Driving Etiquette Tips For Roundabouts

I live in the UK, so, like everyone else here, I drive on the left and give way to the right. It’s a simple principle, and yet so many drivers either don’t understand it or just simply don’t care. Etiquette is associated with manners; codes of behaviour; rules, so to offer etiquette tips I must focus on driving rules and the importance of following them. Like I said, we drive on the left and give way to the right. In the US I guess it’s the other way around, so the basic principle is the same, but left and right are reversed. In theory, roundabouts are the safest way to re-direct traffic at the majority of junction points, and when the rules are followed courteously, I believe this to be true. Take as an example a roundabout where the choices are to go straight on, go left, go right, or come back in the opposite direction to your approach. First up, let’s talk about single-lane roads. Option one; you want to go straight on, so you approach the roundabout at a speed you know is safe enough to deal with the fact you might need to stop. Keep checking your rear-view mirror, just in case somebody does try to overtake you on the approach. Don’t take it for granted that vehicles from the left (UK remember), are naturally going to give way to you: not everyone has manners and some people are in such a hurry… If you need to stop and give way, then do so, if not, make sure you are in control of the car and in the right gear, and keep slightly to the left of the road space. Just as you have gone past the exit which precedes the one you are to take, indicate left and carry on. Be aware that somebody might try to overtake you as you exit the roundabout, so check your mirrors again and accelerate smoothly as you straighten up. If you were intending to go left, then you would be signaling to go left as you approach the roundabout, and keep over to the left on the roundabout. All the other considerations must also be taken into account; give way to the right, keep checking mirrors, correct road positioning, etc. What about turning to the right? You must be signaling to go right as you approach the roundabout and keep to the right of your side of the carriageway. Again, keep checking mirrors because someone might just try to sneak past you on the left, and there usually isn’t room. Keep signaling right as you go round, and as you pass the exit that precedes the exit you are about to take, check your mirror and signal to go left and move across to the left hand side of the road. Apply the same exit routine as previous exit options. If you obey the rules it is a sign to other road users that you respect they have a right to share the highway, and you are doing your bit to make it as safe as possible. Now I will move on to multiple-lane roundabouts. The key to these is making sure you are in the correct lane on approach. On a dual-carriageway, If you are going left or straight ahead, keep in the left hand lane. Only approach in the right hand lane if you are going right. The same principles of mirror checking and when to signal apply at all times. Turning right though is slightly more complex than when there is only one lane to think about. If you are going right you need to approach in the right hand lane, and be signaling right. The usual ‘give way to the right’ applies and speed must be appropriate. When you enter the roundabout you must stay in the right, close to the central hub. As you pass the exit that precedes the exit you want to take, you must check what’s happening in the rear to your left, and signal left, and if safe, move across to the left hand lane ready to take the exit. Are you getting the hang of it yet? Lastly I will look at triple-lane roundabouts, as few roundabouts have more than three lanes. Just like before, if you are going left then you stay in the left. If you are going straight ahead, you should ideally be in the left, but if the volume of traffic is heavy, and there are enough exit lanes to cope with the volume, then the left hand lane ‘and’ the central lane can be used for going straight on. The same basic principles apply as regards mirrors and when to signal, but now, if you are going straight ahead and you are in the the central lane, you MUST stay in that lane on the roundabout and on exit, because drivers will be using two lanes to go straight ahead. Stay in your lane. If you want to go straight ahead and you have approached in the right hand lane, the best thing to do is to signal right and keep close to the roundabout hub and go all the way around, and then signal and move in the appropriate manner as you pass the exit that precedes the exit you need. The principles for going right are basically the same as two-lane roundabouts, but there is sometimes a twist. You may be approaching a roundabout and there are three lanes on the approach, but each exit has only two lanes. Here are the rules for dealing with this eventuality safely. Turning left; stay in the left hand lane. Going straight ahead, approach whenever possible in the left hand lane and stay in that lane ‘all the time’. If you approach in the central lane, this becomes lane two on exit, so as long as you stay in the same lane on approach, on the roundabout itself, and on exit you will be alright. If you need to go right you need to approach in the right hand lane, signaling to go right, and stay in that lane on the roundabout until you pass the exit that precedes the exit you are going to take. You check your mirror, behind and to the left, signal and move across so you can exit using lane two of the exit road, thus leaving space for vehicles who have entered the roundabout later than you but need the same exit. Above all, understanding the rules is paramount, and once you understand the rules, follow them. This is good etiquette. If you do your bit to stay safe, then you use the highway as a co-driver and not an individual who can only disrupt the system and cause accidents through misunderstanding. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil