"Overtaking" on a roundabout.

Soldato
Joined
4 Jul 2011
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England
Okay, this isn't quite overtaking but yesterday I was going around this roundabout, https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.5...m4!1e1!3m2!1s7Z75-Johjs12RXulHbCe6A!2e0?hl=en

I was in the left lane (Marked Eston/T'Port), going Right to T'Port. I was the only one in that lane so just drove as fast as I safely could, which happened to be a bit faster than a Ford Ka in the lane to the right of me. Just after exiting the roundabout (about here https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.5...m4!1e1!3m2!1sg-4MKEg9lyOzdry5mgcEAQ!2e0?hl=en), the Ford Ka indicated left and started moving over, almost smashing into the side of my car. I then put my foot down to get out of the way as he was closer to the back of my car. Then I proceeded to get loads of abuse from the Ka driver and the guy in front of me in an SUV (I didn't get close to him).

My question is, was I wrong to drive faster than those travelling in the right lane? I'm fairly sure he should have stayed in his lane until it was clear for him to move over.
 
Bit of both, undertaking on a round about is not clever as the majority of people are dumb. Yes you should stay in your lane so the guy shouldn't have cut across but as I said, people of dumb so assume that they'll do that so avoid being in that position.
 
Common sense dictates that you should keep an eye on other people at roundabouts as this kind of thing happens all the time.

If you weren't driving like a bell end I can't really see what they'd have to complain about, which suggests they both thought you were (whether correct or not)
 
There are a lot of people who do and don't know how to use a roundabout. It's one of the road objects I'm extra careful at - as pointed out by TripleT, you get a lot of idiots.

I would have stayed in the right lane from the beginning.
 
Common sense dictates that you should keep an eye on other people at roundabouts as this kind of thing happens all the time.

If you weren't driving like a bell end I can't really see what they'd have to complain about, which suggests they both thought you were (whether correct or not)

But I stayed in my lane and left in mine, so did he, he then tried to move over and almost hit me whilst in the dual carriageway. Surely if I'd have matched the speed of the other car and not passed him it would defeat the point in having two lanes?

There are a lot of people who do and don't know how to use a roundabout. It's one of the road objects I'm extra careful at - as pointed out by TripleT, you get a lot of idiots.

I would have stayed in the right lane from the beginning.

I was in the left lane already as the Ka overtook me, I was doing 50 in a 50 in the left lane and he was doing 60 in the right lane on approach. The left lane was empty so I stayed in it.

Bare in mind we had left the roundabout when he tried to change lanes. We were on the dual carriageway at that point. What I'm asking is, do I have to stay behind the people in the right lane if I'm in the left. Even if we set off from the same entrance.
 
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How far into the exit was the ka when they began moving left? Was it as soon as you exited the roundabout? If I'm in the right hand lane in that situation I generally am putting my foot down anyway but I a good rule of thumb is exit the roundabout, count to 3, then check your mirrors etc that way you're well established on the new section of road. I'm not sure if overtaking on the left on a roundabout is undertaking or not. There's so many variables you could be taking a different exit to them. If I got pulled for it Id say I took the wrong road I wanted x road.

IMO the ka should've been looking to be in the left lane from the beginning if they didn't want to be there, unless they came from further round the roundabout.

There's some odd interpretations of the highway code out there even from officials. My dad was on his class c lorry test and was approaching a standard mini roundabout with 4 exits coming towards him the traffic had stopped and an artic trailer was blocking half the mini roundabout so my dad couldn't see what was coming. He approached with caution and as he drew level with the truck a car came the wrong way accross the mini roundabout behind the lorry. My dad had to do an emergency stop and failed his test. How wrong is that.

When you're lorry driving you think you've seen the worst and then someone comes along and goes one better. My favourite I've seen several times is sales rep in 'insert any rwd rep mobile here' in the wet exiting a roundabout onto a dual carriageway with a lead foot and the driving skills of a sausage loses the back end and either hits the central barrier and/or other vehicles or spins to the left and goes backwards up the grass verge. If you could screenshot their face and hands scything away at the wheel frantically haha.
 
i drive that roundabout every day!

the KA driver is in the wrong and is the only one moving across lanes , easily done if youve never been that way before or are stupid though. its hard to explain but the aerial 'earth' image shows it quiet well

its the 3 lanes coming off the parkway onto a 2 lane roundabout that make things daft
 
TBH this is nothing to do with the roundabout if it's happening after the exit. KA driver was being an idiot for not looking before he changed lanes as far as I can tell?
 
red is OP

green is KA

picture is artists own. done on worlds worst trackpad

125hppy.jpg
 
because thats the way its marked , and the way to do it without crossing any lanes

the 1st exit (bottom right) has its own sliproad that starts before OP started so i wouldnt even call it the 1st exit

2nd exit is in his lane and a minor road to nowhere

3rd exit is still in his lane

theres a set of lights between every exit too
 
because thats the way its marked , and the way to do it without crossing any lanes

the 1st exit (bottom right) has its own sliproad that starts before OP started so i wouldnt even call it the 1st exit

2nd exit is in his lane and a minor road to nowhere

3rd exit is still in his lane

theres a set of lights between every exit too

ok, did not open the OPs pictures makes more sense then
 
Not saying it's right (as the road markings contradict his) but I was always taught to be in the right lane when going round a roundabout. Only ever use the left to go left or straight over. Thus avoiding any of this mess.
 
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