GazTheHat

I've been caught out by this a few times now, p!sses me off no-end.

Having been in scotland a year now, i wandered whether it was a local thing, a new addition to the driving rules or just bloody idiots.

When entering a roundabout in the left lane, going staight on, they will switch the right indicator on. I guess to signal they're not taking the left junction, then signal left before the straight on junction.

Now when there's a dual carriageway, with both lanes able to go straight on, i'm entering the roundabout at "some" speed. Only to see the person in the left lane with the right indicator on, as if they've got in the wrong lane and are now turning right. Which leads to sharp press on brakes, pull alongside, then or

What's that all about??

sgcooby

Who is 'THEY' you refer to??? Not the Natives I hope who's country you are staying in.

Maybe 'they' are signalling to a car sitting at the roundabout that they are not taking the first exit in case that car pulls out. If, as you say, they then signal left after the 1st exit but before the 2nd exit it seems a good idea. No need if noone is sitting waiting to come on to the roundabout at the next exit though.

I know the car potentially coming onto the roundabout shouldnt move untill he/she is sure where you are going but 'they' obviously indicate to ensure their intentions are clear to avoid the risk of a crash. It is prudent of them to do this and whether you , as you enter the roundabout 'at some speed' are unsure of their actions that is not their concern, they are looking out for themselves. Or maybe you should slow down.

brihoppy

i tend to do that at ambiguous roundabouts...purely to display my intent not to take the first exit...

Gary C

You will therfore be glad to know that this is not correct.

I actually got pulled over for doing this 13 days ago. According to the man, if going straight on, you must NOT indicate right.

Problem is, most people cut the corners of 2 lane roundabouts so people waiting know they are coming round. If you then drive correctly and stay in your lane, people waiting to join assume you are turning left and pull out !!!!

Bring back those public information films

Remember

Don't dazzle

dip your headlights.

DazW

iTrader: (1)

You can actually be nicked for incorrectly indicating ...comes under 'driving without consideration to other road users'!

kechup

ohhh this is a real hate of mine ....

drivers on round-a-bouts seem to have their own set of rules
when i learned to drive i had a bloke infront of the wagon with a lantern ....
no, seriously you indicate left to take the next exit if you indicated right then you should be in the right lane turning right and then moving left and indicating your exit .. unless of course you've made complete ***** up and don't know where you're going
where do people get this stupid idea to indicate right to show your intention not to exit ... FFS ... it only causes concern to drivers behind
its nothing to do with drivers waiting to come on to the round-a-bout they should wait for an appropiate gap and not react where they think you may be exiting - indicated or not
...and.....
2 lanes arriving at round-a-bout, 2 lanes exiting to the left - ok
muppet in right lane approaching wants to turn left and indicates! then hoots me in the left lane wanting to go straight over because i have driven in front of him - silly **** shouldn't even be there in the first place - rsole

brihoppy

did you get knocked off for it...? travesty if you did...!

brihoppy

id rather it caused concern to the driver behind than have a chancer pull out on me because he thinks that even though im NOT indicating left, i might suddenly decide to do so...i do only tend to do it on a couple of local roundabouts that seem to suffer this problem, not on large multi-lane roundabout junctions...illegal, bad habit, whatever...none of us are perfect...

not intending to have a go, but i do this with the best intentions not to just **** other people on the roundabout off...and as far as i know, i havent caused an accident yet...!

Dick Cheese

Really Bad Idea - Think of the dual carriageway case. Someone at the first junction who want to take his first left, sees you in the left lane with your right turn indicator on, and assumes you will be moving to the right to turn right as you are indicating. He then pulls out onto roundabout intending to take the first left and ends up infront of you.
Don't indicate right unless you are turning right!

GazTheHat

Exactly. One person i would've just thought it was an idiot, but it's happened maybe 5 or 6 times in the last month or so. I thought that new drivers might've been taught this or maybe it was a scottish thing.

I'm not knocking the scots, just thought they might've been taught different rules to south of the border.

I agree, turning right? then signal right, not if you're going straight on.

edthedoc

In Shropshire the locals have the habit of going right the way round roundabouts in the left hand lane to take the last exit, and usually don't indicate either way.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Blimey, they'd be no-one left on the roads around my way!

People not signaling is one of my pet hates, people cutting you up i.e. using the right lane when taking the first exit or going straight on, on a four exit roundabout is another.

Personally if I find myself on a roundabout, unsure of which exit to take, I stay in the left lane where possible, at least then, I don't need to cut anyone up to get off at an exit.

NS04

WRXewl

iTrader: (1)

Maybe they need to look at this http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/17.htm

brihoppy

i actually indicate until i pass the exit i dont want to be confused for using, then i indicate for the exit im taking...like i said, i dont do it at major junctions, just roundabouts where i think i might be pulled out on...and it has happened to me at a certain roundabout in particular in hitchin, i think because of the orientation of the approach and exit lanes...it doesnt happen when i indicate right, then left as i take my exit straight on...

i dont think its stupid, and id rather make my intentions clear that im not turning off to someone waiting to pull out, especially the creepers...you have to think for other drivers as well on the roads, and as far as im concerned, this habit or whatever you want to call it is just an extension of that...

speaking of incorrect indicating...how many people indicate to pull back in after overtaking on single carriageway...? i generally always did, but was told not to on my advanced motorcyclists course as it was a superfluous signal...!

i guess everyone does things differently...im not going to try and convince anyone its right...

GazTheHat

The first time you are approaching a car quickly, when you're in the right lane and the car in the left lane signals right on a normal 4 exit roundabout, you probably wont do it again.

Hey, everyone has their bad habits, i just wanted to know if it was law up here or something. Now i know it's not, i can continue to use my sign language to them , and be justified.

Legal Eagle

What if you are waiting to enter the roundabout but don't, because someone is signalling as if to go round it but doesn't? Those people who signal right but go straight on cause endless frustration because it prevents rather than assists the free-flow of traffic, particularly to those waiting to enter. The first rule of signalling is to THINK whether a signal is necessary. Who are you signalling to? Seagulls, squirrels? If no-one can benefit from giving a signal, then don't give one. The important aspect is that you have considered doing so, rather than doing it automatically and, therefore, without thinking. Drivers who do not think, and therefore drive on autopilot, are a danger to themselves, others, shipping, birds, stray dogs, flowers, fairies...

Vegescoob

One that just infuriates me.
I approach a roundabout, lots of observation, vehicles to my right.
Where oh where are they going to go?
Well if they are turning to their left no indication, for most, is considered necessary.
So I have come to a halt to no purpose.
I didn't do the mindreading course.
Still so long as they know where they're going.
Bless.

Gary C

Had to do a producer, which was a bit of a pain. However they were very polite.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Nobody round here can use roundabouts correctly

There are several islands where people keep using the left lane to turn right

And a load where people can't anticipate other people's intentions or speed...so stop, and wait, and wait and wait.

With the one island in particular there always seems to be a queue (always worse at school closing/opening and rush hours....any pattern there? ). I approach the island, and very rarely do I need to stop and give way, as I have enough momentum to merge in a large enough space with flowing the traffic. Why on earth nobody else can do this is beyond me

If I was doing a driving test and I stopped dead at every island like most round here do, when there is enough space in the traffic to safely enter the island without stopping, I would have failed my driving test. So why TF are these idiots on the road?

As for indicating, nobody indicates these days, I take that for granted. What has caught me out on the odd occasion and nearly caused an accident (combined with cold fast road pads - should ban them too ). Was people going right round an island with the left indicator on Talk about asking to have your passenger door T-boned