Hello
Is it just me or are more people cutting people up or overtaking on roundabouts just lately.
I had this happen to me this morning.
I was going straight ahead on a roundabout when a women (not being Sexist) with two child seats with babies in nearly collides with me while she overtook me on the roundabout.
It was silly and carried too much risk.
What are your views and opinions on this matter?
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(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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I've found this more and more recently too. There's a roundabout near me which has ample room for two vehicles side-by-side on the approach roads, but has no markings to indicate which lane you should be in if you want to go straight on. I usually use the inside lane for this, but the number of people who start off in the right hand lane and just cut across is getting silly, I almost expect it now. Am I the one in the wrong here? Do most people presume that the left hand lane should be for turning left at a roundabout only?
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www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm#160
Trouble being nobody seems to read the Highway Code any more.
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Trouble being everybody is in a rush and Im all right jack up yours.
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rustbucket (the original)
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Perhaps the trouble is some people drive faster and closer than others so that what seems reasonable to them is shocking and upsetting to those they overtake. It was ever thus.
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If the roundabout is on a dual carriageway, amd has two lanes on and off, I over take the slow people, and have never had any problems.
Worse still are the people who drive slowly and obediently in their lane when the place is deserted, rather than straightening-out the roundabout.
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>>Worse still are the people who drive slowly and obediently in their lane when the place is deserted, rather than straightening-out the roundabout.
Is this a wind up or are you the Im all right jack?
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rustbucket (the original)
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No, worst are the people who on a busy roundabout with two lanes going straight ahead choose the left hand lane and then don't bother to steer around the curve, cutting into the right hand lane and forcing anyone there to swerve out of their way.
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imho roundabouts are one of the places where you have to be your most alert. Give yourself plenty of room because peoples lane discipline, speed and direction is phenomenally bad. I hardly ever overtake on roundabouts unless its a big one. Always pull off slower than the next person and let them do what they have to do before maneuvering yourself - dont ever travel side by side because people just dont think.
Being able to predict what someone may do is the safest form of driving here.
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Totally agree
Defensive driving !
Always assume that every other driver on the road is an idiot (most of them are too!)
But in todays culture its always the other person that was in the wrong!
Stay out of the way and avoid the problem altogether.
IMO its one of the best reasons to run a powerful car (the ability to power out of problems rather than just having the brake as an avoidance tool)
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imho roundabouts are one of the places where you have to be your most alert. Give yourself plenty of room because peoples lane discipline speed and direction is phenomenally bad.
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Quite agree OS... you have to take care because a majority just aren't up to it. Better safe than sorry (one learns eventually).
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No worst are the people who on a busy roundabout with two lanes going straight ahead choose the left hand lane and then don't bother to steer around the curve cutting into the right hand lane and forcing anyone there to swerve out of their way.
Agree with you David. There is a real increase of people doing this. Is it too much to expect people to drive in their lanes (or if there are no lanes, drive as if there are lanes there....)
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and how many people leaving a roundabout for a dual carriageway...automatically move into lane 2....faff for a bit..........then decide on lane 1
so if you've come down sharpish behind them........straightened out the roundabout 'cos there's no one else there........you then have to wait for them to realise you're behind them
what's wrong with lane 1 in the first place...it's actually easier
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No worst are the people who on a busy roundabout with two lanes going straight ahead choose the left hand lane and then don't bother to steer around the curve cutting into the right hand lane and forcing anyone there to swerve out of their way.
To be fair one of the things i was taught by IAM instructor was that IF the roundabout was clear to do so straightening it made for a smoother ride for the passengers and was therefore good practice. Awareness of other road users was important as to whether this was safe or not!
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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But if you are on a deserted road, you ARE "all right jack", surely? It's smoother and more efficient to straighten when possible. And if you do meekly keep to the lane, you aren't awake enough to check if there is (or isn't) anything there, IMHO. WAKE UP!!! : )
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Re the Highway Code link. The picture doesn't quite match the words.
The picture suggests lane 1 for exits up to 12 o'clock and lane 2 for after 12 o'clock. The words say:
When taking the first exit
signal left and approach in the left-hand lane
keep to the left on the roundabout and continue signalling left to leave.
When taking any intermediate exit
select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary
stay in this lane until you need to alter course to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
When taking the last exit or going full circle
signal right and approach in the right-hand lane
keep to the right on the roundabout until you need to change lanes to exit the roundabout
signal left after you have passed the exit before the one you want.
I would suggest the drivers mentioned by the OP are following the words.
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HJ will know where I mean, the roundabout by St Peter's Hospital is bad for this especially coming from Chertsey up to Woking.
