left and right lane, taking the 3rd exit (after 12 oclock), rules of the road says to keep the right indicator on, and use the left one just before the exit.

However, I came across a roundabout where you have to be on the left lane all the way to the 3rd exit past 12 oclock. The right lane is for further, so do I still use the right indicator in that setting? Wouldn't it be confusing to indicate right while in the left lane and cars will think I'm moving lanes?

Kimbot

No, as your going around the roundabout to the right and passing turn offs you are required to have it on as you are passing by turns.

The Continental Op

I'd always add that you indicate left off the roundabout as soon as you are past the last exit you aren't taking. No point waiting till the last possible second and indicating left as you turn which some people do - a Trivial Annoyance of mine.

amargar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544658#Comment_122544658

This is what I thought, so keep right indicator until ready to exit, thanks.

tom traubert

17246612770246584497168199837948.jpg

The RSA guidance leaflet above (one of the images may have to clicked to be opened).

I'm inclined to agree that indicating right in the left lane from the entering the roundabout may confuse other road users, but I'd have to see the actual layout if the actual roundabout to give a student driver a clear opinion on it.

o1s1n

When you say 'the right lane is for further', do you mean more exits on the same roundabout after the third exit?

Maybe stick up a screenshot from Google maps of the roundabout, people would really need to see it to know how it all works.

amargar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544748#Comment_122544748

Yes, I mean that, the right lane is for an exit further than the 3rd one, and the left lane is for an exit past 12 oclock.

I can't find it in google maps, I'm thinking now if I was confused myself and what I'm describing is not possible.

dulpit

I'd still indicate right while in the left lane if going to an exit past 12 o'clock. And then as stated, indicate left as you pass the exit immediately before your exit.

I've seen a spate of people indicating right of a roundabout lately, I can't understand it. Initially I thought it was people who came to roundabout, indicated right to go past 12 o'clock and then forgot to indicate left for their exit, but last week I saw 2 specific examples of cars who got to their exit and indicated right. No idea why.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544658#Comment_122544658

No. There's no general requirement to have your right indicator on as you pass an exit that you're not taking. For instance, if you enter a conventional 4-way roundabout intending to take the 12 o'clock exit you don't indicate right at any point. As you pass the 9 o'clock exit you indicate left because you'll be taking the next exit; that's it.

However in the OP's situation, the advice to use the right indicator is correct. If you are taking any exit after 12 o'clock then you indicate right as you enter the roundabout, and you switch to left as you pass the exit before the one you intend to take. Similarly if you're using the roundabout to reverse your course — going all the way around and coming back out onto the road you came in by — you signal right the whole time until passing the exit before the one you intend to take.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544894#Comment_122544894

I thought this too. Absolutely no need to indicate right if your going straight through a roundabout. Just indicate left as your leaving

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544913#Comment_122544913

Basically, the rule is:

• If you're leaving the roundabout at any exit up to and including 12 o'clock, do not indicate right at any point; indicate left from the exit before the one you intend to take.
• If you're leaving the roundabout at any exit up after 12 o'clock, indicate right as you enter the roundabout and keep indidicating right until you switch to left when passing the exit before the one you intend to take.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544821#Comment_122544821

Are there road markings to indicate you've to stay in the left lane till the 3rd exit after 12 o'clock?

Or are you assuming you've to stay in the left lane as there are more exits after the 3rd exit?

Radio5

The layout of roundabouts can vary, even the basic 4-way roundabout, so it's important to be familiar with road markings. In some roundabouts, the left lane is for left turn only. That's often a source of confusion.

Also, depending on what part of the country you're in, there may be tourists drivers about, who are not familiar with roundabouts, or the hire car that they are driving and how to put on the indicators (as distinct from the wipers). I live and work in a tourist town and see this all the time in summer.

Isthisthingon?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545106#Comment_122545106

This 1000 times. The fact that there are so many variations to roundabout layouts , many of which have no filter markings in the lanes to guide you, coupled with genuine unfamiliarity with a junction leads to all kinds of incorrect lane usage, near misses and frustration.

Case in point, there is a roundabout close to me on a national road. One exit is for an industrial estate, ( 1st exit) 2nd exit continues onto the N road, 3rd exit is country lane.

2 lanes on approach for the roundabout. No filter markings on the lanes. 2 cars arrive together at the same time. Both don't know for sure which lane they should be in because neither knows for sure which direction the other is going to go and (crucially they cant see each others indicators ) So its guess and hope for the best , turns out both cars want to continue straight . Have seen many near misses where people were genuinely uncertain of what to do as opposed to bad driving practice or just not using an indicator.

' I thought you were going left - I thought you were going right'

celtic_oz

Reminds me of a time I needed to go through (second exit) the following roundabout and took the right hand lane (see X on Pic) , a guy in the left lane (see O on pic) was stationary and not indicating, was waiting to enter the roundabout . When the way was clear we both entered the roundabout I was moving and did not have to come to a complete stop.

He did not take the first left and I overtook him on the roundabout as I was moving when I got there and he was starting from stationary.

There was plenty of space after I passed him when I indicated left and proceeded through the second exit. I did not cut him off.

He became quite irate that I had overtaken him.

