Daily Roundabout Frustrations

Council recently redid the lines on the roundabout, exactly the same. I've started using the right lane now as the majority of those in the middle lane tend to go to the left lane leaving space for those in the right lane to come into the middle.

Last week I went middle lane to middle lane, and a white van got very upset with me, window down and shouting. Such a nightmare, can't wait till we move and no longer have to do this roundabout twice per day.
 
The council in my town decided to put lights and yellow boxes all over one of the busiest roundabouts. It just seems to be even worse now. OFC the boxes are a waste of time if you have lights stopping people on them.

Traffic piles up just as far back, but now you can't just go when it's clear at quiet times (well I guess you can if no one is looking) :/
 
Last edited:
Somewhat anecdotal, but I find the frequency of people turning right (e.g. 2-4 o' clock position) at a roundabout from the left lane of a 2 lane approach is increasing rapidly, to the point that more seem to do it than not.
 
Somewhat anecdotal, but I find the frequency of people turning right (e.g. 2-4 o' clock position) at a roundabout from the left lane of a 2 lane approach is increasing rapidly, to the point that more seem to do it than not.
Plenty definitely seem to use the "if in doubt, use the left lane and your indicator, then do whatever the **** you want" approach
 
The Gilda Brook roundabout is a bit annoying (like most in UK) and is up to the driver or being biggest bully takes the lane thing. I have seen everything here in past 4 years. People taking first exit from lane 2 (legit) and taking the 4th exit from lane 2 too. I have used lane 2 in my initial months on this to take the 3rd exit, defying my logic and assuming this is the way it is here, but was cut out by huge lorries a few times. Hence, moved to the third lane till date.

Illustrative explanation below and please if someone can educate me if I am wrong. As usual today, I am waiting at the first set of lights on the roundabout in the 3rd lane, there is a big lorry with a trailer on my left (2nd lane). Lights go Green and I let the Lorry move and take whatever lane they want and allow space. Cue in Mr. White Van driver behind the lorry who tries to get very close and block me from taking the middle lane ahead as we turn right. At this point, I am fully ahead and to his right and showing all intentions that I am going to move in the middle safely. Boy gets annoyed and bellows a huge beep and arms in the air. With all this happening lorry moves about two car's length ahead while I am trying not to get rear ended. Van driver cuts to the right and wants to barge in this now newly formed gap ahead of me. I accelerate quickly while he is behind to not let that happen (oohh naughty me sinner). So he accelerates and overtakes both myself and the lorry and cuts in sharply ahead of the Lorry causing him to brake.

At the 3rd Exit when the lights are still Red, I am in the exit lane and he is ahead on the right with the same lorry in front of me. I see his passenger window come down, lights go Green and I wait for 2 seconds to see if he moves. He doesn't and I go on my way only to beeped again by him and probably gesticulating. I didn't pay attention at all and ignored like I do with most stupid encounters on the road.

Images below for illustration and I hate roundabouts in UK.

I am the Blue line and Mr. Van is the Red. This is the start of the whole encounter.

e9VuVZg.png


zVu3kGq.png


Pardon the Orange for Mr. Van here.
mdZIybH.png


My POV below. On the left is the first exit.
Gqeqige.png


Sign on the roundabout for correct lanes.
IArh0Xc.png
 
I find that I'm often faced with roundabouts that either aren't particularly clearly marked or, in some cases, have some kind of locally accepted lane use that completely goes against the lane markings. TBH I very rarely get a toot but if I do I just take comfort in the fact that they are probably some sad sack who only ever travels the same 5 mile each way journey yet thinks they are some kind of driving god, backed up by the fact that they have a top of the range Nextbase stuck to their windscreen and a "CCTV in operation" sign in their rear window. I also make assumptions on the dimensions of their genitalia.

There is one such roundabout local to me that thankfully I no longer use daily - Thickthorn Roundabout. This is a combination of poor markings, lanes that don't really flow in any usable manner and local "Thou shalt not use the middle lane to take the third exit" local lore despite what the signs and road markings say.
 
Back
Top Bottom