If there was an accident caused by someone straight lining, is it automaitcally their fault?
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If there was an accident caused by someone straight lining is it automaitcally their fault?
If it's caused by them straightlining, then of course it's their fault. You only straighten it when there's no one in your way.
It's rather unlikely, although not impossible, that while you are straightlining the roundabout because you think you're going very fast, someone else going even faster will try to overtake you staying in lane... If an accident results, it's your fault.
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There is a lot of confusion regarding exiting of roundabouts. The highway code recommends that you should always cut across and exit on the inside lane. This will obviously upset any driver who is in the inside lane as they will think that they are being cut up.
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Nowt wrong with straight lining roundabouts as long as you are aware of what's around you, if you are sharing the roundabout stay in lane, even if not marked. I agree, it is amazing how many drivers who are going straight on just obliviously cut across the 'outside' lane of the roundabout. Some times I wish I had some old heap and when this happened I would let the cars contact, give 'em a wake up call.
I will say that I do overtake on roundabouts at times, I will happily over take from either lane, if I am stuck behind some wretchedly slow and or poorly driven vehicle. I do this often by simply reading the road ahead, taking the clear lane and merging smoothly into a gap in traffic which the car I was behind has stopped for, thus entering the roundabout and having an 'empty' roundabout to then get into the appropriate lane and use the roundabout in the normal manner.
I will say, that if I ever attempt anything like the above and for what ever reason it does not work out, I do not cut in I simply abort and will carry on around the roundabout and go round, for example. I have actually lost time on occasion but 9.5 times out of 10 it works just fine.
The way I call it is if you are going to do something less than 100% by the book, at least have an escape plan and the decency to ensure you don't affect any other road users whilst doing it.
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The worst people on *busy* 2 lane roundabouts are those that come on at 3 o'clock intending to leave at 12 o'clock into a dual carriageway but then ram themselves into the lane 1 queue somewhere between 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock instead of just exiting the roundabout into the r/h lane.
There's one that particularly bad for this near me, and the above people end up blocking both the 6 & 9 o'clock entries onto the roundabout.
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I feel that part of the problem with roundabouts is the speed that people join them. If it is a mini or even a small, you will get folk taking them at speed limit, not even switching down gear to go onto them.
Then if you get the bigger roundabouts, if someone has joined it two exits in front of you, then they can be at quite a speed when they pass your exit, again causing problems.
Think thats why more and more roundabouts are now getting traffic lights on them!
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it can be perfectly safe to overtake on roundabouts, some on a 70 mph road in the north east where it makes perfect sense
roundabouts are dangerous because lots of people just dont seem to be taught the basic rule of "must give way to those on your right" rule and believe they have right of way when on the left
and of course left hand drive hgv's which shouldnt be allowed as they cause way too many accidents
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Don't forget, the HW code rule that you must give way to those already on the roundabout.
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roundabouts are dangerous because lots of people just dont seem to be taught the basic rule of "must give way to those on your right" rule and believe they have right of way when on the left
I think that rule only means give way to cars on your right as you join the roundabout. It doesn't mean that overtaking cars have right of way just because they are on the right. That would be totally reversing the normal rule that the vehicle being overtaken has right of way.
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Is it just me ..................
It could be. Do you frustrate/annoy other drivers by being slow and hesitant at roundabouts?
.............. or are more people cutting people up .......
It hasn't happened to me.
or overtaking on roundabouts just lately.
If there's sufficient room/width I overtake on roundabouts. Why do you think nobody should do it? A roundabout is just a road with a few bends in it.
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L\'escargot.
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"A roundabout is just a road with a few bends in it."
Spot on l'escargot.
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If there's sufficient room/width I overtake on roundabouts. Why do you think nobody should do it? A roundabout is just a road with a few bends in it. --
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Absolutely escargot, so do I. But it's nearly always a slightly tense moment when you haven't had time to assess the car you are passing.
It does amaze me that there are people who imagine it's wrong to overtake through roundabouts. They are exactly the sort of people you don't want to be in a roundabout with.
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Lud,
In a roundabout way I think you're right!
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L\'escargot.
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I don't think overtaking is really what this discussion is about - Overtake if you want to or if you can but be aware that the majority either go too fast, use the wrong lane or don't use their side mirrors making it risky to overtake for you.
Plus you get the odd few that attempt to pull away with gusto making it very difficult to join a roundabout, especially ones with limited visibility to the right.
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What I have just noticed tonight and been annoyed by is that depite the roads being very quiet, and I'm on a dual carriageway bewteen Lincoln and Newark, and there is a car in front that I'm following at some distance and both at 70mph, then at every roundabout, it slows right down and goes straight on but takes a protracted and slow route sticking to the outer kerb of the inside lane rather than straightening it out.
