General Chat

Sharron, forget your "Smart Car" and get a "Not So Smart One" as in a T34 Russian Battle Tank,Then drive straight over them, (Islands and Cars):o))>

Huia, many of our roundabouts are so large that you can't see most of the other exits/entrances onto them so what is in the middle doesn't matter. I can also think of a couple of what we unofficially I think, call longabouts. They are used as roundabouts but are long ovals. the one in Gloucester has a small shopping centre in the middle of it so not only do you drive round it you can drive into and out of it. :-D

OH used to work for the American part of Xerox, when he had visiting Americans over here they found roundabouts frightening. This was back in the 70s/80s I don't know about now, but then there were very few roundabouts in America. Mind you they didn't like our country lanes much either.

LOL you drive a Ute?

I know a joke about a Ute, a cattleman and a motorbike........

Bob

I find those raised gardens in the middle a bit annoying. It is not easy to see what traffic coming in the opposite direction is doing. It would be better if it was a sunken garden - and it might stop your yobbos from driving straight across! BTW, I drive a ute, which is higher than the ordinary car, so how do drivers of ordinary cars have any hope of seeing other traffic?

we have a lot of small roundabouts at intersections in residential areas ...... a technique to slow down the traffic.

At first they were just raised concrete circles, or had soil put in the middle and grass and herbaceous plants put in there.

Our yobbos (young AND old) just drove straight across them!

Now the authorities are planting shrubs or even a small tree in the centre to stop that

BUT so many people do not know how to use roundabouts over here ................... far too many of them who want to go to the 3rd exit, just turn straight across the top of the roundabout to o that. That is, they turn as if the roundabout were not there!


OH always slows down if we are approaching one of them, and there is a vehicle coming from any of the other 3 roads, and makes sure he knows what the others are doing before he makes his move!


Local residents are encouraged to "adopt" the roundabout near them, plant it up, take care of it, etc.

Liz, I find that a lot of locals here in NZ will give a right signal before entering a roundabout, and then they exit left when they reach '12 o'clock' and as I am waiting on the opposite side for them to go right I curse them for not signalling properly.

I hate roundabouts at the best of times and had to negotiate so many on my visit to Buckingham last week. My pet hate is waiting for someone to come from the right and they charge off to the left, had they signalled properly I would have been able to get going instead of sitting there like a lemon!

Safe driving folks, it's hard nowadays.

Lizx

My home town is otherwise known as Polo Mint City, due to the number of roundabouts.
My youngest daughter sits her driving test at the end of this month.
A good and confident driver but is over cautious on roundabouts

We have two of those roundabouts where the lines (dotted) cross the main lanes near us, people seem to shut their eyes and 'go'.

I think young drivers may be duty-bound to carve up a Smart at every opportunity anyway. They are a bit unseen by some.

Oops. Probably not seeing straight as am on much higher dose of asthma inhalers with causes focusing issues ( and am NOT driving at moment because of asthma cough).

We had new lines painted on one of our roundabouts - solid line all the way round between the two lanes - eventually they were repainted.

Can't stand those markings on large roundabouts that are 'supposed' to lead your cross over into the correct lane. Terrible in the wet and dark

I had one go round the wrong side of the roundabout completely the other night, what a maniac. Lucky nothing was coming the other way :-| :-| :-| :-|. Typical yobbos, windows down music blaring and all hanging out of the windows shouting. These are the sort that give all young drivers a bad name.

is there any information for those curved road markings where lanes appear to "GROW" from the roundabout?

I thought that was what Sharron meant, she is taking the exit past 12 o'clock. i.e. the right or 3rd exit.

To Turn Right ( taking the last exit or third exit ) Click the button on the image below
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.
Make good use of your nearside (passenger) door mirror ensuring there is no one who will be inconvenienced by you turning off.

Namelessone, read my post please.

showing your lack of observation, Maneless one,

Sharron DID say going further than 12oclock.


What annoys me, Sharron, on roundabouts is

sometimes the use of imaginary lane lines that the driver appears to be taking the first exit but in fact cruises around without indicating right

those that when taking the second exit ( while the first is an acute left turn)and
NOT using the imaginary lane lines) and taking a short cut while the person on the roundabout side ( often me) is cut up while I AM going further than the second exit.
12 0clock, or more.......

Sorry Sharron, but I think the boys are in the correct lane ( left) to take the exit opposite - see http://www.2pass.co.uk/roundabout.htm#.UleyaW1waDY

You only take the right lane if you are going around the roundabout ( exit to the right)

Twice, recently, I have been effectively overtaken on the inside on a roundabout by boys in old vehicles.

To take an exit past twelve o'clock, I have positioned in the right hand lane and they have taken the same exit faster from the left hand lane by coming round beside me and it is quite frightening.