On roundabouts

I once nearly pulled out of a driveway, next to a roundabout, in front of a motorbike because he signalled left on entry, right on exit, to go straight through. I believe that was a Queensland thing.

majuraman said :

Can anyone answer this?- I am under the impression that the first car on the roundabout has right of way. It seems that the majority of drivers are under the impression that cars entering the roundabout from the right, have right of way- Which is true?

“A driver entering a roundabout must give way to any vehicle in the roundabout.”

But this is where the ‘social capital’ comes in; two cars arrive at the same time, someone has to yield. As far as I know there’s no ‘rule’ governing it, it’s just accepted convention.

I’ve been road-raged over this type of thing – that’s why it makes sense to me to stick to the convention.

Majuraman it probably depends where you learned to drive. I did my lessons in Canberra then sat the test in Wodonga, where I was promptly failed for doing a normal Canberra style duck and dodge instead of waiting for the roundabout to be completely clear, which to be fair, is pretty easy on that one (it wasn’t on Beechworth Road…)

If people are being trained to be timid on roundabouts it takes a while for them to get used to the big ones, even if they’ve already got ACT plates you can’t assume they are locals.

I only once had someone indicate right to exit while alongside me. I was in the right lane going through, he was in the left lane also going through then hit his right indicator as if to turn right after all. Naturally I hit the anchors pretty hard and got ready to steer around to the right if needed to avoid a crash then watched him sail out straight ahead as if nothing strange had happened. What a failure of a human!!

Can anyone answer this?- I am under the impression that the first car on the roundabout has right of way. It seems that the majority of drivers are under the impression that cars entering the roundabout from the right, have right of way- Which is true? My expectations have come close to causing bingles in roundabouts and frustration waiting to enter as cars in front of me are giving way, at the roundabout , to cars entering from the right who are still 30 metres away? What is the go?

or the ones who MUST GET IN FRONT at all costs less they slow down for approximately 3 seconds…. *rolls eyes..*

cue the middle aged business man who almost killed me yesterday at the Lennox Gardens roundabout because he just HAD to push through first…. mr silver sports car starting with rego starting xxf or xff….

bryansworld said :

Indicating left when exiting, even when simply going straight through, is very helpful to pedestrians. I wish more people would do it. It is also required by law.

Not strictly law. There is a clause saying where it is safe and practical to do so. There is always give way to the right, which is a give way sign and not a stop sign. Yes some peoples definition of giving way amuses me, either very extreme or very conservative.

On a small 1 laned roundabout, indicate left to turn left, right to turn right and no indication to go straight. Basically a left indicator to exit straight would need to be made very late in the intersection to avoid confusion with those turning left and thus rendering it meaningless anyway.

On dual lane roundabounts and larger roundabouts the rules are simple but many have no idea.
Before entering the roundabout, indicate left to turn left and keep indicating as you exit. Generally only done from the left lane except where marked.

For straight ahead it enter the intersection in either lane, where safe to do so (giving way to right), then indicate left to exit, normally as you have past the last left hand exit and are around the middle of the intersection.

For right turn its indicate right entering in the right lane (unless otherwise marked) and then indicate left after you pass the straight exit.

I dare say the people who can’t navigate roundabouts also can’t merge at 80 or 100 though.

Yep, it’s a worry how many people think they have right of way because the car in front is going through and they are moving fast. Especially scary when you are on a bicycle or motorbike and arrived at the roundabout before they did…

EvanJames said :

Blen_Carmichael said :

Drivers travelling south on the Yarra Glen looking to exit into Melrose Drive are often flying, some to the extent where they can’t possibly stop safely to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

They are no doubt part of the ignorant majority who still think that if they’re approaching from the right, they have right of way, even before their wheels are on the roundabout.

Flying up to and into an intersection is generally a bad idea, it’s an intersection. Even if a car does have right of way, sensible people realise that an intersections, there are many vehicles coming together. Being able to avoid hitting one, yes even if it’s “in the wrong”, is the preferred option.

Indicating left when exiting, even when simply going straight through, is very helpful to pedestrians. I wish more people would do it. It is also required by law.

Blen_Carmichael said :

Drivers travelling south on the Yarra Glen looking to exit into Melrose Drive are often flying, some to the extent where they can’t possibly stop safely to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

They are no doubt part of the ignorant majority who still think that if they’re approaching from the right, they have right of way, even before their wheels are on the roundabout.

Flying up to and into an intersection is generally a bad idea, it’s an intersection. Even if a car does have right of way, sensible people realise that an intersections, there are many vehicles coming together. Being able to avoid hitting one, yes even if it’s “in the wrong”, is the preferred option.