I am faced with the dialemma of following it but being to it's right thus straigtening it out but going even slower, following it like a sheep around the outside - steering this way and that way, or overtaking it.
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What they call a 'no-brainer' I believe Ashok. A quick burst to 150 between roundabouts should banish the tedious vehicle to the rear.
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And after that you can waddle along at 65 again... :o)
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Just yesterday I had a close on on the A3, heading north, just north of M25. The exit slip has 2 lanes leading to a roundabout where you can go left (Weybridge), right (Cobham) or straight on (rejoin A3).
I was going right and so was in the ... right hand lane. The car in the left lane (I assumed) would be going left or straight on. Right? No she wanted to turn right too (even though her left hand lane had a longer line of traffic in the aproach to the roundabout) and got rather miffed when I 'cut her up'.
This has happened so frequently on this roundabout and I am so aware of it happening that I am always ready with defensive actions (or 'holding your line') - call it what you want.
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Boxsterboy - I thought Iwas the only one being continually being cut up on this roundabout, it's called Painshill , A3- To those who don't know it, it is a 2 lane roundabout over the A3, with4 exits, 3 of which are two laned.
I live in Weybridge, last week had to go to Portsmouth, so I came upto the r'bout in the R.H.L. and went right towards the A3, only for the lady in LHL, where I wanted to join the A3 decide she wanted to go right. to busy on the phone to signal !!
Other times comming from London, to Weybridge, again RHL, only for someone in lhl, want to go right and head upto London, why is these people NEVER EVER SIGNAL - at least then you'd know they were in the wrong lane.
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Is it just me or are more people cutting people up or overtaking on roundabouts just lately.
It seems to happen quite a lot, more in some areas of the country.
If there are two lanes off the roundabout, it's better. However, as mentioned in the HC one ought to be aware that there are hazards.
If there's one lane off, it's a PITA when people cut others up, which they do.
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there was a phase 5 or 6 years ago plus....(not as bad nowadays, but still happens)....where a person intending to go straight ahead on a roundabout, would approach it and indicate right..
if following on a bike, intending also to go straight on, you'd think fair enough, move to their nearside, keep to the nearside of them on thr roundabout and accelerate up their nearside into the road ahead...
by which time their left hand indicator comes on and you're both aiming for the same bit of road
had a number of interesting hand signals etc over that....and they were mine
what sheer muppetry.......if you're going left, indicate left...if you're going right, indicate right, if you're going straight on, don't indicate at all... until you're approaching your turn off when you might indicate left depending on who's there to see it........it's not difficult.. is it?
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what sheer muppetry.......if you're going left indicate left...if you're going right indicate right if you're going straight on don't indicate at all... until you're approaching your turn off when you might indicate left depending on who's there to see it........it's not difficult.. is it?
A lot of drivers indicate purely out of habit, without any conscious thought as to why (or whether!) they're doing it. You didn't get this problem before winkers were invented. They should bring back semaphore indicators and hand signals.
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L\'escargot.
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You didn't get this problem before winkers were invented.
There are far too many of these people on the road nowadays.
They should bring back semaphore indicators and hand signals.
I still use hand signals occasionally, but do people know what they mean?
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I still use hand signals occasionally but do people know what they mean?
I know the one, a sort of lazy circular motion, meaning "I am ready to be overtaken". I haven't actually seen it used for about 50 years.
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[handsignal] a sort of lazy circular motion meaning "I am ready to be overtaken". I haven't actually seen it used for about 50 years.
The one I had particularly in mind is the "I am turning left" signal, although the "slow down or stop" signal is also widely unknown.
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In fact the circular motion does mean 'I am turning left'. 'I am ready to be overtaken' is a sort of impatient get-on-with-it back-and-forth gesture. 'I am slowing down' is an up-and-down sort of patting motion.
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You are right Lud. Time dulls these old memories. Do they still have "Quiet" signs outside hospitals, and spread straw on the road?
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I find a large part of the problem on bigger roundabouts is people who don't look at the signs and road markings to stay in the correct lane.
The M40 J4 Handy Cross roundabout is a particular nightmare for me where the lane markings are widely ignored.
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I find a large part of the problem on bigger roundabouts is people who don't look at the signs and road markings to stay in the correct lane. The M40 J4 Handy Cross roundabout is a particular nightmare for me where the lane markings are widely ignored.
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A situation compounded by:
1) markings that have been nearly worn away
2) markings so late that in heavy traffic (on unfamiliar roads) it's easy to be caught in the wrong lane through the roundabaout. Getting into the right lane then entails a) going round again, b) waiting patiently for someone to give way on your left or c) carving up traffic on your left regardless. Option c) seems to be favoured by many.....
