I spend a fair bit of time in the city centre and am hence often sat at a roundabout waiting for somebody to turn left so I can pull out. Often, they turn left without indicating which means I could’ve gone but it’s now too late and I’m stuck behind the stream of traffic behind them.
Even worse though is those that enter opposite you and continue to come round the roundabout to turn right without indicating. I had to slam on my brakes today as a woman turned right without indicating. Luckily I’m always careful but it really raised my blood pressure when the cheeky ■■■■■ beeped at me, presumably completely oblivious to her mistake.
It’s my understanding that had I hit her it would be my fault as one shouldn’t pull onto the roundabout until safe to do so. But how is one supposed to do this in a truck in busy traffic as generally you’ve missed the moment by the time you’ve waited to see if they continue round the roundabout?
I have a rule…no indication of your intention to come around the roundabout then im pulling out. Tough ■■■■ if you have to stop, you should have made your intentions more clearer.
When my son was leaning to drive a few years ago I was shocked to find that modern day driving instructors are teaching new drivers not to indicate on roundabouts until its the exit they want. Obviously no thought goes into how a heavy and slow goods vehicle is meant to mind read and second guess the intentions of a car on a roundabout.
If they are not indicating they are turning off, you’ve gotta assume they are staying on.
Is not indicating at all annoying and inconsiderate? Yes.
But dont let it wind you up. You’ll either get aggressive and pull out, or give yourself a heart attack! Stay cool and accept that is part of your job.
I’ll also add people who indicate incorrectly, ie coming around the island then indicating left before the exit youre trying to join the island at, but really their left signal is for the exit after you’ve joined…
Dtivers of all types are guilty of a lack of/incorrect use of indication.
msgyorkie:
I have a rule…no indication of your intention to come around the roundabout then im pulling out. Tough ■■■■ if you have to stop, you should have made your intentions more clearer.
This is what I do too. ■■■■ them. I’ve yet to meet one who prefers to drive under the trailer over using their brakes.
My car has directional headlights, so if I am turning right I don’t start turning the wheel until oncoming traffic has cleared . I see so many put lock on while waiting to turn and blind oncoming traffic .
In the old days when you could go straight from a car to an artic I remember plenty drivers who had forgotten that you had to signal to come off a roundabout.
jakethesnake:
In the old days when you could go straight from a car to an artic I remember the plenty drivers who had forgotten that you had to signal to come off a roundabout.
Wow, exciting statement is that all you can come up with today, very disappointing
msgyorkie:
I have a rule…no indication of your intention to come around the roundabout then im pulling out. Tough ■■■■ if you have to stop, you should have made your intentions more clearer.
This is what I do too. [zb] them. I’ve yet to meet one who prefers to drive under the trailer over using their brakes.
Also, people who come flying onto roundabouts when traffic entering at the next entrance can’t see them until the last second. Besides this, isn’t it supposed to be that traffic entering should only have to give way to traffic on the roundabout, not the car travelling at 30mph which is nowhere near the roundabout yet?
msgyorkie:
When my son was leaning to drive a few years ago I was shocked to find that modern day driving instructors are teaching new drivers not to indicate on roundabouts until its the exit they want.
The Highway Code rule 186 is the same now as it ever was in that regard.
Although anyone can get caught out by stupid self cancelling indicators, with the indicator switch on the left to suit left hand drive, while changing gears, in a roundabout or a junction, with a manual box.
Or sometimes don’t even notice it’s cancelled them in time.
Self cancelling indicators are the devils work.They cancel indicators in the wrong places and often don’t cancel them if they’ve been left on by mistake.
It’s not a pet hate imo, it can be pretty dangerous when as you say someone is turning right w/o indicating. I’m sooooo tempted to just ignore them and continue because I don’t have to be a mind reader (although 9 times out of 10 I can predict they’re going to do so) but the professional in me takes the upper hand and I end up on my brakes. Some drivers are just too ■■■■ lazy (including truck drivers). Bus drivers seem to be the most professional / consistent in this regard - they will indicate 99% of the time.
ROG:
In most cases the wheels are a better indication of where they are going
You generally enter a roundabout with the wheels turning left which ever exit you’re taking.So the left hand movement of the wheel self cancels a right turn indicator.Driver either changing gear between 6 to 12 o clock and/or hasn’t noticed and is taking a right hand exit.
That’s a flaw in the stupid left hand drive indicator switch position being used on rhd vehicles and self cancelling is also a menace at roundabouts.
In which case road positioning can be a better guide.
If they are entering and using the roundabout according to the highway code then that’s a better guide to a right turning vehicle.
If they entered on the left then it’s a reasonable bet that they are going straight on or possibly left.
But agreed over reliance on indicators can be dangerous especially pulling out of a junction.In which case their front wheel position also won’t be any help in judging whether it’s a false indication because their wheels don’t start turning until it’s too late.
Same rules and same problem over here. I only drive a car now but if there’s no signal that they’re coming round past me, I’m off and **** 'em. Same with flying in to a roundabout. There’s a give way sign at every entry to a roundabout and they should be prepared to give way to traffic already on there.
And anuvver fing. Bloody indicators on modern cars that you can’t see unless they’re pointing straight at you and not in the sun. All in the name of making the car look good… in the designers eyes. Clear glass with a yellow/orange bulb are the worst.
peterm:
And anuvver fing. Bloody indicators on modern cars that you can’t see unless they’re pointing straight at you and not in the sun. All in the name of making the car look good… in the designers eyes. Clear glass with a yellow/orange bulb are the worst.
^ Also washed out by the headlights at night.
You can add that to self cancelling indicators and lhd indicator switches on rhd vehicles.
