"Overtaking" on a roundabout.

Road marking show both lanes can be used. I don't think the OP did anything wrong, if traffic in the inside lane is flowing faster than the outside lane I don't think it is considered as 'undertaking'?

Right or wrong I would do it if the flow of traffic dictates.
 
I would have done the same as you but probably been slightly aware of the fact that they might turn into my lane, ensuring my car was between cars in the right or off in the distance (if possible) - it's unclear if you attempted to do this.
 
It's all well and good say the ka is in the wrong etc but why put yourself in that position in the first place?

I rude a motorbike so I'm used to assuming everyone's an idiot. So don't undertake if you think there's a slightest chance that Mr ka is going to pull across.
 
Undertaking on a roundabout :( Asking for trouble IMHO. OP is positioned correctly as per the road markings but by undertaking you are not allowing for enough room. As a matter of precaution I always leave room between myself and other drivers regardless of the situation. The general standard of driving is terrible. The further I am from other drivers the better.
 
Rosbif said:
Undertaking on a roundabout :( Asking for trouble IMHO. OP is positioned correctly as per the road markings but by undertaking you are not allowing for enough room. As a matter of precaution I always leave room between myself and other drivers regardless of the situation. The general standard of driving is terrible. The further I am from other drivers the better.
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This roundabout can accomadate a car and two HGVs, it's massive e, room isn't an issue.

The only way I can see I was in the wrong is if I was driving too fast and undertaking, but how is it undertaking if we both stay in our own lanes? Surely he should have checked his mirrors, seen he was unable to move over and waited for me to pass. It isn't a merge in turn and traffic in my lane was moving faster than his, therefore surely it shouldn't be an issue I "undertook"?
 
You weren't 'undertaking' as the flow of traffic in your lane was faster than in his. He shouldn't have started to change lane when there was no gap. However, speeding up is not the thing to do when you think you are about to be hit. So, from what you say and imo, the guy in the Ka was a tool and had no grounds to get arsey with you, but the guy in front of you was probably not wrong to have been 'concerned'.
 
malfunkshun said:
You weren't 'undertaking' as the flow of traffic in your lane was faster than in his. He shouldn't have started to change lane when there was no gap. However, speeding up is not the thing to do when you think you are about to be hit. So, from what you say and imo, the guy in the Ka was a tool and had no grounds to get arsey with you, but the guy in front of you was probably not wrong to have been 'concerned'.
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I had already passed him and he was about to hit the back half of my car, slowing down would have caused more trouble than speeding up, so I put my foot down to get the back of my car clear.
 
challengedavid said:
as i see it from that picture, why is the OPs car in the left lane when taking an exit 3/4s way round the island
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My thoughts too, but when you view the road it is marked that way.
Strange road markings for a roundabout, rare to have a left hand land suggesting you should be driving past 180degrees.
Poor layout, accidents will happen, and in such circumstances, undertaking is a very bad idea.
Especially if you knew the road OP, I'd give extra room to idiots in such a circumstance, even if it does mean going a bit slower.
 
Antony101 said:
This roundabout can accomadate a car and two HGVs, it's massive e, room isn't an issue.

The only way I can see I was in the wrong is if I was driving too fast and undertaking, but how is it undertaking if we both stay in our own lanes? Surely he should have checked his mirrors, seen he was unable to move over and waited for me to pass. It isn't a merge in turn and traffic in my lane was moving faster than his, therefore surely it shouldn't be an issue I "undertook"?
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I'm not saying you are at fault! To the contrary, you drove in the correct lane. I'm simply saying that although you drove correctly others generally speaking do not :(

I'm also referring to the distance between cars going forwards and backwards, not just either side of your vehicle. If I'm in a 2 lane system that filters off a roundabout I would never DREAM of being side by side another vehicle, precisely for these reasons.

I've a perfect example of it when I drive to my office everyday where the corner is tight (although if you drive at an appropriate speed it is FINE) and the cars in the left lane ALWAYS cut into the right with complete disregard for others.

People are thick. You must be vigilant.
 
People lane control, especially on roundabouts, is generally terrible. It took years fo drumming it into my wife before she finally took the hint and stuck to her lane, regardless of other traffic on a roundabout.

You always have to be pretty vigilant when it comes to these circumstances. I personally just assume everyone else on the road is a complete idiot, and am proved correct more often than I should be.
 
I'd say on a roundabout like that a faster vehicle should be in the right lane as it will eventually filter into the right lane of the dual carriageway, which without getting too technical with the Highway Code is generally for faster vehicles unless there's a right turn soon after. So yeah Ford Ka failed at lane discipline and did cut you off but I can also see how he and others can see you as undertaking as well.

Being right will be a mute point though at the end of the day if an accident happens which will be a hassle at best, so I'd let anything slow pass on the right or if you have the power just stick to the right lane. I take similar roundabouts daily and get cut off from the right like that at least once a week so I just let the idiots be idiots and drive defensively the best I can.
 
Road system fail tbh. These road markings are great when there's no traffic, useless when there is as nobody can read them. Given a lot of people are taught to assume left lane for 0-180° and right lane for 181-360° (a generally good rule of thumb), assigning the lanes differently is just stupid. All it takes is for someone who doesn't know the area to join the roundabout and this happens.

Either the highways department should make the irregular lane discipline more obvious, or they simply shouldn't do it.
 
I know this roundabout well.

Rule is, get in lane 2 and get up his arse so he gets out the way, he'll eventually cut across to lane 1 like a total **** and you can safely blast down towards the A66/Trunk Road in lane 2 :)

Or beat him off the lights in lane 1 ;)
 
Tbh as it's a spiral, you aren't over or under taking, as you can't change lanes.

Aslong as you're doing the speed limit in your own lane, you are doing nothing wrong. The ka is at fault entirely.
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
My thoughts too, but when you view the road it is marked that way.
Strange road markings for a roundabout, rare to have a left hand land suggesting you should be driving past 180degrees.
Poor layout, accidents will happen, and in such circumstances, undertaking is a very bad idea.
Especially if you knew the road OP, I'd give extra room to idiots in such a circumstance, even if it does mean going a bit slower.
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quite common. coming from 2 lanes continueing in 2 lanes would create a bottleneck on the roundabout if everyone had to be in the right hand lane. i bet there would be a good proportion who would use the left lane anyway. makes sense to me. notice how the junctions going to single lane only are marked up for 1 lane but the exit with 2 lanes is marked up to use 2 lanes on the roundabout.
 
Ka drivers fault for not checking it was clear, although you'd also do well not to be in any drivers blind spot for any length of time, ideally as short a time as possible.
 
S2KIP said:
Road marking show both lanes can be used. I don't think the OP did anything wrong, if traffic in the inside lane is flowing faster than the outside lane I don't think it is considered as 'undertaking'?

Right or wrong I would do it if the flow of traffic dictates.
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Best awnser. The KA also sounds like a stereo typical middle/right lane hog.
 
Op put himself in a situation of a potential avoidable accident. Even if the rules of the road put him in the right. End of the day common sense should prevail and undertaking on a road about is a pretty dumb idea.
 
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