It helps to have a good sense of direction so that you've got a pretty good idea how the lanes are going to pan out regarding your intended route.
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A lot of drivers indicate purely out of habit without any conscious thought as to why (or whether!) they're doing it. You didn't get this problem before winkers were invented. They should bring back semaphore indicators and hand signals.
A significant minority of drivers never seem to indicate at all.
I'll leave others to comment on whether some makes of car seem more guilty of this than others.
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>>A significant minority of drivers never seem to indicate at all.
>>I'll leave others to comment on whether some makes of car seem more guilty of this than others
I had an incident re that recently - I was going to turn left, I noticed a chav type sitting at the junction of said
left turn, and from his road positioning fairly obvious he was turning right. But, no indicators showing, so out of
(I admit) mischeviousness, I didn't indicate left, so 'denying' the opportunity of exiting (as the road was otherwise clear)
- I did it purely to demonstrate to him the inconvenience not indicating causes other drivers. I made sure of course,
there was no other traffic of any kind (apart from him) which I might inadvertently inconvenience.
- He didn't like it one bit & started gesticulating wildly as I turned in left past him - his little chav face
screwed up like a hamster - I showed no reaction whatsoever. Little things I know, but I'm like
that sometimes.
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Why do all chavs look like hamsters? I didn't realise till woodbines said it! But they do..... or to be harsher, feral rats. : )
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I had a 'I wish I was driving a Landrover with iron girder bumper' today on a roundabout. Three lane approach, left hand is left turn only - except for those who must have a better licence than me as they use it for anything but turning left as the queue is shorter.
Today it was use the left lane, enter roundabout then turn right - this is at rush hour, cars everywhere and not even a signal to at least give a clue that he was an idiot. What gave him away was his body language - right up against the wheel, swinging off the wheel lookng over the right shoulder. My dream Landrover bumper would have taken the rear quarter out of his Avensis quite nicely.
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a Landrover with iron girder bumper' today. My dream Landrover bumper would have taken the rear quarter out of his Avensis quite nicely.
Er... Couple of properly secured railway lines surely?
Iron girders sound a bit wimpish.
Railway lines!
Or train tracks as the hopeless whippersnappers probably call them if and when they are capable of uttering human speech...
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I don't know why you imagine I'm not like this when I'm sober Westpig.
No wonder I am occasionally pulled and breathalysed.
I was just remembering the stylish truck from the sinister (and not all that brilliant from a car person's point of view, although watchable) movie 'Duel'.
Had railway lines as bumpers I do believe.
And I am sure when you have thought about it - soberly, Westpig - you will agree that (if properly secured) they would make absolutely tip-top bumpers. Especially if they stuck out about 3 inches beyond the side of the car.
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Dennis Weaver.........was quite watchable wasn't it.....i'm certain that car could have outdone the lorry if he'd really tried?
Surely even the most appalling handling Yank Tank should out-handle the serious end of an articulated lorry?
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Not really I think Wp... Weaver's car in the movie was a bit puffball, and he got a coolant leakage, and it was a movie...
I think some of those 24-litre turbo 38-speed US trucks can really wind up to quite a speed too, well over 100mph I believe.
But the whole point of the movie is that Weaver is playing a paranoid masochistic wimp, the sort of person who gets mugged in Belgravia.
Very common type in both sexes in the US by the way. They aren't all tooled-up and nasty by any means. A lot are wimpish, and a lot of them are nasty too.
Bit like everyone else I suppose.
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I have once been tailgated by an aggressive lorry driver in a rage on a narrow road. He took risks on bends that were simply mad, and at one point pulled out across double white lines on a blind bend and tried to force me off the road. He was far too close for it to be safe to have stopped or slowed to turn off, and impossible to outpace him without driving as suicidally as he was. In the end I pulled into a long layby and jammed the brakes on. He stopped ahead of me on the road and made signs of being about to reverse into me, then gave up and drove off.
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What did he think you had done to him CP? Was he justified in being mildly irritated (not, obviously, in driving dangerously for purposes of revenge)? Or was the whole thing a mystery, as in the Weaver movie?
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I was there, he was behind me, he wanted to go faster, I thought 50 mph on a narrow country road with white lines and blind corners quite fast enough. He either had a death wish, or was a homicidal maniac, or had that new popular radar gadget fitted - the one that lets you see round bends up to a mile ahead.
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Sounds as if you did the right thing to let him past.
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You only get cut up or overtaken if you're dawdling. Increase your speed and chances are it just won't happen.
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L\'escargot.
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