Dealing With Roundabouts

Roundabouts

Telford driving tips - How to deal with roundabouts

Roundabouts are designed to keep traffic flowing rather than stop at a junction and wait for two lanes of traffic. A roundabout is designed so that you only have to give way from one lane of traffic, the traffic. The traffic That is on your right. This helps to keep the traffic free flowing.

On approaching a roundabout, you need to take notice and act on all the information that is available to you. This includes traffic lights, lane markings, and how you need to know which is the correct lane to be in. You need to decide as early as possible. which exit you need to take you need to decide when to give an appropriate signal and you need to time you need to adjust your speed and position to fit him with traffic conditions and you need to be aware of the speed and position of all other road users around you.

telford driving tips how to deal with roundabouts

Identifying Roundabouts

Identifying Roundabouts

The main way of identifying a roundabout is by looking at the road signs. There are several different road signs to identify an upcoming roundabout.

12 o'clock rule for roundabouts

12 O’clock rule for roundabouts

The easiest way to remember which lane you need to be in on a roundabout, is to think of the roundabout. As a clock. We split the roundabout down the middle.

If the exit you require is 12 o’clock or before you need the left hand lane.

If the exit that you require is after 12 o’clock, you need the right hand lane.

Unless any road markings or signs say differently.

12 Oâ€™clock rule for roundabouts The easiest way to remember which lane you need to be in on a roundabout, is to think of the roundabout. As a clock. We split the roundabout down the middle. If the exit you require is 12 oâ€™clock or before you need the left hand lane. If the exit that you require is after 12 oâ€™clock, you need the right hand lane. Unless any road markings or signs say differently.

Lane Position On Roundabouts

Lane Position on Roundabouts

If the exit that you want is at 12 o’clock or before you use the left lane.

So if we want the first exit. You stay in the left lane, check the centre and left mirror. Signal left. And come off at the first exit.

2nd exit on Roundabouts

If you want the second exit, then you approach in the left hand lane, wait until you have passed the first exit. Can you check your centre and left mirror signal left and come off at the second exit.

Third Exit on Left

On this example, the third exit is still before 12 o’clock, so therefore we need the left hand lane. You wait until you’re halfway past the second exit. Then you check your centre and left mirror. Signal left and come off for exit number 3.

Straight Ahead 4th Exit

In this example, exit number four is at 12 o’clock, so 12 o’clock or before is left hand lane.

So we follow the left lane. We don’t signal until we’re halfway past exit number 3. Then we check our centre mirror, left mirror, signal left and come off for exit number 4.

Now, although this is straight ahead, you still need to signal left to come off. We’ve all been the pedestrian waiting in the middle of the road to cross and the cars are coming round with no signal on and we just don’t know whether they’re coming off at our exit or going all the way round the roundabout.

So to signal off helps not only helps any pedestrians that could be waiting to cross the road, but will also help the oncoming traffic to know that you’re coming off at that exit, so they can keep going.

Heading Text

If the exit we require is after 12 o’clock, we check the centre and right mirror, we signal up for right,

We get into the right hand lane on approach, then we go across, stay close to the roundabout all the way round.

Once we’re half way past the exit before the one we want. We check the centre and left mirror signal down For left.

And then come across towards the left kerb that lets everybody know, from our position, where we’re going. And stops traffic getting up the inside of us.

Judging The Gap On Roundabouts

Judging the gap on roundabouts

One of the easiest ways to know if we’ve got enough room to. Join a roundabout is for the traffic coming round it.

Think of that clock face. If the oncoming traffic is at the three o’clock position or before it, we’ve got enough time to go.

If the oncoming traffic is after the three o’clock position, then just sit, wait, and let it. Go.

Following Lanes on Roundabouts

Following the Lane on roundabouts

It’s important to keep in the lane that you’re in and to follow it all the way round and not take the shortest way, or what’s known as the racing line. (The straightest way across the roundabout.)

Roundabouts are designed so two or three cars can go round in different directions at the same time. You need to make sure that you stay in your lane and follow it and not crossed the centre white lines. Otherwise, on your driving test, it’s an automatic fail, but if there is a vehicle or someone on a scooter at the side of you, you risk having a collision and it would be your fault.