Should I have stayed in the left lane behind him? The second exit is beyond 12 IMO and not sure what exactly the rule is!

celtic_oz

duplicate

freddieot

There is far too much variation in roundabout design. For example, quite often going 'straight through' is not at 12 o clock or exiting with two off lanes from one and you need to merge into the left and at the next roundabout into the right.

It would be great if everyone had 3d sat nav or a drone flying overhead all the time but unfamiliarity is often the cause of even experienced drivers going wrong on these.

It's the planners that I blame the most for a lot of the confusion and I've not seen the same issues in other countries, even the US.

Furze99

There's the rules of the road and then there's what drivers do in practice. If I'm going around on the left lane on any roundabout and someone in front isn't indicating to turn left off, then you automatically assume they are proceeding past the exit.

People will enter on the right lane and indicate right as they intend to go round. But again it's kinda redundant in practice, as if they're in that lane you can assume they're going around. But of course, taking into account those who will be in the right lane and suddenly duck left to exit, i.e. using it to overtake those in correct lane.

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122546143#Comment_122546143

Then there are roundabouts where there are two lanes approaching and the left lane has a straight arrow and the right lane has a straight \ right arrow ? If you go on in the left lane but don't exit at 12 O clock you could be hit by the guy beside you in the right lane who can correctly exit at that point.

My point is that of you go through say 10 roundabouts during the course of a day then there will probably be 5 or 6 subtle but critical variations to the layouts. This is a poor road planning issue and confusing for even careful drivers.

Furze99

To the OP though, if someone is driving in front of me on the LH lane of a roundabout and signalling right, it's just confusing as it's not common.

But if you're preparing for a test, do what your local instructor advises.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058366250/question-about-indicators-on-a-roundabout

The signage on approach would give you an indication. Sometime the 2nd or 3rd exit is after the "12 O'clock" mark, but the signage on the approach shows the exit on the "12 O'Clock" and in that case you would normally use the left lane.

Possibly the OP is talking about Newbridge at the new roundabout at the lidl warehouse is where the majority of users do it wrong because they follow others. Even gardai were getting it wrong until until someone (no comment 😀) refused to pay the ticket and took it to court and it was immediately ruled that the right lane was correct "as any fool could see" - exact words of Judge Zaidan.

Coming from Naas Exit 1 goes to the business park, and also Great Connell and eventually will also connect to the inner ring road. Exit 2 (circa 10 to on the clock face) is to future development and also to a visitor experience Lidl have, exit 3 (cira 10 past on the clockface) continues to Newbridge.

The signage on approach clearly shows the Newbridge exit is 10 past the hour and therefore driver should use the right lane on approach - yet 80% of drivers use the left lane.

When I was stopped by the garda he claimed it was a "local rule" - he didn't like when I told him I was not a local and will use the publicly published rules of the road and adhere to them rather than some made up BS because he was having a bad day.

This image shows the layout https://www.dbfl.ie/project/newbridge-south-orbital-relief-road/

Now if councils could erect signage, that would help.

RosieJoe

Based on my experiences of roundabouts: pick any lane, indicate or don't, don't stick to one lane - just drive them like you are taking the racing line. Beep and gesture like a maniac at those that use roundabouts correctly as they must be mad.

Seth Brundle

The only thing a blinking indicator tells you is that the bulb works!

mgbgt1978

Unless there are road markings to indicate a change from the "Rules of the road" approach then it is normal to use the approach signage to see which lane to take. In the Celtic-Oz case the sign on the approach to the roundabout shows his exit as at 12 0'Clock. So, the L/H lane should be the obvious choice.

celtic_oz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122547017#Comment_122547017

can you spell this out for me .. which sign shows the exit at 12:00 ?

GTTDI GOD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122547017#Comment_122547017

It actually shows it after 12 o’clock, assuming that is the Ardee roundabout. You would need to be in the RH Lane

celtic_oz

Thanks is that the rule? If your exit is shown beyond 12 on the graphic you can take the right lane..

tom traubert

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122550185#Comment_122550185

Yes, unless road markings direct you to approach differently. Official guidance also says you should use your right indicator until passing the first exit and then switch to your left indicator.

mgbgt1978

@ GTTDI GOD….This is the Roundabout which was pictured, and this would have been the approach taken by celtic-oz. If you look at both roundabouts from sat-view it gives a better idea of which roundabout he was on.

celtic_oz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122550520#Comment_122550520

No @GTTDI GOD is correct, I was heading north up the N2 toward Derry, my original pic shows a red arrow up the N2

Graphic shows the exit is beyond 12 so I was ok to take the right lane. Cheers lads

mgbgt1978

Ah my apologies, I just searched for Carrickmacross Road roundabout and Google maps came up with the one I put up.

Markus Antonius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544668#Comment_122544668

Still better than not indicating at all, which appears to be the new rule when driving in Galway City

Viscount Aggro

Lately this has happened to me twice…. I am driving around a roundabout, a car comes shooting onto roundabout in front of me.. I have to slow down or break suddenly … how to handle this? just suck it up?

freddieot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122564203#Comment_122564203

I see this quite a lot as well as people speeding up and on to roundabouts like jet fighters in case anyone starts entering and might possibly slow them down a bit.

Sadly, if you're driving these days, you need to always assume that everyone else is trying to kill you.