EvanJames said :

In the US, they have four-way stop signs, which rely even more on a certain degree of social capitol. And they work very well, I have never actually seen anyone exploit them, cheat, barge through or even go when it’s my turn ……

A well-armed nation is a polite nation….

artuoui said :

And how do we stop those dickheads who think they need to indicate right to enter a roundabout, then indicate left to get out of it again, when they’re going straight ahead?

The indicating left to exit is required “if practical”, but the indicating right upon entry when they’re going straight is an odd one. I don’t know how you stop it, but it is annoying. It’s also what I think of when people ask why do people stop when entering the outside lane of a two-lane roundabout when the other car is “turning right”.

I live two houses away from the roundabout in the above photo – before it was put in (2010? 2011 maybe?) there was at least one prang per month on that intersection caused by people speeding along Miller / Boldrewood St, but now there’s maybe one crash every six months. So it’s made a big difference. I’m still waiting to get hit by a car as I cycle through it, though – I’m sure that one day I’ll get clipped as someone takes the corner from Boldrewood onto David Street too quickly and without looking!

artuoui said :

Funny none of the comments have taken up the issue of straight police but have gone directly to abusing Canberra drivers. Why does the Economist even question the ability of queer police to enforce basic traffic regulations? Do the Economist realise the same constraints of ‘context and history’ impacts pretty forcefully on that ‘fine idea’ of free market capitalism they put so much of their own effort into trying to export across the world?

And how do we stop those dickheads who think they need to indicate right to enter a roundabout, then indicate left to get out of it again, when they’re going straight ahead?

Funny none of the comments have taken up the issue of straight police but have gone directly to abusing Canberra drivers. Why does the Economist even question the ability of queer police to enforce basic traffic regulations? Do the Economist realise the same constraints of ‘context and history’ impacts pretty forcefully on that ‘fine idea’ of free market capitalism they put so much of their own effort into trying to export across the world?

And how do we stop those dickheads who think they need to indicate right to enter a roundabout, then indicate left to get out of it again?

The Yarra Glen roundabout usually brings out the lunatics, especially when one is turning right from Melrose Drive into Yamba Drive. Drivers travelling south on the Yarra Glen looking to exit into Melrose Drive are often flying, some to the extent where they can’t possibly stop safely to give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

EvanJames said :

Good article… roundabouts rely on drivers doing the right thing.

Um, I think driving in general relies on drivers doing the right thing.

EvanJames said :

Good article… roundabouts rely on drivers doing the right thing. I posit that too many Canberra region drivers do not do the right thing. Some because they are arseholes, and most because they have absolutely no clue.

In the US, they have four-way stop signs, which rely even more on a certain degree of social capitol. And they work very well, I have never actually seen anyone exploit them, cheat, barge through or even go when it’s my turn and I am still sitting there trying to work out whose turn it is.

As for “no clue”, watch what drivers do on roundabouts. The minority indicate left when they are going to exit the roundabout. This is basic driving, and yet the majority either don’t indicate, or leave their right indicator on. The latter are signalling their breathtaking stupidity.

Good article… roundabouts rely on drivers doing the right thing. I posit that too many Canberra region drivers do not do the right thing. Some because they are arseholes, and most because they have absolutely no clue.

In the US, they have four-way stop signs, which rely even more on a certain degree of social capitol. And they work very well, I have never actually seen anyone exploit them, cheat, barge through or even go when it’s my turn and I am still sitting there trying to work out whose turn it is.

As for “no clue”, watch what drivers do on roundabouts. The minority indicate left when they are going to exit the roundabout. This is basic driving, and yet the majority either don’t indicate, or leave their right indicator on. The latter are signalling their breathtaking stupidity.

Pitchka said :

Driving through a roundabout at anything less that 80km/h is dangerous. No one is expecting you to be driving that slow..

Straight to the pool room!!!

🙂

spades said :

The biggest problem I have with roundabouts in Canberra is tailgating. When I moved here I was surprised at how many times I was being tailgated in roundabouts. Further observation reveals that very few Canberrans slow down to safe speeds.

Driving through a roundabout at anything less that 80km/h is dangerous. No one is expecting you to be driving that slow..

spades said :

The biggest problem I have with roundabouts in Canberra is tailgating. When I moved here I was surprised at how many times I was being tailgated in roundabouts. Further observation reveals that very few Canberrans slow down to safe speeds.

They aren’t stop signs, it seems a good proportion of Canberrans struggle with the concept of a multi lane roundabout…

The problem with Canberra roundabouts is that there a 15 of them on any given 2km stretch of road.

Where is the Tuesday parking snaps? I’ve been hanging out all morning!

The biggest problem I have with roundabouts in Canberra is tailgating. When I moved here I was surprised at how many times I was being tailgated in roundabouts. Further observation reveals that very few Canberrans slow down to safe speeds.