Mini Roundabout Question

Soldato
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29 Sep 2004
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Wilt of the Shire
I turn right at one of these on the way home from work. I usually drive over the markings though but last night some old bloke nearly hit me coming the other way. I was already on the roundabout so he should have stopped anyway. When using mini roundabouts are you supposed to go around the markings or is it okay to drive over them? Even if I'd gone round the markings last night they guy would still have hit me. No one seems to want to stop at roundabouts these days or is that just because I live near London?
 
IIRC you don't drive straight over them, but going across some part of it is OK.

Don't quote me on that, memory is a little hazy.

I generally try to make an effort to go around most of it. I was nearly cleaned out by a bus the other day. Had we not been right next to the bus station and lots of backup for him I think I'd have been out of the car and having a quite word in his shell-like.
 
When going round you should at least get your front wheel to go round it. This is all you are required to do, this means that if you had a long car you don't have to do a 3 point turn to get round some. :p
 
I better pay more attention from now on, wouldn't want to anger the chavs around here anyway :)
 
zom247 said:
some old bloke nearly hit me coming the other way. I was already on the roundabout so he should have stopped anyway.

Happens almost daily to me, normally sum expensive BMW/Audi slowly rolls thout in front of you..

Get old people pulling out in front of me cutting me up all the time, maybe we need some kind of retest system.
 
It was quite embarrassing as well cos I was all worked up and my mrs was just making faces at him! I just drove off quickly and hope I don't see him again :)
 
always happens...people seem to forget normal rules apply such as giving way to traffic from the right..they just pull out..or approach too fast and never look thwy will stop for you even if you are out and tunring on the roundabout
 
some of these are nigh on impossible to turn at without going over most of it in a transit van. had a couple today at atherstone and even on full lock i went over half of the damned thing. a lorry or bus would have no chance.
 
I was told to drive around the markings by instructors, but now I just drive over them. What difference does it make? It's not like i'm harming anyone is it?
 
Mr Joshua said:
I'm always careful when doing a U turn using these, it's like people don't expect you to go all the way round even if you're indicating.
It's for this reason I will almost always three-point-turn it rather than "go all the way around the roundabout". At least you can go very slowly and virtually stop in front of them so as to get across exactly what you are doing.
 
it used to be a fine for drivers if they drove over the roundabout itself either totally or in part.
i'd find it hard to believe they've relaxed this stance.
 
the only things that ARE allowed to go over them are vehicles that physically cannot go round them.

you must make an effort to get the vehicle round it as it is a solid white marked area and these areas should be avoided unless no other option is available

as for using them to go the oposite direction, most are not really suitable to use for this purpose, its safer and easier to find somewhere proper to turn around..
 
There's one near my house which I go around, but one that I sometimes use on the way to my Dad's (if not going on the motorway) that I cut across.

If I don't, people assume I'm going straight across (despite my indicator :rolleyes: ) and pull out.
 
Mr Joshua said:
I'm always careful when doing a U turn using these, it's like people don't expect you to go all the way round even if you're indicating.

I didn't think you were supposed to do a u-ey on mini roundabouts?

EDIT: Just checked & can't find anything that corroborates my belief :p
 
I believe if they have arrows you must (try to) obey them. Some mini roundabouts around here are just silly though, you can't even begin to go around them unless you wheels happen to turn 90 degrees to the car.
 
Generally, if you go slow enough you can drive around the white painted center circle easily in most cars. I take it most here have trouble with the slow bit ;)
 
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